Ask ATC/Andro

I saw this on another site and thought it was interesting. It was an observation that Joe Morgan made about all the injuries with the NY Mets


Last night he and the other motley crew were discussing the Mets injuries. The point was made that the athletes might be over conditioning one set of muscles causing strain on others. I've heard that before, but then JM mentioned that an Olympic track coach felt that the injuries might be due to a lack of rest coupled with over training. Olympians train and reach their peak and use it over a two week period. Then they rest. That is the cycle. MLB players can't do that over the season - so the training is actually setting them up for a break down.

I thought that was interesting and made a lot of sense. I've always heard that baseball players shouldn't work out as much as other athletes. They need to be in shape obviously, but not take it to the extreme.

Any thoughts?

 

Overtraining

It is true that track athletes used periodization to peak for a particular event.

My thoughts of baseball players overtraining? Short answer is this... think about the number of injuries that would be happening if they weren't training as much as they are.

Now, I am not privileged to be a part of the Mets strength and conditioning programs (although I do speak with the Yankees Minor League coordinator quite often). Therefore, I can not speak about specifics.

However, we have to consider that MLB teams play, what 162 games a year? Let me pose a question... How do you and I feel after a days work? How many of us cross time zones to work multiple times per month? How many of us consistently work an "all nighter" and then have to be back "at the office" early the next morning for another long day at the office.

My point here is we can't compare the worlds of a track athlete and of a baseball player. There are too many factors that go in to the physiology of an injury.

Having said all of that, I do know first hand that the Yankees Minor League system is taking a new approach of being more proactive of screening for potential injuries and correcting them in the minor league days vs. having to deal with them in the big leagues. This is relatively new - we will have to wait a few years until some of these minor leaguers cycle up to the majors but I think the Yankees have the right idea.