Top 10 Reasons to Train this Off-Season - Avoid Injury

It happens every spring. Some poor athlete has spent the off-season sitting around, failing to maintain a workout regimen, and then they put their efforts into overdrive at the first practice. This approach doesn’t work for several reasons. It’s unrealistic to produce without missing a beat if you haven’t been putting in the work, and more importantly, an athlete is putting their body into harm’s way.

No matter the sport or athletic activity, an athlete should never go full boar after a lengthy break. Should a weightlifter max out on their first day back in the gym? Does a marathon runner complete 26.2 miles upon their return? Absolutely not. It takes time and preparation for an athlete to get themselves back into “game shape.”

The off-season is of great importance because it presents a great opportunity for an athlete to improve their skills, but at the very least a player should maintain their existing attributes. To think a player can go into the first practice of the year without any preparation and not miss a beat is unreasonable, irresponsible and potentially dangerous.

If for some reason you fall into the unprepared category, be honest with yourself and ease back into game shape. A player is better off learning from their mistakes and cutting their losses, rather than risking an injury that could land them on the shelf and derail their season.

On the flip side, some players have been playing travel ball and are involved in year-round programs. It’s imperative for these athletes to take some time to recuperate so they don’t get physically, mentally or emotionally burnt out. Even young athletes need time to rest, relax and recover from a demanding schedule.

Studies have shown that it can be counterproductive for developing athletes to overwork their bodies, especially while incorporating heavy weights into their training regimen. It’s believed that excessive weight combined with improper mechanics could lead to injury and have a negative effect on a young person’s development. It’s more effective to utilize calisthenics, resistance training or light weights with more reps.

MaxBP Reaction Training is a great way to keep training ideas fresh and incorporate low impact reps into a practice regimen. MaxBP provides maximum repetition while minimizing the wear and tear on an athlete's body. Those individuals who train with MaxBP will find that the low impact training of hitting small ball wiffle balls will enable them to practice longer, harder and smarter.

Hitting a pitched baseball or softball is widely considered to be the most challenging task in all of sports. In order for a player to experience consistent success in this endeavor, it’s essential that the athlete develops hand eye coordination, bat speed and vision. Extensive training is essential to acquire these skills; however, sometimes less is more. Not less practice, but less weight and less potential for long-term damage. This will help preserve an athlete’s body for years to come.

It’s important to consider the appropriate bat when training with MaxBP, and the best results occur when a hitter utilizes a small barrel to go along with the small ball. Considering that ball players from the Dominican Republic have incorporated these methods for generations with bottle caps and a broomstick, there are plenty of viable options out there, including a wiffle bat, broomstick or a shovel handle. However, the best training tool is the BetterBat Skinny Barrel Training Bat.

By incorporating a BetterBat into your MaxBP experience, a player will be using a bat that is approximately ⅔ the weight of a game bat. This provides a hitter with the challenge of “squaring up” a small ball traveling at high velocity with a skinny barrel, but does so with an athlete’s best intentions in mind. The BetterBat allows a player to practice for hours on end without the negative repercussions.

For athletes who have been grinding all off-season, remember it’s important to work hard and smart. Incorporate a low impact training regimen and allow your body the necessary time to recover for the upcoming season. Those players who have failed to take advantage of the off-season, get back to work as soon as possible, it’s better late than never. By getting in some reps before that first practice, at least you will shake off some of that rust and ease back into game shape responsibly.