College baseball conditioning programs

To justify the salary.

How bad do they want it? A lot of guys say they want to play college baseball but aren't willing to put in the work. Sixjr is a walkon at a defending National champ school and went through workouts much like you describing.  What it did do is weed out the dead weight and bring the TEAM closer together.  Believe me they got plenty of baseball in on top of that. All I know is that my son saw results, he gained 20lbs of muscle in the fall.  

My kid's HS baseball team is doing all of that and more in the off season.  But they do mix in fun stuff like playing ultimate frisbee.   It's a great way to channel adolescent aggression and energy into a productive and useful direction.   I'd much rather see the kids in the weight room than on the Xbox or out looking for trouble. 

Sounds like a good workout. TRX, medicine balls, free weights, core, etc.  It's all about being explosive from your toes to your fingertips. Both football and baseball rely on being explosive (unlike cross country) so it should be no surprise that the workouts will be similar.  My son has been doing this type of workout since 8th grade.

Both of my sons have been doing workouts since the 8th grade, speed and conditioning, free weights, cross fit etc. at our HS they have to do it in shifts, power lifters first, football team 2nd and then the baseball team 3rd. My youngest also works out at home also, batting practice,and pitching, plus seeing a private instructor 2-3 times week. 

 Like six2four2three said, "How bad do they want it?" 

 

Outside of the 45 minute run, everything you've listed is a great workout for baseball.

 

My brother played high school (and college) football. He would tell you that he would take all of the above over the 2 a days in the Texas summer heat for high school football.

 

Where is the line between being broken down and in peak condition? Different places for different people, I guess. But I don't know why 18-22 year old males can't train for hours a day, time permitting. It is a matter of building up to it. I know adults who would train that way just for the heck of it if they had the time and money.

The 45 minute run is only useful for relievers when the bullpen is in the next county.

RJM,

That is really funny.

 

Stafford,

Let me take a guess, you are not in good physical shape for your age or your son is in a program and can't keep up?

Why should a baseball player not be so conditioned? A better conditioned athlete gets less injuries, are you aware of that fact?

I don't get it so please explain?

 

At my son's school, the ballplayers are expected to run everywhere, and I mean everywhere! They run from parking lot to dugout, to field, station to station for workouts, to the batting cages, back to dugouts, back to parking lot. I though it was a little crazy when my son was a freshman, until they made it to the regional tournament. They were obviously in much better condition than the teams they played, and it showed on the field. I believe some of the reason for the intense conditioning is to prepare the athletes for the grind of the long season, and a deep post season run.

Stafford, you are getting some good responses on the "why."  As OH BBMom noted, one reason for extensive strength and conditioning is the college season itself. For many college players,  freshman especially, a college season ranging from 45 or so games at the D3 level to 56 plus at the D2 and D1 levels, combines with travel, school, and sleep issues in ways which impact weight, strength, power and explosiveness, along with adding to risks of injury or just getting worn down.

As others also commented, the strength and conditioning can be a team building and bonding aspect which can often measure how far a team progresses in the Spring. Success in the Spring often begins early in the Fall and can be heavily influenced by the effort, attendance and sacrifice to be in the weight room at 5:30 or 6am, everyday.

Most importantly, a good baseball specific strength and conditioning program at the collegiate level works. Players get markedly better in terms of speed, strength, power and explosiveness. The program has to be baseball specific, of course.  When it is, and when the coach gets the players to buy in, the players realize the work they are doing makes a difference when they get on the field. That combination gets them coming back the next day and working even harder.

As an illustration, I will be  watching the University of Miami this year.  They hired a new S&C coach, one who worked with our son about 10 years ago and who worked with CD's son at Coastal Carolina.  Coach Morris has already commented a couple of times on the difference he is seeing in his players since they started in the Fall. Miami finished toward the bottom of every offensive category in the ACC last year.  If their players buy in, experience says they will  move up in important ways in nearly every category, because they will more explosive and more powerful, and that will especially true in the core, hands and forearms.

I agree with the team building. Many programs have adopted Jack Leggett's Omaha challenge.

It's one of those activities where everyone throws up at one point or another.

 

The best programs son has participated in are the ones that have pushed him to mental and physical exhaustion. He believes that this has made him a better pitcher.

 

I would agree.

You know, at first, this post ticked me off. I feel like at this point in the journey, I've known enough high level baseball coaches that I feel like I have a pretty good sense of what motivates them and causes them to do what they do; and the vast majority of college and professional coaches whom I know associate little of what they do on a day-to-day basis with justifying their salaries.

 

However, as I brushed aside the obvious cynicism and glibness in the post, I got to thinking that, at the end of the day, the post is correct. Ultimately, most coaches are retained because they win, and, it is that winning that not only preserves their position but also justifies whatever salary the AD or professional front office has chosen to bestow upon them.

 

Winning coaches do a number of things well. They astutely evaluate prospects, they recruit/draft them successfully, make them better players once they're under their tutelage, and influence/promote the cohesive process that we typically associate with strong teams.

 

A significant part of making players better is conditioning them properly. That is, conditioning them as baseball players; physically prepared to take on their competitors successfully and capable of withstandong the rigors of a college or minor league season.

 

To the extent that coaches require their players to adopt some of the exercises and regimens mentioned here that promote players' development, they are increasing the probability that their teams win.  ..and that, in turn , serves to justify the salary that they are paid.

 

So, yes, successful coaches require that their players work out in the ways described above; and, in so doing, position their players to succeed and win more games. Ultimately, their teams win more games; and, the coaches create greater justification for the compensation they receive.

 

 

 

 

 

No doubt baseball workouts have changed in the last 10 years (since I started noticing).   It seemed baseball coaches worked the "glory muscles" years ago and now they work more core, stability and flexibility.   In addition, I know my college player (pitcher) has been doing yoga and rowing as part of his routine.  Any running done these days for my college player or high school player is exclusively sprints to build explosiveness.  Distance running is no more from what I see and hear.  When you think about it, it really makes no sense.   Leave that to the xcountry team.

TPM said: "Let me take a guess, you are not in good physical shape for your age or your son is in a program and can't keep up?"

 

TPM: wrong and wrong. Actually very wrong on both accounts.

 

I guess I just see a lot of stuff and I'm not sure that it is sport specific. All of the things I've mentioned are fine and have their place. Just not sure that piling them all up together is sport specific for baseball. For wrestling, I can see it.

 

If it's team building, or to see who wants it, or to make you an overall better conditioned athlete, I can see that.

Stafford,
Do your homework on athlete specific training.

I was watching the US Olympic Trials for speed skating and the sport specific training subject came up.  Apolo Ohno was asked about leg strength, if one was stronger than the other, he went on to explain that they (speed skaters) do a lot of skate specific training.  They train to always turn left.  He explained that both legs are usually the same as far as strength, but that the left leg and oblique and usually visually developed differently due to this type of training

 

Normally I don't chime in on exercise or training topics. Too many health and fitness magazine subscribers that think their experts and it usually turns into a useless argument. However I'm seeing more and more of these don't do any training that's not sports specific posts and way too many don't do distance running posts. So I'm gonna try one.

No not all of what the OP is seeing training wise is sports specific. Sport specific training is best utilized with athletes that are already well trained and well conditioned. The problem is people see top level athletes doing sport specific stuff and think hey why not have my 16 year old do that. Well because it doesn't work that way. It's like some one wanting to be a street racer and wanting to learn to drift yet they don't know how to drive a car at all. First you have to learn to drive.

To use the skater mentioned earlier. He didn't just get off the couch and start training to turn left. He learned to skate. Then started building endurance and strength. And then when he was a finely tuned athlete he started training the specific things he needed for his event.

I'm starting to see to many young athletes and even more discouraging coaches trying to skip ahead to the last part. Build the best base you can before carving the scuture. Sounds to me like the coaches the OP is talking about understand this.

I am surprised that only 2 people made passing statements regarding the "Team Building" aspects of the type of exercise being described.

 

Lets be honest, baseball players can probably stay in "OK" shape without being pushed to vomiting.  But its so much bigger than that.  Coaches want these guys to have shared in experiences that are difficult BEFORE they encounter that Bottom of the 9th situation… or losing 2 of 3 at home!

 

These guys have to know they teammates are ready to go to war together.

 

Sometimes it may come at the expense of hating the head coach.  But if it bonds the team, its worth it.

 

Here is a clip of VCU finishing up their fall.  Does crawling in the mud make you better ball player?  No.  Does it bring the team together?  Yes.

 

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

 

in my opinion - because why not, athletes in better shape are albe to work harder, longer...to be honest the the fact that the comment was made seems silly to me. if anything as a general rule baseball players should be in better shape accross the board (obviously a broad statement not specific to any particular level) then they are.

Just a quick comment regarding this topic...  I have also noticed a big trend in the amount, and type of conditioning baseball players are getting....my only concern is there is only so much practice time, be it in off-season, or in-season.  I have seen a few teams that spent an abundance of time doing crazy amounts of intense core, plyo, cardio, etc....at the "expense" of working on baseball skills (fielding, pitching from a mound, hitting, base running, etc.)...

 

Would hate to have a team full of baseball guys that are fit enough to make an elite special forces unit, but can't break on a fly ball, or turn a DP when needed...needs to be a good mix...and I have seen instances where the baseball skills are neglected...when that is the case, what's the point!

That is an excellent point.  Lots of us have come down fairly hard on the OP, but if yoga and plyometrics is taking time away from working on rundowns and cutoffs during the season, then that could cause problems. 

 

I saw an example of this the other day. The JV basketball coach at my kid's school is notorious for running brutal practices -- lots and lots of suicides, running,  ladders,  etc.  The team is in great shape.  But I saw them get roundly  spanked  by a team that was clearly slower, less fit,  and less athletic.  But that team was so much better at setting screens, passing, running plays, playing defense, and of course, shooting.

do you have an example of this? i have never heard of any sport where it was claimed that skill level has gone down from neglect due to too much conditioning time. With sarcasm - do you look for monsters under the bed as well?

old school -- JCG just gave you an example of this..maybe you replied before his post showed up... I know the OP was relating these workouts to College teams, however HS teams are also following those trends of extreme conditioning.

 

I am not sure if anyone has to use anything other than simple logic, to come to the conclusion that if you spend the majority of time doing a specific activity (conditioning), that other skill sets will suffer.  I have seen in particular - two (used to be power house JUCO programs) that fundamentally are poor, and both programs invest an abundance of their time in conditioning.  Another local D3 program just changed coaching staffs, and while they still do some conditioning, they have shifted their focus from "extreme" conditioning to working on specific skill set traning - pitching getting work, hitting, cut-offs, fielding, etc.

 

No monsters under my bed....just trying to point out a common sense approach to the new fad.

yes i was posting at same time JCG and also yes we discussing College teams.

 

As far as HS, JV and below I doubt it changes much. at the end it is all about levels and balance - I do believe the team or kid who is better conditioned and stronger will over a period of time win much more than the team or kid that isn't. I don't believe that is a big reach to feel that way. the higher the level of play the bigger the edge will become - IMO

My first reply to this thread discussed "team building".

 

But I do want to include 1 more thought….

 

Baseball has, by far, the most demanding schedule of any of the college sports.  If you are not in shape you will not make it to the end of a 60 game season.

 

It was routine to have teammates drop 10 - 20 lbs during the course of a spring season.

 

Many (read that as "most") parents reading this and many (read that as "most") high school baseball players actually have no idea what they are getting into when they make the move from hs to college baseball.  Especially with the recent switch from legion to showcase formats.  Playing 3 or 4 games a weekend does not replicate the toll that a 60 game season WITH 15 credits of classes takes on a body & mind.

 

You better be in shape.  

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

Great Point PIS.......now, how many schools out there offer Mental Conditioning?

 

 

The all do.

 

Its usually called the "Course Catalog".   

 

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com/bus_tour

PIS,

Thank you for posting the VCU video.It certainly illustrates, very vividly, what I tried to summarize before.

Every parent who hopes or expects their son to play after HS and every player who hopes to play in college might consider it a "must" viewing.  The experience of college baseball can be unique.  That video and watching each player push himself through the challenge is one part. Watching the "team" when the last one finishes and everyone is there to support him is a BIG part.  College baseball can be a very rare experience when players become a team, they sacrifice for each other, believe in each other, and have leadership from a few which will not let the other 30 or so quit.

There have been plenty of HSBBW discussions on the mental aspects of playing beyond HS.  The VCU video shows both the physical and mental.  The only thing it leaves out is the fact coaches and  players challenge themselves and each other in a similar but different way nearly each and every day from early in the Fall until "hopefully" late in the Spring.  The video is a terrific example of "one day" in the grind which is college baseball.

 

 

Amen.

 

Great stuff. 

 

This video is from a couple of years ago from my son's program.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAX4DhvJoAY

 

He is working his tail off over winter break getting ready for his team challenge that they do as soon as they get back next week.  It is a really big deal to them. He finished his heavy phase a couple of weeks ago and is in full power/crossfit/mental/combat mode right now. The amount of discipline these kids have is staggering.

 

 

For those concerned about the intense conditioning coming at the expense of teaching/practicing baseball skills:  most schools use nearly all of their 20 hours weekly allotment of authorized practice during the six-ish week of fall practice for drills and scrimmages other normal baseball activities.  Most of the run-and-puke stuff happens during early morning team workouts that don't count as practice time because they are "voluntary" and don't involve sport specific work.  

 

It's not one or the other--it's both.

JH I totally agree. Even with my son's strong structured workout schedule in HS,and

summer collegiate ball schedule/rigorous workouts, he really thought he was well prepared. He was ready for whatever the college coaches threw at him....not. Some of his college teammates had it worse. They weren't as prepared and it showed. 

During winter break he had time to workout with his old HS team....he let them know they all needed to step it up! He said there was no room for whimps or complaining

if you want to play at next level. If anyone thinks its even remotely hard in HS now,you have another thing coming. What you give, will be what you get...period!

 

Whenever anyone asks me the best thing a player can do the summer before they start college baseball, I tell them that whatever it is, make sure that it allows them to arrive healthy, rested, and in the best physical condition of their life. They're going to be competing right away in the most rigorous environment, physically, that they've ever experienced...guaranteed. They'll regret it if they're tired and sore from their summer experience.