Throughout the course of the spring, PBR will be working in conjunction with the NC Baseball Coaches Association to share thoughts and strategies to continue to improve High School Baseball.  Ed Hall will head this effort for PBR, with the help of coaches from across NC.  Hall has been with PBR since its arrival in NC in June of 2016.  Prior to PBR, Hall coached high school baseball, and taught, in the Wake County area, most notably starting the Wakefield HS program and running it for 15 years.  In total, Hall has accrued over 25 years of coaching high school athletes in various platforms, including developing numerous college and professional players.

 

The pre-season presents many challenges for NC high school coaches who are preparing their players for the regular season. Following are ideas related to preparing arms and conditioning players. The participation of an unlimited number of players allows players more time and opportunities to get skill specific attention and conditioning prior to the start of the regular season.

Preparing Arms for the High School Baseball Season

In today’s environment, many players participate with outside organizations through October. High School coaches have to be aware of any pre-season workouts that overlap with player participation with other organizations, especially pitchers. Historically, November is a dead period so arm preparation for the upcoming season begins in December or January. Typically, coaches institute some type of throwing program to create arm strength. A long toss program that involves increasing time and distance as players progress is commonly used. Position players also throw during drills and when taking ground balls and/or fly balls. The number and intensity of these throws should be monitored and increased over time. In addition, Pitchers who are also position players have to be monitored in terms of their overall work load.

Prior to throwing, pitchers and position players should be encouraged to increase blood flow and flexibility through their arm and shoulder.

• Arm Circles – Forward and back.  Small, medium, and large (1x20 of each)
• Resistance Movement – Internal and External Rotation.  Chest, shoulder, and scapular activation.  Different movement patterns and angles
• Sleeper Stretch – Stretching the Internal rotation of the throwing arm

Following are suggestions for pitchers to follow in daily throwing drills.

These drills should emphasize:

• Throw down hill
• Throw to a target
• Locate and create movement
• Work with hand speed

The drills consist of the following:

1. Hand speed and extension

• Feet and shoulders square to target
• 4 Seam Grip
• Take arm through throwing motion and stop as elbow begins to get in front of the body (wrist slightly cocked; palm and forearm exposed to target)
• Create speed using forearm and wrist only – NO shoulder movement (ball should spin with good backspin and emphasis should be on ball travelling with downhill trajectory and good backspin)

2. Knee Drills

• Throwing hand knee on the ground
• Hands in set position – 4 seam grip
• Shoulders, hips, knees, and feet are “in line” with the target
• Break your hands and throw downhill

3. Square Drill

• Feet and shoulders are square to the target
• Hands are in a set position with a 4 seam grip
• Feet can pivot, but will not leave the ground
• Upper body turns until shoulders are “in line” with the target
• Pause for a 2 count to simulate the wind up delivery
• Break your hands and throw to a location (create downhill plane; let the backside get through and dictate location with the back shoulder and head; spin the baseball with correct backspin)

4. Stretch Stride

• 2 seam grip to begin to emphasize movement
• Begin in stretch position and widen feet from there
• Weight should start 70% on front foot
• Rock back until pitcher feels strong and “gathered” on the back leg
  • Front foot comes off the ground, but it should stay in the same area so the pitcher lands where he started
  • Shoulders should stay level as the pitcher rocks back – the weight shift is in the lower half
• Pitchers hands will break and he can throw to a target
• The back foot should “stay in the hole” with the laces toward the ground – promoting direction and a feel for hip rotation and head posture.

5. Stretch Stride to Balance

• Same drill as Stretch Stride
• 2 seam grip to emphasize movement
• When the pitcher rocks back, he will lift to a “balance” position and hold it for a 2 count
• The pitcher will break and throw to a target and allow the back foot to finish through the delivery.

Pre-Season Conditioning

Many coaches encourage their players to take weight lifting classes during school hours. However, there are limitations on the number of these classes a player can take and also how these classes fit for their overall academic needs. Following are some conditioning ideas that can be implemented.

1. Lunges with barbells (3 sets at 40 yards)
2. Ab Circuit

• Leg hugs, Russian twist, hip curls, jack knives, reverse trunk twist, crunches, alternate leg twisted sit ups, fixed feet twisted sit up

3. Pilates

• The 100 (lie on back – spine to floor; bend knees, bring feet toward chest and lift feet; lift head and shoulders from floor; extend feet to 45 degree angle, lift and straighten arms along the side of the hips; maintain for a count of 100 – breathe in for a 6 count and out for a 6 count)
• The Roll-up (lie on floor at full stretch – hands and arms above head; breathe in and pull navel to spine and bring arms over the head; as the arms point straight to the ceiling, using your core, curl your shoulders off the ground – keep the movement smooth and exhale as you come to a sitting position) 10 reps
• The Double Leg Stretch (lie on back, pull navel to spine; bring knees to chest and breathe in; straighten legs and arms to same angle (45 to 60 degrees) and lift your head and shoulders; breathe out slowly and make large circle with arms bringing them back to parallel with legs; bend knees and without pausing repeat the movement) 10 reps
• The Swan Dive (Lie on your stomach, hands positioned directly beneath your shoulders; push in to mat with both hands and feet; straighten your arms, breathe in and pull your navel to your spine; keep head and neck aligned, breathe out and lower your chest back to the mat; use muscles of butt and thighs to support your back; as you lift your chest, lift your hands from the floor and stretch them forward, breathe in and roll forward onto your lower chest, your legs lifting behind you; breathe out and roll back lifting your chest and coming down on your knees) 5 reps
• The Shoulder Bridge (Lie on back, spine in neutral; knees bent, feet flat on floor; think of your spine as a chain made up of many links; breathe in and pull your navel to your spine; tilt your pelvis slightly and using the strength of the abdominal muscles lift your hips toward the sky – breathing out) 10 reps
• Plank (On forearms and toes; back straight; hold for 1 minute) 3 reps
• The Swim (On all 4’s; push up position; lift right leg and left arm; repeat lifting left leg and right arm) 10 reps

4. Run Bleachers

5. Run up hill/ run down hill

6. Plyometric

• Vertical Jumps (arms extended overhead, jump repeatedly as high as possible – 20 reps in 20 seconds)
• Tuck Jumps (jump vertically and tuck knees to chest before straightening legs for landing – 20 reps in 20 seconds)
• Tuck Jumps (jump vertically and tuck heels to butt before straightening legs for landing – 20 reps in 20 seconds)
• Two Foot Bounds (hop horizontally as far as possible on each bound – 20 bounds each way)
• Box Jump (jump side to side over six to 10 inch box. Jump forward and backward over same box – 20 touches)
• Cone Jumps (jump over a series of cones placed about 19 – 24 inches apart; 20 touches)

7. Leg Circuit

• Squats (20x’s in 20 seconds)
• Lunges (20x’s in 20 seconds)
• Speed Skaters (12)
• Jump Squats (10)

8. Distance Run – 2 miles

• Timed – start at 20 minutes and lower as conditioning gets better
• There are schools of thought that distance running does not translate to an explosive sport like baseball but this can be used to build an anerobic base to promote recovery during a season
• The 2 mile run can be adjusted into sprint routines as well, running 60s, 80s, 100s, 200s, 400s, and 800s that equate to a total of 2 miles… Each sprint can be timed with rest periods beginning at 3:1 ratio and dropping to 2:1 as well.

9. Medicine Ball Routine

• Soccer Throw In Pass (shoulders and upper back)
• Push-up and Pass (biceps, triceps, and forearms)
• Chest Pass (chest)
• Back to Back Stop and Go (core stabilization) – hold ball out away from body; rotate to left and then back to right and pass ball to partner
• Side to Side Rotation Pass  -- four strides apart, facing the same direction
• Lunge with Pass (legs and hips)
• Walking Lunge and Rotate (legs and hips)

10.  Ladder Drills

• Crossover (3 sets)
• Slalom Jumps (3 sets)
• Carioca (3 sets)
• Front-Back Shuffle (3 sets)

11.  Matt Drills

• 2-1-2 Drill (3 sets)
• 2-1-2 with turn (3 sets)
• Figure 8 (3 sets)
• Hammer Time (3 sets)

12.  Sprint Drills

• 30 yard sprint (10 reps under 5 seconds)
  • Straight sprint option
  • Cross over sprint option
  • All performed as spring and walk back to start
• 30 yard sprint – 15 yard walk – 30 yard sprint (10 reps; less than 20 seconds)
• Standing long jump – (10 reps; clear 6 feet)
• Sprint Poles (5 reps; round trip less than 75 seconds)
• Parachute Resistance Sprint (6 sprints at 60 yards)

13.  Tubing Exercises (Ulnar Deviation, Radial Deviation, Forearm Supination, Forearm Pronation, Elbow Flexion, Elbow Extension) -- 3 sets of 12+

While this article addresses the pre-season, most of what is presented can be used in the regular season also.  This is not designed to be a workout, but to supplement workouts that are in place.  The game of baseball has become a very physical game in the past 20+ years, with an emphasis on velocity and power.  Speed and quickness still play a big part in the game as well.  A total out-of-season, and in-season, strength and conditioning program will promote health and development for the players involved. 

 

Aaron Parnell, Head Baseball Coach, Jordan High School, Durham, NC contributed to this article.  Any coaches that would like to write an article for the PBR and NCBCA sites can contact PBR at [email protected].  PBR will be contacting select coaches, across the state for future articles as well.