The San Diego Union Tribune: “Aligning the Stars”

Aligning the stars seeking balance

Padres’ Hoffman, goes unconventional

By Tom Krasovic
STAFF WRITER
March 6, 2006

Trevor Hoffman, the master of the change-up, threw his body a change-up after his baseball season ended last fall. The longtime Padres closer switched to a new and thus inherently spooky workout program that he said has restored balance and alignment to his universe. Devoting nearly four months to postural improvement via deep-breathing exercises and hyperattentive technique, Hoffman worked imbalances out of his torso and legs caused by more than a decade of pitching. Hoffman could’ve chosen to stick to his trusty conditioning routine, but after consulting with Liba Placek, an athletic trainer in Del Mar, and several of the professional athletes she has trained, Hoffman set aside a workout program that he considered critical to his longevity and decorated career.