| These baseball tips can maybe help you think of | | | | the training center and we'll do footwork only, and |
| ways to keep your baseball training and drills | | | | only for 20 minutes. Guaranteed. Twenty minutes |
| productive in the off-season. | | | | and we're out of there. The thing is, you gotta |
| This is especially important for catchers who may | | | | work hard, be focused, no messing around and |
| have just put in a very long summer season | | | | we'll get some good work in and leave." |
| behind the plate. Catchers have a greater number | | | | Well at first, some of the catchers didn't believe |
| of skills that they need to practice compared to | | | | me. But I did this, stuck to it and the results were |
| other players on the team. This can be a problem | | | | great. |
| if there is a long layoff between the end of the | | | | Sometimes they didn't even realize how fast 20 |
| summer season and the beginning of the High | | | | minutes would go. They'd be ready to do some |
| School season. The catchers now have to do a | | | | more and I'd say, "Five more good ones, and |
| lot of training in a short time to get sharp on the | | | | we're done." And sure enough, we'd leave...no |
| throwing, blocking and footwork skills that catching | | | | matter what. That's the key. Promise 20 minutes |
| requires. | | | | and get out. If they think they want to stay |
| It's never too early to start the catching training | | | | longer, don't. Tell them you have things to do. |
| and drills. The trick is trying to keep a young mind | | | | Here's what I see happened and why I think it |
| and body motivated for most of the year if this | | | | worked so well. |
| is their only sport. The summer season for our | | | | - The time limit guaranteed an ending, always. |
| team was long last year. It went right into fall ball. | | | | That's big to teenagers. |
| Some of the guys also started a conditioning | | | | - As soon as the catcher saw me sticking to the |
| program. There was not a lot of spare time left | | | | 20 minute rule, he believed that he would truly be |
| for our catchers to practice what they needed to | | | | done soon and not only didn't mind going and |
| and when I did start with them, there was a | | | | doing the drills, he actually looked forward to it...all |
| quick sense of general fatigue and I could tell the | | | | because he knew that it wouldn't drag out. |
| guys were "just not into it". I couldn't blame them. | | | | - Since the time limit was relatively small, a |
| I initially started getting some of the catchers' | | | | catcher would really work hard in those 20 |
| time after their conditioning, batting, tee work, | | | | minutes and because of the "believable" guarantee |
| etc. Bad news. I next tried to find some time for | | | | he really didn't mind. |
| just catching drills and training...no bats. But with | | | | The end results were great because of the |
| their busy schedule, an hour here and there still | | | | focusing on one drill each session. It was always a |
| was too much. I'd hear stuff like, "You said it | | | | pretty good, intense workout and yet it wouldn't |
| would only take a little bit last time and we were | | | | kill them. One catcher in particular improved his |
| still there almost an hour." This in itself was the | | | | footwork tremendously because that's what we'd |
| problem. | | | | do each time. Tons and tons of reps for 20 |
| Here is the baseball tip for this article...I call this | | | | minutes a shot. He really worked hard and got |
| little idea, or training method, "20 Minutes And | | | | into it. Consequently, his throwing improved a |
| Out." I used it for catchers but obviously you can | | | | great deal also. |
| adapt the idea to anyone. The whole thing is | | | | Think about these baseball tips, try something like |
| strictly psychological, and it worked great! All I did | | | | this and see what happens. This will make the |
| was set a time limit...I just picked 20 minutes | | | | short workout more enjoyable and at the same |
| because I knew that I could get a ton of | | | | time you'll get a lot done. And it's all because of |
| footwork reps done in 20 minutes. I'd only work | | | | the "20 Minutes and Out", really. It's all |
| one catcher on any given day or night and work | | | | psychological. Stick to the 20 minutes, no matter |
| only one type of drill in that training session, | | | | what. You'll be amazed how your players respond |
| whether it was some type of footwork, blocking | | | | and what they can get done. You'll appreciate the |
| receiving or throwing. | | | | short workouts too! |
| I'd tell them something like, "Look, meet me at | | | | |