How much.......

i think a player needs to be in great shape from the pre-season up through the end of the season, and that only comes from working hard in the offseason. I think you need to keep your swing constant and swing several times a week in the winter just so you dont develop bad habits when the season comes. I have never had a problem with a kid throwing a little over the winter, but with kids playing high school, legion, and then fall baseball i can understand if a player needs a break from throwing!!

The weight room and on the track is where players can improve their strength and endurance...so when it comes to the late season/playoff time you wont be dragging. Knowing that all colleges consider 60 times very important for most positions, if your serious about playing at that next level, a tenth or two cut off from your 60 by running in the offseason will defenitely enhance your chances.

I hate to hear kids make excuses saying "Oh i could have played in college if I would have...." or "I would have been All-Conference i just didnt try my hardest"...everyone has heard comments like this i know...and it makes me wonder if they arent going to give it 100%, why even bother playing ball in the first place??

For a player, it can only help him to work and condition in the offseason in preparation for the upcoming year, because like NC-dad said "There is always someone out there working harder than you"

 

I think swinging a bat is something that needs to be done on a regular basis if a kid is going to be a good hitter. It's to easy to develope bad swing habits if there is not a consistant work habit. It's just like most other things, in order to do well you need those reps to develope muscle memory. Every good hitter knows even with good work habits your still going to have those slumps. Throwing on the other hand is something ( if your are a pitcher thats throws a lot of innings ) that I beleve everyone should take a break from ( 2-4 weeks ) in the off season.

 

I still beleive that it is important to let kids be kids. I don't think that a couple of weeks will adversely effect a player's skills. Anyway, if a kid begins to feel burned out then he/she will not perform at 100% because they will not want to be there anyway.

Time periods greater than 2-3 weeks will have an adverse effect on skills as they will erode.

But we do need at times to let kids be kids, then they may take mored pleasure in the chores of baseball.

 

(the son)
I totally agree with resting your arm for a couple of weeks. I have rested mine and right after Christmas I start a throwing program. It goes for 2 weeks getting longer each day. I have worked out with a few guys at On Deck that have suggested to also take a little break from hitting. It lets your legs rest and your power section rest as well. It is only for 2-3 weeks and then you start back up. If you are worried about bad habits you just need to do some drills. You don't even need to pick up a bat.
If you run on the track I think that is to get in shape and conditioning. If you want to have a better 60 time you need to talk to a track coach of some one older that knows how to run. At the high school level most of the kids bodies have already developed to were they might not get any faster by running. It is a strenght factor and most importantly a technique factor. I know from working with Ben Cook my freshmen, soph, and junior year that we cut .3 to .4 seconds of my time by technique. If you don't know how to run fast your not going to run fast.
When you take a break from throwing though you don't need to take a break from building your rotator cuff back up. You need to still do the rubber band exercises. I feel that is were I get a lot of my arm strengh.
Hey I'm just a kid. Ya'll might think different but this has worked for me.

 

ENJOY IT!!!!!!

pretty good regimen! You are correct about the drill work as well! Basbeball is LIFE yet you must also be ready to know that as far as "playing it" it will NOT be the rest of your life! Some folks need to get off the military regimen they seem to propose and let their young ones enjoy what it is like to be young and free from work!!

 

High school ball players defenitely need to have time away from baseball...but IMO i don't see what 2 hours a day in the weight room and and running (whether to improve speed, or just stay in shape) would take away from that. I know different kids have different circumstances, but most kids can take 3 to 4 days a week lifting and running after school, which can only help a kid if he has the desire to do better. If there's a will, there's a way.

On the other hand, I don't critisize a kid if he dosn't do that. Some guys are taking alot of tough classes, like 2 or 3 AP's in their junior and senior years, and have up to 4 to 5 hours of homework a night.

But if they want to play baseball in college, it wouldn't hurt them to get used to working hard in the off season so it won't come as such a shock when they get there.