In Season Conditioning Programs for the New Age Baseball Player

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In- Season Conditioning Programs for the New Age
Baseball Player

• January 28th 2005
• Dulles Marriott

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Dana Cavalea,CSCS

• New York Yankees Assistant Strength and
  Conditioning Coach
• B.S. Exercise Science- University of South
  Florida
• National Strength and Conditioning Association
  NSCA-CSCS
• National Academy of Sports Medicine- NASM
• USA Olympic Weightlifting Club Coach

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How many Coaches implement an Off-Season
Conditioning Program??

• How about an IN-SEASON Conditioning Program?

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Shortage of Athletes

• Reasons
• TV
• Playstation/ XBOX
• Parents

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Strength/Conditioning Goals of a Baseball Player

• Become More..
• Explosive
• Powerful
• Less Susceptible to Injury
• Develop the Anaerobic Energy System and Develop
  Anaerobic Endurance

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Traditional Programs vs. New Dynamic/ Functional
Programs

• TRADITIONAL
• Group Stretch- Static
• Strength Training- Body Part Isolation
• Distance Running/ Aerobic Development
• Reinforcement of Negative Motor Patterns

• DYNAMIC/ Functional
• Dynamic Flexibility through movement
• Strength- Training Movements, Core, Scap
• Anaerobic Development
• (agility, speed drills, rapid response,
  acceleration?max V)
• Teach Proper Muscle Activation and Firing Sequence

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What Do Traditional Programs Lack?

• The ability to train the body as a kinetic chain
  as opposed to individual segments
• The ability to train the stabilizers of the
  core, scapula/ rotator cuff, hips, and other
  major joints
• Programs are developed with bodybuilder
  philosophies in mind

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What Makes Dynamic Programs so Successful

• Programs are developed with Athletic Movements in
  mind
• The training methods implemented give the bodys
  connective tissue (tendons, ligaments) more time
  to adapt
• Flexibility is enhancement by actively stretching
  and performing contractions to create muscle
  memory and increase strength
• Training is meant to simulate athletic activity
  having a direct carry over to sport

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So why are so many Coaches still implementing
Old School Traditional Programs?

• Lack of education about new techniques
• Lack of time to implement/ research new
  techniques
• NOT INTERESTED
• Resistant to Change When I played.
• Too much EGO

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How do we convince these coaches?

• Use scientific research that illustrates what
  dynamic programs could for their program
• Show evidence of a Dynamic/ Functional Programs
  success in terms of performance enhancement and
  decreased injuries
• Allow them to try it
• Show them how other Big Time Programs are
  implementing these types of programs

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Strength Triad
POWER STRENGTH STABILITY
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The important abilities of the Athletes Body

• An athlete must be able to efficiently and
  effectively be able to
• 1. ABSORB FORCE
• 2. STABILIZE FORCE
• 3. PRODUCE FORCE

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Muscle Fiber Types

• Slow-Twitch Type I Muscle Fibers
• Fatigue Resistant
• Greater Mitochondria Size
• Postural Muscles
• More Aerobic in nature
• Red in Color due to increased blood volume

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Muscle Fiber Types

• Fast Twitch Type IIb Muscle Fibers
• Fatigue Rapidly
• Very Few Mitochondria
• More Anaerobic in nature
• White in color due to low blood volume
• Fast Twitch Type IIa Muscle Fibers
• Have some fatigue resistant qualities
• Can become more anaerobic in nature or aerobic
  depending on training

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If you train slow, you will be slow

• Focus on your weaknesses, your strengths will
  always be your strengths

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How do we train each type of fiber?

• Slow Twitch
• -Aerobic/ prolonged exercise lasting more than 2
  minutes in nature
• - Repetitions greater than 15

• Fast Twitch
• -Anaerobic/ explosive exercises lasting 30
  seconds or less
• -Repetitions 5 or less

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Train how you play

• -Make your goals and stick to them!

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How to address training goals of the Triad

• Goal Reps of
  1RM
• Stabilization 12-15
• Strength lt 6 gt 80 of
  1RM
• Power 1-5 75-80 of
  1RM
• Hypertrophy 6-12 67-85 of 1RM
• Hypertrophy will increase cross sectional area
  of a muscle fiber causing a stronger contraction

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Power is a Function of Strength

• Explosive Movements done in the shortest amount
  of time
• Low Rep Ranges
• Should be performed after baseline strength and
  stability has been reached
• Ex Squats, Clean Pulls , Squat Jumps, Thrust
  Jumps, Jumps w/ weighted vest, Plyos

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1 Goal of Training

• -To take the stability/strength/power gains from
  a periodized program and allow them to carry over
  to sport
• Many traditional programs provide the athletes
  with incredible strength gains but athletes are
  unable to transfer strength to their given sport
• REASON Most traditional programs are uni-planar
  with low velocities

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Goals of the Off-Season

• Increase Overall Strength
• Increase Power Output
• Increase Anaerobic Threshold/ Endurance

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Goals for In-Season

• Prevent Strength Loss
• Prevent Power Loss
• Prevent Excessive Weight/ Fluid Loss
• Continue Increasing Strength
• Continue to Increase Power Output
• Prevent Injury
• Move emphasis of training from high volume
  Strength/Power to more Sport Skill Specific type
  training and Max Power

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So are we really on a just a Maintenance Program
during the Season?
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What if we lose Strength and Power during the
season?

• If Power Output and Strength begin to decrease,
  in essence we are moving into a state of
  DETRAINING and therefore losing our gains from
  the off-season making the athlete more
  susceptible to injury and decreased performance.

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So are we really on a just a Maintenance Program
during the Season?
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How does an athlete perceive the term
Maintenance Program?

• Unimportant
• Low Intensity
• Athletes feel they dont have to work hard
• Creates a negative mind set towards conditioning
  and performance enhancement

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How can Coaches get more out of their athletes in
terms of Conditioning

• Dont just tell athletes to do something..
  Explain to them how A could help get them to B.
• Ex. If you practice speed mechanics, you will
  steal more bases and be a higher draft pick
• Always have a WHY for everything you do and dont
  be afraid to tell your athletes..they deserve to
  be informed.
• Be innovative with your techniques and dont just
  follow what other coaches in the league are
  doing!

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PROGRAM DESIGN
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What is Periodization?

• Periodization is a training plan that is broken
  down into mini-cycles lasting from a few days to
  a few months that will allow the athlete to make
  long term training improvements by making the
  training approach very progressive.

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Progression and Overload

• Constantly challenging the body with a new
  stimulus
• -Increase Weight
• -Increase Reps
• -Decrease Rest
• -Variety
• -Transfer from Strength? Power Phase
• -SAID Principle

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Seasons of Periodization

• Off-Season- Stability?Strength?Power
• Pre-Season- Transfer from Strength/Power to
  Sports Skill and Max Power
• In-Season-Sports Skills and Low Level Power
• Active Rest-Transfer from Sports Skills/ Low
  Level Power to moderate activity outside of your
  given sports and weight room ex.
  Biking,basketball
• Training goals are different for each season
• Increased skill volume Decreased Training Volume

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Components of an In-Season Program

• Dynamic Warm-Up
• Movement Training/ Anaerobic Conditioning
• Core/ Prehabilitation/ Stabilization
• Strength
• Regeneration

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What is a Dynamic Warm-Up?

• A Dynamic Warm-Up is a pre-practice, pre-game,
  pre-workout warm-up that allows the nervous
  system to be innervated through a series of
  complex movements allowing proper neural firing/
  recruitment and muscle activation
• Address any muscular imbalances that may lead to
  injury

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Innervate to Activate!!

• START FROM THE GROUND UP

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Traditional Warm-Up vs. Dynamic Warm- Up

• Traditional
• - Suppresses the Nervous System preparing the
  body for rest
• - Long static holds lasting from 15-30 seconds in
  duration
• - Increases Range of Motion but could sacrifice
  joint integrity due to overstretch of connective
  tissue

• Dynamic
• - Innervates the Nervous System preparing the
  body for the intense activity to come
• - No static holds
• - Stretch using movements that mock game speed
• Allows muscles to remember elongated position due
  to an active contraction

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Movement Training/ Anaerobic Conditioning

• Coaches should shy away from Running Distance
  with their baseball players.
• Baseball is a sport requiring quick burst of
  energy and short distance runs, not slow long
  distance runs
• By running long distance you are training the
  body to be slow and working on the wrong kind of
  ENDURANCE.
• Teach Players how to execute drills properly
• Ex. Sprinting/ Base running/ Speed Drills

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Core/ Prehabilitation/ Stabilization

• The Core is the link/bridge between the upper
  and lower body. The Core allows all of the forces
  generated by the lower body to transfer from the
  ground to the upper appendages.
• A weak core is indicative of an athletic
  deficit. A weak core will prevent an athlete from
  reaching their maximum strength/power potential
  causing them to suffer in terms of speed and
  overall athletic performance.

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Core/ Prehabilitation/ Stabilization

• Prehabilitation would consist of exercises that
  would help to prevent an injury
• Stabilization training would consist of holding
  the body in fixed static positions that will
  challenge the connective tissue and joint
  stabilizing musculature for a time frame of 10
  second or greater
• Ex. Band Work, Bodyblade, Throwers 10 Program,
  Core Bridges

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Build BattleshipsNot Canoes
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In- Season Strength

• Low Volume- High Intensity Training
• Focus should be on Max Power
• Decrease Reps and Increase Weight
• In-Season Strength Workouts Should be quick but
  challenging and progressive
• Exercise Selection should always be Multi-Joint
  Movements in all Planes of Motion

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Power is a Function of Strength

• Explosive Movements done in the shortest amount
  of time
• Low Rep Ranges
• Should be performed after baseline strength and
  stability has been reached
• Ex Squats, Clean Pulls,Plyometrics, Squat
  Jumps, Thrust Jumps, Jumps w/ weighted vest

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Strength Progressions to Follow

• Stable Surface? Unstable Surface
• 2 Feet? 2 Feet Unstable? Staggered Stance?
  Staggered Unstable? Single Leg?
  Single Leg Unstable
• Tools for an Unstable Surface Eyes Closed, Sand,
  Airex Pad, Dynadisc, Physioball, Bosu Ball, Foam
  Roller

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Regeneration Training

• This segment of the training program will allow
  the body to start regenerating its tissues and
  prepare them for the workouts to come. This phase
  helps to realign tissues that may cause faulty
  motor patterns
• Ex. AIS Rope Stretching, Foam Roller Myofascial
  Release, PNF Passive Partner Stretch, Massage,
  Static Stretching, Protein Ingestion

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Dynamic Warm-Up and Regeneration

• Each Training Session should begin with a Dynamic
  Warm-Up and conclude with a Regeneration Segment.
• These segments working together will help to
  enhance flexibility and aid in a faster recovery.

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ITS A LONG HAUL!

• Break the season into Thirds
• - Early
• - Middle
• - Late
• Dont fly out of the gate and die out in
  September
• Successful programs will have Ball Players peak
  during the Late Phase of the Season

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ITS A LONG HAUL!

• Rep Ranges for Each Phase
• -Early 6-8
• -Middle 5-6
• -Late 3-5

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Sample In-Season Program- Early 3 Day Split

• Monday Wednesday Friday
• Dynamic W.U. Dynamic W.U. Dynamic
  W.U.
• Rapid Response Rapid Response Rapid
  Response
• 10- 15yd Sprints ½ Pole Sprints 101
  Pushups
• Clean Pulls Squats
  Lateral Lunge
• Single Leg Squat Squat Jumps
  Manual Clam
• Box Jumps Core Bridges
  Ball Hypers
• Body Blade Band Work
  Cuff Weights Rope Stretch The
  Stick Foam Roll

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Sample In-Season Program- Mid 3 Day Split

• Monday Wednesday Friday
• Dynamic W.U. Dynamic W.U.
  Dynamic W.U.
• RR RR
  RR/ TUCK JUMPS
• 10- 15yd Sprints Agility Box Drill/
  101 Pushups
• 101 Pushups Take Offs
  Lateral Bound
• Clean Pulls Body Squats
  Lateral Lunge
• Single Leg Squat Partner Stretch
  Manual Clam
• Box Jumps Balance
  Ball Hypers
• Body Blade Rope Stretch
  Cuff Weights Rope Stretch The
  Stick Foam Roll
• REGENERATION DAY

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Sample In-Season Program- Late (Late July- Oct.)
2 Day Split

• Monday Friday
• Dynamic WU/ RR Dynamic
  WU/ RR
• Tuck Jumps/ Squat Jumps Pushup
  Hold
• Work Crossover?Steal Speed
  Ladder Box Jumps w/ Vest
  S.L. Jumps
• Weighted Lunges Split
  Squat/Step Ups
• Med Ball Rotational Pass 201
  Rot. Pushup
• Med Ball Seated Rotations
  Pull-Ups
• Core Bridges
  Med. Ball Slams
• Supermans
  Cuff Work
• Body Blade/ THE STICK AIS Rope
  Stretch
• ADD OPTIONAL REGENERATION DAY

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Resources

• WWW.MAJORLEAGUESTRENGTH.COM
• Team Conditioning, Consulting, Individual
  Training, Coaches Clinics, Camps, and More!
• The 1 Resource for Baseball Conditioning
• WWW.NSCA-LIFT.ORG
• WWW.SPORT-SPECIFIC.COM
• WWW.POWER-SYSTEMS.COM