There is A LOT of confusion around in-season weight training for baseball, so let’s set the record straight.

Athletes and their parents often worry that in-season training will adversely affect their performance on the diamond. Any fears that in-season weight training will harm a baseball player’s performance is a myth. We’ll explain the reality here.

Training, when done correctly, helps improve an athlete’s performance. In-season weight training should be adjusted on a regular basis based on the individual athlete’s game and practice schedules as well as their health status. In reality, not training guarantees that in a short time all players lose strength, mobility and speed. Instead, choose training with the guidance of a professional trainer who knows and understands your situational needs.

Here’s Some tips to follow for the best weight training approach to avoid losing your edge.

1. DO IT – STAY DISCIPLINED

It is easy to blame your schedule, the weather, commitments, family, and so many other things for not committing to training. The first secret of great training is to be sure you get the training in. If you absolutely cannot fit your regular training plan into your schedule, remember these three S’s. Streamline, simplify, and/or shorten your routines so you can DO IT.

Regular training sessions are essential regardless of your specific training goal. To help yourself DO IT, shorten your training time to what realistically allows you to stick to a regular schedule.

Sam Cumbo, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Hot Corner Athletics, says, “Three 20 minute sessions a week go a long way towards keeping you feeling good.”

Finding 20 minutes to work out is something any of us can do. If you have more time, take more time, as long as you can stick to that time frame several days a week. Train for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or even 60 minutes. The time you invest in weight training benefits you as well as your team. Studies show that people of all ages who work out regularly are happier and feel better. Did we mention smarter too? Cognitive brain function, such as focus, memory, reaction times and more improve with regular physical training.

2. CUT YOUR VOLUME, NOT THE WEIGHT

Reduce your sets and reps, not how much weight you are lifting. The volume of sets and reps you do at moderate to high intensity is what causes that next day soreness you may experience. You will experience SIGNIFICANTLY LESS SORENESS with 3 sets of 3 than if you complete 3 sets of 10 reps. So keep in mind how much you lift could be more critical than a high number of sets and reps.

Focus on form and intent. Once your technique is good, have intent behind each rep. That simply means that you need to put HIGH effort into each rep, even if it is a lighter weight. Moving weight as fast as possible (even if it is slow) recruits a greater number of motor units.

3. LIFT HEAVY

Once you have the technique set you can build your strength base. To do that your lifts need to be heavier. Lift at an exertion level of 8 out of 10 or 9 out of 10 but keep your sets limited to 3 reps on your main exercises. Keep in mind, the volume needed to stay strong is lower than most people think.

Be smart about how much you lift. Talk to a Strength and Conditioning professional at Hot Corner Athletics about what weight levels are right for your current condition and desired goal. ADD Calendly link to book a free 30min coaching call https://calendly.com/hotcornerperformance/free-coaching-call?back=1&month=2024-04

4. BE EXPLOSIVE IN YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING

To keep your power up, you MUST train explosively. Explosive workouts combine speed, strength and power training into functional movement. This delivers the speed that helps athletes quickly generate force or decelerate. Explosive training is how you improve your power in your baseball swing, throw, and while sprinting.

Training explosively doesn’t mean you should be performing high volume sets. What you do need is to get the right work in so you can get the right results out. So lift hard, sprint hard, throw hard and jump high, or be prepared to be passed by players who do.

5. KEEP YOUR ARM HEALTHY

Keeping your arm healthy means training your rotator cuff and forearm muscles to promote resilience, mobility and healthy soft tissue. Keeping your arm healthy is complicated, but it is important to avoid overuse and undertraining. Here are a few ways to protect your arm health.

• Keep your mobility in control. Don’t skip the warmup or cool down as you train. Stretch before and after training.
• Get the right nutrition and amount of sleep.
• Strengthen your rotator cuff and the muscles of the shoulder girdle

SUMMARIZING IN-SEASON WEIGHT TRAINING

These are Hot Corner Athletics five tips for great  in-season weight training. Do it; train to get the benefits, cut sets volume, lift heavy, be explosive and keep your arm healthy. At Hot Corner Athletics, we work with athletes like you who want to protect their performance, mobility, strength and health. Training is the best way we can help you excel in the game. Contact us or book your call with our coaches here to learn how we can help you reach your in-season goals.