Youth Strength Program

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✓  Recommended For:

This 8wk baseball and softball specific strength program is for younger athletes (ages 9-12U) who should not be lifting weights, but need an effective sport specific strength program. Athletes should be free of injury. This is NOT a rehabilitation program, but designed for athletes whom are cleared for everyday physical activity. Although there are varying aspects to age specific strength development, this program takes into consideration your (1) age and (2) future athletic requirements.

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1.0 Specifications:

» Age: 9-12U.
» Level: Youth.
» Positions: Hitters & pitchers.
» Sport: Baseball & softball.

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2.0 Requirements:

» Intensity: Abide by program directives to ensure proportionate recovery & workload rates.
» Equipment: Program requires usage with prescribed equipment for maximum results.

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3.0 Recovery & Injury Prevention Guidelines:

→     If you experience extended soreness during this program:   ←

✓ Cut back on rep amounts or intensities FIRST.
✓ Cut back on drill amounts SECOND.
✓ If soreness still persists, take days off & then start again THIRD.
✓ If you experience sharp pain or injury, seek medical advice or stop the program until re-evaluation.
✓ Athletes actively in season must carefully monitor recovery rates.

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1.0 Development Team:

» Developer: VPX Baseball.
» Consultants: Jim Parque (MLB player & current trainer), Sean Taunt (NCAA baseball coach), Allan Wirtalla (MLB strength coach), Gerard Cressey (kinesiologist),
Simeon Walker (baseball analytics), and Jayson Roublette (pro hitting coach).

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2.0 Program Overview:

Over 15 years of data, research, and on field results have gone into this program's development. A complete pro grade swing enhancement program that teaches you how to hit for power and approach your offensive game correctly. Developed from MLB experience and expertise, this program has eight separate training components per day. Each component develops important aspects of hitting, as this is not just a swing development program.

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3.0 Performance Benefits:

» Philosophy: Teaches MLB swing mechanics & hitting approach.
» Mechanical Fixes: Targets linear & rotational hip movements, hand path, and swing plane.
» Improvements: Focused upon impact hitting. Increased power & exit velocities.

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✓  Directives:

This VPX Youth Strength Program lasts 8 weeks. Start at the beginning of the program for best results. Each day, you will complete 3 different training components (described below). Each training component targets specific aspects of your physicality. Complete each training component IN ORDER: (1) Daily Warm Up, (2) Daily Flex, and depending upon the day (3) Power Core, Total Body, Speed, or Fast Twitch.

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1.0 Training Components:

» Daily Warm Up: Gets your body warmed up.
» Daily Flex: Stretching & flex training.
» Mondays - Power Core: Builds the power within your hips, glutes, abs, and legs.
» Wednesdays - Total Body: Trains your entire body & kinetic chain reaction.
» Fridays - Speed: Develops top end speed & first step explosion.
» Saturdays - Fast Twitch: Quickens your fist step & motor response.

→   The following are explanations of the acronyms utilized within this program that denote usage, intensity, and effort directives.   ←

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(BH) Back Hip VPX Training Harness Usage:  

1. Put the VPX Training Harness foot strap on your back foot and secure.
2. Strap the VPX Training Harness waist belt over your belly button and secure.
3. Make sure the belt's D-rings are located on the bottom of the waist belt and pointed downwards. Ensure the belt is snug around your waist.
4. Position the waist belt D-rings to be located on your (1) back hip and (2) middle of your back. There are 2 D-rings sewn into the waist belt.
5. Attach one bungeee to the waist belt D-ring located on your back hip. Clip the bottom of this bungee to the D-ring (of your foot strap) located on the outside of your back foot's ankle.
6. Attach the second bungee to the waist belt D-ring located in the middle of your back. Clip the bottom of this bungee to the D-ring (of your foot strap) on the inside of your back foot's ankle.
7. Ensure there is little to no sag of your waist belt. A little sagging is okay, but too much sagging requires tightening of your waist belt.

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(FH) Front Hip VPX Training Harness Usage:  

1. Put the VPX Training Harness foot strap on your front foot and secure.
2. Strap the VPX Training Harness waist belt over your belly button and secure.
3. Make sure the belt's D-rings are located on the bottom of the waist belt and pointed downwards. Ensure the belt is snug around your waist.
4. Position the waist belt D-rings to be located on your (1) front hip and (2) middle of your back. There are 2 D-rings sewn into the waist belt.
5. Attach one bungeee to the waist belt D-ring located on your front hip. Clip the bottom of this bungee to the D-ring (of your foot strap) located on the outside of your front foot's ankle.
6. Attach the second bungee to the waist belt D-ring located in the middle of your back. Clip the bottom of this bungee to the D-ring (of your foot strap) on the inside of your front foot's ankle.
7. Ensure there is little to no sag of your waist belt. A little sagging is okay, but too much sagging requires tightening of your waist belt.

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(PEL) Perceived Effort Level:

The amount of effort or intensity level per rep. 100% is max intensity pitching. 90% are controlled high intensity swings. 80% are medium intensity swings that feel your hands throughout their entire ROM. 70% are phase specific swings that feel your entire swing’s movement planes

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Clipped or Unclipped:

» Clipped: Refers to actively having your VPX Training Harness bungees clipped for either (BH) or (FH) usage - as described above.
» Unclipped: Refers to unclipping all VPX Training Harness bungees so that you are not actively training with any harness resistance.