By Ethan Guevin
When I think of the off-season for baseball players, I think about two very important things—rest and hard work. Confused? Let me explain.
Young, developing bodies are not built to withstand baseball activities day-after-day, for 12 months out of the year. There has been an increasing number of upper level baseball coaches and players speaking out about the need for kids to take a break from baseball and/or play other sports. In the days of the two, three, or even four sport athlete, time away from baseball activity was built into the calendar year when you transitioned to a different sport for a few months. As single sport specialization becomes more common, the need to have planned breaks from baseball is increasingly important. To put it simply, your body NEEDS time to REST AND RECOVER.
The end of fall/early winter is a great time to take a short break from baseball specific activities. This doesn’t mean you have to sit on the couch all off-season or go into hibernation, but your body will thank you for giving it 4-6 weeks off from throwing and some time away from the cages and heavy workouts.
Not only will this short break give you time to recover from your summer and fall seasons, but it will put you in a great position to make gains once you start preparing for the spring. That’s where the hard work comes in. Everyone will have a slightly different rest and pre-season preparation timeline and KPB recommends you seek out the advice of your coaches and professional trainers when setting up your time off and winter workouts. Below are some KPB resources to help you have the most productive and healthy off-season possible. Start now to figure out what your schedule will look like from today until the start of high school ball!
Use the Off-Season to Get Better Grades
Roster Spots are Won in the Winter
