Being Good Isn't Enough
unfortunate but true
Being good isn't enough.
It’s not.
It's always been said that sometimes it isn't good enough to just be skilled at something, that sometimes in order for things to work out you need to be “lucky” or somehow be in “the right place at the right time” and this may be true for a lot of things, but that isn't the purpose of this article.
This article is about how form technique and skill aren't enough to reach the highest level, its not about being the most skilled or about having the absolute best technique
It's simply about being *The Best*
So many times I hear kids talk about how good they are for someone of their height, or their body weight.
Maybe they say something about how good they are “pound for pound”.
Well… this aint boxing.
And it really doesn't matter at all how good you are pound for pound, because if someone is 50 pounds heavier than you, they don't have to be nearly as skilled.
We aren't talking about height.
I get it
You can't control how tall your parents are and you can't change what draw you got in the genetic lottery.
But you can control your body weight.
It is without a doubt one of the most simple factors you can take control of today in order to help yourself be a better and more powerful athlete. The adjective “powerful” is always something you want to have attached to a description of you as a baseball player, strength and power are some of the most coveted traits in baseball players regardless of the position they play.
Here is a short story about my development.
I was always blessed with height I am 6’5 right now and in 8th grade i was 6’2
But in 8th grade I was 130 pounds.
I vividly remember telling myself “Man if i can get to 150 pounds I will be a MONSTER”
Lol.
What a funny thought.
Unfortunately I was about 100 pounds and 3-5 inches from that being the truth. I know it sounds crazy, but in professional baseball the people who really get viewed as physically imposing are pushing 230-250.
In my first year of pro ball I was 6’5 225 and I remember a ton of times I felt small while on the field or in the dugout.
Don't believe me? The average MLB first baseman is over 220 pounds. *Average*
Source: The Esteemed Jomboy Media Twitter LINK HERE
“Of course they are big, they’re major leaguers”
Well yeah, but generally major leaguers are the most skilled players on the planet, so not only are they the most skilled they can possibly be, but they are also pretty dang strong and powerful.
It's likely that you aren’t more skilled than the players in the major leagues, but I'll humor you.
Even if you were someone more technically skilled than a major leaguer, it's probably by a smallest of margins because they are as close to maxed out as you can be.
Do you think you will be better than him if you are 200 pounds and your competition is 225?
What if you are only 190?
Here's the thing, in the scope of high school athletics both the 200 pound athlete and the 190 pound athlete are generally pretty big, but to be “strong” or “powerful” by High level College or Professional standards: you'll need more.
Here's some more info on bodyweight by professional baseball standards.
The good News:
Gaining weight is pure math, if you intake more calories than you burn you will gain weight.
I know I know, it’s hard. I never said it was hard.
I just said it was simple.
If you know anything about me, you know that I like to keep it simple.
But, you always know you can count on me to give you the nitty gritty anyway.
Here we go:
First think you need to calculate basal metabolic rate (how many calories you burn daily at rest)
Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
For males: BMR = 10 x weight (in kg) + 6.25 x height (in cm) - 5 x age (in years) + 5
For females: BMR = 10 x weight (in kg) + 6.25 x height (in cm) - 5 x age (in years) - 161
Determine Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE):
Sedentary (little or no exercise): TDEE = BMR x 1.2
Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): TDEE = BMR x 1.375
Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): TDEE = BMR x 1.55
Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week): TDEE = BMR x 1.725
Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job): TDEE = BMR x 1.9
Calculate Caloric Surplus for Weight Gain:
To gain weight, aim for a caloric surplus of 250-500 calories per day.
Final Calculation for Weight Gain Calories:
Calories for weight gain = TDEE + caloric surplus
Here's an example using a hypothetical male high school athlete:
Weight: 70 kg
Height: 175 cm
Age: 17 years
Activity Level: Moderately active (1.55)
Calculate BMR:
BMR = 10 x 70 + 6.25 x 175 - 5 x 17 + 5
BMR = 700 + 1093.75 - 85 + 5
BMR = 1713.75 calories per day
Calculate TDEE:
TDEE = BMR x Activity Level
TDEE = 1713.75 x 1.55
TDEE = 2656.8125 calories per day (approximately 2657 calories)
Determine Caloric Surplus:
Aim for a 250-500 calorie surplus per day. Let's use 300 calories for this example.
Calculate Calories for Weight Gain:
Calories for weight gain = TDEE + Caloric Surplus
Calories for weight gain = 2657 + 300
Calories for weight gain = 2957 calories per day
Therefore, in this example, the high school athlete should consume approximately 2957 calories per day to achieve a healthy weight gain of around 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week. Adjustments can be made based on individual goals, progress, and activity levels.
I know the tendency is to think “I am an athlete, i have to eat clean”
This is crazy advice but i swear you are better off eating a little junk food but meeting your caloric needs.
Even if it means some mcdonalds, or some ice cream.
Or both.
Rip it.
John