With fall ball underway, now is a great time to work on overcoming last season's shortcomings. For many baseball players, this includes getting bigger, stronger and more powerful to handle the next level of competition. Below is a great baseball workout program to help you add size and strength this off-season.
All three days are total-body training days; however, the emphasis switches between the lower and upper body. Repeat this two-week program for eight weeks. After that, check your progress and make adjustments to the program to ensure continued strength and size gains.
Week 1
Day 1 - Lower-Body Emphasis
- Power Cleans - 5x3
- Box Jumps - 3x8
- DB Incline Press - 3x10
- Sumo Squat - 3x6 (with a light load; go for speed)
- Lat Pulldowns - 3x10 (with hold at bottom)
- Wide-Grip Deadlift - 3x8
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
Day 2 - Upper-Body Emphasis
- DB Bench Press - 5x5 (add weight each set)
- Single-Leg RDL - 3x10 each leg
- Chin-Ups - 5x5 (do Lat Pulldowns if you can't do 5 Chin-Ups)
- Goblet Squats - 3x10
- DB Rows - 3x6-8 each arm (add weight each set)
- Single-Arm DB Military Press - 3x8
Superset:
- DB Curls - 3x8 each arm
- Close-Grip Push-Ups - 3x10-15
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
Day 3 - Lower-Body Emphasis
- Hang Cleans - 3x5
- Front Squat - 3x8-10
- DB Military Press - 3x10
- Sumo Deadlift - 3x8
- TRX Row - 3x10
- Crossover Step-Ups - 3x10 each leg
- Physioball Leg Curls - 3x10
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
Week 2
Day 1 - Upper Body Emphasis
- Med Ball Rotational Slams - 3x5
- Clap Push-Ups - 4x6
- Lateral Step-Ups - 3x10 each leg
- Overhead Med Ball Slams - 3x5
- Chin Ups - 3x3-5 (go up as fast as possible, try to touch your chest to the bar, then go slow and controlled on the way down)
- Single-Leg Hip Thrusts - 3x10 (elevate your foot on a box and lay a bar across your waist for added resistance)
- Med Ball Shot Put - 3x5
Superset:
- Reverse Curls - 3x8
- Triceps Rope Extensions - 3x8
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
Day 2 - Lower-Body Emphasis
- Squat - 5x5 (increase weight each set)
- DB Bench Press - 3x10
- Deadlift - 5x5 (increase weight each set)
- DB Rows - 3x10
- Step-Ups - 4x6 (wear a vest if available, hold dumbbells in each hand)
- RDL - 3x8
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
Day 3 - Upper Body Emphasis
- Alternating DB Bench - 3x8 each arm (keep both dumbbells extended in front of chest; perform rep with one arm, then the other)
- Chin-Ups - 40 (as many sets as you need to get to 40 total reps)
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split-Squats - 3x10 (each leg)
- Feet Elevated Push Ups - 50 (as many sets as you need to get 50 total reps)
- Single-Arm TRX Row - 3x8
- Single-Leg RDLs - 3x10
Superset:
- Hammer Curls - 3x8 each arm
- Single-Arm Triceps Extensions - 3x8
- Choice of Three Core Exercises - 3x15-20 each exercise (perform in circuit fashion)
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