Baseball

BASEBALL TRAINING PHILOSOPHY 

    Maximum’s philosophy on training baseball players stems from the sport-specific actions they need to build, and the 5 tools that college coaches and professional scouts use to judge the ability and potential of pitchers and position players.  

    These are:

            POSITION PLAYERS

• Ability to hit for average
• Ability to hit for power
• Ability to throw (arm strength)
• Ability to defend (position specific)
• Ability to run

PITCHERS

• Arm strength
• Ability to locate
• Movement on the ball
• Change of speeds
• Ability to throw a 2nd and 3rd pitch for a strike
• Mound presence, focus, control of running game

Based on these skills, baseball players must develop joint stability and connective tissue strength through the shoulder and elbow (to support and stabilize the arm action), core strength and rotary speed (to support the lower lumber spine during throwing and hitting motion, and ability to create torque through separation of hips and hands to generate bat speed and arm speed), posterior chain strength and power (to develop strength through glutes, hips, and legs), reactive ability and quickness (for starting speed and defensive ability), and grip/forearm strength (to create bat speed and rotation on the ball when throwing).   

A baseball player’s ability to run is most often judged by his times from home to first and his 60 yd dash.  Although the application of a 60 yd dash to baseball specific speed is questionable, it is important because coaches and scouts use it as a solid measurement of overall speed.

Although each position has its unique demands, all baseball players must improve these essential basic motor abilities