Bainbridge Baseball Club
Developing Scholar Athletes and Competitive Youth Baseball for Bainbridge IslandOff-season
Conditioning Program
Cardio
Jump Rope
•Use a floor surface that is even, non abrasive and limits friction.
•The length of the rope - when you step on the middle, the end sections of the rope should fit comfortably in the hands and reach the middle of the chest.
•Remember to lift feet off floor just high enough for the rope to pass quickly.
•Try not to jump high and land hard.
•Keep shoulders relaxed and turn the rope with wrists.
•Have patience. Start slow, and then increase slowly.
•Make sure to land on the padded portion or balls of the feet to avoid knee injuries.
•This is an impact sport, so use caution with regard to your knees and ankles.
Upper Body
Pull-ups - The Proper Pull-up (regular grip) - Grab the pull-up bar with your hands placed about shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself upward until your chin is over the bar and complete the exercise by slowly moving to the hanging position.
Pull-ups (negatives) - If you cannot do any pull-ups, you should try "negatives". Negatives are half pull-ups. All you have to do is get your chin over the bar by standing on something or having spotter push you over the bar. Then, you slowly lower yourself all the way down - let your arms hang grasping the bar fully stretched. Keep your feet up and fight gravity for a count of 5 seconds. This will get your arms used to supporting your weight.
Assisted Pull-ups - This is the first step to being able to perform pull-ups. Using the bar that is 3-4 feet off the ground, sit under it and grab with the regular grip. Straighten your back, hips, and slightly bend your knees while your feet remain on the floor and pull yourself to the bar so that your chest touches the bar. Repeat as required. This is a great way to start out if you cannot do any pull-ups at all. You can also do this on a pair of parallel bars that are used for dips. These are also great to do after you can no longer perform anymore dead-hang pull-ups.
Chin-ups - Same as pull-ups with your palms facing you.
Push-ups - (set each of wide, narrow hands, then incline, decline)
The Proper Push-up – Lie chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms flat on the floor and slightly more than shoulder-width apart, your feet together and parallel to each other. Look forward rather than down at the floor. The first contact you make with the floor with any part of the face should be your chin, not your nose. Keep your legs straight and your toes tucked under your feet. Straighten your arms as you push your body up off the floor. Keep your palms fixed at the same position and keep your body straight. Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back as you push up. Exhale as your arms straighten out. Pause for a moment. Lower your body slowly towards the floor. Bend your arms and keep your palms in fixed position. Keep body straight and feet together. Lower body until chest touches the floor. Try not to bend your back. Keep your knees off the floor, and inhale as you bend your arms. Pause for a moment. Begin straightening your arms for a second push-up.
Incline Push-ups – Place hands on desk on end of bed with feet on the floor. Use the same style as regular push-up.
Decline Push-ups – Place feet on edge of bed with hands on the floor. Use the same style as regular push-up.
Tricep Bench Dips – Feet together on ground with hands together behind your back on edge of bed. Both feet on the ground with legs straight or slightly bent. Lower body by moving elbows out. Raise body by straitening arms.
Body Core
Crunches - Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest. Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor. Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up. Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously. Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way. Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep. To add variation, bring your knees in at the same time you lift your upper body off the floor (full body crunch) To make it more difficult, balance on an exercise ball.
Tips: To keep your neck in proper alignment, place your fist under your chin to keep your head from moving. Keep your back flat against the floor throughout the entire movement. If your back arches, prop your feet on a step or platform to make it easier.
Lying Leg Raises - Ensure that your legs are slightly bent throughout this exercise. Lie on your back with your hands, palms down under your buttocks. Raise your legs about 12 inches off the floor and hold them there. Make sure the base of your spine is pressed against the floor (this will ensure that your back has the correct support). Now trying to use just your lower abs, tilt your pelvis and raise your legs a further 6 inches. Hold for a few seconds then return to your original position. Keep going with this exercise until you can feel it in your abs.
Bicycle Sit-ups - Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breath evenly throughout the exercise.
Lower Body
Wall Squat – Front Thigh Exercise - Starting Position: - Place your upper back against a smooth wall. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Distribute your body weight equally between both feet and lean back against the wall. Movement: - Inhale, keeping your heels in contact with the floor at all times, slowly lower into a squat position while sliding down the wall. Exhale as you slowly straighten your legs, keeping your head and chest up, returning to the starting position.
Free Squats - Stand with your feet straight with your arms straight ahead of you at shoulder level. Kick your butt back so there is an arch in your lower back. Start bending your knees and lower yourself down while trying to keep your upper body straight up. HOLD and keep your hips tilted forward and your arms straight out.
Walking Lunges - You'll need a little space for this exercise. Find a room or area of the gym where you can lunge at least 15-20 paces. Start by standing upright with your feet together. For beginners place your hand on your hips (and have smiles on your lips). For more advanced exercisers hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell on your shoulders. Take a long step and bend both knees and lunge towards the floor. Keep you feet pointed straight. The back leg is the one doing most of the work. It is important to keep the front knee over the heel and not over the toes. In other words if you lunge too far forward you will put great pressure on your front knee and increase the risk of injury. Bring your feet together after the first lunge and then lunge forward with the opposite leg. Alternate your legs as you go across the floor and bring your feet together between each step.
Lateral Side to Side - Have feet wide apart with body in down squat position. Bring the center of your body over one leg and hold for ten seconds then move to other leg with out raising body and hold for ten seconds. Repeat.
Calf Raise - Stand on the foot block of a Standing Calf Raise machine on the balls of your feet and duck under the shoulder pads. You should have a comfortable separation between your feet and your toes should be pointing forward. Start with your heels down as far as possible in a good stretch. Keep your knees straight and stiff but not locked. Rise up onto the balls of your feet and squeeze, moving only at the ankles. If you don't have access to or don't wish to use a calf machine for various reasons, calf raises can be done freestanding on just about anything raised up (e.g. stairs, blocks, books, etc.) or even from the floor. They can be done one leg at a time as well. This is a more advanced variation for those who have built up some strength in the calves.
Tricks: To work the inside of your calves, set your feet farther apart and rise up onto the inside balls of your feet. To work the outside, set your feet in close and rise up on the outside balls of your feet. Do not turn your toes in or out as this puts an unnatural stress on the knees. Turning your feet in or out is sometimes recommended by trainers in order to work the inner or outer calves. Avoid this.
Developing Scholar Athletes and Competitive Youth Baseball for Bainbridge IslandOff-season
Conditioning Program
Cardio
Jump Rope
•Use a floor surface that is even, non abrasive and limits friction.
•The length of the rope - when you step on the middle, the end sections of the rope should fit comfortably in the hands and reach the middle of the chest.
•Remember to lift feet off floor just high enough for the rope to pass quickly.
•Try not to jump high and land hard.
•Keep shoulders relaxed and turn the rope with wrists.
•Have patience. Start slow, and then increase slowly.
•Make sure to land on the padded portion or balls of the feet to avoid knee injuries.
•This is an impact sport, so use caution with regard to your knees and ankles.
Upper Body
Pull-ups - The Proper Pull-up (regular grip) - Grab the pull-up bar with your hands placed about shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself upward until your chin is over the bar and complete the exercise by slowly moving to the hanging position.
Pull-ups (negatives) - If you cannot do any pull-ups, you should try "negatives". Negatives are half pull-ups. All you have to do is get your chin over the bar by standing on something or having spotter push you over the bar. Then, you slowly lower yourself all the way down - let your arms hang grasping the bar fully stretched. Keep your feet up and fight gravity for a count of 5 seconds. This will get your arms used to supporting your weight.
Assisted Pull-ups - This is the first step to being able to perform pull-ups. Using the bar that is 3-4 feet off the ground, sit under it and grab with the regular grip. Straighten your back, hips, and slightly bend your knees while your feet remain on the floor and pull yourself to the bar so that your chest touches the bar. Repeat as required. This is a great way to start out if you cannot do any pull-ups at all. You can also do this on a pair of parallel bars that are used for dips. These are also great to do after you can no longer perform anymore dead-hang pull-ups.
Chin-ups - Same as pull-ups with your palms facing you.
Push-ups - (set each of wide, narrow hands, then incline, decline)
The Proper Push-up – Lie chest-down with your hands at shoulder level, palms flat on the floor and slightly more than shoulder-width apart, your feet together and parallel to each other. Look forward rather than down at the floor. The first contact you make with the floor with any part of the face should be your chin, not your nose. Keep your legs straight and your toes tucked under your feet. Straighten your arms as you push your body up off the floor. Keep your palms fixed at the same position and keep your body straight. Try not to bend or arch your upper or lower back as you push up. Exhale as your arms straighten out. Pause for a moment. Lower your body slowly towards the floor. Bend your arms and keep your palms in fixed position. Keep body straight and feet together. Lower body until chest touches the floor. Try not to bend your back. Keep your knees off the floor, and inhale as you bend your arms. Pause for a moment. Begin straightening your arms for a second push-up.
Incline Push-ups – Place hands on desk on end of bed with feet on the floor. Use the same style as regular push-up.
Decline Push-ups – Place feet on edge of bed with hands on the floor. Use the same style as regular push-up.
Tricep Bench Dips – Feet together on ground with hands together behind your back on edge of bed. Both feet on the ground with legs straight or slightly bent. Lower body by moving elbows out. Raise body by straitening arms.
Body Core
Crunches - Lie down on the floor on your back and bend your knees, placing your hands behind your head or across your chest. Pull your belly button towards your spine, and flatten your lower back against the floor. Slowly contract your abdominals, bringing your shoulder blades about one or two inches off the floor. Exhale as you come up and keep your neck straight, chin up. Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, breathing continuously. Slowly lower back down, but don't relax all the way. Repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions with perfect form for each rep. To add variation, bring your knees in at the same time you lift your upper body off the floor (full body crunch) To make it more difficult, balance on an exercise ball.
Tips: To keep your neck in proper alignment, place your fist under your chin to keep your head from moving. Keep your back flat against the floor throughout the entire movement. If your back arches, prop your feet on a step or platform to make it easier.
Lying Leg Raises - Ensure that your legs are slightly bent throughout this exercise. Lie on your back with your hands, palms down under your buttocks. Raise your legs about 12 inches off the floor and hold them there. Make sure the base of your spine is pressed against the floor (this will ensure that your back has the correct support). Now trying to use just your lower abs, tilt your pelvis and raise your legs a further 6 inches. Hold for a few seconds then return to your original position. Keep going with this exercise until you can feel it in your abs.
Bicycle Sit-ups - Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Breath evenly throughout the exercise.
Lower Body
Wall Squat – Front Thigh Exercise - Starting Position: - Place your upper back against a smooth wall. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Distribute your body weight equally between both feet and lean back against the wall. Movement: - Inhale, keeping your heels in contact with the floor at all times, slowly lower into a squat position while sliding down the wall. Exhale as you slowly straighten your legs, keeping your head and chest up, returning to the starting position.
Free Squats - Stand with your feet straight with your arms straight ahead of you at shoulder level. Kick your butt back so there is an arch in your lower back. Start bending your knees and lower yourself down while trying to keep your upper body straight up. HOLD and keep your hips tilted forward and your arms straight out.
Walking Lunges - You'll need a little space for this exercise. Find a room or area of the gym where you can lunge at least 15-20 paces. Start by standing upright with your feet together. For beginners place your hand on your hips (and have smiles on your lips). For more advanced exercisers hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell on your shoulders. Take a long step and bend both knees and lunge towards the floor. Keep you feet pointed straight. The back leg is the one doing most of the work. It is important to keep the front knee over the heel and not over the toes. In other words if you lunge too far forward you will put great pressure on your front knee and increase the risk of injury. Bring your feet together after the first lunge and then lunge forward with the opposite leg. Alternate your legs as you go across the floor and bring your feet together between each step.
Lateral Side to Side - Have feet wide apart with body in down squat position. Bring the center of your body over one leg and hold for ten seconds then move to other leg with out raising body and hold for ten seconds. Repeat.
Calf Raise - Stand on the foot block of a Standing Calf Raise machine on the balls of your feet and duck under the shoulder pads. You should have a comfortable separation between your feet and your toes should be pointing forward. Start with your heels down as far as possible in a good stretch. Keep your knees straight and stiff but not locked. Rise up onto the balls of your feet and squeeze, moving only at the ankles. If you don't have access to or don't wish to use a calf machine for various reasons, calf raises can be done freestanding on just about anything raised up (e.g. stairs, blocks, books, etc.) or even from the floor. They can be done one leg at a time as well. This is a more advanced variation for those who have built up some strength in the calves.
Tricks: To work the inside of your calves, set your feet farther apart and rise up onto the inside balls of your feet. To work the outside, set your feet in close and rise up on the outside balls of your feet. Do not turn your toes in or out as this puts an unnatural stress on the knees. Turning your feet in or out is sometimes recommended by trainers in order to work the inner or outer calves. Avoid this.
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