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GFYBA Off-Season Training Tips

Grand Forks Youth Baseball Off Season Baseball Training Advice

Grand Forks Youth Baseball Off Season Baseball Training Advice

 

Here are some thoughts/ideas on what players can do during the off season to prepare for the baseball season.  

  • The offseason is defined as the winter months leading up to the spring/summer season.  

  •  It is typically a good idea to take at least a month off of baseball activities during the off season.  

  • Off season baseball workouts do not need to occur every day, and in fact everyday off season baseball workouts are discouraged.  Playing other sports during the winter months is much more important than off season baseball workouts.  With that said, it is important for youth baseball players to get into ‘baseball shape’ so that they can hit the ground running once they are able to be outside.  Around 2 months before the baseball season, it is recommended to start baseball workouts at least 2-3 times per week. Each workout could be done in as little as 15-20 minutes. 

  • Any off season workout for baseball should focus on getting the body into ‘baseball shape’, getting the arm ready for the season, and increasing arm strength and bat speed.  With that in mind here are some ideas to accomplish these goals:  

Arm Strength 

  • the most productive activity for increasing arm strength involves long toss.  Long toss throwing programs not only increase arm strength, but also help to protect the arm and minimize the risk from injury.   Here is a good video explaining a long toss program and the benefits. 

  •  When the weather is too cold to throw outdoors, there is still work that can be done indoors.  Here is a good article explaining an indoor off season throwing program.  This type of indoor throwing program consists of two components: 1) surgical tubing and 2) long toss (into indoor netting).  

  • J-Bands are a great option for the surgical tubing, but any surgical tubing will do the trick.  For the long toss, this involves throwing the ball into a net.  If you don’t have the ability to set up a net in the garage or other indoor facility, the surgical tubing is typically enough to get the arm in shape and increase arm strength.  

Bat Speed 

  • the main concept for increasing bat speed is to workout with a bat heavier than what you typically swing.  There are several products available to help increase bat speed, but there is one with proven research that we recommend, velocity bats.  With that said, any weighted bat will get you a result.  

  • The hidden secret to the velocity bats, or any weighted bat program is that it not only increases bat speed, but also increases arm strength (i.e. you will throw harder).  Core strength is also vital for increasing bat speed, and any workouts that involve sit ups, planks, etc. will help bat speed.

Potential Training Calendar - 

  • This link provides an example for an off season throwing program for pitchers 9-12 years old, and can be used as guidance.  Below is an example of how to combine the above principles into a weekly program.

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Sat

Off

-Velocity Bats

-J-Bands

-Throwing into net

-Core Strength Training

-Hit off Tee

Off

-Velocity Bats

-J-Bands

-Throwing into net

Off

-Velocity Bats

-J-Bands

-Throwing into net

-Core Strength Training

-Hit off Tee

Off

 

…………………………………………………………………...

Here are some additional off-season ideas for players:

 

Visualization:  Visualization can be a very powerful tool, and is 100% applicable and beneficial in baseball. Players can spend 15 minutes per day visualizing themselves pitching, hitting, fielding ground balls, stealing bases, etc.

 

Mentally Strong: In addition to reading books about baseball, players can stay mentally sharp by watching baseball on TV. Many sports channels, including MLB Network and ESPN, air classic games from past years. Watching these games is a great use of their time.  Plus, kids need to watch baseball in order to understand the game.  

 

Daily Exercise:  Most important way to prepare for the baseball season and stay positive is to be physically active.  Do daily exercise.  Grand Forks Sport Advantage is one tool with online daily training videos. Anthony Morando (Grand Forks Sports Advantage) has a great YouTube page full of workouts and advice.  Anthony especially recommends viewing the Body Weight 100.   

 

Other Hitting:  All it takes is a bat and a ball and something to hit the ball into.  A lot of us have tarps in the garage, or hockey shooting tarps set up for our kids.  Re-purpose something for kids to hit into, be creative.  You can use an orange cone for a tee, or just soft toss to your kids.   There are other hitting drills that your kids can do that do not require hitting balls and/or a partner.  

 

Fielding:  For infielders, which should be mostly all kids at a younger age, find a building or wall and throw a tennis ball, or whiffle ball, or any kind of ball at the wall that will bounce back.   The player can do this themselves, or the parent can throw the ball at the wall.  Have the player facing the wall, about 3-5 feet from the wall, in the proper ground ball fielding position.  Throw the ball at the wall and the player fields it.  This is a great drill to develop quick and soft hands, which it vital for an infielder.

 

It is never too late to start getting prepared for the season!