Exercise | Saaga Markkanen trains in a way that is forbidden to others: “I would like a hundred bench”

from Helsinki Roihuttar’s players light up when the beater joker Saga Markkanen begins his routine that is forbidden to others.

Markkanen says that he likes strength training. The bench press is especially close to his heart.

“In our team, it’s a bit like an insider’s thing, because I really like to cheat. Only batter jokers are allowed to bowl, because it is not good for the bowlers,” he says.

The 21-year-old baseball player enjoys a fruit forbidden to the rest of the team so often that it has also become a subject of jokes in the dressing room.

“My number one maximum from last winter is 87.5 kilos. I would like to bench a hundred, but I don’t do anything with it,” laughs Markkanen.

“But I would like it and I will try it. Little by little.”

“

“Only batter jokers are allowed to pitch, because it’s not good for pitchers.”

Game season during the period, the rattling of the irons will be less. In the summer, training mainly consists of preparatory or restorative exercises.

The two-hour sessions before the matches consist of a warm-up, basic pipes, i.e. hitting repetitions, and going through patterns related to the opponent, such as game situations.

“Certain players train very specifically, while in the winter they practice everything extensively and try to develop speed, strength and physical qualities in a variety of ways.”

Markkanen says that he trains several times a week twice a day in the winter. The training program is individualized according to the needs of the playing field.

“We differentiate a lot of training depending on where you play.”

“For example, I throw a lot less than the same players who play the outside game and I hit a lot more than the players in the back nine,” he adds.

In repetition training Markkanen hits 100–200 times.

“It’s not the quantity, but the fact that each repetition is high-quality and able to maintain the level throughout training,” he says and adds that there will eventually be a little repetition in team training.

“You usually have to do them on your own time or they are programmed into weekly programs so that others have another workout and I go to hit them then.”

Roihuttari’s batting jokers often pass to each other in batting practice. Sometimes Markkanen also goes to practice with his father.

“He is my regular locker. We have trained together for many summers,” says Markkanen and adds that his father also inspired him to do strength training.

Training locations vary from the summer Roihuvuori baseball field to the winter training locations at Myllypuro Pallomylly, the Urhea campus or Porolahti school halls.

“

“It’s not the quantity, it’s the quality of each repetition.”

Markkanen debuted as a player in the women’s Superpesis around the middle of May and immediately hit two runs at the Vallikentä in Hamina.

A young woman rose to the main league level as a nest judge already last season in the women’s and this season in the men’s Superpesis.

“I was in the ring last year and I played in the winter, and then the ice age was investigated until June. This season, I’m not allowed to be in the women’s Super Pes at all,” he says.

Judging gives Markkanen a lot. A woman aiming to become a match or pass referee at the Superpesis level says that refereeing is much more beneficial than harmful.

“My knowledge of the rules is at a pretty good level. It has surprised me how poorly the players know the rules on a general level,” says Markkanen.

“As a referee, you learn to look at even fast situations a little differently and find possible obstacles and other things.”

As a player Markkanen doesn’t waste energy yelling at the judges. He started the sport at the age of 12, refereed at a young age and knows that appeals do not change decisions.

“Even less do I want to change a solution if someone starts talking about it behind my back,” he says.

“As a judge, I understand how little interest there is in listening when that comment usually comes with such emotion.”

As a judge, Markkanen remembers having a special discussion Juho Hacklinin with. Until last year, Hacklin played in Kouvola’s Pallonlyöji and now in Joensuu’s Maila.

“We talked in Kankaanpää in the triple nest several times. He had a different opinion on the matter, that’s fine.”

“This season, someone shouted something to me in Hamina, that there is always white for the home team,” he continues, referring to the sign of getting to the nest.

“

“Even less do I want to change a solution if someone starts talking about it behind my back.”

Long ones and steady-paced running runs, long stretches or other speed endurance exercises are not among Markkanen’s favorite workouts because of their acidity.

“They are mentally quite heavy and therefore perhaps the most unpleasant, but of course they are always done anyway.”

Physical training is particularly tasty in Lapland, where Markkanen goes hiking in the fall.

“There, I’ve run along the slopes for a few pulls and such,” he says.

Markkanen, who is studying to be a teacher, says that he enjoys being close to nature and adds that he does not identify as a city dweller, even though he has lived in the capital region all his life.

“I really like being in nature. Somehow the fact that you can just camp, listen to the sounds of nature and fall asleep there is so different from this basic life.”

This story series tells about the athletes’ summer training.