Respiratory training is on an upward trend in many different sports, and MLB players are taking note. Even though baseball wouldn’t strike you as one of the most demanding sports when it comes to conditioning, building stamina and developing your respiratory system will make a difference on the field. Training Mask is one of the best devices you can use to work on your breathing, and is catching on amongst pro baseball players.
Henderson Alvarez, Major League Baseball player for the Florida Marlins is using the Training Mask during his prep.
“I feel strange to have it on and stuff like that, but I just use it to work out and to train”
Right-handed reliever Preston Claiborne is another teammate player who’s seeing the benefits of using Training Mask.
“It exhausts you a little bit quicker. Like I said, being conscientious of how fast you move is paramount.”
He is an asthmatic and started using Training Mask during his weight training which last around 45 minutes. Then he started using Training Mask during his cardio sessions with the goal of improving his lung capacity and perform better on the field.
Claiborne’s approach is to use the Training Mask on a mild air resistance setting for a few weeks and then add more resistance to it. This is a perfect start for any athlete because it allows your respiratory system and your whole body for that matter, to accommodate and develop a tolerance.
You want to progressively overload your lungs with more and more resistance as they get used to it. It’s the same as in any other sport or physical activity, regardless if you’re a professional or an amateur. Alvarez couldn’t have said it better:
“Right now I’m just using it to try it out, to see how I feel… (It’s) a little bit tough to breathe with it, but the more you use it, the more comfortable you get with it.”
How to use the Training Mask for Baseball Training
We already got a glimpse of how the pro baseball athletes are using the Training Mask in their workouts, but if you are looking for a full routine, you might want to give this one a try. For optimal results we recommend using the Training Mask in your workouts for at least 3 to 4 months.
Warm-up
Treadmill incline walking for 25 minutes as follows:
- First 15 minutes at about 70% of your VO2 max
- Last 10 minutes at about 80% of your VO2 max
You can adjust either your incline walking speed or air resistance setting in order to get to the right VO2 max value.
Actual workout
Do any high intensity physical activity of your choice for 5 sets of 10 minutes each as follows:
- First 5 minutes at about 85-90% of your VO2 max
- Last 5 minutes at about 60-70% of your VO2 max
The resting time between each set should be around 3-5 minutes. Just as instructed for the warm-up, you can make adjustments to the intensity of your workout by either playing around with the settings of the Training Mask or by adjusting the pace in order to get to the specified VO2 max.
Cool-down
Cool down can be some treadmill running or walking for about 10-15 minutes at a VO2 max of 50-60%, while wearing the Training Mask on an easy air resistance setting.
Feel free to experiment with different type of routines, different intensities and different workout volumes. As long as you start off slowly and progressively use more difficult air resistance settings you will improve your cardio-vascular conditioning and your overall performance.
