What Softball Pre-Season Training Should Look Like
Training looks different in different seasons. And it should.
Professional athletes don’t train the same way year round. They train for the season they are in. This is especially true for softball athletes where training the same way year-round can do more harm than good.
So here you are. The pre-season is winding down and you’re about to jump into the crazy chaos of practices, lessons, travel, and games. This is your year. You’re ready to light it up.
But is your training lined up? Let’s see if you’re setting yourself up to crush, or get crushed.
Start at the top
This fact surprises most people, but your strength and mobility in your shoulder will decrease as the season goes on. That's not a typo. During the season you are throwing so much that your body can't repair fast enough to make strength gains. Not only does this create performance challenges as you get further into the season, it also increases risk of injury. So you want to start off the season with the maximum strength and mobility that you can.
Test your strength and mobility with my Softball Movement Screen. The screen tells you if your body is in condition to play at your max, or if you need a tune-up. It’s a great way to get a baseline and find things you need to work on.
Throwing Progression
If gearing up for softball season requires only one thing it’s throwing progression training.
First of all, it helps prevent injuries. No one wants to be sidelined with a shoulder, elbow, or wrist injury, and throwing progression training can help build up your strength, coordination, and proper mechanics to keep you healthy and on the field.
But it’s not just about staying injury-free. Throwing progression training can also help you improve your throwing distance and accuracy. It's easy to jump into the season and just start throwing without monitoring how many throws you're taking. By the end of practice you can easily rack up over 200 throws.
It's easy to over throw early in the season and this is the primary source of shoulder pain.I recommend a regimented throwing progression, either time or rep based. Yes, actually counting your throws.
In our training program, I start my athletes off on 25 throws in our throwing progression leading up to team practice. Yep...that's it. And their arms are always sore. Imagine jumping into an outdoor practice throwing 200-250 throws without conditioning your arm. You're just asking for pain.
By gradually increasing the distance and intensity of your throws, you’ll develop your arm strength and technique, which can really pay off when you’re playing for real.
And lastly, doing throwing progression training before softball season starts can help you get in shape for the long haul. Softball season can be a marathon, and starting off with a strong, well-conditioned arm can help you stay healthy and perform your best all season long.
Workouts
If you want to crush it on the field this season, here are the key things you need to focus on in your workouts leading up to the season:
Conditioning
Softball games doesn't require a ton of running, but building up your endurance is still important. An efficient cardiovascular system allows you to make better gains from your workouts, and seriously aids your recovery after a long weekend of games. Try running, cycling, or hitting the elliptical. And don’t forget to mix it up with some interval training and sprints to get your body used to those stop-and-go moments in the game.
Strength Training
You need to build up the muscles you’ll use for throwing, hitting, and running. Focus on exercises that target your upper body, lower body, and core. Squats, deadlifts, and bench presses with dumbbells are great for overall strength. Softball is a power sport, so you want to be the most powerful athlete you can be. Power requires strength, so in your lifting target heavier weights with lower reps as you head into the season.
Sport-Specific Skills
You need to practice throwing, hitting, fielding, and base-running to get ready for the season. Try drills that simulate game situations and help you develop your technique and timing. For example, practice throwing from different positions, hitting off a tee or with live pitching, and running bases with speed and agility.
So there you have it, girl! Focus on conditioning, strength training, and sport-specific skills and you’ll be ready to dominate the softball field this season.
The Perfect Pre-Season Training Program
There may not be such a thing, but with our knowledge of softball, biomechanics, and athletic performance we're pretty confident the program we've built is as good as it gets to make you ready to have your best season ever.
The Baseline MX training program isn't just for pre-season training. It's a year round, season-oriented, softball-specific program that maximizes results and minimizes injury. You just show up every day, follow the program, and get results like:
- Throw farther
- Pitch faster
- Faster base running
- Faster pop time (we got you catchers!)
- Reverse in-season changes that lead to pain and injury
- Maximize your pre-season and be 110% at first practice
We take out the guesswork. If you show up, and put in the work, you'll get results. You'll also get access to chat with me, Emily, at our weekly chalk-talk where I field your questions and share training advice.
Ready to get started?
