Lifting During Season

Don't lift on a day you are throwing to bases (i.e. game)

It depends on the workouts you are doing..

Professional ball players continue to work out throughout the course of a season. The whole "lifting is bad for baseball players" needs to go away and most of those myths are slowly going away. Pro players work out on gameday! You can too.

Thanks!

I'm assuming that I should focus more on reps than heavy weight, and snould avoid heavy overhead shoulder workouts.

A lot depends on how much time you have. HS athletes don't have the time professionals do, so typically you are trying to maintain the gains you made in the off season. This means you move into a more "circuit" type of approach where you are working through most of your muscle groups with lighter weights say 2-3 times per week. You are correct to stay away from overhead lifts that can cause shoulder impingments that effect throwing. You are a catcher so you also don't want to be breaking down your legs in season.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2013Catcher:
Thanks!

I'm assuming that I should focus more on reps than heavy weight, and snould avoid heavy overhead shoulder workouts.[/QUOTE

I believe my son never does any over the head lifting
Also they mostly lift after a game and its a circuit type of lifting

2013catcher,

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“What type of lifting schedule, if any should I follow during the season.”

Taper off to a maintenance program where you train with half the weight and half the reps.
Train before you go to school and even on days you are going to compete later.

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“I have been lifting all off season and gained 10 lbs. of muscle and a lot of strength”

The problem here is you are performing a general weight lifting program that does not help much when dealing with specialized athletes. Better to resistance train “sport specifically” so that the movements you perform are propioceptively attained and your motor unit contraction sequences match what you do in your sport. If you are also a football player then keep up general program.

We lift in the morning before school and generally keep it really simple, something like Pavel's Power to the People. (deadlift and bench). Maybe a dot drill to warmup, and some plyo jumps, but usually if he feels like doing those I suggest he go after practice. Also he's taken a liking to swinging the kettlebell after practice. (just basic two hand swing nothing fancy).

Back in our host family days the one year we had three dominican's and one from SanDiego/TJ area and none of them had cars. So three times a week we were taking them to workout in the morning. On the days they weren't required to go in, they were hitting the weights down in my basement.

Just listen to your body if you are run down and tired scale it back. Normally you'll be rested by game time. When games start we'll probably scale it back a little. Also we've taken to using Sat. and Sun so we aren't getting up early every day. Very good for the mental state of my kid knowing he might only need to wake up 2 or 3 days.

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Originally posted by 2013Catcher:
Thanks!

I'm assuming that I should focus more on reps than heavy weight, and snould avoid heavy overhead shoulder workouts.

Well for pitchers you should build strength during the off season, then lift for maintenance during the season. So higher reps and less weight is one of the ways to safely achieve that. Don't forget to take care of your shoulder by doing your band work. Some think it is only for pitchers, but everyone needs to protect their arm/shoulder, especially catchers.

Thanks Vector, I did not know that about the bands!

Im so thankful for HSBBW. My coaches are great people, but don't have anywhere near the knowledge and experience that is on here.

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then lift for maintenance during the season.

Your competition will thaknk you for "maintaining."

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but don't have anywhere near the knowledge and experience that is on here.

Just be careful what you believe.. not everything you read on the internet is accurate.

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Originally posted by Bulldog 19:

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then lift for maintenance during the season.

Your competition will thaknk you for "maintaining."

quote:

but don't have anywhere near the knowledge and experience that is on here.

Just be careful what you believe.. not everything you read on the internet is accurate.

For pitchers my comment is as accurate and is what Coach McFarland at JMU believes.
Considering he is among a handful of pitching gurus and who has published an incredible book about pitching, I'd say it is an accurate comment. I am sure he knows more than you and I put together.

However your advice to the OP is sound in that not everything you read is accurate, whether it be on the internet or elsewhere.

Also to the OP, get a quality band such as the Jaeger band. My son was preparing for a showcase this summer, and while doing his band work prior to pitching the band snapped and cut his knuckles. The Jaeger band is a little more than the cheaper ones, but it is well worth it, and what my son uses now.

Good luck