Very little information is available to help baseball and softball officials get ready for the upcoming season. This brief provides information on cardio-respiratory workouts and stretching and warm up exercises before officiating a game. These exercises are important in the early spring and late fall when the weather is cold. If the umpire is not ready, physical injury may occur while covering a play. This protocol can help prevent pain and suffering from not being in condition and prepared for the contest.
Umpire Preseason Conditioning.Stretching and Warmup Exercises
1. Preseason and Pre-game
Stretching and Warmup
Exercises
Presented by:
Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, AIHA Fellow
Member of the New Jersey State Federation of Baseball
Umpires (NJSFU) and the New Jersey State
Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA)
2. Exercise Duration Intensity Notes
Long Distance Run 45 – 60 mins Moderate This is exercise should be
performed at the early stages of the
program. It will develop general
fitness.
Treadmill 45 – 60 mins Moderate Aim for consistent speed around
level 8 – 10.
Bike 60 mins Moderate Excellent if you have troubled
knees. This takes the weight
bearing off the joint.
Swim 30 – 45 mins Moderate Great for improving
cardiovascular fitness and easier
for your joints.
Rowing 30 – 45 mins Moderate Rowing at Gym allows for all body
workout. Maintain solid pace
around level 5 - 8
Pre-Season Cardio Exercise
3. Exercise Duration Intensity Notes
Gym Classes 45 – 60 mins Moderate BodyPump/BodyStep are good for
beginners. You can monitor the
intensity and most sessions last an
hour.
Cross Training <60 mins Moderate Socially compete in summer sports,
i.e: Touch Football, Squash etc.
Fartlek Training 30 – 45 mins Low - Moderate Select any of the first 5 exercises
and interlace bursts of intensity
with rest periods. Best ratio is 1:3
eg. 1 minute moderate/high
intensity 3 minutes low recovery
pace. Repeat until time has elapsed.
Beep Test >30 mins Low-Moderate-
High
Perform the 20 meter beep test as a
starting point to track your fitness
level. Repeat this test during phase
2 & 3 of the training program.
Pre-Season Cardio Exercise
4. General Strength and
Conditioning Training
AT GYM AT HOME/PARK
1. Lunges x 12 each leg 1. Lunges x 12 each leg
2. Lat Pulldown x 20 2. Push Ups x 15
3. Squats x 15 3. Squats x 20
4. Bench Press or Bench Dips x 15 4. Chair/Bench Dips x 15
5. Calf Raises x 15 each leg 5. Step Ups w/ calf raise x 12 each leg
6. Front Brace x 30 secs 7. Front Brace x 30 secs
14. Pre-game Warmup Exercises
Gentle jog slowly in the outfield perimeter or up and
down foul territory for 2-5 minutes…longer if needed.
Stretch each muscle stretch for 15-30 seconds. Don't
bounce up and down, rock back and forth, and don't
stretch the muscle to pain.
Top down - start with the neck and work down and you
won't miss any joints or muscles.
Shoulders - start with arms straight out, parallel to the
ground, and make increasingly larger circles with each
rotation. Reverse the motion backwards.
Lower back - stand with feet at shoulder's width, reach
up over your head and stretch each arm separately.
15. Pre-game Warmup Exercises
Hamstrings - place right foot on a bench or against a
fence/wall and keep leg straight. Bend forward slowly
at the hips (not the back) until you feel the stretch (not
pain) up the back of leg, and hold for 15-30 seconds.
Repeat with the other leg.
Quadriceps - stand on left leg, bend right knee behind
you and grab your right foot with your right hand. Pull
your right foot up so heel approaches or hits your
buttocks and hold until you feel stretch down the front
of thigh. After 15-30 seconds, switch to the other side.
Calf muscles - bend left leg at the knee and place right
leg straight and directly behind you. Keep both heels
flat on the ground and push against a fence/wall until
you feel a solid stretch down right calf. Change sides.
16. Questions
Thank you for your participation. For more information,
please refer to the 2015 NFHS baseball rule and case
books and the manual for umpire mechanics.
Notas del editor
Most baseball and softball officials understand they need to take breaks between innings of games when the temperatures soar, giving themselves a chance to rehydrate and
dissipate their extra body heat. For those who are college and minor league offices, you must be careful with practices, too.
Any questions regarding the information presented on heat-related illness and how it affects umpires?
Thank you for your participation in the course. We hope that you understand the hazards, risks, and methods to help prevent heat-related illness while officiating during the summer. Please have a safe and enjoyable baseball and/or softball season this year.