Top Five Pro Baseball Conditioning Tips

The days of baseball players using spring training as a way of getting in shape after a leisurely off-season are long gone. Today, the majority of players train intensely almost year-round while spring training is a time for fine-tuning baseball specific skills and not shedding unwanted winter fat.

So, what do pro baseball players do in the gym? Most are involved with intense workout routines that put mere mortals to shame while getting them ready for the upcoming 162-game grind. Here are some conditioning tips from the pros - and their trainers - that help them get into the best baseball shape possible.

Sprints

Foot speed isn't just important for baserunning, but also for defense. Many pros use a combination of leg-strengthening exercises - such as one-legged squats - and sprints to develop speed and quickness. A typical sprint workout might include a series of 20- to 60-yard sprints at various effort levels for each sprint.

Box Jumps

No one would argue that Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are physically-gifted, but neither young superstar takes his talent for granted. Trout and Harper have mind-blowing offseason workout routines that include "box jumps," a stand-still vertical leap (sometimes while holding weights) that build explosiveness.

Sled or Tire Pushes

Sled and tire pushes are ideal for working on the kind of leg drive baseball players need for a variety of skills. You can load a sled with heavier weights to work on leg strength or go lighter for another workout that focuses on speed. Trainers say you should shoot for three to six sets of 30 yards per push.

Trout, who's only 25 but already a 5-time MLB All-Star and two-time MVP, has a "tire push" routine in which he takes a tractor tire (which weighs up to 150 pounds) loaded with weights and pushes it 25 yards back and forth.

Creating a Golden Glove

Gold Glove award winners don't become great defenders by accident. Professionals take hundreds of ground balls and fly balls both during the season and off-season to increase their ability. But agility drills such as lateral and linear rapid foot strikes help build the lateral movement and foot speed needed in playing a particular position.

Building a Strong Arm

Pitchers aren't the only players on the field who need a strong arm. Outfielders with a "cannon" arm will throw out runners at home or keep them from taking an extra base, while infielders can make that seemingly impossible throw from the hole to nail a runner at first. Long toss is a common method that players use to build arm strength, as are a variation of pushups that incorporate medicine balls.

Balance Training and Core Work

A consistent routine of hitting drills - such as in a batting cage with a hitting machine - are obviously important in becoming a better batter. But so are balance and strength exercises, including medicine ball squat jumps that help build hitting power.

Gracias a Cliff Peterson y su grupo de trabajo los cuales amablemente estarán aportando aprendizajes en Wonderful Conditioning 

http://www.usssportsmachine.com/

No dejes de leerlos!!