Baseball season has officially opened. Local teams are forming, stadiums are filling up, and professional games are on TV every night; it’s every baseball fan’s favorite time of year. If you like to play the game as well as spectate, then it’s also the time of year when you start thinking seriously about your fitness and game readiness.
Stay Active Year Round
Ideally, there really isn’t supposed to be any season that you completely refrain from training. Even during the off season and through the winter, staying fit is far easier than trying to come back into good condition in a hurry. Indoor teams, weightlifting, yoga, batting practice in cages, and even cross training in an entirely different sport can be extremely beneficial to your ability to be competitive.
Professional Lessons
Even if you’re simply joining the local intramural team, professional lessons in pitching, or hitting will help you understand the proper form for playing baseball, so you can avoid an injury. An expert trainer can help you tweak your form and give your feedback on what areas to focus on. Many professional baseball players also recommend studying either yourself or a player you admire on video. Sometimes it’s hard to feel a correct swing until you’ve seen someone else perform it, or you may find that on video the defects in your process of movement become glaring.
Winter to Spring Transition
After all the holidays end, it can be too easy to continue eating as if every day were a celebration, but getting back into a healthy meal plan can make a significant difference in how quickly you see improvement in your workouts. Jumping into a training routine full throttle after time off can predispose you to a serious sports injury. Instead, consider working with an athletic trainer to develop a workout plan that slowly increases in intensity over time, with no more than 10% increase in duration, weight lifted, or force per week. If you have been injured recently, you should see an orthopedic specialist who is familiar with sports medicine to help you determine the best possible treatment.
By following these suggestions, you can get back into game-ready shape swiftly, avoid injury, and perform successfully on the diamond and off! Request an appointment today to see how we can improve your stats!
Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute is a medical practice located in Freehold and Monroe, NJ, our medical professionals are experts in orthopedic surgery, joint replacement, sports medicine, integrative wellness, spine care, physical therapy, and more.
