Fitness and Nutrition

It’s time to pull the equipment out of the closet and check the condition of our plate gear and uniforms, shine the shoes, be sure we are up on all the rules. We all know these things are peripheral to being in shape. It is paramount that we take an honest look at our physical condition, since the rigors of a full baseball schedule are coming quicker than we think. Umpiring is a very demanding job that stresses the body in many ways; hectic travel, all the challenges to eating and sleeping properly, and the physical and mental drain that come with being out on the field on our feet for an entire game – or two, or more – working hard.

Depending on where you live, you have limited time to prepare yourself physically for the upcoming season. It is extremely important to concentrate on a complete program that is three-fold: 1) strengthening your upper and lower extremities, 2) a core program to stabilize your trunk, and 3) a flexibility program that will ensure that your muscles are ready for the stresses that lie ahead. For some umpires the program will be strictly for overall conditioning. For others it could be a first time approach to getting in shape along with a weight loss program.

Let’s Get It Going!

Now for a little pep talk. We all know that in order to do the very best job possible there are certain things we must do. We must all have a great working knowledge of the rules at whatever level we are officiating. Secondly, we must know proper mechanics in order to be positioned correctly to do our jobs. Third, we need proper knowledge of game management. Fourth and possibly most important, we must get ourselves in the type of physical condition that allows our minds and bodies to do well in all the other areas. Let’s face it; we are wasting a lot of time if we are building a car that our engine cannot handle.

Most conferences on the collegiate level and local chapters on the high school level make sure umpires are fairly well prepared from a rules and mechanics standpoint. However, when it comes to conditioning, we are basically on our own. Furthermore, as more and more seasons go by conditioning becomes even more important. Age and experience are wonderful things for officials, but also lead to more medical and orthopedic problems. And we all know we are more and more likely to cut corners as we grow older. Bottom line: conditioning is vitally important for baseball umpires who want to work at peak performance – and to do so through the whole season. So decide now if you want to keep putting the optional but very important things aside, or whether you are going to pick yourself up and get to work!

Get a Physical

This may sound like the fine print, but it should be a headline: It is extremely important that all umpires complete an annual physical exam and have a physician’s clearance before beginning any conditioning program. See your doctor first! It’s another thing easily shuffled to the bottom of the to-do list (which is often enough where life’s most important tasks lie!).

Aerobic and/or Resistance?

When time is short, people often have to choose only one of the two exercise modes—aerobic (exercises such as jogging, walking, riding a stationary bike, or step classes) or resistance (strength training with free weights or machines). If you choose to do primarily aerobic training, your overall cardiovascular fitness can increase by as much as 30% and your weight loss will be enhanced, but you will not experience a significant increase in strength and muscle mass. If you choose to spend your limited time doing primarily resistance training, your cardio fitness will not significantly increase and you will likely only lose about a quarter pound of scale weight per week.

To achieve the best results, studies have shown that you should combine both aerobic and resistance exercises. Resistance exercises should be done three times a week for twenty to thirty minutes, with a day off in between. The reason you need that day off is to give your muscle tissue the chance to repair. Your “off” days, along with nutritious food and a good night’s sleep, will help rejuvenate your muscles, making them stronger than before.

Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, can be undertaken every day for as many as 45 minutes without harm. This is because aerobics do not tear down muscle tissue, but instead build up your capacity to do more and more of the exercise. While you build cardiovascular capacity you will also substantially increase your muscle strength and overall flexibility. Seek to get as many days as you can with 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic activity.

So what are the overall benefits of following this program of aerobic and resistance exercise? You can expect to lower your resting heart rate, reduce your blood pressure, increase your metabolism, reduce stress levels and substantially reduce abdominal body fat.

A Program Specifically for Baseball Umpires

Your custom program for umpires incorporates circuit, cardiovascular, core, and interval training and should be followed as such:

Circuit Training

In resistance training, alternating between the upper body and the lower body gives you what is called “peripheral heart conditioning” because you are constantly forcing the blood between these two areas, thus improving circulation. By working certain parts of the body and resting others, you also avoid the buildup of fatigue and lactic acid in any particular muscle group. While one part of the body is working, the others are resting.

On days one, three, and five you will do 15 to 20 minutes per day of circuit training, alternating between the upper and lower body. You can do these sessions either in the gym (10 reps using machines or free weights) or at home (10 reps using dumbbells or tubing). As you progress through the program you will be able to add an additional set to each exercise or increase the number of reps with each set. You will have one minute to complete each exercise and then immediately move on to the next exercise.

I would suggest the following circuit exercises for umpires:

Chest press

Leg press

Seated row

Leg curl

Lat pull down

Hip adduction

Hip abduction

Shoulder press

Bicep curl

Tricep press

Lunges (great for those who work the scissors stance behind the plate), OR

Squats (great for those who work the box stance behind the plate)

Cardiovascular Training

Each 15 to 20 minute session of circuit training will be followed by 30 to 50 minutes of cardio training. Whereas circuit training alternates between work and active rest, the cardio training should be a steady state. For the cardio program, the intensity level for men should be at about 50% of your full intensity. For women it should be approximately 40%. “Full intensity” means as hard as you can go. In other words, 50% of a man’s intensity when jogging would mean running half as fast as a full sprint.

Remember, women should do their cardio at a lower rate because studies have shown that women burn greater amounts of fat at low to moderate intensities compared to men. It does not matter what kind of cardio you do — walking outside or on a treadmill, working out on a cross trainer, bicycling, swimming — It just matters that you do it at the proper intensity and for the correct amount of time.

It is due to the steady state of this exercise that it is called the “aerobic,” or fat-burning, part of the program. Since the body’s fat-burning capacity reaches its maximum after twenty minutes of cardio done at the proper level of intensity, 50 minutes gives you 30 minutes of almost pure fat loss. As you become more metabolically fit, you will begin to maximize fat loss earlier in your cardio session.

The importance of cardio training cannot be underestimated. A recent study published by the American College of Sports Medicine has shown that poor cardiovascular health is associated with an increased incidence of type two diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Women are equally at risk.

Core Exercises

On days two, four, and six you will be doing core (mid-body/abdominal) exercises for 10 minutes a day. Each exercise will be comprised of 10 repetitions and you will be allowed a total of one minute for each exercise, divided into doing the exercise with the remainder of the one minute used as active rest (time allowed to get into position for the next exercise). The core exercises should include:

Abdominal crunch

Reverse crunch

Oblique crunch

Bridge

Superman

Opposite arm and leg

Back extension

Ab stretch

Side twist

Core exercises will not only melt inches off your waistline; they will improve your performance in other types of exercise because of increased power and flexibility in the central part of your body. Most men and women who carry abdominal fat suffer from constant pain in their lower back due to structural instability. Core exercises will help you to develop a strong functional pelvic area and live without chronic back aches.

Interval Training

On days two, four, and six you will also be doing 30 minutes of interval training. In this case, your 30 minutes will consist of a 10 minute warm-up, followed by 10 minutes of interval training, followed by a 10 minute cool down.

The interval section of this exercise session will be divided into 10 discreet units of one minute each. Each minute is comprised of 20 seconds of high-intensity work where you are pushing yourself and 40 seconds of lower-intensity work.

The interval training can be done indoors or out, on a treadmill or on the ground. In other words, it is an excellent opportunity to get a workout that is sport-specific. For baseball umpires, the 20 seconds of high-intensity work should duplicate your sprinting from home plate or first base to your play. Then use the 40 seconds of lower-intensity work to duplicate walking or jogging back to be ready for the next pitch. On a treadmill this can be done with 20 seconds of sprint work followed by 40 seconds of light jogging. If done outdoors, you can actually duplicate the actions you would be doing on the field. This might be a good time to get in some pivots, as well, but work into pivots slowly so you don’t twist or pull something, and remember the pivot must always be preceded by slowing yourself enough that you can make the turn. Another option is to mimic going out on a deep fly ball.

Important Points of Emphasis for All Exercise Sessions:

Stretch! It is very important to note that each workout day should include a stretching program in order to maintain or increase your overall flexibility.

Always warm up your muscles first with five or ten minutes of light activity. Follow this warm up with a stretching session.

Lift moderate weights. When you are using a machine, lift only the amount of weight you can comfortably lift 10 times within 20 seconds. Maintain correct body positioning. The most efficient position for the body while doing resistance training is one in which the spine is in a neutral position with a slight degree of straightening in the thoracic region (upper chest).

Don’t forget to breathe. Keeping respiration going will keep your blood pressure from rising. You should exhale during the part of the exercise that requires the greatest effort and inhale while returning to your original position. In other words, depending on the exercise, inhale when you extend and exhale on the way back in; inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

Complete all repetitions. If you are doing circuit exercises and the amount of weight you are using becomes heavy, stop the set, reduce the weight, and continue until you have completed the set of repetitions.

Stay hydrated. Make sure that you carry a bottle of water with you when exercising and take frequent drinks. You will want to drink at least one-half and as much as one entire 1.5 liter bottle of water per hour of workout time.

Always cool down. Finish your workout with a cool down to decrease your pulse and breathing rates. During this cool down period you would be well advised to perform another stretching session which will help in retaining the flexibility improvements you have accomplished during this session.

With adherence to a good exercise program you will eat better, sleep better, and best of all, perform better on the field. You’ll thank yourself when you feel like jogging to the car after seven or nine innings, or your partner asks how you got into such great position on the play that ended the game. Stick to it and you will never ever want to give up your exercise program!

Kent Biggerstaff is a certified athletic trainer and clinic director for Performance Orthotics in his hometown of Pittsburgh, and is a PGA Tour Fitness Specialist. He was the trainer for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 21 years.