Sport specific conditioning or game speed practicing are not new concepts, but often overlooked is the different workout needs of softball position players. Softball athletes perform short explosive movements followed by time at rest, but each position has different amounts of rest time. Softball pitchers and catchers operate at a different interval than either infielders or outfielders. This at rest frequency difference needs to be taken into consideration during their strength and conditioning program. Many athletes now have specifically tailored fitness programs. Taking this into consideration, let us look at how a fitness program can be developed for three different groups.

The Power Hitters:

The power hitters are players whose greatest asset is their ability to generate bat speed through the strike zone. These players can hit home runs and for a high average. Power players defensively typically be the catcher or corner infielder players. For this group, the fitness program emphasizes the lower and upper body and core strength development. Conditioning sessions put added emphasis on incorporating medicine ball plyometrics for trunk torque and power development and improving speed-endurance to condition them for distances less than 40 yards.

The Speed Players:

The speed player's role is defined by their ability to quickly accelerate and maintain a high terminal running velocity. Offensively this group includes your slappers, single hitters and base stealers. Defensively, this group is usually your middle infielders and outfielders. Even though speed player's training emphasizes speed and agility, they can also be some of the strongest players on the team. Speed player's typical strengthening routine involves full body exercises like lunges and squats, with less of an emphasis on upper body strength. Agility can be enhanced through cone drills, ladder drills, and short shuttles. The speed endurance targets acceleration and running distances under 40 yards through resistance sprints and form running.

The Pitchers:

Arguable, the pitcher is the most influential player that effects the game's outcome. Not only do they need to be pitch explosively, but they also must have the endurance to pitch multiple games per week with, potentially, long innings. Their lower body and core must be exceptionally strong and powerful while maintaining wide range of motion and flexibility. Like speed players, pitchers strength training focuses are full body workouts with a slightly greater emphasis on lower body strength. Pitchers also need to do extra grip strengthening work and as hip flexors and adductors to improve lower body mobility.

Final Training Considerations:

Off-season and in-season fitness training sessions have dramatically different emphasis. In the off-season, a strong emphasis is placed on strength development and explosive power. Conversely, in-season training is for maintenance, fine-tuning, and injury prevention.

All three groups have the same basic training, but the amount of sets and repetitions differ depending of the areas of emphasis. All groups should perform full body strength training like squats, lunges, and plyometrics to develop strength and power. Injury prevention is also addressed with abdominal stability, full body flexibility, low back strength development, and shoulder and rotator cuff work. All groups also have conditioning days for endurance development where they run stadium sprints or shuttle runs. Over the course of a week, the athletes have covered all the strength and conditioning development areas, but with varying amounts of time based on their emphasis.