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I have tried to do all kinds of weight lifting and conditioning but havent been able to continue to do them for more than a week or so. I decided to join new sports to keep me in shape for baseball season. In the fall I joined the cross country team where I'm looking to do about 15 miles per week. I also am helping coach a team of younger kids where I will throw BP and hit Infield and Outfield. In the winter I am going to be on the Indoor Track team. I will mostly do the mile, but will also work on some sprinting. I have a gym class every day for 90 minutes. We use the weight room, but also play various sports like softball, football and basketball.

Is this enough to keep me in shape? Also for cross country right now I can run a mile in about 6:30 and a 5K in about 22 or 23 minutes. Is a reasonable goal (over the next 3 months) 5:30 and 19 minutes? If not what do you think is reasonable.
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My best suggestion is to talk with someone who really knows how to structure a training program for your particular goals, position, and body makeup. I'm assuming you're asking mostly about baseball since you're here. One thing you absolutely won't succeed at by running cross country and playing alot of basketball (another high-endurance running sport) is put on much muscle mass.

While running is certainly a part of baseball ... short distance sprint speed is what's important, not running endurance, so distance running isn't really helping your baseball game. Sprint work, great ... but running 15 miles will just force your body to convert to lean muscle mass and reduced body weight to maximize the efficiency with which your body carries that weight over long distances, neither of which helps you hit with more power or throw harder. Just the opposite.

My son played basketball is Frosh & Soph years and even after working hard in the weight room and paying attention to nutrition, he just couldn't put on much weight because he just ran it off. After that he really focused on weight training that was specifically designed for his body makeup and muscle groups important to pitching and hitting. Legs, back, core torso, forearms. Always careful not to get bulky, but strong. No power lifting stuff. This was complemented with yoga, balance work (dumbell workouts standing on a circular platform placed on top of a cylinder ... worked fine motor control of multiple muscle groups), stretching, core strength training on the off days between. This helped with flexibility, balance, and keeping the gained muscle mass longer and more resilient.

One thing he absolutely stopped doing is running long distances. He gave up basketball. He still ran enough to have good cardiovascular and did wind sprints, but he decided to set a goal to focus on developing his body makeup for baseball ... and specifically for pitching and power hitting.

Just look at the body style of your typical marathon runner and your typical pitcher or top hitter. Completely different body shapes.

If you're having trouble with motivation in the weight room, try getting into a regular program with a buddy that has similar goals so you can encourage and push each other, or get into a conditioning night class for ball players. If spending $$$ isn't an issue you can work with a trainer to help push you ... but maybe just for a short time to help get you set up in a program.

In the end, it all comes down to what your goals are. Playing multiple sports is a wonderful thing, so you just have to decide what's most important for you.
Last edited by pbonesteele
Very solid post pbonesteele.

Running, while certainly better than sitting on the couch, will not develop qualities that transfer over to baseball. That is either good, bad or indifferent depending upon your goals.

What has stopped you from continuing your weight training past one week's time? Maybe we can help you with that.

I do like that you are playing a variety of sports, throw each day and work on baseball skills, but I would like you to do some kind of strength work at least a couple times per week.

You don't have to lift 5-7 days a week for 2 hours each time. In fact, most of my workouts only take about 35-45 minutes done 3 times per week. There is very little talking going on and we accomplish much more than most who workout for hours, but it can be done and is not that difficult to impliment.

Let us know a little more about wy it has been difficult for you and we can help from there.
Last edited by Jon Doyle
With cross country I work hard at it because I already signed up and i am at practice anyway. I haven't had much motavation recently and don't know how to motivate myself more. Also I have very little amount of weight lifting, so I am mostly stuck doing pushups and chin ups, which can get a bit boring.

I guess I mainly just neeed to really motavate myself to do it.
Last edited by Hoovedawg
Jon, I was wondering why you have (in more than one thread--3 i think) responded to my question with other questions. Then I answer them and then you say nothing back. I would appriciate it if you would give me some suggestions after I answer the questions you ask. Otherwise it is pointless for me to answer your questions (if i get no further feedback).
Hoovedawg,

Please realize that I have very limited time to answer questions due to a very demanding schedule that is typically 14-16 hours per day. I try to do the best job possible.

In the last post you basically answered your own problem by saying "I guess I mainly just neeed to really motavate myself to do it."

I cannot come down there and force you to workout. I do commend you for finding active alternatives when you could have just sat on the couch. And I also think you should finish cross country because I would never encourage someone to quit on a committment they made.

I would suggest educating yourself with different exercises, both bodyweight and weighted, because there are literally thousands of options for you so that you never get bored.

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