Effects of a Long-Term Fitness Program on Professional Baseball Players

In brief: Players on a major league baseball team underwent physical fitness testing over a seven-year period (1981 to 1987). The purpose was to evaluate fitness status and design individualized conditioning programs for both the off-and in-seasons based on the test results. Body composition, flexibility, aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, and muscle strength and power were evaluated. Results indicated that baseball players are highly skilled athletes whose muscle strength and anaerobic power are excellent, whose flexibility is better than average, but whose aerobic capacity is low. A comprehensive conditioning and education program produced significant improvements. It also increased the players' awareness of the importance of a healthy life-style.