Pre-Season Preparation!
Video Highlights
0:10 Importance of preparation in adjusting from winter training to in season playing.
0:30 Arrive on time.
1:12 Have an effective warm-up and recovery routine.
1:43 Have your equipment with you.
2:13 Increase your throwing and hitting volume and frequency.
3:24 Set personal goals.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Importance of preparation in adjusting from winter training to in season playing
It's important to prepare now to be ready for the transition between winter training and summer playing season. While there are many things that can be discussed, there are five key components that are most important in getting ready for the season.
Arrive on time
Arriving on time, means arriving early. That means getting up early and leaving on time for early games to do the things that need to be done. This is more important during the season than during winter training when it may be more acceptable to arrive late.
Have an effective warm-up and recovery routine
An effective warm-up and recovery routine means having a routine that works for you. Your team may have a routine, but it may not be specific enough for your needs. This goes along with the first point about arriving early so you are able to complete the entire routine
Have your equipment with you
You must also have all of your warm-up and recovery equipment with you at practices and games. This may include V-bands, wrist weights, plyo balls and slugs. This will help stay healthier and improve your performance.
Increase your throwing and hitting volume and frequency
This includes working with V-bands, plyo balls, wrist weights and trampolines. Winter training usually does not place emphasis on volume of hitting and throwing; it usually focuses on other elements of training and fitness. Going from working off the tee and soft toss can put additional stress on the body, so ramping up to more throwing and hitting prepares us for the jump in intent for throwing, hitting and running in games.
SET Personal goals
It's important to set personal goals at the beginning of the season to allow you to engineer a plan. These goals can be something as simple as staying healthy all season long, which ultimately contributes to the overall success of your team. This can include things like committing to train one hour a week at a gym or facility which contributes to your ability to stay strong. It can even be more simple, like committing to stay aggressive at the plate, on the basepaths or on the mound. These personal goals contribute to the ultimate goal of winning games and just having overall success for the organization. It also helps you track your progress so you know that if you aren't on-track to achieve your goals you can reach out to a coach or player or other facility to get yourself back on track.