What should the goals of my baseball off-season training program be?

First and foremost, the off-season is a time for physical and mental reconditioning. The data obtained during the post-season fitness assessment will help in identifying imbalances, asymmetries, or specific areas of weakness that will help individualize your off-season program. After a period of corrective exercise, the main goal of the off-season is performance enhancement.

The off-season training program is used to help improve muscular endurance, stability, strength, and power. A progressive resistance training system in the off-season will start with light weights and high repetitions (1-3 sets, 12-20 repetitions) to help build muscular endurance. It is also suggested to perform these exercises in an unstable environment that can be safely controlled. Examples include performing a stability ball chest press or single-leg squats.

These types of exercises help improve joint stability, balance, and coordination. After a few weeks of stability exercises, you can transition to more traditional strength training, such as bench press, squats, and lat pull-downs to improve overall strength. The last portion of the off-season should be geared toward improving speed and power. Power exercises include squat jumps, tuck jumps, medicine ball throws, and various sprinting and agility drills.