Gone are the days of big, soft baseball players watching daisies grow on the field or sitting on the bench waiting for a quick turn at bat. Modern pros are highly-trained and in peak condition.
Today’s big league players impress with the speed of the swing, agility on the bases, power on the mound and strength behind the plate. To get that fit, try adding these exercises to your workouts.
Sprint strength on the bases: If you want to get down to first on a dribbler, you need to be able to sprint. By adding a focus on this often-overlooked training area, the hip flexors, you’ll be building the strength you need to run short distances faster. In fact, it’s been said Usain Bolt has incredibly thick hip flexors unlike any you’ve ever seen.
Explosive power for the catcher: Plyometric movements are powerful, “push off” movements that require a swift burst of strength. Catchers need to do a lot of hard throwing, fast, as well as jumping up out of a squat and lunging to tag an on-coming runner.
Rotation with the bat: Your core strength and stability comes into play during most sporting performances, but there’s an extra level of need when it comes to rotational movements such as swinging a baseball bat. Focus on the obliques at the cable machine.
Shoulder work for the throwing arm: Shoulders are already one of the weaker joints in the human body, and for a baseball player, the wear and tear on the throwing arm can be detrimental. To offset injuries from throwing, exercises for the rotator cuff are essential.
Unlike other strength exercises, exercises for the rotator cuff should be done with very light dumbbells—no more than five pounds. Heavier weights will only cause your deltoid muscles to fire, and that is not the aim of this work. Your goal is smooth, controlled movement.