Healthy Habits - Tips for High School Baseball Players

With the 2025 baseball season approaching, here are some valuable fitness and training tips from Mike Volkmar, author of The High School Athlete: Baseball. These tips are designed to help high school baseball players prepare for the upcoming season and perform at their best.

Top 10 Training Tips for High School Baseball Players:

1. Strength Training: Focus on building overall strength, especially in the core, legs, and upper body. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, and rows are essential for developing the power needed for hitting and throwing.

2. Plyometric Exercises: Incorporate plyometric exercises such as box jumps, medicine ball throws, and clap push-ups to improve explosive power and agility.

3. Flexibility and Mobility: Regularly perform stretching and mobility exercises to maintain flexibility and prevent injuries. Dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches afterward can help keep muscles limber.

4. Conditioning: Include cardiovascular conditioning in your routine to build endurance. Interval training, sprints, and long-distance running can help improve stamina for those long games.

5. Injury Prevention: Be sure to include rotational exercises, forearm strength, and rotator cuff prehab exercises to prevent injuries.

6. Core Stability: Strengthen your core with exercises like planks, side planks, and leg raises. A strong core is crucial for stability and power in both batting and throwing.

7. Nutrition: Maintain a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Proper nutrition fuels your workouts and aids in recovery. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

8. Rest and Recovery: Ensure you get adequate rest and recovery time. This includes getting enough sleep, taking rest days, and using recovery techniques like foam rolling and stretching.

9. Mental Training: Develop mental toughness and focus through visualization techniques, meditation, and mindfulness practices. Mental preparation is just as important as physical training.

10. Consistency: Stay consistent with your training regimen. Regular workouts, proper nutrition, and rest will help you build and maintain the fitness levels needed for peak performance.

These tips will help high school baseball players maximize their potential and excel on the field.