Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber had a down year in 2017 – he even spent some time in the minors after having struggled during the summer.

After the season, Schwarber decided that he would do whatever he could during the off-season to prepare for the 2018 season – and it began by getting his body in the best shape possible.

His mornings begin in the gym and end with him swinging a bat. In between, his diet has morphed into the most healthy of his career.

I’d highly recommend you check out each video on the ESPN site here…..

The video/article gives perfect examples of specific drills that Schwarber does to get himself ready for the 2018 season.

Of course, Kyle is a professional athlete and has the time and resources to make this happen (and I completely understand that most youth and high-school players do not) – but don’t miss the point here.

Schwarber has a detailed plan and sticks to it months prior to the season.  He’s set goals for himself and will not be denied.

It’s this mindset and willingness to plan ahead that will put him in the best position to succeed next season.

Do you have a plan to get ready for 2018?  Strengthening, conditioning, flexibility, as well as skill related work?

There are plenty of options online to help you get started – you can click here for my Lending Coach site under the “Baseball” category to find more training related articles and blog posts.