Read enough of my writing and you will notice a couple of recurring theme: at the high school level of the game, general training should always precede advanced methods, foundational strength should trump specialization. While this is a vital concept to understand, something that cannot be refuted is that individualization — or the accommodation of a…
In Part I of this series we discussed some of the initial considerations that must be made by sport coaches before designing a strength training program for their high school team (that is, without the help of a certified strength coach). To reiterate some of the main points from Part I here are some important questions…
Baseball is a sport of timeless tradition, and while many of the game’s greatest qualities are born out of these traditions, many unfortunate stigmas within the sport have held over today from days gone by. One of the oldest and most misguided pieces of dogma plaguing the sport is that strength training is inherently bad…
As the early stages of the fall and the new school year begins, many high school sport coaches around the country will now take up a pad and pen (or keyboard) to devise a strength training plan for their team. In a perfect world, every high school would have a full-time strength and conditioning professional employed…
One of the most common questions that I field in terms of baseball training programs comes in the form of a high school coach, player, or parent requesting a “pitcher-specific” training program. While it is admirable to try to provide the best and most highly-applicable resources possible for young athletes, oftentimes the perception of “pitcher-specific…
In Part I and Part II of this three-installment series we discussed the importance of nutrition and hydration, respectively, over the course of a hot, busy, and demanding travel-ball summer. Today we will dive into another vital consideration for the summer, this one taking place outside of the foul lines: physical training. Coaches, players, and parents all…
“Summer Seventeen” has arrived, and with it another travel baseball season begins. The manner in which travel-ball consumes the months of May through August for high school-aged ballplayers is rapidly growing from year to year. Tournaments are proliferating and expanding, families are traveling further, the competition is ratcheting higher, and the scouts flock by the…
