Off Season programs

[UmpIowa]

With the season ending for many of us soon I was wondering what everyone does to stay in shape both physically and mentally. 

I do light weight training and cardio year round,  but after my first games behind the plate each year I feel it. 

Also, each year I notice my reactions are a bit slower and it takes me longer to shake off the rust. 

How do you prepare for the season. It is not like we get scrimmages like the players do to get prepared,  when I do I am expected to be ready to go by the coaches and fan .

Just curious as to what others do.

[conbo61]

Ending? Do you not have summer programs in your area?  My HS season ended about two weeks ago and our summer leagues are just starting up.

[kylehutson]

Truthfully, I do very little in the off-season, but I work on a college campus and have to do a lot of walking year-round.

To address your second part - the biggest thing I do is start a couple of weeks before the season doing (no-weight) squats and lunges. If I don't, my thighs kill me after my first game behind the plate. I start with a relatively small number (25-50) and work my way up to 200-250 before the first game.

[VAUmp]

Who umpires the scrimmages?  If the schools where you are don't normally have scrimmages umpired, I bet they'd love it if you volunteered.

 

We are required to work three scrimmages each year to be eligible for high school assignments.

[maineump]

My season generally goes from March to October.

My off-season workout includes shoveling snow, and more shoveling of snow. Had a great off-season workout this past year.

Oh, I referee hockey too for the cardio part

[RingEmUp]

My season generally goes from March to October.

My off-season workout includes shoveling snow, and more shoveling of snow. Had a great off-season workout this past year.

Oh, I referee hockey too for the cardio part

​Well, I don't have to shovel snow in sunny San Diego but I do referee ice hockey year round.

[maineump]

​Well, I don't have to shovel snow in sunny San Diego but I do referee ice hockey year round.

​They use ice for more than drinks in San Diego?

[Mudder]

​Well, I don't have to shovel snow in sunny San Diego but I do referee ice hockey year round.

​Can always tell you southern types who insist on calling it "Ice" Hockey, but if you ref it I'd figure you'd have dropped the "Ice" by now

[RingEmUp]

​Can always tell you southern types who insist on calling it "Ice" Hockey, but if you ref it I'd figure you'd have dropped the "Ice" by now

​Well, we have a lot of inline hockey here too so I am just used to not dropping "ice" seeing that I am always having to explain the differences between the two. 

[Tksjewelry]

Baseball season isn't over here until late July, then a small break before weekend only fallball for a month or so. After that, I ref a small hockey league once a week after baseball season ends. I'm really only there to keep the cocktails off the ice and make sure they are passing to the women players. I got the gig because they found out I was off during the daytime (when they play) and that I could skate well. One of my recent partners is really wanting me to come into ref volleyball in his association, which I'll probably do. Heck, I know about as much about volleyball as I did about baseball when I started. 

I also have a small elliptical that I use at home during the winter. I get on and watch a movie on my tablet. 

[ZebraStripes]

I do football and basketball.  Though I have been getting baseball/softball into November.

[Majordave]

Stairmaster and sprints with pivots will help with your quads and hamstrings. 

[Cav]

I work out year-round, both physically and mentally.

Physically, I focus on the muscle groups I use while umpiring:

• Several reps of elbow bends over long periods of time;
• Repeatedly stepping on and off the bathroom scales;
• Tracking flashes of white (or red or black or any number of pastels) with my eyes without moving my head;
• Holding my breath for long periods of time while emptying out my gear and uniform bag; and,
• Driving all over Hell's half-acre.

Mentally, I step it up a few levels during the off-season to get my cardio in:

• Read the news;
• Listen to Rush;
• Watch most anything on TV; and,
• Pay the bills.

 

[Rich Ives]

​Can always tell you southern types who insist on calling it "Ice" Hockey, but if you ref it I'd figure you'd have dropped the "Ice" by now

​We have both ice hockey and field hockey in HS here in NY.