Jaguars softball team training through non-traditional workouts
UHV using combination of weights, meditation to prepare for season
University of Houston-Victoria pitcher Tasha Rotramel goes through a BodyPump workout on Wednesday. Rotramel, a senior pitcher, is coming off a season where she threw two no-hitters and said the team's new workouts are a fun shakeup from the usually routines of softball practice.
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One tones and conditions. The other helps with concentration and balance. Both caused confusion when University of Houston-Victoria softball coach Keri Lambeth told her team what they would be doing on Wednesdays this fall.
"Every time you try to do something new, it makes you a little nervous to see how they're going to accept it," said Lambeth, who has the Jaguars taking BodyPump and BodyFlow classes at the DeTar Health Center. "I think they're enjoying it and will benefit from it this year."
Coming off a 35-win season, one may ask why a change was needed, but Lambeth sees many advantages the workouts can provide. In BodyPump, workouts are conducted through choreographed weight training. The program works on core strength and adds strength training to aerobic workouts. BodyFlow, on the other hand, works on concentration and breathing through a structure of stretches, moves and poses in a holistic workout.
In other words, not your typical softball practices.
"I think this will help us with our focus and our balance in softball," said first-year UHV first baseman Courtney Pettit. "We are able to come in here and still work but at the same time it's relaxing and restores our body. You need the balance on the field and at the plate so I think this could help us."
Tasha Rotramel, who threw two no-hitters last season and was an NAIA honorable all-mention selection, said she's embracing the Wednesday afternoon workouts.
"We are working on our balance in BodyFlow and our mental game," Rotramel said. "We are relaxed and have time to think about the game and what we need to improve on. It's good too because we do it on a Wednesday where we are sore from two days of practice and we come in here to get ready for more regular softball practice. It's a lot of balancing and other things we usually don't do, instead of just running around and throwing the ball around. "
The Jaguars will continue to workout throughout this semester and return to practice after the new year. Lambeth said the team runs in the mornings and practices in the afternoons every day, with voluntary workouts on Fridays. BodyFlow and BodyPump classes will continue for the Jaguars until the end of the semester and seem to be helping the team get in playing shape and keeping them mentally intrigued.
"I think it's good to break things up and get variations of exercises," Lambeth said. "It's a great way to work on core strengthening. BodyFlow and BodyPump are great ways to do that. These classes are also a great way to help prevent injuries.
"We're having fun with it."
