When is enough, eniough !!!

When guys start lifting like bodybuilders instead of baseball players.

Not sure I understand the question...is there something you are referring to specifically?

JON

I see and hear of too many kids getting "too buff" in the gym and impacting their arm strength etc

All too many kids I think are doing it in the weight room

I know of at least one player who has lost his starting slot this season because of becoming to muscular

Are they getting "too buff" or simply weight training oncorrectly and losing range of motion?

I've never seen a HS kid get too big that it will hinder their throwing, but I've seen plenty of kids go in and do benches and curls, lose shoulder range of motion and hinder their throwing.

In these cases weight training shouldn't be blamed. It's poor application.

Too Buff in high school to play baseball. If this is the case it is because they spent all their time in the weight room instead of the baseball diamond.

I agree with Jon, I don't believe size is the problem. There are plenty big league guys with incredible muscle mass. (Most baseball uniforms don't show off the big muscles but they are there on many guys)

When I was in school people used to say you can't lift weights and play basketball, messes up your shot.

I ate breakfast with a D1 team last year and going through the buffet line the first thing I noticed was how muscular these guys were. I wasn't looking for this just hard not to notice when they are wearing tank tops and t-shirts instead of the uniform.

Jon

These are college kids who seem to have overworked in the gym during the winter

I agree with Jon that it is not the overwork - just improper application. There was a college player (pitcher) working out at our gym in the off-season and he looked more like a linebacker than a pitcher.

We were at a Cal State Fullerton game two weeks ago and all the kids were "bottom heavy" and looked big and strong in the right areas. The players in question are probably not following (or not getting) the right workout from the team's strength and conditioning coach.

Or there is no S & C coach...

There's just no way these kids got too big from proper lifting.

As with many thing in life, proper application can provide amazing results, poor application WILL provide undesirable results.

I think pitchers can get too big. There's just no need for bulk in the arms and it can in some cases hinder a pitcher's velocity no matter how well balanced or flexible. Bulk almost directly transfers to bat speed but it doesn't directly transfer to pitching velocity and upper body bulk can reduce pitching velocity in some. Pitchers primarily need to work on developing stamina in the small muscles of the forearm and shoulder to take the load off the ligaments as much as possible.

There is a difference between bulk and strength. Strength is incredibly important in every sport...not just baseball. Bulk may limit range of motion, but doing lifts properly, stretching, doing the right reps, etc make for a great strength program. The backbone of any athletic training needs to be the weightroom.

never seen "bulk" translate to batspeed... without flexibility...

quote:

Originally posted by Jon Doyle:
Or there is no S & C coach...

There's just no way these kids got too big from proper lifting.

As with many thing in life, proper application can provide amazing results, poor application WILL provide undesirable results.

Jon- You are absolutely right. You have to train properly and that includes working on flexibility.

CADad- I don't see anything different in striking or throwing regarding generating arm speed and bat speed with respect to training. You mentioned the smaller muscles of the forearms being important for throwing. Really? Tell me why a larger muscle that has balance and is flexible is going to not be more efficient as a smaller muscle.