“Spring Training” at Home Baseball Workout for Youth Athletes

Major League Baseball officially started Spring Training baseball games this week so it is time to start getting ready for the upcoming spring and summer baseball season!  Baseball and working out have not always gone hand in hand due to potential throwing arm injury concerns by young players and their parents.  From observing different athlete classes that we at Prescription Fitness offer, especially our current involvement in the Avon Little League Spring Training Program, the most glaring difference between athletes is how well they can control their bodies.  Therefore, starting the habit of performing basic exercises can greatly improve young athletes’ performance while setting up nervous system coordination that can allow faster muscular growth when they reach puberty.  The term, “athleticism” or “being athletic” is often a coveted label for a young athlete to have; so exposure to exercises and different movement patterns will greatly improve their overall coordination that will apply to any sport.

Here is what a sample workout that can be performed at home would look like:

Warm-up

1 to 2 min per each exercise total time 6-12 min.

• A skips
• Walking Lunges
• Butt Kickers
• Arm circles forward/backward
• Jumping Jacks
• Carioca

Main Workout

• Squats: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lunges: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
• Dumbell Row: 4 sets of 10-12 reps per arm
• Pushups: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
• Military Press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Side Lat Raise: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Standing Bicep Curl: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Tricep Kickback: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Abs:
  • Crunches x 20
  • Leg lifts x 20
  • Russian Twists x 20 each side

Cooldown/Stretching

hold each stretch 10 to 20 sec. repeat stretch 2 to 3 times

• Chest/shoulder Stretch
• Upper back Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Hip/low back Stretch
• Triceps Stretch

For explanations and visuals of workout see http://www.exrx.net/index.html

Make this creative and fun! Feel free to use items from around the house such as cans of soup or gallon milk jugs filled with water if you do not own weights or resistance bands.

Written by: Stephen James CPT

****Prescription Fitness is glad to announce that we now have two retractable indoor batting cages available to rent or for extra instructional training at our Bay Village location. Please contact Joe Butler 440-552-6729 or info@prescription-fitness.com for additional information.