Traditional speed, agility, and quickness (SAQ) programs have been designed for sports that involve running, like soccer and football.
Because speed in baseball not only refers to running, but also the speed of the ball when thrown or hit, UPMC Sports Performance developed a baseball-specific SAQ program in 2007.
Players that participated in this first program showed significant increased gains in:
Based on the positive results, detailed below, baseball-specific SAQ training has been replicated and expanded for both teams and individuals.
Our first speed, agility, and quickness baseball training program, developed in Fall 2007, included:
Baseball players were taught the exercises and trained over the 9 weeks.
Players that met two times a week for formal training received one day of the home exercise homework. Players that met once a week were given two days of home exercise homework.
To assist with their homework and training sessions, players received workout booklets that they completed on a weekly basis.
At the end of the nine weeks of the speed, agility, and quickness training program, 113 players completed both the pre-testing and the post-testing. They saw the following results:
A questionnaire was given to each baseball player as to how they felt after participating in the speed, agility, and quickness training program. Players reported that:
Learn about our other UPMC Sports Performance programs.
To schedule an appointment with a physician or other Sports Medicine expert, call 1-855-93-SPORT (77678).
UPMC Rooney Sports Complex
3200 S. Water St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex
8000 Cranberry Springs Drive
Cranberry Township, PA 16066