Tread Athletics - in Season Training BluePrint 5
Tread Athletics - in Season Training BluePrint 5
Tread Athletics - in Season Training BluePrint 5
TRAINING BLUEPRINT
A TRAINING AND NUTRITION TEMPLATE FOR PITCHERS AGES 16+
WRITTEN BY
BEN BREWSTER, BSc, CSCS
www.treadathletics.com
Waiver and release of liability
By reading this guide, you and those whom you represent acknowledge that participation in these physical activities carries certain inherent risks
that can never be fully eliminated regardless of the care taken to avoid injury, and that injuries of all magnitudes are possible.
By continuing to read, you, on behalf of yourself, heirs and personal representatives release and forever discharge and covenant not to sue
Tread Athletics and Ben Brewster, their employees, consultants, sponsors and affiliates (the “released parties”) from any and all liability from all
claims, actions, suits or other proceedings resulting from personal injury, including death, accident or illness you may sustain, regardless of fault,
arising from or in connection with activities presented in this guide.
Disclaimer
Do NOT attempt any exercise in this guide before getting approval from your physician. This information is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure
any medical condition or replace your healthcare professional. These training guidelines and recommendations are for educational purposes
only, and are intended for healthy individuals 18 years and older.
Know your limits, level of training experience and health status before attempting or practicing any exercise in this guide. I am NOT a dietician.
These exercises and/or nutritional suggestions/templates are not meant to replace any treatment, exercise or dietary regimen prescribed to you
by your physician or registered dietician.
See your physician before starting any new exercise program, and make sure to stop any exercise if you experience abnormal discomfort,
dizziness, nausea or shortness of breath. Do not perform any exercise unless you are under the supervision of a certified personal trainer or
strength and conditioning specialist.
“Set your goals. Put your head down. Work harder than anyone you know.
INTRODUCTION
Be relentless & destroy them. Clap for your own damn self.”
T his guide will give you some of the tools we use with our athletes to:
Maintain, and even improve strength and bodyweight in-season, while most players lose 10 or even 20 lbs that they then
must spend precious time in the offseason regaining.
Avoid common training mistakes, including red-flag exercises, to help you stay healthy and on the field.
Understand and simplify in-season nutrition, using calorie-dense whole foods to maintain energy levels and bodyweight.
Track daily bodyweight changes to quickly identify (and address) negative changes in body composition.
Balance the demands of in-season competition with a flexible training schedule, designed to minimize soreness and
maximize recovery time prior to the next game appearance.
I n-season training is one of the most overlooked and underappreciated components of a pitcher’s yearly development. While most
arms fizzle out and bodyweights plummet 10 or 15 lbs over the course of spring and summer baseball, it doesn’t have to be this way.
In this guide, you’ll discover how our athletes are able to leverage their training and nutrition in order to stay fresh over the season.
Yes, there are some caveats to this statement, but for the sake of this guide, let’s acknowledge that strength matters (a lot), and that
losing strength and bodyweight over the course of a high school, college or professional season isn’t going to be helping
performance on the field. The following chart (from Building the 95 MPH Body) illustrates this trend - as level of play increases, so
does lean body mass and peak power output of the athletes. Hardly surprising.
Fig 1.0 The effect of total volume and training stress on adaptation and recovery.
As you can see, lesser training stressors lead to lesser adaptation s, but quicker recovery
times back to baseline. This is more appropriate for in -season training.
In-season, the goal shifts to optimal in-game performance, which requires the body regularly being in a more fully recovered state.
Notice that all of the training stressors above cause a periodic decrease in performance, which is inversely related to the magnitude
of adaptation that occurs afterward. As such, it isn’t surprising that in-season training uses lesser training stressors than off-season
training, geared towards minimizing fatigue, maintaining strength, and maximizing performance.
Exercise Selection
In general, we program most of the same exercises in-season as we do in the off-season. This prioritizes compound, multi-joint
movements over isolation movements, and emphasizes exercises that have smooth, joint-friendly strength curves through a full
range of motion. Besides these broad similarities, here are some additional things to be aware of.
1. Avoid eccentric heavy training – the eccentric, or “negative” phase of a lift is largely responsible for the resulting Delayed
Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) 24 to 72 hours later. As such, doing frequent “slow negatives” or other forms of eccentric
emphasis training is not advised in-season.
2. Avoid excessive forearm training – while the forearm muscles should be strong, the emphasis comes during off-season
training. In-season, and during off-season phases of high throwing volume, these muscles are constantly fighting to recover in
time for the next outing. Pulverizing them with 18 sets of 6-way forearms, or 120lb farmer’s walks will only dig a pitcher deeper
into a recovery hole.
3. Continue avoiding exercises with a poor risk/reward - this goes without saying, but in-season training injuries are to be
avoided at all costs. Here is a handy chart that lists some of the more common examples, with recommended substitutions.
The jump trains powerful knee, hip, and ankle extension. A low box softens the landing with minimal
High box jump Squat jump or low box jump.
risk. A high box contributes nothing besides a massive risk of falling.
Power clean Cleans are a common way to load up explosive knee/hip/ankle extension. Unfortunately, they take years Speed deadlift variations, high
variations to master even with great instruction and carry a heavy risk of back, elbow and wrist injury. pulls, banded kettlebell swings.
Same as above, although the shoulders are in an even more biomechanically risky position. Not great for Dumbbell snatch or snatch-grip
Barbell snatch
a group of athletes who are already known for having general shoulder instability. high pull.
Straight bar/ chair Poor anatomical position, especially for taller athletes with longer arms. Unnecessary risk of anterior Push-up variations through full
dips shoulder issues. range of motion.
Overhead pressing May be applicable in some cases, but carries a risk of impingement issues depending on the athlete. Medium / low incline pressing
Barbell bicep curls Commonly causes wrist pain due to the fully supinated grip and fixed range of motion. Dumbbell or TRX bicep curls.
May be fine for some athletes, but form is generally butchered. High frequency of anterior shoulder
Dumbbell bench press, weighted
Barbell bench press problems due to bad technique, insufficient mobility and/or overuse. An open-chain exercise that is less
or blast strap push-ups.
forgiving than its dumbbell or closed-chain counterparts.
Most athletes performing these don’t have the sufficient strength (and joint integrity) to perform true
Chin-ups / inverted rows from
Kipping pull-ups bodyweight pull-ups, and use this as a cheating variation. Unfortunately, violently yanking a weak and
rings or TRX handles.
unstable joint into hyperflexion isn’t the best idea. Nice job, Crossfit.
SEASON Throwing Pitch Tolerance Flat Ground Tolerance Bullpen Tolerance Light Flat Ground
TRAINING Lifting
Conditioning A
(Post-game)
Lower Body A Upper Body A Conditioning B
Lower B OR
Lower B+ Upper B
(Post-bullpen)
Upper B OR
Conditioning A
Off
Throwing Pitch Tolerance Light Flat Ground Bullpen Tolerance Light Flat Ground
Conditioning A OR Lower B OR
Lower A + Upper A Upper B OR
Lifting Lower A Conditioning B Lower B + Upper B Off
OR Upper A Conditioning A
(Post-game) (Post-bullpen)
Conditioning A OR
Lower A + Upper A Conditioning B Light Lower B +
Lifting Lower A Off
OR Upper Body A (Post-bullpen) Light Upper B
(Post-game)
Contact@treadathletics.com
Day 0 (HOT) Pitch +1 (DOWN) Pitch +2 (DOWN) Pitch +3 (HOT) Pitch (HOT) Pitch +1 (DOWN) Pitch +2 (DOWN)
IN Throwing (Pre-game).
Pitch 3-4 innings
Tolerance
Flat Ground/Light
Bullpen 15p
(Pre-game).
Did not pitch.
(Pre-game).
Pitch 1-2 innings
Tolerance
Flat Ground/Light
Bullpen 15p
Day 0 (HOT) Pitch +1 (DOWN) Pitch +2 (HOT) Pitch (HOT) Pitch +1 (DOWN) Pitch (HOT) Pitch +1 (DOWN)
Contact@treadathletics.com
NOTES
Listen to your arm. If you aren’t able to throw a scheduled light bullpen because your arm isn’t ready for it, don’t. If you need to
TreadAthletics
cut your training session a few sets short, do so. This is not a cop-out, this is being smart and understanding your body. It becomes
In-Season Strength Program P 11
a fine balancing act of knowing when to push and when to back off in-season, but often less is more.
IN-SEASON NUTRITION
The biggest priority in-season is keeping a positive caloric balance to maintain bodyweight. Determining this requires some
experimentation, and depends on factors such as size, metabolism and activity levels. Each meal should feature whole food sources of
protein, carbohydrate and fat, with fruits/veggies at most meals. Snacks should be carb and protein-rich. Supplements are optional.
SEASON
Add 1 cup almond/coconut milk
Add 2 scoops chocolate whey protein
Add 1 tsp of creatine
1 cup of veggies
2 cups of white rice
12 oz. water or fruit juice
1 cup of veggies
6 oz. of whole wheat pasta
With 1 cup of favorite sauce
TRAINING Blend to desired consistency (should
resemble soft-serve ice cream) Pre-workout – 120 cals
12 oz. water or fruit juice
Breakfast – 1,000-1,300 cals Lunch – 800-900 cals Anytime Snack – 300-400 cals
5-egg omelette with ½ cup cheese, 6 oz. Make large sandwich wraps with 2 handfuls trail mix or mixed nuts.
chicken, handful of spinach or peppers and 8 oz of any lean meat
favorite salsa. 1 cup of favorite veggies Dinner – 850-950 cals
2 large sweet potatoes (microwaved 10 1 handful spinach/lettuce 10 oz of any lean meat, cooked, seasoned
min) with 1 tbsp butter ¼ cup cheese or favorite sauce and served with 1 cup of veggies over 2
2 large whole wheat tortillas cups white rice.
Also drink 12oz water or fruit juice with 12 oz. water 12 oz. water
3,000-5,000 IU of Vitamin D3
Pre-workout – 120 cals Before bed
Mix 1 scoop whey with 12 oz. water and take 1 serving fish oil supplement.
favorite pre-workout (optional) 1 serving zinc + magnesium supplement.
Contact@treadathletics.com 12 oz. of water
NOTES
TreadAthletics I nDisclaimer:
- S e a s o n S t rthese
e n g t hare
P r ojust
gramguidelines, and are meant to represent two sample days of my own personal nutritional Phabits
1 2 as a
professional pitcher and strength coach. I am not a dietician and this is not intended to be an individualized meal plan, or to treat
any health condition. This is here as a useful reference only.
BODYWEIGHT TRACKING
Monitoring bodyweight is an important in-season habit to be able to identify changes in body composition. 2 or 3 pound daily
fluctuations are normal, but weekly trends will reveal whether changes need to be made to caloric intake. Make sure to
measure bodyweight under the same daily conditions (same scale, time of day, fed/fasted state, etc.) for maximum reliability.
Date Bodyweight Date Bodyweight Date Bodyweight Date Bodyweight Date Bodyweight
IN
SEASON
TRAINING
PLAN
Bodyweight
chart
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A2. Main push – perform 2 sets of 5-8 reps B. Lateral Work – 2 sets of 6-8 reps/side
B2. Pull Accessory – 2 sets of 10-12 reps D. Hip/Glute – 2 sets of 12-15 reps
Strength
Choose one of the following exercises: Choose one of the following exercises:
Training Half-Kneeling 1 Arm Lat Pulldown 1 Arm Face Pull with External Band Monster Walks (x10 yds) Seated Band Clamshells
Rotation Cable Pull-Throughs
C. Upper Back/Scap – 2-3 sets of 15 total reps E. Anterior Core – 2 sets of 8-12 reps or 30 sec
Choose one of the following exercises: Choose one of the following exercises:
Incline YTL Shoulder Raise 1 Arm Prone YTL Raise Weighted Front Plank Valslide Bodysaw
D. Cuff strength/stability – 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps F. Lateral Core – 2 sets of 8-12 reps or 30 sec
Choose one of the following exercises: Choose one of the following exercises:
Supine Band No-Money Band Wall Walks Side Plank Variations Dumbbell Side Bends
Bottoms Up KB Waiter Walk
NOTES
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Movement Prep: make sure to begin the session with soft tissue work/foam rolling, dynamic warm-up and any prehab/correctives
specific to the athlete. We individually program these, in addition to specific plyometric/medball work here depending on the athlete.
TreadAthletics In-Season Strength Program P 14
UPPER BODY B LOWER BODY B
A1. Main pull – perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps A. Main Lift – work up to 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps
Choose one of the following exercises: Choose one of the following exercises:
Single Arm Dumbbell Row Half-Kneeling 1 Arm Cable Row Trap Bar Deadlift Snatch Grip Rack Pull
Single Arm Cable Compound Row Barbell Deadlift (double overhand Barbell Hip Thrust with ISO
grip) Hold
A2. Main push – perform 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps
IN Choose one of the following exercises:
B. Unilateral – 2 sets of 5-8 reps/side
Choose one of the following exercises:
B2. Pull Accessory – 2 sets of 10-12 reps Physioball Hamstring Curl Single Leg RDL
Valslide Leg Curl
Strength Choose one of the following exercises:
Training Kneeling Straight Arm Pulldown Supine Band Pullover Kneeling Straight
D. Hip/Glute – 2 sets of 15-20 reps
Arm Pulldown
Choose one of the following exercises:
C. Upper Back/Scap – 2 sets of 15 total reps
Band Monster Walks (x10 yds) Seated Band Clamshells
Choose one of the following exercises: Cable Pull-Throughs
TRX Y Raise 3-Way Reverse Fly
E. Anterior Core – 2 sets of 8-12 reps or 30 sec
D. Cuff Work – 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps or 15 sec
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Weighted Front Plank Valslide Bodysaw
Wall Windshield Wipers Rhythmic Stabilizations Physioball Rollout Variation
Bottoms Up KB Overhead Carry
F. Rotary Core – 2 sets of 8-12 reps/side
Choose one of the following exercises:
Landmines with Hip Rotation Half-Kneeling Cable Chops
Contact@treadathletics.com NOTES
Selecting weights: You should NOT fail reps in-season. The focus is less on progression and more on maintenance. Use roughly 85-90%
TreadAthletics I nof
- Swhat
e a s o nyou
S t r emight
n g t h normally
P r o g r a m use for the specific rep range. Ex: instead of 3x5 w/ 100 lbs do 3x5 w/ 85-90 lbs in-season.
P 15
Recovery matters: Sleeping 8-10 hours and hitting your calories are 90% of the battle. Everything else is the last 10%.
CONDITIONING A
Moderate Intensity Intervals – 12-16 reps of 20 sec on/20 sec off
Choose one of the following:
Tempo runs Bike Intervals
o Run 100 meters @70% effort, walk to 20-yard o On a stationary bike, cycle @70% effort for 20 seconds
line and back. Repeat 12-16 times. on, 20 seconds off at low intensity. Repeat 12-16
IN Slideboard skaters
o At 70% effort, perform alternating skaters for 20
times.
Other Cardio Machines
SEASON seconds on, 20 seconds off. Repeat 12-16 times. o Rowers, Ellipticals and Treadmills will all work as well.
Keep the intensity to ~70% of max.
TRAINING CONDITIONING B
PLAN High Intensity Speed/power
NOTES
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Team conflicts: if you are already doing multiple days per week of conditioning with your team, do NOT try to be a hero and add in this
work as well. Stick to what your team is doing (even if it is less than ideal). Remember, the last thing you want in-season is to dig
TreadAthletics I n - Syourself
e a s o n S tinto
r e n gat hrecovery
Programdeficit. Conditioning plays a significant but minor role in performance, so understand your
P 1priorities.
6
Know your body: some days you simply won’t have it. Sickness, poor sleep and other reasons may be to blame, but there is a fine line
between pushing through some adversity and trying to be a hero. If something doesn’t feel right, lower the volume as needed.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS - TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER
Chase after and tackle your dreams, don’t passively follow the status quo. That is the fastest route to mediocrity.
I have been in your shoes, and I have navigated through the maze of high school, college and (currently) professional baseball. I urge
you to take the road less traveled, to continue doing those things that your teammates are not willing to do.
The game doesn’t lie – if baseball is your number 3 or 4 priority, it will be exposed as such before long. More than anything, I urge
you to refuse to accept mediocrity for yourself. Pour your heart and soul into the game and it will reward you - on the field and off.
Remember, you don’t have to have the most talent – I sure didn’t. But what I did have was a fierce and unbreakable desire to see
just how far I could push myself. If a skinny lefty throwing 73 miles per hour can do it, what’s your excuse?