As kids begin playing competitive sports at earlier and earlier ages so to does the demand for training, and sport specific training seems to be at an all time high. However while trainers are great for helping in the category of weight loss or better overall health they often times do not have the tools to provide a great sport specific plan. The key to success is to match the demands of the activity with the exercise needed for those specific skills. The most common mistake that is made in this field is training for aspects that do not translate to your specific sport. Traditional exercises like bench press or curls while they may have some benefit in gaining overall strength it is often relied on way to often as the end all. In defining the needs analysis of an athlete it is very important to understand the specific dynamics of that sport, the current fitness level and measuring and stating clearly the goals. For my athlete I decided to choose a baseball player because that is what I grew up playing and in college and I have first hand seen many of the sport specific training exercise need to compete at a high level. Baseball just like many sports has a wide arrange of positions and skill sets. As a team you rarely ever practice together as it seems pitchers, infielders and outfielders have their own specific plan and exercises.
The initial step in designing an exercise program is to create a needs analysis. For sport specific training this requires an evaluation of the sport to determine what activities will transfer into actual improved performance. Watching game film and other footage as well as doing outside research to find out what dynamic skills are most used is a great way to begin to prepare in the right ways. The next step in creating a sport specific