The off-season is the perfect opportunity for your athlete to start training for spring tournaments! If they’re going to play at their best, using this downtime to stay in shape for baseball is essential.
Get into the habit of using simple and routine workouts to improve coordination and reduce the risk of an injury down the road. Use these at-home workouts for youth baseball players to give them a leg up on the competition when March rolls around!
At-Home Workout Sequence
Before your athlete starts their home workout, they need adequate time to warm up! Taking the time to warm up the right way helps their body and mind prepare for the task at hand.
Warmups
To move more freely through the workout and lessen the chances of an injury, use this sample warm-up beforehand:
- Two-Minute Jog: a light jog gradually increases your heart rate and gives your body a chance to warm up.
- Walking Lunges: to engage core and leg muscles, stand up straight with legs shoulder-length apart. From here, extend one leg out at a time, bend your knee into a lunge position and hold.
- Arm Swings & Circles: to loosen up and relax your arms, spend 2-3 minutes going through a circuit of arm movements. You can start by swinging each arm forward and backward, then side to side. Afterward, rotate your arms, elbows, and wrists in a circle!
- Complete Stretch: Finish your warm-up with stretches to ensure a great at-home workout. Ideally, your athlete should spend 15 – 20 seconds doing each exercise. Below is a checklist of each area to stretch:
- Arms and shoulders
- Upper and lower back
- Quads and Hamstrings
The Workout
Staying in shape for youth baseball doesn’t have to be expensive or require travel! Without access to a weight room or other bulky equipment at home, you can swap household items in place of weights. Get creative and use canned goods, milk jugs, or laundry detergent!
- Reverse lunge with a twist: Stand up straight with legs shoulder-length apart. Step backward and bend your leg at a 90-degree angle. As you drop into the lunge, twist your torso. Aim to hold the lunge for 10 seconds on each leg and repeat the circuit three times. Feel free to incorporate a weight!
- Planks: While in a push-up position, place forearms on the floor at shoulder length apart. Aim to hold this position for 20–30 seconds and repeat this process 4 -5 times after a 30-second rest.
- Lateral raise: Stand with weights in each hand for a simple but challenging exercise. Raise the weights to your side up to shoulder level, lower them, and repeat 15 – 20 times!
- Push-up sprints: When selecting their team, coaches will look for players who can accelerate quickly. To give your player a leg up, have them lie down on their stomachs at a set starting point. When you say “go,” they should get up and sprint to the opposite side. Try doing this exercise 3 times in a row with a minute rest in between sprints!
Related Post: How to Train for Youth Baseball Tryouts
Cool-Down
Taking the time to cool down after a workout is just as essential as the workout itself! Cooling down prevents future injuries and reduces muscle soreness.
Use these stretches to make sure you’re finishing your home workout the right way:
- High kicks and butt kicks: Work these kicks into your cool-down routine to improve and develop your form.
- Iron crosses: While lying down and keeping your back flat on the floor, bring your arms out to form a “T” pose. Gradually bring one leg up to its opposite arm and hold.
- Knee to chest: When laying flat on your back, bring one knee up to your chest while keeping your opposite leg relaxed.
- Overhead stretch: To stretch your arms and upper body, put your fingers together and push your palms, arms, and back up.
Register to Play at Ballparks of America
We hope these home workout tips are helpful to you as preparation for the next season begins!
At Ballparks of America, we live and breathe youth travel baseball. Register for a tournament or contact us at Ballparks of America or at (417) 464-6333.
