Girls JV/Varsity Softball Strength and Conditioning Program
Sample Strength and Conditioning Program
Notes:
This program is based on a 3 day a week periodization weight training regimen. This program is
only 1 facet of the overall off-season conditioning program that a varsity athlete should be
participating in for maximum results. Student athletes should also participate in cardiovascular
activity at least 2-3 times a week and a plyometric (explosive movement) routine at least 1 time a
week.
Athletes should perform 2 sets of each exercise with a rep. range of 10-12 where muscle failure is
reached on the 10 or 12 reps for two weeks. After the initial two weeks athletes should perform a
rep range of 6-8 reps with heavier weight and should reach muscle failure between 6-8 reps.
Alternate this rep. sequence every two weeks. The goal is to steadily increase the weight used in
small increments. Athletes should use a 3 second eccentric (lowering) motion, a 1 second pause,
and a 1 second explosive concentric (raising) motion for all exercises. In between sets athletes
should allow for a 1 min. rest / recovery period. For each muscle group we will focus on
explosive power movements that we will perform every week. You will additionally perform
auxiliary exercises for each muscle group. These exercises you will pick and rotate every other
week depending on the previous weeks’ exercises, and the equipment available to you on that
day.

The importance of a healthy well balanced diet, and consuming an adequate amount of
calories to support a rigorous strength and conditioning program cannot be stressed
enough.

Although I have not included any stretching in this program, you should stretch each
muscle group trained after every workout. This will help decrease the chance of injury
during your season.

Recovery is the key! Get adequate sleep (at least 8 hours), eat a healthy well-balanced
meal every 3 hours (protein, carbohydrate, and fruit or veggie), and drink plenty of water.

It is recommended that you keep a workout log to make sure that for each set of each
exercise either the # of reps or the weight is increased progressively from week to week.
Day 1
Chest / Triceps / Calves/ Abs
1 – 10 minute warm up on machine of your choice
2 – Chest:
a. Chest press machine or dumb bell press (2 sets)
b. Fly machine or dumb bell flies (2 sets)
c. Pushups to failure
3 – 5 minutes of cardio
4 – Triceps
a. Overhead rope extension superset with pull downs (2 sets)
b. Dumb bell kick backs (2 sets)
c. Dips (2 sets)
5 – 5 minutes of cardio
6 – Abs (3 sets of each, rotate exercises with no break)
a. 50 crunches
b. Medicine ball twist on floor (25)
c. Leg lifts on floor (20)
7 – Calves (2 sets)
a. Calve raises (20 on smith machine and 20 with no weights)
8 – 10 minutes agility or plyometrics (see Coach Bergman or list at the end of the packet)
Day 2
Shoulders / Legs/Calves/Abs
1 - 10 minute warm up on machine of your choice
2 – Shoulders
a. Shoulder press with dumb bells or machine press (2 sets)
b. Superset front raises and lateral raises (2 sets)
c. Shrugs (2 sets)
3 – 5 minutes of cardio
4 – Legs
a. Leg extensions (2 sets)
b. Leg curls (2 sets)
c. Leg press machine (2 sets)
5 – 5 minutes of cardio
6 – Legs
a. Lunges (2 sets)
b. Step ups (2 sets of 20)
7
– Abs
a. 50 crunches
b. Medicine ball twist on floor (25)
c. Leg lifts on floor (20)
8
- 10 minutes agility or plyometrics (see Coach Bergman or list at the end of the packet)
Day 3
Back / Biceps / Abs
1 - 10 minute warm up on machine of your choice
2 – Back
a. Pull downs with machine (2 sets)
b. Pull ups (2 sets)
3 – Lower back
a. Back extensions (2 sets of 15)
b. Back extensions on floor (2 sets of 15)
4 – 5 minutes of cardio
5 – Biceps
a. Dumb bell curls pyramid (4 different weights going up and down)
b. Machine curls (2 sets)
c. Barbell curls (2 sets)
6 – Calves
a. Calve raises using smith machine (10 regular, 10 inner, 10 outer) (2 sets)
7 – Abs
a. 50 crunches
b. Medicine ball twist on floor (25)
c. Leg lifts on floor (20)
8 - 10 minutes agility or plyometrics (see Coach Bergman or list at the end of the packet)
SPEED DEVELOPMENT
Factors you can control that will contribute to your ability to run fast:
Eliminate excess body fat
Strengthen muscles used to run
Develop your flexibility
Refine stance/starting techniques
Develop proper running technique
Develop a level of fitness so you can maintain speed and quickness
PRACTICE RUNNING FAST, Repetition, repetition, repetition.
Basic Speed, Agility, and Plyometrics
Speed Drills (See Coach Bergman for More)
Acceleration Drills - (Jog 20 yards then explode to full speed for the remaining 40)
Hill sprints - (find a hill that is approximately 20 to 30 yards long and sprint up it, walk back
down)
Stadium Stairs – (Sprint up the stairs of the grandstand of your football field, walk down)
Weighted sleds – (Sprint practicing perfect form with a weighted sled in tow)
Pyramid sprints – (Sprint 10,20,30,40,50,40,30,20,10 yards with minimal rest)
Gassers – (sprint from one wall to half court then back to starting position then to the far wall and
back to start)
Plyometrics (See Coach Bergman for More)
Box Jumps (Jump up to the top of a 24in or higher box and back down) sets of 25
Short box jumps (Jump up to top of an 8 in box and back down as fast as possible) 100 reps
Single leg hops (jump with 1 leg to top of 8-16 hold for 2 sec. then back down to floor with same
leg and hold for 2 sec.)
High Knees (full court)
Butt Kickers (full court)
Squat jumps (Jump and slap as high on the backboard as possible) sets of at least 10
Double leg bound
Single leg bound
Agility Drills (See Coach Bergman for More)
Lane Shuffle (Move laterally back and fourth from 1 side of the lane to the other as fast as
possible for 20 sec.)
Around the lane (Sprint to the end of the lane move laterally across the foul line backpedal to the
baseline and move laterally to the starting position)
Ladder Drills (with agility ladder) high knees, side shuffle, icky shuffle, quick feet, bounding for
height, bounding for distance, slalom, switch foot, single leg, double leg, etc.
Shuttle runs (lay on back with head on foul line, sprint to midcourt then to baseline behind you
then back to foul line)
Illinois agility
T- Drills- Sprint to middle side shuffle to right cone then left cone back to middle then back
peddle to start)
Speed hurdles- High knees, weave in and out, bounding both feet, bounding single leg, side
shuffle, both feet in, 1 leg in, etc)
Jump rope (excellent for lower leg strength and coordination, both feet, 1 foot at a time, for
speed, for height)