Coming off the World Series means it is pre-season baseball for the high school athletes. Most are coming off a fall season. Some are coming off a fall sport (football, soccer, cross country, etc.). Finally, some are younger athletes who are building up the Varsity level (first year athletes). Here is a plan for each scenario.
If you are coming off a fall sports, build your strength.
Hopefully, you were able to lift once or twice a week during your fall sports season. If not, even more reason to rebuild your strength level. During this phase we build on the “Big 5” with a focus on eccentric and isometric work while striving to build size and strength with four lift days per week (two upper body and two lower body). This your best opportunity to build strength in preparation for the season.
My “Big 5”
- Trap Bar Deadlift
- Barbell Front Squat
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Pull-Up/Chin-Up
- Lunge
If you are coming off a fall ball season, build your power.
Hopefully as a part of your Fall Ball Program you were in the weight room twice per week maintaining strength. Now it is the perfect time to develop power. Workouts in the weight room begin to rotate, focusing on strength, size, and power, in what is known as daily undulating periodization (DUP).
In my book The High School Athlete: Baseball, I created a 5 days a week program with 2 days (Tuesday and Thursday) dedicated to speed and power development focus on acceleration, change of direction, reaction agility, and team competition drills. The other 3 days (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) are focused on building power in the weight room with sleds, dumbbell snatch, farmer walks, and med ball throws).
If you are a younger athlete, build your foundation.
Unlike varsity athletes, freshman and JV player workouts are not seasonal. Freshman/JV level workouts focus on the building blocks of strength: mobility, core stability, and exercises to build up to the varsity “Big 5” and the 10 foundational movements. I consider any player new to the weight room, regardless of age, should start with this program.
For that reason, we focus training the entire body every time in the weight room. This program is a 4-week, 12-workout phase that is not specific to any season. It is very similar to the varsity player’s post-season phases, in that both are general physical preparation (GPP) based. At this early stage, athletes cannot handle the same volume (reps, set, load) of training as varsity players. The focus cannot be on heavy weights; it must be learning the skill of movement.
Pushing an exercise to muscle failure at this age can be dangerous. Many of these athletes are in the weight room for the first time. To learn a new skill, an athlete must be allowed a chance to practice (frequency), with body control (avoid muscle fatigue), and proper technique (no technical failure).
Please check out my free downloads for more information:
Appendix A: Speed Development Playbook
Appendix B: Vertical Jump Playbook
Appendix C: Forearm Strength Program
Appendix D: Shoulder and Arm Care Program
Appendix E: Uncommon Exercise Database
Appendix-Section-for-HS-BASEBALLDownload
MICHAEL VOLKMAR, MS, CSCS, PES, CPT, received his master’s degree in Exercise Science with a specialization in Exercise, Nutrition, and Eating Behavior from George Washington University (GWU). In 2001, Mike started his well-traveled path in Sports Performance Training at the Junior College level (OCC, Onondaga, NY) working with the baseball team. He worked for three years as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at GWU, first with the Single A affiliate (High Desert Mavericks) of the Milwaukee Brewers, and later season with the Double A affiliate (Harrisburg Senators) of the Washington Nationals, before moving on to spend one year at the International Performance Institute of IMG Academies, FL. Mike continued his professional development by becoming the Director of Strength and Conditioning at the APEX Academies. Currently, Mike is the strength and conditioning coach at the Peddie School. A Division I baseball player during his undergraduate career, Mike is an amateur powerlifter with a passion for all things fitness. Mike has advanced specialty certifications in strength and conditioning, post-rehab exercise, athletic development, and sports medicine.
