Cross Training

I have ventured out into some cross training this offseason. I think it is really important to take advantage of the benefits of different types of workouts. Since I have relocated back to Virginia, I have been primarily working out with two other rising minor leaguers from JMU. Kevin Munson is a right-handed relief pitcher who was drafted in the 4th round in last June's draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played in South Bend, Indiana last summer in the Midwest League at the low-A level where he had a great season. There is a link to Munson's minor league stat page here: Kevin Munson Minor League Stats. Matt Browning, who was my roommate for four years at JMU, was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in last year's draft. He spent time playing in the Arizona rookie league and excelled in the short-season Appalachian League, where he hit a remarkable .330 in 34 games. You can find Browning's minor league stats here: Matt Browning's Minor League Stats. I'm hoping to interview both of those guys about their baseball experiences and post the videos on this blog, so that is something cool to look forward to.

One main focus that I have this offseason outside of the usual weight training, conditioning, batting and fielding practice is to improve my flexibility. This summer I focused on stretching my hamstrings, hips, and glutes which really helped my body recover on a day-to-day basis, especially my lower back. This offseason I really wanted to continue the gains that I made, so I recently started doing yoga with my two training partners. I have to say, there was a time when I would have laughed at trying yoga, but all three of us really enjoy it. We follow along with the P90X Yoga X video that runs 90 minutes long. It is a true full body workout that has my legs and shoulders burning throughout. It helps loosen the muscles and also builds muscular endurance, but leaves the body feeling refreshed. I plan on continuing to do these yoga workouts at least twice a week and possibly during the season as well. I would definitely recommend yoga to anyone, especially athletes.

There is one other recommendation that I have to younger athletes and that is to warm up properly before you start practices or workouts. Here at JMU, our trio of workout partners have been cross training and warming up on the basketball court with some intense games of HORSE. Some of these trick shots are shown in the videos below. Enjoy!