A Second Chance

#1

My goal is to play college ball when I get out of the service at 26. I haven’t played the game in years, but I miss it and I don’t feel like I ever played up to my full potential. I’m 23 next month and I plan to train for the next year, and then join an adult baseball league when I get back from deployment. Then, after some practice in an independent league I am going to play for a division two college.

I have some steep goals, but I know I can improve myself enough to compete in college ball. My pitch speed is the same as when I was 16. I’m basically picking up where I left off. Hopefully I still have room for improvement as I would have if I trained hard as a teenager.

current maxes
Pushups - 74
Pullups - 15
Situps - 105
Bench press - 175lbs
DB bench press - 60lbs

Actuals
Age: 23
Weight: 170
Height: 6ft
Pitch speed: 71mph
Pitches: curveball, fastball

Goals
Age: 24
Weight: 180
Pitch speed: 82mph
Pitches: curveball, fastball changeup, splitter

Goals
Age: 26
Weight: 185
Pitch speed: 88+mph
Pitches: curveball, fastball changeup, splitter

#2

You probably don’t hear this enough but thanks for serving our country and good luck with your comeback.

#3

Thank you!

I’m on leave right now, but I am still getting out just about everyday. Today I went to the gym with my brother. My cardio is just average, and I swam about 350 yards. Hit the punching bag for a few minutes, and did 3x25 inclined situps.

Later today we went to toss the ball back and fourth. My arm is still weak and needs to gain endurance. I warmed up and pitched only a few at 80% until my arm started to hurt. I’m going to take it easy while getting back into it. I still have my accuracy though. We then decided to run a mile around the track for the hell of it.

Yesteday we went to the gym as well

Bench press: 2.5x10 reps @ 135 lbs
Bicep curls: 2x10 @ 30lbs dumbells
Inclined dumbell shoulder press: 2x10 30lbs
Reverse (behind back) wrist/forearm curls: 2x10 40lbs
Hammer curls: 2x10 30lbs
Lawnmowers: 2x10 55lbs
Dips: 3x10 reps
Pullups: 2x8 reps

I ordered the Tuffcuff manual a few days ago. I can’t wait to get started.

#4

Wow dude you are really going for it, get yourself in shape before actually pitching, throw, throw long but wait for your body to catch up before getting on the bump again.

#5

Hey thanks for the tip. I think I’m gonna get my brother to go out and play long toss with me again today, but I’m not going to pitch.

Today we went back to the gym and did just about every leg exercise machine out there. I did 330 on leg press and 300lbs on the squat machine. I’m not sure how much I can do freeweight, I’ve never done squats before! I also did 10 fully extended pullups afterwards.

#6

Pitchers don’t stride up onto the bump the first day of spring, they throw long, work of their footwork and then a week or so in they take their first session. Good Luck!

#7

Yep, I started throwing too hard too fast. I tried to throw again today. It was going fine for a few minutes, but then as I backed up and started to throw harder I felt it. It hurts on the inside of my forearm. So I’m going to lay off it for a few days at least. Ran another mile and timed it this time though, 7:14.

#8

Nice, Keep working hard. What are “lawnmowers”? never heard of them.

#9

Thanks, lawnmowers are a back exercise. You lift a heavy dumbell off the ground with one knee on a bench.

#10

Just got my Tuffcuff book. We started on Phase 3. It was a pretty good workout. The lightweight db’s especially burned. And the abs, they burned a lot!

#11

Swam 500 yards today. I did a lot better than the last time I swam. Did the scapular exercises from the tuffcuff book for the first time. I couldn’t do the ones where you throw the ball though because of space. Did a few machine exercises that aren’t in the book. Then I did 6 core exercises, 15 pullups (not fully extended), and 15 dips.

My elbow pain still hasn’t gone away. It was throbbing this morning when I woke up.

I got my friend and my brother doing this with me now. My friend is training to be a seal so hopefully this will be beneficial to him.

#12

Did the stairmaster today for 20 minutes and swam 500yds, but had to take breaks. Yesterday I did sprints, worked upper body, rotator cuff exercises, and swam 250 yards. My elbow pain is going away. I plan to start throwing again in a few days. No curveballs this time.

Edit: Here’s my upper body workout excluding rotator cuff and scapular exercises.

-Tricep overhead extension
-Seated row
-Lat pulldown
-DB press
-DB incline press
-hammer curls
-bicep curls
-shrugs
-wrist curls behind back w/ bar

My new schedule for exercising goes as follows:

Monday: 500 yard swim, upper body, rotator cuffs, abs
Tuesday: Sprints, lower body, scapular, abs
Wednesday: 500 yard swim, upper body, abs
Thursday: Sprints, lower body, rotator cuffs, abs
Friday: 500 yard swim, upper body, scapular, abs
Saturday: Sprints, lower body, abs
Sunday: Rest

#13

Good luck. Thank you for your service!