View Full Version : How does MLB players work out?
Mariners_swe
08-01-2008, 05:30 AM
How do they work out? What exercises are good for baseball? Besides squats, deadlifts and so, more sport specific?
MrSurprise
08-01-2008, 09:45 AM
The thing about baseball is, it uses alllll the muscles. haha. Any Tricep, Forearm, Leg, Lat, Shoulder workout is good... The best thing for baseball workouts is make the weight just heavy enough that it provides resistence throughout the whole rep and then rep the weight with alot of explosion... get alot of fast twitch muscles working
Oh and as far as major league workouts... every player pretty much has their own specific workout... They get trainers that provide them with what would be best for them and their position. If you just do a web search about MLB workouts I am pretty sure you will get alot of different examples.
This has videos and pictures of random training workouts from guys in the pros... go to the first link for Justin Morneau's workout, and then there are videos of what he does... pretty cool stuff, but remember, his workout is designed for his position and his weaknesses, so customize it for you.
http://magazine.stack.com/Sport/36/Baseball.aspx
I saw things for just Verlander on there not Morneau. Its always good when they are actually doing something opposed to a workout just being posted. Reading that I have done on strength training states: that the more advanced the athlete the greater need for sport specific movements. Ok so this can be a good example here. A guy like Verlander is gonna focus alot more on sport specific things because he is at the top level of the sport and most likely has many many years of training under his belt. Same thing with anybody in the major leagues (obviously the 19 year olds running around the league can still advance) but alot of the players are done with growing which ends for males usually at 21. This is why general strength should probably be what most of your workout consist of .... obviously you can do some things in there that might accomplish both sport specific and strength. Also since you use all the muscles in your body during a game you want to train in a similar fashion. Compound lifts are going to give you the most bang for your buck ... bench, **some shoulder work (the amount varies depending on pitcher vs position player), squat, deadlift, row and olympic lifts. There are some places where smaller muscle lifts can help such as a hamstring exercise but those exercises I listed should make up most of your lifts. Usually the only lifts that cause a problem can be the bench and shoulder work. If you really bulk up in the chest and cuff area its going to hinder performance ... bulking or hypertrophy usually consists of higher reps (8-10) in one set ... 3 sets of 10 reps each has a different result than 10 sets of 3 reps each. The one problem that people strength training for anything can fall into is trying to do an advanced workout because they want to be like a certain player when in reality they are not close enough for the workout to really provide a full benefit.
MrSurprise
08-01-2008, 11:55 AM
Justin's was the first link under "Featured Articles" here is the direct link
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/4243/Justin_Morneaus_OffSeason_Training_Routine.aspx
kylebee
08-01-2008, 02:22 PM
How do they work out? What exercises are good for baseball? Besides squats, deadlifts and so, more sport specific?
Plyometrics, sprint-type exercises, compound lifts, rotator cuff strengthening, flexibility, etc.
b4uplayball
08-01-2008, 03:38 PM
Baseball players, especially pitchers focus a lot of time on stretching and flexibility to avoid those muscle tears and pulls. So stretching is very important. Secondly, running sprints is a big time exercise and you'll see the players run them in warmups before the game.
The major leaguers have physical therapists and exercise coaches that design a customized regiment for each player.
Most ballplayers also lift weights, (light weight and lots of repetiions) to keep them strong throughout the year.
And don't forget batting practice, there is no substitute for repetition. The swing trainers are awesome for this.
Justin's was the first link under "Featured Articles" here is the direct link
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/4243/Justin_Morneaus_OffSeason_Training_Routine.aspx
Ok I see it now.
Baseball players, especially pitchers focus a lot of time on stretching and flexibility to avoid those muscle tears and pulls. So stretching is very important. Secondly, running sprints is a big time exercise and you'll see the players run them in warmups before the game.
The major leaguers have physical therapists and exercise coaches that design a customized regiment for each player.
Most ballplayers also lift weights, (light weight and lots of repetiions) to keep them strong throughout the year.
And don't forget batting practice, there is no substitute for repetition. The swing trainers are awesome for this.
Just a heads up ... training with light weight and lots of reps doesn't help keeping your strength up necessarily ...
1-3 reps = power range
4-6 = strength
8-12 = hypertrophy
>12 = endurance
As you see by that break down high reps like say more than 12 would only make you have endurance and pretty much do nothing for your strength. You only can gain strength by adding more and you can only really keep it by doing the same. Weights should be lifted throughout the year yes but similar workouts to those of the off season just simplified into usually 2 sessions per week.
MrSurprise
08-01-2008, 05:34 PM
Ok I see it now.
Just a heads up ... training with light weight and lots of reps doesn't help keeping your strength up necessarily ...
1-3 reps = power range
4-6 = strength
8-12 = hypertrophy
>12 = endurance
As you see by that break down high reps like say more than 12 would only make you have endurance and pretty much do nothing for your strength. You only can gain strength by adding more and you can only really keep it by doing the same. Weights should be lifted throughout the year yes but similar workouts to those of the off season just simplified into usually 2 sessions per week.
Very true! That is why its better to get your workout personalized... so if he would say what position, what his goals were, and everything about him, we could maybe help personalize a workout. I mean if you are in season, out of season matters... if you are a pitcher, catcher, or outfielder... they are all different in training...
Another thing is, the pros, baseball is their job, it's their life, they have 24 hours a day, every day to devote to training!!! So their workouts can be spread out and more complex, while someone in high school, who has a job, classes, homework, practice and house chores to worry about wouldn't be able to follow it.
kylebee
08-01-2008, 05:38 PM
1-3 reps = power range
4-6 = strength
8-12 = hypertrophy
>12 = endurance
That's true to some extent. To develop lean body mass and "strength" as we know it, you should be working compound lifts to failure without machines that restrict your range of motion. Using machines can very well build muscle mass and bulk, but sports are not played on restricted planes of motion, and the strength gains do not really transfer. Compound lifts using a squat rack, on the other hand, will help to build the requisite strength to help you build strength that you can leverage on the diamond.
Go Cardinals
08-01-2008, 06:31 PM
MR Surprise, that is a great find. Thanks for the info. You come across anymore, please PM me.
That's true to some extent. To develop lean body mass and "strength" as we know it, you should be working compound lifts to failure without machines that restrict your range of motion. Using machines can very well build muscle mass and bulk, but sports are not played on restricted planes of motion, and the strength gains do not really transfer. Compound lifts using a squat rack, on the other hand, will help to build the requisite strength to help you build strength that you can leverage on the diamond.
I just meant those for a rough ball park obviously give or take a rep but generally about right (also they correlate with a % of your 1 rep max). Definitely free weights give greater results than machines ... problem with machines is there's not alot of carry over to the field because of that fixed plane. Stablizing muscles are probably just about as important as the bigger muscles.
MrSurprise
08-01-2008, 07:54 PM
That's true to some extent. To develop lean body mass and "strength" as we know it, you should be working compound lifts to failure without machines that restrict your range of motion. Using machines can very well build muscle mass and bulk, but sports are not played on restricted planes of motion, and the strength gains do not really transfer. Compound lifts using a squat rack, on the other hand, will help to build the requisite strength to help you build strength that you can leverage on the diamond.
Also very true!!
Yeah, stackmag.com has greatttt interviews and tips from pros and college programs. here are a few more from that website:
Hunter Pence
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/ArticleDraw/4934
Texas Rangers
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/3613/Texas_Rangers_Strength_Training_Plan.aspx
Jimmy Rollins
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/5143/Hitting_Speed_and_Strength_Training_with_Jimmy_Rol lins.aspx
Here is the list of alllllll 529 workout articles they have....
http://magazine.stack.com/Search/Default.aspx?SportId=36
pretty legit stuff!!!
heres my favorite
http://magazine.stack.com/TheIssue/Article/1340/no_andro_is_not_for_you.aspx
Last time I checked the title has a double negative meaning it is for you! haha
kylebee
08-02-2008, 12:27 AM
Stablizing muscles are probably just about as important as the bigger muscles.
Preach on, brother.
Most ballplayers also lift weights, (light weight and lots of repetiions) to keep them strong throughout the year.
I don't think so........
LAball
08-02-2008, 10:19 AM
I dont think baseball player should lift much weights. Maybe in the off season. During season, you just wana get out wihtout an injury.
I dont think baseball player should lift much weights. Maybe in the off season. During season, you just wana get out wihtout an injury.
Lifting, conditioning and stretching all prevent injury better than nothing at all when done correctly .. as well as keeping strength levels up so those long hits don't turn into short ones.