Tag Archives: Nutrition

Quick and Easy Guide to Whey Protein

Every athlete, parent, and coach wants to know what the best protein supplement for baseball players is. Let’s start by saying this: If an athlete cannot establish a healthy nutrition plan with his food choices, then there is no point in giving him any information regarding supplements. Supplements are an addition to a proper nutrition game plan. Athletes, just like anyone else, need to start with the basics and become super diligent in mastering the basics before looking into supplementing (adding to) their plan.

That being said, let’s not waste your time with information you do not need. Here’s a quick and easy guide to whey protein!

What to Look For in a Protein Supplement

When looking at protein supplements, you want to keep a few things in mind.

1. You want to look for 100% Whey Protein.

Whey is a byproduct of the cheese-making process and is a better form of protein than soy, egg, or casein when it comes to post-workout recovery.

There are different types of whey protein: whey concentrate and whey isolate are the two most commonly found in protein supplements.
- Whey concentrate is typically of lower quality and usually costs less.
- Whey isolate is typically higher quality protein and costs more.

2. Supplement companies often combine concentrate and isolate into a blend to keep the quality somewhat in the middle while keeping the cost reasonable.

You will need to check the ingredients on the label to see what type of protein is being used. Remember, ingredients listed first are of higher concentration than ingredients listed later.

3. Here are three of the best options we like for baseball players with links to each on Amazon so you can see what the labels look like. Each link is to the Chocolate flavor and 5 pound bag or container so you can compare:

Gold Standard 100% Whey — This is a blend of concentrate and isolate and is one of the most popular brands on the market. Lots of athletes use this brand and like it. This is the best cost to quality ratio.

Dymatize Nutrition ISO 100 Whey Protein — This is a pure whey isolate and very high quality. That is why it costs a bit more. If you can afford it, I would go this route as the protein quality is better than a blended version.

EAS 100% Whey Protein — This is another blend of concentrate and isolate, although it is a little lower in quality than the Gold Standard listed above. Some athletes choose this brand because it costs less and some say it is better tasting than the Gold Standard.

Big League Nutrition

If you are looking for a baseball nutrition plan that can be individualized for you, then you need to check out Big League Nutrition. Not only will this resource go more in depth regarding protein, carbohydrates, and fats, it will also help you learn how much of each nutrient you need based on your body type. Furthermore, you will learn how to time your eating around baseball games, tournaments, and workouts to maximize performance in the gym and on the field.

Basic Baseball Nutrition

Let’s face it. A majority of baseball players and coaches do not have a clue when it comes to baseball nutrition. Skinny players should eat more. Fat players should eat less. That’s all there is to know, right?

Unfortunately, there’s more to baseball nutrition than that. So, let’s take a look at the various roles that protein, carbohydrate, fat, and water can play in your baseball nutrition game plan.

Protein

Protein seems to get most of the hype when it comes to nutrition discussions for athletes. Even people who do not play sports understand that protein is an important part of any diet. For baseball players though, protein can help enhance on-field performance. But, how much protein should be a part of a baseball player’s nutrition plan?

Athletes require a higher amount of protein in their daily diets because they place a greater demand on their body when training or performing. So, while the average adult should consume about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, baseball players should eat 1.5-2.0 grams/kg of bodyweight. High-quality sources of protein include eggs, meat, fish, and chicken.

Remember, this is just a general guideline and every baseball player should evaluate his own nutrition plan and goals to determine the right amount of protein to include in his diet plan.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide the body with fuel and energy, making them a huge player in performance as well. Carbohydrates can be found in a variety of foods including pasta, breads, cereal, fruits, and vegetables.

Baseball players usually don’t think about the amount of carbohydrates they eat. However, a solid variety of carbohydrate, protein, and fat is important in any baseball nutrition plan to support training and performance. Different athletes will have different needs when it comes to carbohydrates, but a general guideline for baseball players is about 5-6 g/kg of bodyweight.

Remember, baseball is a power and sprint-based sport. So baseball players do not typically train aerobically. This means that ballplayers do not deplete their carbohydrate stores as quickly as an endurance athlete. So, carbohydrate intake should be individualized based on sport, training program, and personal dietary needs.

Fat

Fats play an important role in building a solid baseball nutrition plan. Although fats are often perceived negatively, there is no valid reason to avoid fats altogether in your diet.

Fats serve many purposes in the human body, including but not limited to:

A source for energy
As insulation and protection of organs
Help regulate the uptake and excretion of nutrients
The formation of healthy cell membranes

So how does fat play a role in athletic performance? The biggest benefit of fat comes as an energy source during low-intensity exercise. As intensities increase, the body begins to gradually use more carbohydrate instead of fat as its main source of energy. So, as an energy source, carbohydrates are more beneficial to baseball players than fats. However, having a diet that is too non-fat or low fat can have negative effects on an athlete’s performance because it can lead to the under-consumption of various meats and dairy sources that provide athletes with excellent sources of protein and other essential vitamins and minerals.

With this information in mind, you should seek to have an adequate amount of fat in your baseball nutrition plan. After reviewing the total number of calories you need, you should plan on eating between 15-35% of your calories from fat. The higher percentage should be considered during longer periods of heavy training or higher intensity training. A lower percentage of fat should only be considered for athletes who need to lose weight in order to increase their performance. In rare cases, athletes who need to decrease high cholesterol levels should consider eating a lower fat diet, but this should be reviewed by a knowledgeable registered dietitian. Athletes that eat less that 15% of calories from fat run the risk of lowering their metabolism and decreasing their potential for increasing muscular strength and development.

Water

Water is the most abundant resource on the planet. Despite its great quantity, most baseball players do not drink enough of it. It can be argued that water affects baseball performance more than any other nutrient. If dehydrated, the athlete’s body cannot adapt as every physiological function will be impaired.

The human body can survive without food for about 30 days. Without water, the body can survive approximately one week. What does that say about the importance of water?

Staying hydrated plays a vital role in regulating cellular function and body temperature. Most athletes only replace about 50-60% of water lost during training or competition. Many baseball players only drink fluids when they are thirsty, but thirst is not a reliable indicator of hydration needs. In order to stay hydrated, you should consider drinking fluids before, during, and after exercise. Here are some basic guidelines:

Pre-training or pre-game – Drink about 16 fluid ounces two hours before activity. In warmer weather, this amount should be increased.

During activity – Drink fluids consistently and frequently. About 6-8 fl. oz. every 15 minutes should be consumed. When activity is less than an hour in length (i.e. a short training session), water should be the main source of hydration. However, if activity goes beyond 60 minutes, a sports drink (Gatorade) can be considered as it will help replace fluid as well as electrolytes and muscle-glycogen stores. (Most sports drinks contain tons of sugar which can rapidly raise blood sugar levels and can contribute to increased body fat. Drink them sparingly unless training is very intense or the session is extended longer than an hour.)

Post-training or Post-game – The baseball player’s goal should be to completely rehydrate prior to the next training session or competition. He should drink about 20 fl. oz. for every pound of body weight lost during activity.

Big League Nutrition

Baseball Strength Training 101

Baseball Weight Training

Baseball is a unique sport with very specific physical demands placed upon each athlete who takes the field. Why is it then, that so many players, coaches, and parents are lost when it comes to baseball strength training?

Anyone who has been in the game long enough knows that baseball players need to be strong, fast, powerful, flexible, and durable. The best way to develop these attributes is to incorporate a year round strength and conditioning program.

There Is No Perfect Baseball Training Program

Many players and coaches are searching for the perfect training program. Unfortunately, you cannot find one. Every athlete has different needs based on sport, position, and basic individual differences. This is very important for baseball players and coaches to understand – no two players are the same.

However, there are some basics that every baseball strength and conditioning program should include:

Pre-hab work focusing on shoulder, hip, and back mobility and strengthening
Soft Tissue Work
Dynamic Warm-up
Power-based movements that include plyometrics and medicine balls
Basic strength movements such as the deadlift and squat
Rotational and Anti-rotational movements
Baseball Specific Conditioning
Flexibility Work

Again, these are basic foundations that you should look for in any baseball training program.

That being said, baseball players cannot expect to get in “baseball shape” and stay in shape by just playing the game. There needs to be consistent effort day in and day out. Off-season, pre-season, and in-season baseball training programs need to be implemented for maximum results.

Let’s take a look at what a an entire year looks like at the high school, college, and professional levels.

High School Baseball Strength Training

College Baseball Strength Training

As you can see, the high school and college seasonal breakdowns are roughly the same.

While college baseball has a uniform start date, the actual collegiate season could end in May or June depending on a team’s post-season success. However, most college ballplayers continue playing through the summer in collegiate summer leagues throughout the country. So, we’ll consider “summer ball” as in-season. The same goes for high school.

Pro Baseball Strength Training

When we look at professional baseball, again, we have a uniform start date at the beginning of April and depending on the post-season chances of a given team, the season could end in September or October. Granted, MLB playoffs have been extended and now end in November. However, a majority of players making their way through the minor leagues will finish their respective seasons in September. As for the professional pre-season, this is just noted by the beginning of Spring Training when pitchers and catchers report in mid-February.

Designing A Baseball Strength Training Program

Baseball Mobility

Looking at the charts above, we can see that there are three distinct training periods throughout the year. Based on what time of year it is, baseball players and coaches can design strength training programs accordingly.

The entire year should be set up in a periodized fashion that works toward consistency for the athlete while also allowing for variations to be made to exercise selection, sets, reps, and weight. Consistency is key in allowing the body to adapt to the training stresses placed upon it. Variation is important so as to keep challenging the body. If it does not challenge you, it does not change you.

Training Phases

To keep it simple, we can breakdown each “season” into its various months, where each month is a new phase of 4-5 weeks.

Baseball Strength Training Phases

Off-Season

Overall goals — Recover from previous season, rehabilitate existing/nagging injuries, develop a strength and conditioning foundation for the following training year

Phase 1 — Begin recovery work from the season that just ended. If needed, rehabilitate existing injuries. Begin a general strength program. Do not pick up a baseball – give the arm a break from throwing.
Phase 2 — Continue rehabilitation of any lingering injuries. Evaluate Phase 1 and make necessary changes to general strength program. Begin adding some medicine ball work and plyometrics. If all injuries are gone, begin baseball-specific conditioning work. Soft tissue and flexibility work needs to be consistent. Continue to hold off on any throwing.
Phase 3 — Unless injuries were season-ending, any nagging issues should begin to fade by Phase 3 (month 3). Again, evaluate the previous phase and edit/progress the program as necessary. Volume of power-based movements such as medicine ball work and plyometrics should increase. Certain precautions should be considered for any overhead lifting and heavy upper body work. Upper body pulling exercises should balance out pushing exercises. Depending on the individual, some pushing exercises could be eliminated. Soft tissue and flexibility work needs to be consistent. Outside of the weight room, throwing should begin near the middle to end of the month, and a long toss program should start to be implemented. Throwing can still be put on hold until Phase 4 as well.
Phase 4 — As the off-season comes into its final phase, the ballplayer should really be clicking on all cylinders now. Lots of medicine ball work. Volume of plyometrics can remain similar to the previous phase. Deadlift and squat variations should be a staple in the program by now. Continue to strengthen the back with pulling exercises. Bench press variations are okay, but depending on the individual it may be better to consider push-up variations that place less strain on the throwing shoulder. If you have not yet started a throwing program, now is the time to pick the ball and glove up again. Any throwing program should have the ballplayer throwing 3-5 times per week by the end of the off-season. That’s right, continue your soft tissue work. Your body will thank you for it later.

Pre-Season

Overall goals — Improve upon strength and conditioning foundation gained in off-season phase, develop more baseball-specific speed, strength, and power

Phase 1 — We really want to convert all that strength gained in the Off-Season phases to power. As the number of on-field practices increases, along with the athlete’s throwing program, we need to be smart about increasing power-based movements and baseball-specific conditioning such as sprints, sled work, shuttle runs, and medicine ball work. Continue to lift heavy with your bigger movements of deadlifts and squats. Soft tissue work and flexibility training will be your keys to recovery.
Phase 2 — Evaluate pre-season Phase 1 and make the necessary adjustments. There’s no need to get cute now or make any big changes. A few eliminations/additions of certain movements and exercises are all you need here. The season is only about 6 weeks away now.
Phase 3 — Typically a shorter phase of 2-3 weeks depending on when your actual season begins. But like Phase 2, just make a few adjustments and get ready to begin the season with an explosive start. Some coaches would suggest a de-load week prior to Opening Day to make sure the body is well rested and ready to go.

In-Season

Overall goals — Maintain strength, speed, and power from off-season and pre-season phases, maintain flexibility, maximize recovery between practices and games

Phase 1 — As the season has just begun, we usually take the beginning of the baseball in-season training program a bit lighter in terms of volume so the ballplayer can adjust to the addition of games to his schedule. As we get in to weeks 2 and 3 of this phase, we can increase a few exercises to 2 or even 3 sets. Again, it’s all dependent on the ballplayer and his individual needs. Medicine ball, jumping, and other power-based movements can continue to be performed although at a much lower volume. The fact that the athlete is now playing his sport should provide plenty of on-field movements aimed at quickness and speed. Mobility drills, flexibility work, and foam rolling should be an everyday habit.
Phase 2-3 — As we approach the middle half of the season, the athlete really needs to evaluate his particular needs. Are his strength levels staying consistent? Is he picking up nagging bumps, bruises, or injuries? Is he better suited to limit his strength training volume and focus on his recovery methods, or can he still work in a strength exercise or two? Whatever is designed must be easily adaptable to the athlete’s changing needs as the season wears on.
Phase 4-6 — Similar to Phases 2-3. Take an individual approach. Things that should be considered are whether or not you are in post-season play, your injury status, and whether or not you a regular starter or come off the bench. Be smart and finish the season on a high note.

With a structured plan for each phase, baseball players and coaches can focus their attention on the goals of a particular phase. Each phase should also plan recovery or de-load periods to give the body a chance to rest, repair, and become stronger. These rest periods can come between exercises during a specific training session, between training sessions during a training week, or even between training phases.

How Often Should Baseball Players Strength Train?

As discussed before, every athlete needs to determine his own recipe for success. Some ballplayers need to be in the gym four days a week. Others can accomplish their work in a three day per week program.

Furthermore, it may depend on the time of year. An in-season program may call for only one or two training sessions per week, where an off-season program can be four or five days per week.

Other considerations should include the number of baseball practices and games in a given week, whether or not the ballplayer is in-season for another sport, and if there are any injuries from which the athlete is recovering.

A Word on Baseball Nutrition

Baseball players can have the best structured training program and achieve results by staying consistent, however, they can still be limited by their nutrition plan or lack thereof.

Many ballplayers, coaches, and parents do not have the slightest clue when it comes to eating for performance. Again, there is no secret formula here, and every athlete will have to assess his own nutritional needs to find out what works best for him. But, here are some basic guidelines that every baseball player should consider when looking at a baseball nutrition game plan.

Begin everyday with breakfast.
Take a multivitamin.
Smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day is a better approach than having just three meals a day.
Include a protein source with every meal. The leaner the better.
Stay hydrated by drinking water. Watch out for empty calories in juices and sports drinks.
Grab a protein shake or bar after a strength training session in order to get rapidly absorbing nutrients into the body.

Baseball Training Methods

All of the information above can serve as a basic guideline to help you in your pursuit of performance excellence. However, this is just the beginning of learning how to train for baseball. Be sure to check out the Baseball Training Methods blog for more detailed articles regarding baseball strength and conditioning. The resource page is a fantastic source if you are looking for a particular program, a piece of training equipment, or other useful information.

Best wishes and good luck!