The other day, I broke bread with a very good (and very strong) minor league baseball player. Over the meal, we discussed lifting. He shared his off season routine with me, and I realized how much more efficiently players are training these days. They are far better educated than when I was a moppet, and it was quite refreshing.I vividly remember a 1996 workout in Lakeland … [Read more...]
Muscle Memory
Resisting getting back into the gym because you’ve fallen off the wagon? Stop. You can regain your size and strength in short order. Muscle memory is real and more powerful than you think.In 2005, I tore my Achilles tendon rounding second base at the Skydome. My post game quotes from mlb.com: I just haven't really had a chance to allow it to sink in," Kapler said after the … [Read more...]
Working Smart: Speed and Power
Endurance training for a baseball player is illogical. We are not endurance athletes.I remember a mentor of mine telling me I needed to "pound the pavement" to prepare for spring training. He was a former MLB player, and I trusted his guidance. He believed that distance running gets a player ready from a cardiovascular perspective. He was wrong. From nsca.com: The aerobic … [Read more...]
Gain Without Pain
You don’t have to limp around after exercising to be assured you had a fruitful workout. Pain does not necessarily equal gain.As a teenager, I assessed my workouts based on my subsequent level of soreness. I assumed if I was gingerly walking around the day after a tough training session, I was getting bigger and stronger. I was mistaken. From muscleevo.net: Exercise can … [Read more...]
Time Off: A Vacation from Working Out
Long periods of active rest are optimal for recovery after long periods of intense training.The season is now over for the Tigers and the Angels. The majority of MLB teams ended their grind a few days prior, with the close of the regular season. In my playing days, I started my offseason training programs the day I packed up my locker. In fact, as the days of the season … [Read more...]