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A lot talk about multi-sport athletes.  So you have a kid who is always in season for his sport.  But the kids who aren't start "unofficial" workouts -- lifting, speed training, long toss, etc.  I have also read some commentary about out of season work (building) and in season work (maintenance).  So what do you do with a kid who plays multiple sports?

 

Specifically, the kid right now is playing basketball 6 days/week - 2-3 hrs. each day.  He is not permitted by rule to join the baseball players in their off season workouts.  So I am looking for ideas for at home workouts 2-3 times per week, after practice, to get him ready/stronger for the season.  He has the basic equipment available -- bands, dumbells, bench, etc.  Right now I am overwhelmed and confused.  Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. 

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If the workouts are unofficial how are they a problem?  Problem for the basketball coach or problem with the high school section? 

 

My son used to borrow the batting cage key during lunch while still playing basketball and lifted weights with the football team before school.  Not sure if he was breaking any rules in CA but the AD/basketball coach didn't seem bothered by it. 

 

btw, if he is a position player, a lot can be done with just a tee and net.  i.e. hit into net and throw into net.

Originally Posted by Golfman25:

A lot talk about multi-sport athletes.  So you have a kid who is always in season for his sport.  But the kids who aren't start "unofficial" workouts -- lifting, speed training, long toss, etc.  I have also read some commentary about out of season work (building) and in season work (maintenance).  So what do you do with a kid who plays multiple sports?

 

Specifically, the kid right now is playing basketball 6 days/week - 2-3 hrs. each day.  He is not permitted by rule to join the baseball players in their off season workouts.  So I am looking for ideas for at home workouts 2-3 times per week, after practice, to get him ready/stronger for the season.  He has the basic equipment available -- bands, dumbells, bench, etc.  Right now I am overwhelmed and confused.  Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. 

Wow.  That is a lot of involvement for basketball.  Sounds like he should be in great shape for baseball.  If he were my son I would encourage long toss 3 times a week and hitting off of a tee daily until baseball season started.  Other than that I would be afraid of him overexerting himself.

 

My son is the starting QB for Varsity so his arm was in good shape once he started long tossing 2 weeks ago.  He does his long toss on the turf football field to gauge distance and avoid mud when the field is wet.

 

Last edited by lionbaseball

My 2017 kid is also playing basketball right  and will be until the first week of baseball practice is done. (the good news, I guess, is that the hoops team has zero chance of making playoffs this year).

 

My thought has been that going to school and playing basketball is a pretty heavy load, so anything else he does has to come from him and not be pushed onto him.  Also I think that in general basketball offers  plenty of conditioning and exercise  and that  baseball work should be pretty minimal up to now.  Over the winter break and when he has time and energy on weekends he continues to lift on his own, and he always does his band work, which for me is a health issue, so it's the only thing I allow myself to nag him for.  He stopped throwing after fallball and cut down his hitting to one day per week.  Now that we're about a month out from baseball, I have nudged  him to start throwing  with another basketball-baseball teammate 3-4 times a week, and also pitch to each other in the school cage when the get a chance, which will probably be 2 times per week. He'll also continue to hit off a machine once per week, and he'll hit a few times with an instructor if he wants.

 

 

Originally Posted by CollegeParentNoMore:

If the workouts are unofficial how are they a problem?  Problem for the basketball coach or problem with the high school section? 

 

My son used to borrow the batting cage key during lunch while still playing basketball and lifted weights with the football team before school.  Not sure if he was breaking any rules in CA but the AD/basketball coach didn't seem bothered by it. 

 

btw, if he is a position player, a lot can be done with just a tee and net.  i.e. hit into net and throw into net.

I'm sure if varies by state. In CA my understanding is that an athlete can play "club" sport and associated activity while on playing another "in season" sport, but if the other team is a school activity, even if  unofficial, it's not allowed.  In any case, the unofficial baseball workouts going on right now take place at the same time as varsity baskeball practice so it's a moot point in our case.

 

Even if there wasn't a conflict,  I'm not sure that lifting and going to basketball practice afterwards would be a great idea.  You need time to recover. And to do homework!

Our baseball off season workouts have been mostly focused around speed and agility and batting cage.  Many coaches, and ours is one of them, believes a kid shouldn't throw a baseball in the off season.  To keep the arm muscles from getting tight he has them throwing a football into a net with the proper arm movemen, based on position, i.e. the catchers are throwing it bow and arrow like, the outfielders are throwing in a crow hop..etc.  That might be something that basketball training is not going to cover that you may want to do at home and the batting cage of course.  If you don't have a suitable place to go for a cage a wiffle ball thrown up and hit seems to work wonders  on the hand eye coordination.

Originally Posted by CollegeParentNoMore:

If the workouts are unofficial how are they a problem?  Problem for the basketball coach or problem with the high school section? 

 

My son used to borrow the batting cage key during lunch while still playing basketball and lifted weights with the football team before school.  Not sure if he was breaking any rules in CA but the AD/basketball coach didn't seem bothered by it. 

 

btw, if he is a position player, a lot can be done with just a tee and net.  i.e. hit into net and throw into net.

Around us HS sports seasons are strictly limited.  Coaches get around the limitations by holding "open" gyms.  The kids are basically "on their own" (ie; no practice plan) but expected to do the work.  So in our case twice a week, early AM they get to the gym and long toss.  They also lift in the afternoons and have speed/agility.  By rule (don't know whose rule), you cannot participate if you play another high school sport.   But you can workout with your club team until the season starts, which he does. 

 

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