The off-season is the time to create and peak your strength, not pre-season. Preseason is when speed, explosiveness, and power use peak strength developed in the off-season.

Preseason Programming

In the off-season, your strength training was 85-90% of your 1RM four days a week. Now, it is time to use that strength to develop speed, power, and explosiveness.

During preseason, you will use 50-75% of your 1RM two to three times weekly and perform an optional strength training session.

According to residual training effects (RTE), speed, power, and explosive training must be done every three to five days to maintain their effectiveness, and strength training must be done every 10-12 days.

Speed is the most sensitive, and the RTE is less sustainable than strength. Strength lasts longer, but speed must be constant and consistently practiced.

Preseason Goal

The higher your strength, the more you maximize speed, explosiveness, and power. For example, if you bench 100 lbs., your speed, explosive, and power training would be 50-75 lbs. – 50-75% 1 RM.

However, if you can bench press 150 lbs., your speed and power training would be 75-113 lbs. This is the importance of off-season strength training to maximize your strengths for speed, explosiveness, and power output.

Speed Training

Objective: Speed training improves an athlete’s maximum velocity or the rate at which they can cover a distance.

Base Running:

• Stolen Bases: A player with speed can attempt stolen bases to advance to the next base while minimizing the chances of being caught by the opposing team.
• Extra Bases: Speed allows players to take extra bases on hits, turning singles into doubles or doubles into triples.

Outfield Play:

• Chasing Down Fly Balls: Outfielders with speed can cover more ground and track down fly balls that might otherwise fall for hits.

Infield Defense:

• Range at Shortstop or Second Base: Speed is crucial for infielders to cover ground quickly, make plays on ground balls, and improve overall defensive performance.

Training Protocols for Speed

Reps: 1-3 reps per set / Percentage of 1 RM: 60-75% of 1 RM.

If you’re working on speed from a squat perspective and your 1 RM is 300 pounds, you might perform sets of 2-3 reps at 180-225 pounds.

Focus: This type of training emphasizes enhancing running mechanics, stride length, and stride frequency to increase overall movement speed. It is also about moving the weight fast, not slow. Therefore, you need about three reps max.

Examples:

• Sprinting drills over various distances.
• Acceleration sprints.
• Flying sprints.

Sprinting at maximum velocity requires a combination of strength, power, and efficient biomechanics.

Explosive/Agility Training

Objective: Explosive training concentrates on rapidly generating force or power, emphasizing the ability to produce a maximal force in a short period.

Pitching:

• Explosive Delivery: Pitchers can benefit from an explosive and quick delivery, making it harder for hitters to time their swings.

Hitting:

• Quick Bat Speed: Explosive movements in the swing contribute to quick bat speed, allowing hitters to make solid contact with the ball.

Fielding:

• Quick Reactions: Explosiveness is crucial for reacting quickly to sharply hit balls, whether in the infield or outfield.

Base Running:

• Quick First Step: Explosive acceleration is essential for a quick first step when stealing bases or advancing on hits.

Training Protocol for Explosiveness

Reps: 3-6 reps per set (emphasis on explosive movements) / Percentage of 1 RM: 50- 60% of 1 RM.

Focus: The focus here is on fast-twitch muscle fiber activation and improving the rate of force development.

Examples:

• Plyometric exercises (e.g., box jumps, depth jumps).
• Olympic lifts (e.g., cleans, snatches).
• Medicine ball throws.
• Jumping exercises (e.g., squat jumps, broad jumps).

Explosive training for bench press with a 1 RM of 200 pounds might involve sets of 5 reps at 80-120 pounds, emphasizing speed and explosiveness.

Power Training

Objective: Power training combines strength and speed to generate force. The goal is to maximize the rate of force development, combining both elements to create explosive movements.

Hitting:

• Extra-Base Hits: Power in the swing can result in extra-base hits, turning singles into doubles or doubles into home runs.
• Driving in Runs: Powerful hitters contribute to driving in runs, especially in critical situations with runners in scoring position.

Pitching:

• Pitcher Velocity: Pitchers with power can throw fastballs with higher velocity, making it challenging for hitters to react and connect with the ball.

Catching:

• Arm Strength: Catchers with power in their throws can deter base stealers and make it difficult for runners to advance.

Training Protocol for Power

Reps: 3-6 reps per set (performed explosively) / Percentage of 1 RM: 75% of 1 RM.

Focus: This type of training aims to develop both explosive strength and speed, providing a balance between force and velocity.

Examples of Exercises:

• Olympic lifts (e.g., clean and jerk, snatch).
• Kettlebell swings.
• Jump squats.
• Medicine ball slams

For power training in the deadlift with a 1 RM of 250 pounds, you might perform sets of 4 reps at 125-175 pounds, focusing on explosive movements.

• Generating force rapidly, as required in power exercises, can be challenging.
• Power movements often involve coordination and skill, particularly in Olympic lifts.
• Power training may involve a mix of explosive exercises, such as jumps, throws, and Olympic lifts.
• Combining strength and speed optimally is essential for effective power development.

Key Differences

Speed Training vs. Explosive Training: While speed training specifically targets improving running velocity, explosive training has a broader scope, encompassing rapid force production in various dynamic movements, not limited to running.

Explosive Training vs. Power Training: Explosive training and power training share similarities, but power training. Power training includes exercises that develop explosive strength and speed, balancing force and velocity.

Speed Training vs. Power Training: Speed training is specialized in improving the velocity of movement, typically in linear directions like running. Power training, however, involves exercises that enhance the ability to generate force quickly, applicable to various athletic movements beyond linear speed.

Although they are different, they can be incorporated into the same workout. It is beneficial because these aspects are used randomly in baseball.

Training Program

Day 1: 3-5 sets

• Deadlift – Power – 75%
• Power Clean- Explosiveness -50%
• Push Press- Power- 70%
• Kettlebell Swings – Speed – 50%- light load
• Med Ball Slams- Power – 3-5 reps with slight rest in-between reps.
• 20-yard sprint: 5 times with full recovery.

Day 3: 3-5 sets

• Split Jerk- Power -75%
• Single-Leg Box Jumps- Explosiveness – Body Weight
• Med Ball Rotations– Power- 3-5 reps with slight rest between reps.
• Bounders- Explosiveness – Body Weight
• 10-yard sled push light load: 5 times with full recovery.

Day 5: 3-5 sets

• Squats – Power – 75%
• Broad Jumps- Explosiveness- Body Weight or light med ball load.
• Plyo-Pushups- Explosiveness – Body Weight
• Med Ball Split Lunge Push Throw- Power – 3-5 reps with slight rest between reps.
• 40-yard sprints: 5 times with full recovery.

Here are sport-specific speed, power, and explosive/agility training workouts tailored for baseball players. These workouts focus on enhancing skills relevant to baseball, such as quick sprints, explosive movements for hitting and throwing, and agility for fielding.

Baseball Speed Training Workout

Warm-up

• Light jogging and dynamic stretches (arm circles, leg swings).
• Sprint drills with emphasis on quick acceleration.

Base Running Sprints

• 8-10 sprints from home plate to first base
• Focus on explosive starts and efficient running mechanics

Base-to-Base Sprints

• 5-6 sprints from first to second, second to third, and third to home.
• Mimic in-game situations for base running.

Agility for Infielders

Cone Drill Series

• 3 sets of 5-10-5 Shuttle (5 reps each set).
• 3 sets of Box Drill (quick changes of direction).

Cooldown

• Light jogging and static stretches targeting legs, hips, and calves.

Baseball Power Training Workout

Warm-up

• Light cardio and dynamic stretches (arm swings, leg kicks).
• Power-focused warm-up exercises (bodyweight squats, medicine ball slams).

Medicine Ball Rotational Throws

• 3 sets of 8 throws (each side).
• Emphasize hip rotation and explosive throwing motion.

Batting Power Drills

• 3 sets of 10 explosive swings with a weighted bat or resistance band.
• Focus on quick and powerful bat speed.

Cooldown

• Light jogging or cycling for 5-10 minutes.
• Static stretches for major muscle groups involved in baseball movements.

Baseball Explosive/Agility Training Workout

Warm-up

• Jump rope or light jogging.
• Dynamic stretches emphasizing hip mobility and agility.

Lateral Cone Hops

• 3 sets of 20 seconds.
• Focus on lateral explosiveness and quick footwork.

Agility Cone Drills

• T-Drill: 4 sets.
• Box Drill: 3 sets.

Reaction Drills

• Partner-based drills with quick changes of direction based on cues.
• 3 sets of 10 reps.

Baseball-Specific Drills

• Incorporate fielding drills with rapid changes of direction and explosive throws.
• Include positional-specific agility exercises (e.g., shortstops working on quick turns and throws).

Cooldown

• Light jogging or walking for 5-10 minutes.
• Static stretches with a focus on agility-related muscle groups.

In baseball, a well-rounded player often possesses a combination of speed, power, and explosiveness. It’s not just about having individual strengths but knowing how to leverage them effectively within the context of the game.

Check out my INSTANT STRENGTH book for total strength, speed, and power programs.

To maximize stability, mobility, and flexibility, check out my book, THE BALANCED BODY.

To see more exercises for sprinting, speed, and power, subscribe to my YouTube channel, BALANCED BODY.