IN-SEASON TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASEBALL
We see it all too often! An athlete spends countless hours in the off-season working to develop themselves to their peak potential for their season. Then, unfortunately, they neglect to continue training during the season, leading to decreases in baseball skill, performance and increases in the likelihood of injury. This absence of an in-season baseball/performance training program means that when it matters most (league/playoffs) you’ll be your weakest, slowest, least powerful and potentially have experienced some skill decay. Below we have listed our 4 biggest benefits to incorporating a well-designed in-season baseball/performance training program.
1. Mental Game Sharpness & Maintenance (or Increase) In Performance
Baseball:
One of the most important things to pay attention to during a baseball season is your mental game sharpness that is gained through skills training. Hitting, throwing, fielding and catching are all physical skills that have a direct correlation to an athlete’s mental focus and sharpness. Similar to studying for a test, if you start studying multiple days before you will feel more prepared and perform better as opposed to cramming for 4 hours the night before and not sleeping well. The same goes with baseball, if you can have consistent practice sessions focused on reviewing, touching up and sharpening your skills, that will give you a better chance to have mental and physical precision and confidence compared to infrequent long single sessions where you try to cram in all of your swings, throws etc.
Performance:
Being able to train even 1 day per week in-season will allow an athlete to maintain, and in many cases increase, the qualities that support high performance (speed, power, strength, etc). This will help athletes continue to compete at a high level throughout the regular and postseason, while others who don’t incorporate an in-season training program will likely experience detraining of qualities week to week. Our typical 1x/wk in-season program covers the following:
Day 1: Recovery & Speed, Power & Strength Maintenance
2. Physical Baseball Skill Sharpness & Weekly Monitoring of Athlete Health & Wellness
Baseball:
In-season skill work is less about development, it is more about sustaining skills that have been learned and ingrained in the off-season. Athletes who decide to continue their skill work during season will be able to keep the correct feel and the correct form throughout the season when their body gets broken down. It is important to realize that it is quality over quantity in this situation. Just because you hit or throw at practice does not mean you cannot do extra work, but it is about the smart extra work, in a controlled environment that is away from teammates, team, and coaching that all may have factors in your playing time. The goal is to provide a safe space to work through a slump, a bad feeling or anything that may arise that needs to be addressed. It is important to be able to see the people who know how to develop YOU that are not in control of playing time, position or anything of that nature. As a separate party we are focused on getting you ready to perform and be able to correct anything that may inhibit you from doing so.
Performance:
A well-designed in-Season training program will include restoration/recovery methods. These will help athletes recover from the week of practice and competition while being able to go into the next week feeling fresh. These times also allow coaches to evaluate an athlete's overall readiness and any areas of concerns so that training/practice can be adjusted as needed to make sure an athlete is fully recovered physically for the next completion.
3. Improves The Transition Back Into Off-Season Training Without Taking Steps Back.
Performance:
A well-designed in-season training program will make the transition back into off-season training seamless so you can start getting prepared for next season without having to rebuild the qualities above to the levels they were at in the beginning of the season. In short, there is no wasted time or back tracking. Below is an example of 2 athletes… one that incorporated in-season training and one that didn’t.
4. Improved Readiness For Summer Ball & Bigger Picture Athletic Development (Long Term Athlete Development).
Baseball:
The long term goal is to be able to hit the summer season fresh and off to a hot start, in Oregon we only play 25-30 games for high school seasons, in the summer you have a chance to double that at an even higher level of competition. It is important to continue to work towards those goals of getting seen on the showcase and summer circuit if you have a higher level of baseball that you want to achieve. This is achieved by doing the steps above, and having the mindset that you are working for something bigger in a smarter way.
Performance:
A well-designed in-season training program is one part of the greater annual training plan. Having a good annual training plan that addresses the needs, age, sport, etc. of each athlete has a great impact on the long-term development of the athlete season-to-season and year-to-year.
As an athlete who is looking to continuously perform at their highest level, and wanting to make the most out of their season, having a well-designed in-season training program is an absolute must! There are many aspects that go into the development of an in-season training program, and it is important to make sure you have a qualified coach to manage these variables. Athletic success is built off of a high-performance lifestyle and to be your best you can leave no stone unturned!
The Yard Baseball & EForce Performance