Online Program Instructions
Use the tabs to the right of the page to see the workouts broken down by week. There are two options, a 12-Week Program and an 18-Week Program, depending upon the length of your off-season and whether or not you participate in Instructional League Program and/or play Winter Ball. The 18-Week Program is designed to match the 18-Week Pitcher’s Off-season Strength Program. The other tabs to the right are to help answer any questions that you might have concerning individual drills listed in the program.
Why Do We Condition In The Off-Season?
The only thing that you can completely control in this game is how well you prepare for the season and each game. The primary goal of the Pitchers Conditioning Program is to prepare you for the increased workload of Spring Training and the season ahead. A pitcher who is in top shape will be able to avoid fatigue, maintain pitching mechanics and velocity late in games, and recover quicker between innings and games. Put the time in NOW for max results next season!
The Routine
The program is divided into four workouts per week: Monday (Short Sprints), Tuesday (Short Speed Endurance Intervals), Thursday (Longer Sprints), and Friday (Longer Speed Endurance Intervals). It is okay to substitute conditioning on weekends and Wednesdays as long as you can complete the routine and fully recover before the next week of workouts.
Will I Be Tested?
YES! The Rangers’ conditioning test is the 300-Yard Shuttle. The shuttle consists of completing a 50-yard course, down and back, three times. After completing one 300-yard shuttle, you will rest for two minutes and then complete a second shuttle. A passing time for pitchers during Spring Training is 55-seconds or better. The T-Shirt Time is an average of 52-seconds or better on the two trials. Top time averages are typically under 50-seconds. If you have any questions about the shuttle test, please ask a staff member.
Agility, Speed, & Balance Programs
Agility and speed programs are included in the menu to the right. The agility section contains drills to be used in the daily workouts. Additional agility and balance workouts are also included as part of the workout summary in the section Strength Training > Pitcher Workout. Adding a few speed drills to your workouts will improve running mechanics (although not a major emphasis in the pitcher program) and improve athleticism. The speed drills will improve the first-step quickness and acceleration needed to help you field your position and cover / back up bases.