6 weeks · 3x / week · High School
Baseball First Step & Base Speed
Six weeks for outfielders and base stealers: read, break, and cover ground in the first three steps, where the play is actually decided.
How to run it
- The first three steps decide a stolen base and a gap ball. Everything here is 30 yards or shorter and fully recovered.
- Half of the reps must be reactive — you break on something you see, not on your own count.
- Never run this block on tired legs the day after a doubleheader. Move the day instead.
Springbak® note
First-step force goes straight into dirt and turf. Install Springsoles under your cleat insoles before the week 1 timing and keep them in for every retest so the surface is the constant.
Shop SpringsolesThe goal
Cut 0.15s off home-to-first and improve first-step reaction on a coach's break signal.
How it progresses
Phase 1 · Weeks 1-2
Crossover and drop-step mechanics at controlled speed.
Phase 2 · Weeks 3-4
Reactive breaks on a partner cue, sprints to 30 yards.
Phase 3 · Weeks 5-6
Game-speed reads, base-running finishes, retest week 6.
What you test
- Home to first
- Two timed runs from a right-handed and left-handed box, full recovery.
- 10-yard split
- From a secondary lead stance. This is the number a first step moves.
- Pro agility (5-10-5)
- Two attempts each direction, record the best.
What you need
- Open 40 yards
- Stopwatch
- Cones
- Partner for reaction cues
The week
Day 1
Break mechanics
Drop-step starts
6 x 10 yd per side
Crossover to sprint
6 x 15 yd
Wall drives
3 x 10s per leg
Split squats
3 x 6 per leg
Day 2
Reactive speed
Partner-call breaks
React to hand, not voice
8 x 10 yd
Secondary lead to steal
6 reps
Flying 20s
4 reps
Pogo hops
4 x 10
Day 3
Change of direction
5-10-5 shuttle
6 reps, full recovery
Outfield angle reads
8 reps on a thrown ball
Lateral bounds
4 x 6 per side
Calf iso holds
3 x 30s
Questions about this block
Cleats or turf shoes?
Test in what you play in and keep it identical across all three test days. Mixed footwear invalidates the comparison.
Can position players run this with lifting?
Yes — lift after the running on the same days, two sessions a week.
Run this next
Build your next block
Tell us your sport, the number you want to move next, and the date of your first competition. We re-rank the program library against those answers and show you why each block placed where it did.
Off-season · Nothing to protect on the weekend, so this is where the heavy, high-volume blocks belong.
Best match · 6 weeks · 3x / week
Speed & Acceleration
Cut 0.10-0.15s off a 40-yard dash by improving push-off angle and ground contact quality.
Why this fits · We ranked this here because it was written for Baseball and speed work is exactly what belongs in off-season.
- Written for Baseball
- Fits off-season
Option 2 · 8 weeks · 3x / week
Baseball Rotational Velocity
Add 3-5 mph of exit velocity by improving ground force through the back foot and sequencing into the swing.
Why this fits · We ranked this here because it was written for Baseball.
- Written for Baseball
Option 3 · 5 weeks · 3x / week
Change of Direction
Cut harder and re-accelerate sooner — a faster pro-agility and a cleaner plant under fatigue.
Why this fits · We ranked this here because it was written for Baseball.
- Written for Baseball