Elizabeth High School Baseball Weight Training

Copyright 2000, Joseph Przytula Jr. MA ATC CSCS

PHILOSOPHY

To create a realistic progressive resistance training program that is realistic, and not one that only looks good on paper. It is designed with high school age athletes in mind, to increase strength and protect from injury.

• Consistency is the key to any weight training program. Don't miss workouts!
• Workouts are three days per week for the first two mesocycles, decreasing to two for the third, and one for pre-season and in-season.
• The weight training sessions should be combined with running, plyometric, and agility training two to three times per week. The running should be primarily anaerobic, however overweight athletes should do more aerobic activities in the first two mesocycles.

The circuit takes about one hour to complete. Give athletes about 2.5 min. at each station, allowing 30 sec. to travel between stations and rest. Feel free to modify the program to accommodate time/equipment limitations. The program does take strict supervision to work.

• Begin each session with some light stretching . The warm-up is built in to the circuit.
• Begin the workout with each athlete and his partner at the determined apparatus. One athlete will spot while the other is working.
• The first trip around the circuit is the "warm-up lap". 20 reps are done at 50 % of max.
• The athletes attempt to make three "laps" around the circuit.
• Circuit Training routines challenge anaerobic endurance, and out of shape athletes may become lightheaded. If this occurs, they should discontinue the workout, and the next session attempt to go a little bit further on the circuit, and eventually build up to the complete workout as their fitness increases.
• All sets should be performed as a percentage of single repetition maximum (1RM). I have provided a chart to estimate these percentages. Be aware that 1RM testing can be dangerous, and only should be performed by experienced lifters with a good strength and technique base. Another way to determine how much weight to use is by "perceived exertion". I tell athletes to work out with a weight heavy enough so that a burning sensation is felt on the last three to five reps of a set. If the preset number of reps cannot be performed, the weight was too heavy. If the athlete didn't feel the burning sensation, the weight was too light. Adjustments can be made in the next set.
• Athletes should move in a predetermined clockwise or counter clockwise direction around the circuit.
• Be sure to follow the exercise order, as it is one of the determinants of exercise intensity.

Workout #1

1. Dumbbell alt. biceps curl
2. Bench press
3. Leg extension
4. Tricep extensions
5. Leg curl
6. Military press
7. Lat pulldown
8. Crunches-begin with 10-20 reps for 2 sets per "lap",work up to 2 sets of 30
9. Calf raise/toe raise superset

Workout #2

1. Crunch with twist
2. Incline bench press
3. Barbell reverse arm curl
4. Hip sled
5. Lateral raises
6. Hyperextensions
7. Bent over rowing
8. Diamond push ups- begin with 10-15 reps for 2 sets,work up to sets of 20 30 reps
9. Superset hip add/abd

Workout #1

1. Bench press
2. Standing tricep extension
3. Upright row
4. Lat pulldown
5. Alt. dumbbell arm curls
6. Crunches with 5lb. wt. at chest, add a twist.
7. Parallel squat
8. Calf raise/toe taise superset
9. Alt. dumbell shoulder press
10. Alt. dumbell reverse curls

Workout #2

1. Incline bench press
2. Military press, push press, or power jerk
3. Reverse curl
4. Tricep pushdowns
5. Single arm bent over rowing with dumbells
6. Hyperextension with twist, 5lb. dumbbell held at chest
7. Weighted box step up
8. Reverse sit up,work up to holding a 7lb. medicine ball between the feet
9. Box step up with lateral or crossover step

Workout #1

1. Lunge series, or walking lunge with dumbbells
2. Jumprope, sets of 30sec. each "lap"
3. Stiffarm pullover, or stiffarm pullover into tricep ext.
4. Standing diagonal patterns with 7 lb. med. ball
5. Alternate dumbell shoulder press
6. Lateral dumbbell raise
7. Scarecrow exercise with dumbbells or tubing*
8. Superset wrist curl/wrist extension*
9. Crunches with arm crossovers with 2.5lb plates, or reverse sit-up with 7lb. medicine ball

Workout #2

1. Shoulder shrugs
2. Front dumbbell raise(scapation), thumbs up*
3. Forearm pronation/supination with 1/2 dumbell*
4. Single leg squat series on 10-14" box
5. Bent over lateral dumbbell raises*
6. Dumbbell bench press
7. Modified lat pulldowns
8. Dips, with elbows bending no more than 90deg.
9. Parallel squat, emphasizing explosion upon ascent
10. Russian twist with dumbell

1. Weighted box step series or walking lunges
2. Hyperextensions with twist with medicine ball
3. Alterate dumbell shoulder press
4. Parallel squats emphasizing "explosion" upon ascent
5. Gambetta modified dumbbell bench press
6. Crunches with arm crossover with 3-5 lb. weight, or weighted reverse sit-ups
7. Superset wrist ext. with wrist curls
8. Pronation/supination with dumbbells
9. Superset shoulder internal rotation with external rotation with rubber tubing or dumbbells
10. Superset gambetta curls with gambetta reverse curls
11. Bent over later raise or gambetta "dumbbell swim" for scapular stabilizers

Exercises are the same as mesocycle 4. Your goals should be realistic for this part of the year, as time constraints are at their most challenging. Remember, consistency is everything. It's better to get in the weight room once a week and get a great workout, than to come for a few weeks everyday, only to giveup all together. Many exercises can be done at the ball park with surgical tubing if time is really tight, but...

GET IT DONE!

Good luck to Everyone !