Most coaches and athletes recognize that getting in shape plays a key role in achieving top performances at the elite level.
For most, conditioning is conditioning. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you sweat a bit and get some muscle burn, you’re getting in shape and that’s all good!
While it’s better than nothing, general conditioning is far from being optimal.
Today, I had a phone conversation with the coach of a top ranked 18U Gold Team in the USA. This coach told me that he knew very little about strength and conditioning but knew it was important.
He told me that for the past few months, he’s been bringing a portable DVD player to practices and have his players do one of those home workout videos at the end of each practice.
He said that the players sweat a lot and that they are tired at the end of the workouts.
Are they getting in shape? Yes.
Is that going to help their game? Maybe a little but not that much.
Let me explain.
Most of these home workouts are designed for the general population to help them shed a few pounds and tone-up their muscles.
While it’s good for that purpose, these workouts aren’t designed for the athletic population and definitely not for softball players.
You see, softball has specific requirements that aren’t met by generic fitness programs.
As I said, it’s better than nothing.
However, if you don’t want to “waste your time” and truly want to turn your body into a strong, fast, powerful, balanced, coordinated, and agile softball machine, You must at least do a program designed to improve athletic qualities – not some generic workout just designed to lose a few pounds and tone up.
Even better, get a baseball- or softball-specific workout and then, you will truly improve your performance.
So, if you are serious about getting in real athletic shape and dominate on the softball field next summer…
PLEASE – GET SERIOUS AND DITCH THOSE GENERIC HOME WORKOUT VIDEOS!
Get yourself a workout specifically designed for athletes or even
better, for softball players.