HOUSTON – Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña is in a crucial offseason, before his third year for the Astros. Peña has seen the highest of highs - winning both ALCS & World Series MVP and becoming the first rookie shortstop to win a Gold Glove - and some lows in his first two major league seasons. Much of Peña’s offseason has been spent on swing adjustments that should help balance his home run power (26 combined in 2022), and his 2023 improvements to his batting average, walk rate and strikeout rate.
One thing that hasn’t changed in the offseason is Peña’s dedication to the weight room, where the once-skinny shortstop bulked up in college, and as a big leaguer boasts one of MLB’s most impressive (and most famous) physiques. Peña is listed at 6-foot-0, 202 pounds, which is the size of an NFL safety (Jalen Pitre of the Texans is listed at 5-foot-11, 198 pounds.)
Peña’s offseason location moves among Houston, Florida, Rhode Island and the Dominican Republic, but he always finds time for guided workouts to get his body ready for the season. This offseason, his time in Houston has been spent at Dynamic Sports Training, with trainer Hayden Letts.
Letts guided Peña and myself through Jeremy’s offseason workout to show the difficulty of strength and maintenance for a professional athlete. This particular day was an upper body day.
THE WORKOUT
Warmup
1) 500m row in less than 2min30sec to elevate heart rate, and increase blood flow and muscle temperature
2) Hurdle Hip Mobility Series dynamic warmup to mobilize the hips through all movements: flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, and internal/external rotation.
Above is the trainer’s notes.
Jeremy’s Note: “I thought you were an athlete, dawg.” - to me, struggling to have the proper coordination for the hip mobility series.
Testing
Force Plate Countermovement Jump (CMJ): 4+ reps
Trainer’s Note: Force Plate jumps are a comprehensive lower body test. We use them to measure all aspects of lower body performance: jump height, force output, power output, etc., but we can also use them to assess athlete readiness each day, or measure Left/Right differences during return-to-play/rehab progressions.
Trainer’s Note: The average for pro baseball players in the force jump at DST is 18.31″ - Peña got a personal best of 21.33″ - while I hit 14.72″ - as you can see, Jeremy is above average in athleticism and explosiveness.
Ari’s Note: Feel like I didn’t embarrass myself here!
Jeremy’s Note: Jeremy wore a Bugs Bunny Astros shirt for this. It may or may not have helped with his hops.
Main Lift
1) DB Single Arm Bench Press: 4 sets of 4 reps on each arm, 3 second isometric (pause at the bottom of each rep). 75lbs, 80lbs, 85lbs, 85lbs
2) Medicine Ball Partner Assisted Linear T-Throw: 4 sets of 3 reps on each arm. 10lbs for all 4 sets
3) Kettle Bell Side-Lying Arm Bar w/ Hip Rotation: 4 sets of 6 reps each side. 22lbs, 26lbs, 26lbs, 26lbs
Trainer’s Note: Heavy unilateral pressing allows us to train one arm at a time, while simultaneously training anti-rotation (the ability to resist rotation). Adding an isometric tempo allows us to develop more strength and stability in deeper ranges of motion. The medicine ball throw is a potentiation exercise, meaning we use it to increase nervous system activation and power output. The KB arm bar is a mobility exercise, focusing on shoulder stability and thoracic rotation.
Secondary Lift
1) Landmine Half Kneeling Counter Rotation Press: 3 sets of 6—I Iso on each side (6 second hold on first rep, 5 second hold on second rep, etc.). 25lbs, 25lbs, 35lbs -
2) Dumbbell Incline Row: 3 sets of 6–1 Iso. 70lbs, 75lbs, 75lbs -
3) Medicine Ball Overhead Setup Throw: 3 sets of 3 reps. 8lbs for all 3 sets.
Trainer’s Note: The LM Counter Rotation Press and DB Incline Row with an isometric tempo again emphasizes strength and stability in end ranges of motion. The counter rotation aspect of the Landmine Press also challenges the athlete’s thoracic rotation and hip internal rotation. The MB situp throw is used as a potentiation exercise for trunk flexion/extension and the muscles responsible for shoulder extension: (lats, posterior deltoid, and teres major)
Ari’s Note: Jeremy was able to 1-hop the medicine ball in the perfect spot every time. I...was not.
Auxiliary Lift
1) TRX Neutral Grip Bicep Curl Iso: 2 sets of 30 seconds
2) Prone 90/90 Shoulder External Rotation Iso: 2 sets of 30 seconds each arm. 8lbs for both sets
Trainer’s Note: Extensive yielding isometric exercises are beneficial for muscular endurance and joint/connective tissue health.
Post-Lift Mobility
1) Keiser Assisted Quadruped Thoracic Rotation: 2 sets of 10 reps each side. 20lbs for each side
2) Backward Baby Crawl - Hips Elevated: 2 sets of 20yds
Trainer’s Note: Keiser Assisted Quadruped Thoracic Rotation improves thoracic mobility by using weight to pull you into deeper ranges of motion. Crawling variations are great for shoulder strength and stability. By crawling backwards with the hips elevated, we are emphasizing deep controlled scapular upward rotation to improve/maintain overhead range of motion through the shoulder.
Ari’s Note: I could not do the baby crawl well AT ALL.
Jeremy’s Note: “That crawl is no joke.”
OFFSEASON ADJUSTMENTS
Peña also talked about the swing adjustments he’s making this offseason that he teased at FanFest.
“I want to simplify things, being quiet with the hands, being efficient and not really just relying on the athleticism,” said Peña. “Last year was a season of a lot of learning, and I learned a lot about my self and my swing. We’ve made some adjustments and it’s like having a new toy, and I can’t wait to play with it.”