Mar 9, 2017Baseball Strength
The Texas A&M University baseball team is one of the top-tier programs in the country. The squad has made the NCAA tournament for 10 straight years, including five Super Regional appearances and a College World Series trip in 2011.
When it comes to our offseason strength training program, we aspire to teach athletes how to move more efficiently, improve their strength levels and power output, and reduce their incidence of injuries. To meet these goals, we use a system based on vertical integration and partial concurrent training. We work many areas simultaneously, and all qualities are varied in volume and intensity throughout the offseason cycle.
Generally, we’re in the weightroom on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays during the offseason. Lower-body training occurs on Tuesdays and Fridays, while upper-body work is done on Mondays and Thursdays. We primarily use ground-based, multi-joint exercises, and we emphasize balance within the training program. This way, our athletes develop properly and avoid muscle imbalances, keeping them injury free and playing at a consistent high level.
Below is a sample workout from the Texas A&M University baseball team’s offseason program.
Dynamic warm-up
Activation — rotator cuff/scaps/glutes/core
Mobilization work
Dynamic hip mobility……….6 drillsx7 yards each side
Linear running mechanics
Linear marches with band……….x10 yards
Linear skips with band……….x10 yards
Linear 1-2 quick holds with band……….x15 yards each side
Linear single-leg A-skip with band……….x15 yards each side
Plyometrics
Linear 12-inch hurdle hops……….3×5 at double tap
Linear 6-inch single-leg hurdle hops……….3×5 each side at double tap
Power skips……….3×5 each side
Speed work
20-yard sprints at 100%, plus 20 yards at 80%……….x6 at 90 seconds rest
Lifting
Front squat……….1×5 at 35% 1RM, 1×3 at 50%, 1×2 at 65%, 3×4 at 74%
Rear foot elevated split-squat……….3×6 each side
Split-stance cable lift……….3×6 each side
Romanian dead lift……….3×6
Banded side iso hold……….3×20 seconds each side
Back-to-wall shoulder flexion……….3×6
Band hip flexor stretch……….3×20 seconds
Foam roll/band stretch routine
