Welcome back our resident baseball dreamer, Paul LeBoeuf III…
Well I’ve decided to pursue ball again. It was a pretty easy decision on my part. So now what? What is the next step? For me, it is the physical transformation I will now need to make. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely out of shape or even overweight, but I am definitely not in baseball shape. I don’t even think I’d make it through a local summer league game right now. I think the biggest thing I need right now is to get my baseball legs under me.
That means running, and running, and running. Not many people enjoy this part but it’s a necessary evil.
When it comes to baseball the running training can get a bit tricky. I’ve read and heard arguments that long distance running is good for you but I’ve also hear the same about shorter workouts like sprints. This game is a somewhat slow game with bits of explosiveness mixed in. In my opinion, long distance running isn’t a necessity. At least not for a position player. I personally play third base and so I have decided to concentrate my run training with sprints.
Unfortunately, I’m on the east coast and even as I write this there is a snow and ice storm dancing around outside right now. The weather definitely hampers my ability to do some of the things I want to do but its never an excuse not to do something.
One of the buildings on campus has 10 floors of concrete stairs. This can make for a nice little workout running up and down them. Technically it is frowned upon running the stairs, but I think I could pull it off. Plus I’ve seen the security guards and there is no way they are going to run up any stairs to come stop me. They aren’t the liveliest bunch I’ve ever seen.
Soon enough though the weather will break and I’ll be able to get outside. That’s when the real running work will begin. In the meantime, I try to get on the treadmill and do simple body weight exercises with squats and lunges. Lots of stretching too. One of the things I’ve lost over my downtime is flexibility. That is an extremely important thing to get back and I’ve set a mini goal to be able to touch my toes in a month. I’m only about 3 feet away!
Making all these fitness changes is a pretty good start but that also means the diet has to change. It is equally as important. In the past I turned into a bit of a soda jerk and that has to go. I’ve managed to cut it out for the most part. I know I can do better. Better eating. No fast food, more good proteins, more vegetables, No juice, and tons of water. Luckily, I’ve always loved water so that really makes it pretty easy.
Making these diet changes is smart anyway. It shouldn’t matter if I’m trying to play ball, I need to be healthier for myself and my family. This is one of the greatest things I’m getting out of trying to play ball. I know the odds are against me, I know that my chances are slim to none, but the changes I will make, the people I meet, and the overall experience will change my life for the better. There is no way I can go through all that hard work and not come out a better person. If I’m better, the people around feel better, and often will want to make their own life changes… that’s pretty incredible.
What’s next for me? More baseball specific workouts. I need to throw, I need to hit, I need to field. I plan on working with a hitting coach in the next couple weeks at a local batting cage. That should be quite a sight. Picking up a bat after all this time may not be the prettiest look at first. It will be good to see where I’m at though, and that will help me figure out where I want to go.
My journey really is just starting but its go time and I couldn’t be more excited. I truly am desperate to see the kid in me once again.