Strength and Conditioning

Question
Mr. Rigsby,
I'm 24 and I have a 12 year old brother who plays baseball almost year round.  He is a big kid for his age, and I wanted to train him to become faster on the bases.  He plays Catcher and Pitcher and the infield.  He is an exceptional hitter and is quick, but could be quicker.  I see all the Parachutes and weight sleds on the internet and in baseball magazines,  but what would be the best way to develop speed and even strength.  He also has an interest in lifting,  so if you could help with that topic as well I would appreciate it.   Thank You for your time.
Rob Baiada

Answer
Rob,

I would start with basic running drills.  If you want to invest in something that would help, check out www.sportspeedetc.com.  Lee Taft is a friend of mine and one of the best in the business.  Check out his videos and tools.

As for the lifting...a full body balanced routine would be best.  Subscribe to the free newsletter at www.baseballstrength.com and check out some of their routines.  Another resource is www.sportspecific.com.  It's probably the most complete info. site about this kind of stuff out there.  

I apologize about deferring to those sites, but not being able to to do a proper assessment on your brother makes me leery of prescribing a specific workout.  Especially for someone who pitches.  Any muscular imbalances in the shoulder can be a breeding ground for injury.

Here's a good rule of thumb.  All performance on pushing exercises should equal that of pulling exercises.  If you can do 100 lbs for 10 reps on the bench press, same on the bent over row.  It will halp maintain shoulder integrity.

Check out those sites and if you have any more questions after that let me know.

Pat