Training Day 1- Medicine Ball and Lower-body focused lift

My off-season training program consists of 4 lifting days and 2 mobility/medicine ball/agility/sprint training days.

After performing our extensive warm-up containing individually designed stretching and an active warmup circuit, my first training day consists of medicine ball work and a lower-body focused lift with accessory exercises for mobility and stability.

Before I get into the specifics of my program, for some background on my program design, here is a great video by Eric which explains the rational behind the off-season training program:

Basically, the cliff-notes version in case you couldn’t watch, is that a speed/strength continuum exists such that:

absolute strength <–> strength-speed <–> speed-strength <–> absolute speed

As baseball players, playing our actual sport lies on the absolute speed side of the continuum throwing a 5 ounce ball for a living; therefore, an effective off-season training program will aim to address the other areas of the speed/strength continuum, building a solid base through which improvements in sport can arise.

As you will see in my program, “absolute strength” improvements will be established through strength training exercises (a.k.a. picking heavy things up and putting them down), while “strength speed” gains will be made through medicine ball exercises. As I progress through the offseason, I will work on “speed strength” through the use of a weighted ball throwing program to go along with a long toss program getting ready for spring training.

Training Day 1

Medicine Ball– training in the “strength-speed” area of the continuum

Rotational med ball scoop toss (performed by my friend Chad):

Recoiled Rollover Throws to Wall:

Strength Training- the “absolute strength” part of the continuum

Trap Bar Deadlift with 4 Chains:

Hand Switches w/ Band for core stability and shoulder stability:

Anterior-Loaded Barbell Step-Ups:

Half-Kneeling Rhythmic Stabilizations (for shoulder stability)

Reverse Crunches

Barbell Supine Bridges:

Naked Get-Ups (demonstrated by Tony Gentilcore):

Side Lying Clam (also demonstrated by the one, and only Tony Gentilcore):

And finally, post lifting stretches!

As you can see, the lift focuses on multiple dimensions on the strength/speed continuum, with a solid emphasis on additional mobility and stability exercises.  Check back for Day 2- Upper body focused lift soon….