Conditioning

By Bob Alejo, CSCSD, RSCCE Baseball players don’t need “baseball-specific” lifts. They need training that develops the physical qualities required to play baseball at a higher level. There is an important distinction. The weight room builds athletes. The field builds baseball players. Strength training should not attempt to duplicate the swing, pitching delivery, or other […]

By Gene Coleman, Ed.D., FACSM, RSCC*E and Matthew C. Krause, MA, ATC, CSCS*D, RSCC*E Many young strength and conditioning coaches dream of working in professional baseball. They study exercise science, pursue certifications, complete internships, attend conferences, and look for opportunities to get their foot in the door. Those things are important. But getting into professional

By Gene Coleman, Ed.D., FACSM, RSCC*E One of the biggest misconceptions in sports is that the athletes who train the hardest become the most successful. Hard work is essential, but training is only one half of the performance equation. The other half is recovery. Every workout, practice, game, bullpen session, sprint, and strength workout places

By Gene Coleman, Ed. D., RSCC*E and By Jose Vazquez, PT, RSCC*E Baseball is an anerobic sport that relies primarily on the ATP-PC system to provide energy for short bursts of high-intensity, explosive movements in game situations. Most movements in practice and game situations are over in 5 seconds or less. So, if the ATP-PC

By Zach Dechant, CSCS, USAW, SCCS One of the most popular questions I get is about using the Olympic lifts with baseball athletes. First off, I came up through my athletic career as well as my early coaching career with the Olympic lifts as a staple.  I even trained as an Olympic lifter for an

While every parent, player and coach involved in youth sports knows the importance of getting adequate sleep for health and performance, research indicates that many young athletes are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Research from Nationwide Children’s Hospital indicates that the average teenager gets between 7 and 7.25 hours of sleep each

George J. Richard, MD and Daryl C. Osbahr, MD The throwing arms of baseball players, especially pitchers, are exposed to some of the most demanding biomechanical loads in sports. These stresses lead to both adaptive and pathologic changes in the shoulder and elbow. As the incidence of throwing-related injuries continues to increase, it is critical

Brennan Mickelson MS, CSCS, RSCC, Cincinnati Reds Working with a high-end prospect who checks all the boxes is not like working with a developmental prospect at risk being to be cut if he doesn’t improve throwing velocity or improve bat speed. I would argue the prospect needs to invest his time on maintaining fitness and

By Ed Yong, MS, CSCS, RYT Jumping rope has been a go to exercise in team sports like baseball and softball for decades. Reasons to incorporate jumping rope into your fitness program include:  If you are a beginner, the first thing you need to do is to make sure that your rope is the right

By David Robertson, Los Angeles Angels In professional baseball – just like in championship football – you don’t win by accident. Winning takes alignment across every part of the organization. Two of the most critical roles in that process are the team manager and the strength and conditioning coach. One is responsible for the strategy