It’s always good to work on hitting, throwing and fielding but you’ll get lots of practice with that during the season. Now it’s time to focus on general conditioning and fitness so your body is in better shape before focusing on the skills of the game.

Like many field sports, baseball is a game based on short sprints starting from a stationary position. You need lower body strength to build that explosion of power at the start. Working on squats and deadlifts in the gym will help to build the lower body strength needed for those quick starts. Reaction sprints are another great way to train the body and mind to think and move quickly. To work on base running use colour coded cards or signals to tell the runner either to sprint or go back. Try to avoid getting into a pattern when showing the cards or signals so the runner can’t predict what you’re going to do next.

Core strength is vital to batting so developing explosive rotational power in your core is crucial. Rotational medicine ball tosses are a great way to work on this core strength. Stand sideways to a target or large space and hold the medicine ball at waist height. Rotate back and as you follow through push and release the ball. As your strength improves you’ll be able to toss the ball further. Create a little game or a friendly competition with other players to see who can toss the ball the furthest.

Being agile is important for infield players but is also useful for outfield players who may have to track a difficult fly ball. The quicker and more agile you are the easier it is to get to a variety of hits and therefore close the gap for your opponents. Agility runs or suicide sprints, where direction is changed regularly, will help improve this skill.

In the late spring you’ll want to take the fitness training down a level and start focusing on the skills of the game in preparation for the first game of the season. Playing catch, taking ground balls, fly balls and batting practice should be the focus just before the season starts. At this time you’ll want to concentrate on regaining you technique. Once the season starts you’ll want to keep up some mild physical training but save your energy for game days.

Along with the physical aspect of the game it’s important to work on the mental side of things as well. You should always be learning, even if you’ve played the sport for years. Learn from watching other players, speaking with coaches or even watching instructional DVDs. Sometimes it’s good to go back to basics and start working on your skills from scratch.

The last thing to consider is diet. Eating right all year round will help once the season starts. Follow a meal plan that consists of the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats for your body.