hello. Can anyone make a suggestion of what a 7 day work out program should look like for a 16 year old two way player? What should he be doing over the summer for strengthening upper body, lower body, sprinting and arm strength? I know this is a lot to ask for but if you were to design a weekly program for a highly motivated high school athlete, what would it be?
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I offer distance coaching for baseball strength & conditioning. Send me a private message and I can point you in the right direction.
Is he playing Summer Ball? That makes a difference.
Yes. He is. He is not playing right now, but in June he may play 1-2 games a week. I don't think he will play that much as there are about 20 kids on the team. Maybe 2-3 innings a game. Planning not pitch as he is trying to work on being a position player so he doesn't become a PO.
nonomimi5 posted:Yes. He is. He is not playing right now, but in June he may play 1-2 games a week. I don't think he will play that much as there are about 20 kids on the team. Maybe 2-3 innings a game. Planning not pitch as he is trying to work on being a position player so he doesn't become a PO.
Please make sure the workout is age specific. He doesnt need a ML workout program.
I would not follow the lifting program in that link. No reason to perform lifts of 2 reps unless you are in preparation for a lifting competition or if you want to see your 1 rep max, which is not necessary to start a program (just start and adjust as you go). There are many previous discussions on workouts on this blog, just search for them (Kyle Boddy / Eric Cressy). Multiple sets of 5 reps max spread over a few days a week on any power lift (bench if your going to do them, squat, and deadlifts). Most other lifts are assistance lifts to those three power moves and should be done on days you do not perform the power lifts and done in sets of 8-10 reps. You must eat, regardless of the program you choose. Google periodization and this will assist with building a great base and long term strength gains with little risk of injury. Two to three of your seven days should be resting or playing basketball.
TPM posted:Please make sure the workout is age specific. He doesnt need a ML workout program.
Agreed, and great point that unfortunately is not often considered. I enjoy the sport of Weightlifting (the kind in the Olympics) in addition to baseball, and frequently read about the latest program the Chinese National Team is following, or what this or that Olympian is doing. As if someone with 2 years of training under their belt should be doing the same routine. It doesn't work that way. The question they should be asking is, "what did they do when they were only 2 years in, to build the base that got them to where they are now?"
So, as TPM points out, no need to be doing a MLB program as a 16 year old. What did they do when they were in HS to build their base? 2ForU gives a pretty good start.
I didn't read all of the workout in the link. I stopped when it recommended sets of 15 power cleans. PLEASE do NOT do sets of 15 power cleans - risk of injury from technique degradation definitely outweighs the benefits. I highly recommend doing cleans (as long as you have been taught proper and safe technique), but keep it at sets of 3.
Thank you for all the good advice. Will look up Kyle Boddy / Eric Cressy. Is it possible to get injuries from long batting practices? I read about how kids hit all day in cages…
nonomimi5 posted:Thank you for all the good advice. Will look up Kyle Boddy / Eric Cressy. Is it possible to get injuries from long batting practices? I read about how kids hit all day in cages…
Injury comes when the body parts used aren't in proper shape. If your son was lifting more than he is capable of he will get hurt.
I would suggest working with a trainer this summer. Ask around for references.
You can get injured doing anything. We ve seen players injure hamstrings running to first, son sprained back muscle hitting BP, etc.
make sure son starts out slowly if trying new program. Conditioning does not happen in a wk. no reason for kid to hit for hours. If son is having problem or needs work look for good local hitting coach and work on some things. With 20 kids on a Summer team him getting 2-3 possible innings 1-2 times a week may not be enough.
He's 16, is he wanting to play at next level? If so, will he have opportunities this Summer to be seen by colleges?.
He will be 16 in the summer and he is a 2019. We are not sure how much he will play during the games. His high school team may play once a week and he is on a club team that plays 1 day a week. They both have about 18 kids so we are thinking he won't play the entire game. We may go to an academic showcase at the end of the summer for the experience. He will go to Arizona for USA baseball tournament for 15u. End of June.
The two teams will not have practices so he plans to work out, sprint and go to BP and do long toss in between.
Don't neglect hip flexor work. Often gets ignored & can greatly improve your leg turnover rate and increase your 60 times (run stairs or steep hills - up and down, wear ankle weights while lounging around, walking, and sleeping - don't run with the ankle weights on). Also, don't squat without doing deadlifts (or some other exercise to strengthen your hamstrings) or you will find that you will create a quad / hamstring imbalance and have a higher risk of pulling hamstrings. Do not do leg extensions with weight - that machine put many doctors children through college
Good advice so far. To add on to the recommendations given I would say focus on simple exercises and work to build a strong base. At that age there is really no need for crazy variations to exercises/drills. He needs to work on mastering the squat pattern, lunge pattern, and hinge pattern, while also learning how to brace and stabilize his spine through a variety of trunk stabilization exercises (think anti-extension/rotation).
At his age the program itself, exercises, sets, reps, etc., is not what's going to make the biggest impact on his performance. It's his effort and consistency. He is at the perfect age to start buying in to the importance of training and preparing his body for maximized performance.
I realize I'm offering very general advice with this post, but honestly that is what's needed. Master basic movement patterns with laser focused intent on each rep and bring a hungry work ethic every single day and you will see the improvements you're looking for.
