5/3/1 Template for Baseball

Bigger Stronger Leaner Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Coaching
1

How does this training template look to accommodate the needs of a Baseball first basemen. My goals as an aspiring walk-on for college & pro ball is to be a power hitter (think Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols), with great fielding skills. I don’t believe in the whole sports specific training BS, since weight lifting for my sport is nothing but GPP. I have to spend time outside the gym to work on skill, mobility, & speed. I’d just like your opinion on how I could tailor your classic 5/3/1 program or S.S.S template to get stronger while having room for baseball practice, but keep the same training principles. Any suggestions on assistance volume, how the main work should be done (classic 5/3/1 or SSS (5x1@90%TM)) would be greatly appreciated.

Weekly split:

  1. MONDAY
    AM: PRESS WO
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  2. Medicine ball throws (shot-put, overhead): 20 throws
  3. Press: 5/3/1 or 5x1@90%TM
    -band pull apart (SS warm-up sets)
    -chin-ups (SS work sets)
  4. Blast strap push-up: 3x10-20
    -blast strap inverted row: 3x10-20
    PM: BATTING PRACTICE
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  5. Hitting off batting tee (various positions): 100 swings
  1. TUESDAY
    AM: SPRINTS
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  2. 20 yard sprints (various positions): 5 sprints
  3. Pro agility drill: 5 sprints
    PM: DEAD-LIFT WO
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  4. Hurdle jumps: 20 jumps
  5. Trap bar dead-lift: 5/3/1 or 5x1@90%TM
    -hamstring stretches between sets
  6. GHR: 3x10-20
    -GHD sit-ups: 3x10-20
  7. Fielding grounders, pop flys, first base picks: 100 catches each
  1. WEDNESDAY
    AM: FIELDING PRACTICE
  2. Fielding grounders, pop flys, first base picks: 100 catches each
  3. Long toss: playing catch then increasing throwing distance to max distance, 20 throws from max.
    PM: BATTING PRACTICE
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  4. Live batting practice (various positions): 100 swings
  1. THURSDAY
    AM: BENCH PRESS WO
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  2. Medicine ball throws (shot-put, overhead): 20 throws
  3. Floor press: 5/3/1 or 5x1@90%TM
    -band pull apart (SS warm-up sets)
    -pull-ups (SS work sets)
  4. Incline DB press: 5’s PRO
    -DB single arm row: 3x10-20
    PM: BATTING PRACTICE
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  5. Hitting off batting tee (various positions): 100 swings
  1. FRIDAY
    AM: SPRINTS
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  2. 10 yard sprints (various start positions): 5 sprints
  3. T agility drill: 5 sprints
    PM: SQUAT WO
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  4. Box jumps: 20 jumps
  5. Safety bar squat: 5/3/1 or 5x1@90%TM
    -hip flexor stretches between sets
  6. Safety bar reverse lunge: 5’s PRO
  7. TRX plank: 3x max time
  8. Fielding grounders, pop flys, first base picks: 100 catches each
  1. SATURDAY
    AM: FIELDING PRACTICE
  2. Fielding grounders, pop flys, first base picks: 100 catches each
  3. Long toss: playing catch then increasing throwing distance to max distance, 20 throws from max.
    PM: BATTING PRACTICE
    Warm-up:
    -limber 11
  4. Live batting practice (various positions): 100 swings
  1. SUNDAY
    REST
2

No disrespect to Jim Wendler, but OP check out Eric Cressey, he works with a lot of MLB guys and has a bunch of videos/articles about it.

Best of luck with college ball,
Sean

3

Couple of questions;
Age
Weight
Height
Did you play in HS or when was the last time you played competitively?
Current Lifts

[quote]Dennis Menjivar wrote:
How does this training template look to accommodate the needs of a Baseball first basemen. [/quote]

It looks like a lot, especially during season. If you redshirt, which is likely, then it’s probably fine. You will be shagging, mostly. During season, I never focused on increasing strength, my goal was maintaining my current strength levels. If you do play, I agree with the above post check out Cressey for his in season workouts.

This depends greatly on your Height and build. Compare Micahel Morse at 6’5" to Hunter Pence at 6’4". They are similar height, but they have completely different roles. You can’t train genetics.

That’s interesting, why not? I would love to hear your reasoning. I can’t think of anything better than spending your time working on movements that translate on the field.

Like I said above, if you are going to playing this year focus getting better on the field while maintaining current strength levels.

4

Thanks for evaluating the template, I should’ve also clarified this would be a 13 week (2 cycle) off season training program, so I’d definitely cut more than half off during the in-season. 19, 205, 5’11, Press TM: 145, Trap bar dead-lift TM: 320, Floor press TM: 230, Safety bar squat TM: 290. I’ve been playing league ball from 12-17 years old, never played high school ball, & I’m currently going to a community college, so I have two years until I go to a four year college. I will be playing in a league next spring, so I’m prepping for that now.

"However, I’m here to tell you that regardless of the sport being performed on the field, not much really changes. This obviously goes against the “sport specific training specialists” who are trying to convince you that each athlete and sport is a special snowflake. Let’s examine the facts.

All sports require that an athlete have strong hips, legs, shoulders, arms, and midsection. The best way to develop these areas is with a basic and effective barbell-training workout. There are no “sport specific” exercises as weight training for sports is nothing more than General Physical Preparedness (GPP).

So the goal of the coach is to use the most efficient exercises in the weight room to develop these parts of the body. This will allow for less time in the weight room, as athletes must develop things other than strength and thus don’t have hours and hours to spend in the weight room. At least they shouldn’t." -Jim Wendler

5

Main lifts - 5’s Pro, 3x5 FSL
Assistance - do what’s needed for you and your sport

Keep in the jumps and throws.
Keep up with mobility and flexibility.

Keep in mind that you can always look to others for advice but if I were you, I’d blaze a new path. Merge strength and speed - because in baseball you’d be an anomaly provided your skills are up to par. Be something different.

6

[quote]Dennis Menjivar wrote:
Thanks for evaluating the template, I should’ve also clarified this would be a 13 week (2 cycle) off season training program, so I’d definitely cut more than half off during the in-season. 19, 205, 5’11, Press TM: 145, Trap bar dead-lift TM: 320, Floor press TM: 230, Safety bar squat TM: 290. I’ve been playing league ball from 12-17 years old, never played high school ball, & I’m currently going to a community college, so I have two years until I go to a four year college. I will be playing in a league next spring, so I’m prepping for that now.[/quote]

That makes more sense. When I played, we started playing preseason games beginning of January. I assumed that would be the case.

You?ll have a good amount of strength compared to most of the guys you?ll be playing with. Good luck, hopefully you?ll post your progress, i?d be interested to see how it goes.

[quote]??This obviously goes against the “sport specific training specialists” who are trying to convince you that each athlete and sport is a special snowflake. Let’s examine the facts. All sports require that an athlete have strong hips, legs, shoulders, arms, and midsection. The best way to develop these areas is with a basic and effective barbell-training workout??-Jim Wendler
[/quote]

Couldn?t agree more. I wish I had coaches in high school who had that thought process. I think your program looks good and will serve you well. I read that wrong. I didn’t realize you meant doing all the cable shit that some coaches have you do without strength movements.

[quote]Jim Wendler wrote:
Keep in the jumps and throws.
Keep up with mobility and flexibility.

Keep in mind that you can always look to others for advice but if I were you, I’d blaze a new path. Merge strength and speed - because in baseball you’d be an anomaly provided your skills are up to par. Be something different. [/quote]

^Yep. Couldn?t agree more. Speed is a game changer, something I wish had. Everything you can do to set yourself apart is a big + when a coach is determining the lineup.

Flexibility is a big one too, especially at first base. I could do the splits when stretching on close plays and that was enough difference for me to start over the next guy.

Also, every baseball coach I have come across tests speed based off of 60 yards. It might be prudent to run some 60?s.

7

“Keep in mind that you can always look to others for advice but if I were you, I’dblaze a new path. Merge strength and speed - because in baseball you’d be an anomaly provided your skills are up to par. Be something different.” -Jim Wendler
That’s why I believe in your principles. I respect Eric Cressey’s work with Basballplayers, he did a great job working with Tim Collins going to the World Series, but his work is targeted mainly to pitchers looking to increase velocity.

Positional players have other skills to develop, like training a linebacker to a quarterback, slight different training modalities. Thanks for the advice on the main lifts, that was my only main confusion, assistance work is 1% of the equation so that’ll go by feel. Wendler, if it wasn’t for you & your no nonsense approach to training, I wouldn’t have the 5/3/1 principles to set me apart from the crowd.

I’ve seen what the pros are doing in the off-season; a load of pansy shit. Trainers can’t be liable for ruining a million dollar arm during an off season press workout, so they take the sports specific route just to be safe. Your “The walk-on” article also inspired me to continue my journey, even though I have no high school experience, I will work my ass off these next 2 years, so I can have my walk-on tryout opportunity.

I’ll keep you guys posted on my journey