© National Strength & Conditioning Association Volume 21, Number 4, pages 42–47
College Baseball/Softball Periodized Torso Program David J. Szymanski, MEd, CSCS Gregory A. Fredrick, CSCS Department of Health and Human Performance Auburn University Keywords: baseball; softball; periodization; torso; abdominals; low back.
WHEN DESIGNING A SPORTspecific training program for baseball/softball (BA/SB), it is important to implement a systematic total body conditioning program that will prepare the athlete for the demands of the sport. A yearround periodized program should include a variety of upper- and lower-body exercises, and the intensity and volumes of exercise should change as the season approaches. The exercises completed by the athletes should become more specific to the movements involved in the sport. However, many BA/SB athletes perform traditional trunk exercises that consist of continuous sets (ranging from 3 to 8 minutes) throughout the entire year. This type of repetitive torso training for the BA/SB athlete is not specific to the movements of the 2 sports, nor will it improve the strength and power of the athletes. Torso movements that mimic the explosive, ballistic, and dynamic movements of swinging a bat or throwing a ball should be performed instead. The purpose of this article is to 42
describe and illustrate how the strength and conditioning specialist or baseball/softball coach can develop the powerful, twisting, and functional strength needed to improve a college BA/SB player’s ability to field, throw, and hit. Additionally, this information should positively affect injury risk and further educate those who are training for the explosive needs of the BA/SB athlete.
■ Torso Anatomy Before describing the torso program, it is important to identify the anatomy involved. The muscles responsible for the quick, ballistic, and rotational movements are the rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, transversus abdominis, and the erector spinae. Utilization of these muscles allows the trunk to flex, extend, and rotate (7).
■ Training Goals Coleman (1) and Gambetta (6) stressed the need to develop functional strength by training “movements” and not muscles. This can Strength and Conditioning Journal
be accomplished through a comprehensive torso program that has clear goals—to improve performance and to reduce those risk factors associated with injuries. This can be achieved with a balanced torso program that focuses on endurance, strength, and power (1).
■ Training Phases The year-round periodized program for the college BA/SB athlete is divided into 4 training phases: postseason/active rest, off season, preseason, and in season (1, 8). Phases are typically 6 to 8 weeks long and they continuously become more demanding as it gets closer to the start of the season (1). The level of intensity increases, and the exercises become more sport-specific as each new phase is introduced. Furthermore, there will be a 1-week transition phase of active rest between each 6- to 8week phase (mesocycle) in order to allow the athlete to recover from the high demands placed on the body during the previous training period. August 1999
Table 1 Mesocycle 1, With a Duration of 6 Weeks
Cycle (duration) Microcycle 1 (2 weeks)
Day 1, 3
2
Figure 1.
Alternate arm and leg raise.
Microcycle 2 (2 weeks)
1, 3
■ Postseason/Active Rest Although the end of the collegiate season is usually in May for most BA/SB athletes, many play an entire summer league schedule that does not end until late August. Thus, August is truly the end of the playing season. A period of active rest is recommended for the 3 to 4 weeks following the long combined seasons. This is the time when the athlete remains active with general physical activity and recovers mentally and physically from the lengthy dual seasons.
■ Off Season After 3 to 4 weeks of active rest, the BA/SB athletes should be back in school for the fall semester or quarter and ready to resume their training. The off season can be divided into two 6-week periods (see Tables 1 and
Figure 2.
Reverse back extension.
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2
Microcycle 3 (2 weeks)
1, 3
2
Exercise Sets Reverse crunch Regular crunch Back extension Alternate arm and leg raise Back extension Regular crunch Reverse back extension Superman Jackknife opposite 45-degree V-up 90-degree crunch Superman Hanging leg raise Running cross (bicycle) Back crunch Back crunch Back raise on physio ball Double abdominal crunch
× repetitions 2 × 20 2 × 20 2 × 15 2 × 15 2 × 15 2 × 20 2 × 15 2 × 15 2 × 25 2 × 25 2 × 25 2 × 15 2 × 30 2 × 30 2 × 20 2 × 20 2 × 20 2 × 30
Active rest (1 week) Microcycle 1 repeated, 1 set of 20 repetitions, 2 days a week The training phase is early to mid-off-season; the main focus is muscular endurance. The frequency is 2 to 3 days a week, with a rest period of 30 seconds.
2), which start in late September and end in mid-December for holiday vacation. The goal during the first 6-week phase (mesocycle 1) is to gradually develop muscular endurance; this goal will be realized when the athlete completes high repetitions and low-intensity torso work 2 to 3 days per week. This goal be attained by performing the exercises listed in Table 1 (2 sets of 15–30 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest between sets on nonconsecutive days), with at least 48 hours of recovery between torso workouts. The speed of motion with all of these exercises should be slow, allowing for Strength and Conditioning Journal
maximum control (3). The exercises performed on day 1 (and 3, if needed) in microcycle 1 and 3 include 2 abdominal exercises
Figure 3.
Jackknife opposite.
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Table 2 Mesocycle 2, With a Duration of 6 Weeks Cycle (duration) Microcycle 1 (2 weeks)
Day 1, 3
2 Figure 4.
Back crunch.
and 1 low-back exercise, while day 2 exercises consist of 2 lowback exercises and 1 abdominal exercise. In microcycle 2, the order of exercises is reversed. This will ensure muscle balance throughout each 2-week microcycle. While performing supine abdominal exercises, athletes should maintain a pelvic tilt (3). This tilt will provide the most stable position for the lumbar region and is a key component to executing proper abdominal exercises. It can be accomplished by contracting the abdominals until the spine presses into the floor. By eliminating the low-back arch, athletes can isolate their abdominals much more effectively (3, 4). Additionally, low-back exercises must be performed to maintain balance and strength in the lowback region. Low-back injuries to a BA/SB player can severely de-
Figure 5.
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Back raise on physio ball.
Microcycle 2 (2 weeks)
1, 3
2
Microcycle 3 (2 weeks)
1, 3
2
Exercise Sets Weighted leg lift Weighted crunch Back extension with twist Weighted back extension Medicine ball back crunch toss Medicine ball swing Weighted back extension Medicine ball back crunch toss Medicine ball swing Weighted leg lift Weighted crunch Weighted back extension with twist Weighted hanging leg raise Weighted decline twist Weighted back extension with twist Weighted back extension with twist Medicine ball back crunch toss Medicine ball swing
× repetitions 2 × 12 2 × 12 2 × 12 2 × 12 2 × 12 2 × 12 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2×8 2×8 2×8 2×8 2×8 2×8
The training phase is mid- to late off-season; the main focuse is muscular strength. The frequency is 3 days a week, with a rest period of 1 to 1.5 minutes.
crease performance levels. If not properly treated, an injured player could be benched for 1 or 2 weeks or could even be out for the entire season if the pain became chronic. Exercises like those seen
Figure 6.
Weighted crunch.
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in Figures 1 through 5 (from Table 1) should be performed to ensure abdominal and low-back muscular endurance. Once the athlete has successfully developed a balanced torso
Figure 7.
Weighted leg lift.
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Table 3 Mesocycle 3, With a Duration of 6 Weeks
Cycle (duration) Microcycle 1 (2 weeks)
Day 1, 3 2
Figure 8.
Medicine ball back crunch toss.
Microcycle 2 (2 weeks)
1, 3 2
Microcycle 3 (2 weeks)
1, 3 2
Exercise Back-to-back partner twist Rebound twisting throw Twisting put Wall twist and throw Twisting put Wood chop Partner rotation pass Rebound twisting throw Twisting wood chop Rebound twisting throw Rebound twisting put Wall twist and throw
Sets × repetitions 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10 2 × 10
The training phase is preseason; the main focus is muscular power. The frequency is 2 to 3 days a week, with a rest period of 3 minutes.
Figure 9.
Medicine ball swing.
Figure 10.
Weighted back extension with twist.
Figure 11.
Weighted decline twist.
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foundation through slow, static contractions, he or she will have a 1-week transition phase of active rest. At this time, the athletes will perform the same exercises listed in Table 1 (microcycle 1) for 1 set of 20 repetitions, with 30 seconds of rest between sets, 2 days per week on nonconsecutive days. After completing the transition phase, the BA/SB player can advance to more functional and demanding exercises in order to produce muscular strength. In order to optimize strength during the next 6 weeks (mesocycle 2), the muscles need to be overloaded with resistance. Instead of completing prolonged muscle contractions for sets lasting 3 to 8 minutes, athletes will use enough resistance to complete 2 sets of 8–12 repetitions 3 days per week (see Table 2), with 1–1.5 minutes of rest between sets on nonconsecutive days. As in Table 1, the abdominal and low-back exercises in Table 2 are also performed on a 2:1 and 1:2 ratio between days 1 and 3 and day 2. For some athStrength and Conditioning Journal
letes, the weight of their arms, legs, or upper trunk may be enough to overload the muscles of the torso. For others, it will be necessary to add resistance. Athletes could hold a weight or medicine ball above their head with arms extended while doing crunches (Figure 6). When executing weighted crunches with a plate held above the head (Table 2), athletes should begin with a 10-kg plate, then progress to a 15-kg plate and finally to a 20-kg plate. They will also perform weighted leg lifts with a 2–4 kg medicine ball held be-
Figure 12.
Rebound twisting throw.
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Figure 14.
Rebound twisting put.
athletes must continue to train on their own, since strength gains obtained during the off season will be lost if the athlete does not exercise at all. Thus, it is essential that athletes continue to train over the holiday break, because when they return to school, they will be expected to begin the 3- to 6-week preseason muscular power phase.
â– Preseason
Figure 13.
Top: Twisting wood chop: start. Middle: Twisting wood chop in progress. Bottom: Twisting wood chop: finish.
tween their feet (Figure 7). Furthermore, athletes will perform medicine ball back crunch tosses to strengthen their lower backs (Figure 8). After catching the medicine ball from a partner, the per46
son executing the exercise must toss the medicine ball back before lowering himself or herself to the starting position. The progression with this exercise should begin in microcycle 1 with a 1-kg ball, should then continue in microcycle 2 with a 2-kg ball, and should end in microcycle 3 with a 3-kg ball. The weights of medicine balls range from 1 to 7 kg (2 to 15 lb), and heavier medicine balls should only be used for multijoint movements involving large muscle groups (7). The strength phase (Table 2) is also a great time to initiate sport-specific exercises. Baseball and softball players should perform exercises that involve torso rotation, such as medicine ball swings (Figure 9), weighted back extensions with a twist (Figure 10), or weighted decline twists (Figure 11). It is vital to complete twisting movements on both sides of the body in order to ensure muscle balance. These exercises will not only strengthen the torso but will also reinforce the specific rotational movement patterns of swinging a bat or throwing a ball. At the end of the off season, athletes typically leave campus for the holiday vacation. This can last anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the institution’s schedule. This is a time when
After players have completed the 12-week off-season program, they should be prepared to progress to the BA/SB power phase of torso training. Power is the combination of strength and speed and is the desired goal for the preseason program, since baseball and softball are explosive, ballistic, and rotational. It is vital that this type of training be performed 2 to 3 days per week for 2 sets of 10 repetitions (see Table 3), with 3 minutes of rest between each set. Exercises should be performed on nonconsecutive days, with at least 48 hours of recovery between torso workouts. Since baseball and softball are played while standing on either 1 or 2 feet, it is important to perform the power torso work while erect. This is referred to as closed–kinetic chain exercises (1, 2, 5). Not only will this exercise the torso, but it will also exercise all of the other muscles necessary to stabilize the body. Furthermore, closed-chain exercises require more balance and coordination and are more sport-specific (1, 2, 5). All torso exercises must be performed as explosively as possible on both sides of the body. This will create muscular balance and prepare the torso for the high forces required to field, throw, and hit throughout the season. Some of the exercises designed to develop muscular power (Table
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3) are rebound twisting throws (Figure 12), twisting wood chops (Figure 13a, b, and c), and rebound twisting puts (Figure 14). The wood-chop exercise (see microcycle 2) would begin at the position shown in Figure 13b, while twisting puts (see microcycles 1 and 2) would be performed by pushing the medicine ball against a wall as quickly as possible. The explosive movements involved in medicine ball training tax the neuromuscular system and stimulate the muscles of the torso to perform each movement specifically (8). During each microcycle of the power phase, athletes will use a lighter medicine ball. This will allow them to perform the exercises with greater speed, mimicking the ballistic and dynamic movements of throwing and hitting a ball. Begin the muscular power program using a 4-kg ball, then progress to a 3-kg ball, and finally to a 2-kg ball (8).
■ In Season After completing the 3- to 6-week preseason program, college BA/ SB players typically have a 3- to 4month season. The goal is to maintain at least 90% of the sport-specific torso power developed during the preseason (1). The in-season BA/SB maintenance torso program is performed 2 days per week for 2 sets of 10 repetitions, with 3 minutes of rest between sets, on nonconsecutive days, with at least 48 hours of recovery between torso workouts. This approach will maintain strength and power gains while decreasing the chances of overtraining and injury. Use the same medicine ball exercises described in Table 3 with a 2-kg medicine ball throughout the playing season. This will allow the BA/SB athlete to continue to mimic the specific game–speed movements of their respective sports while using lighter resistance. August 1999
■ Conclusion The actions of hitting and throwing a baseball or softball begin with the legs and torso. According to Coleman (1), the legs and torso form the “power zone,” which generates more than 50% of the forces in hitting and throwing. If there is a weak link in the body’s 3-1ink chain (legs, torso, and arms), there will be a loss of transferred forces. This loss of force is usually due to a weak torso. If it cannot transfer 100% of the forces generated by the legs and hips to the arms and hands, arm speed, bat speed, and power will not be optimal. For this reason, a balanced BA/SB torso program is necessary so that the BA/SB player can perform at his or her best while remaining injury free. ▲
■ References 1. Coleman, A.E. A baseball conditioning program for all seasons. In: Injuries in Baseball. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1998. pp. 537–545. 2. Cook, G., and K. Fields. Functional training for the torso. Strength Cond. J. 19(2): 14–19. 1997. 3. Fabrocini, B. The planning of a powerful trunk for tennis. Strength Cond. J. 17(2):25–29. 1995. 4. Foxhoven, B., and P. Plante. Athletes with back pain: A trunk stabilization program. Strength Cond. J. 18(4):69–73. 1996. 5. Gambetta, V. Concepts of baseball conditioning: The White Sox experience. Strength Cond. 19(4):7–9. 1997. 6. Gambetta, V. How much strength is enough? Strength Cond. 17(4):46–49. 1995. 7. Marieb, E.N. The muscular system. In: Human Anatomy Strength and Conditioning Journal
and Physiology. Redwood City, CA: Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., 1992. pp. 285–337. 8. Odgers, S., and V. Gambetta. Strength and power training for pitchers. In: Injuries in Baseball. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1998. pp. 547–554.
Szymanski
Fredrick
David Szymanski is a doctoral student in exercise physiology at Auburn University and was the volunteer baseball coach during the 1997 season. He has a masters in PE and previously was assistant baseball coach and conditioning coordinator at Texas Lutheran University. Gregory Fredrick is a masters student in exercise physiology and graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Auburn University. Formerly, he was a student assistant strength coach at the University of Tennessee. He is also a Certified Club Coach through USA Weightlifting.
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