Cutting edge conditioning program benefits Baseball

It’s 6 a.m. on a cool fall morning. Baseball season is months away, but Georgia College baseball players are already in the gym getting stronger.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Steve Moritz has been in the weight room for an hour already, preparing for sleepy players to arrive and start their fall workouts.

“We’re trying to gain mass,” Moritz said. “It’s very hands on for me. I like to get in there and mix it up with the guys —show them and tell them how to do a lift correctly.”

Moritz is relishing his first year as the Bobcats strength and conditioning coach.

Originally from Kansas City and after graduating from Kansas State in 2005, he eventually found his way to Milledgeville through Head Coach, Tom Carty.

The fall workout program is a grueling, 16-week series of four days on, three days off for the Bobcats. Most days consist of standard weight lifting, but Wednesdays provide a cutting-edge workout implemented across most of the Department of Athletics by professor and coordinator of exercise science Mike Martino. This workout is known as “The Battling Ropes.”

“This helps with not only muscle endurance but some cardiovascular endurance as well,” Moritz said. “We’re a big believer in the ropes. A couple of hitters that used the ropes last year fell in love with them.”

Players switch gears in the spring, moving from heavy weight lifting in an attempt to gain muscle mass, to more explosive and sports-specific movements. Exercises like box jumps improve “fast-twitch” actions for the season.

When games finally start, the strength and conditioning program moves into a maintenance phase. Players may only be in the weight room twice a week.

Workouts continue on the field however. Short and long sprints are combined with base running to improve cardiovascular conditioning, and the Battle Ropes are set up in stations to maintain strength and quick muscle memory. Coach Carty gives Moritz the freedom to tweak workouts as he deems necessary. So far the program has not had to deal with any injuries to Bobcat players from weight lifting or conditioning.  Moritz does not specifically work with players on rehab assignments but does provide alternative strength and conditioning program workouts on an as needed basis.

“I’m highly confident in ours [strength and conditioning program] and I know the work ethic our guys put into it,” Moritz said. “We’re fortunate with our exercise science program here.  I’m willing to bet it’s as cutting edge and as strenuous and beneficial as any.”

Posted by MitchellDavis on Apr 14 2011. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.