| Certainly you're aware of the importance of | | | | few sets of bench press and bicep curls and think |
| strength & conditioning for baseball. Long | | | | that will help your game. In fact if you're not doing |
| gone are the days of the 155 pound shortstop | | | | a 3 to 1 ratio of pull to push exercises then you |
| that barely hit above the Mendoza line. Today's | | | | can just about count on an injury occurring at |
| game has dramatically turned into a blend of | | | | some point in your playing career in addition to |
| power, speed and explosiveness and if you're not | | | | never realizing your full potential. You must |
| performing the correct baseball exercises you'll be | | | | balance out the muscular imbalances baseball (and |
| left behind faster than a Josh Beckett fastball. | | | | life) develop. |
| Sadly, most are extremely confused about how | | | | DON'T |
| to properly train for baseball. So called "experts" | | | | - Train for more than 1 hour - I you're training for |
| (who've never really trained a real athlete) dole | | | | more than an hour you're not training all that hard |
| out advice even if you don't ask for it. The | | | | or you're just talking too much. Get in, do the |
| mindset of most is if they've worked-out a few | | | | correct baseball training exercises and get out. It's |
| times in their life all of a sudden they know it all. | | | | that simple |
| Well, the only one that hurts is you, the individual | | | | - Try and do "advanced" exercises if you're not |
| looking for exercises that will help take your | | | | ready - Stick to the basics. Trying to do a |
| game to the next level. | | | | one-legged front squat before you can front |
| I've compiled a list of Do's and Don't when | | | | squat twice your bodyweight will simply leave you |
| selecting baseball drills. First, the Do's: | | | | frustrated and injured. This holds true with any |
| DO: | | | | exercise progression. |
| - Learn the basics - learn how to properly | | | | - Listen to the so-called "experts" - Seems as |
| perform all versions of the squat, deadlift, Olympic | | | | though everyone's an expert in weight training. |
| Lifts (Power Clean & Power Snatch), bench | | | | For some reason people think that if they've |
| press, push press, pull-up and row. These are | | | | spent some time in the gym that gives them the |
| movement patterns that should comprise about | | | | right to talk as though their word is gospel. While |
| 90% of your training. The rest is just details. If | | | | their intentions may be good, their impact is not. |
| you fail to make these exercises 90% or more | | | | Just because I've had surgery a few times |
| of your strength work, you'll fall short of your | | | | doesn't make me a doctor. Stay away from |
| goals by a long shot. | | | | these clowns. |
| - Focus on movements, not muscle - The body | | | | - Rely on fad's such as "plyometrics" and balance |
| does not work one muscle at a time. So why | | | | boards - Plyometrics, the way some will sell them |
| would you train that way? The exercises above | | | | to you, is the quickest way to get injuried and |
| help develop athleticism and the ability of the | | | | burnt out. In fact, unless you're very experienced |
| body to work as one harmonious unit. This type | | | | (3-5 years) in workout routines with the correct |
| of development is what makes a great athlete. | | | | baseball exercises, you shouldn't even think about |
| So don't worry about a burn or a pump, focus on | | | | plyo's. That is unless you want to get hurt. Also, |
| moving properly. | | | | please get off that silly balance board. It doesn't |
| - Always aim to move fast, yet controlled - I'm | | | | make you have better balance, but it will make |
| sure you've heard the term slow and controlled | | | | you weaker because you lose all ground contact. |
| when describing how to lift weights. Slow doesn't | | | | - Overlook the importance of nutrition - Proper |
| happen in baseball. Everything is explosive and | | | | nutrition is vital to your health, development and |
| ballistic. You're training should be that way. This | | | | performance. While some players (genetically |
| happens over time. Each time you're performing | | | | gifted) can get away with poor nutrition for a |
| baseball workouts try to move a little quicker tan | | | | while, it certainly will catch up to them. And, for us |
| the last. It's that simple. Be sure to always | | | | non genetic freaks, proper nutrition is almost as |
| maintain control. A great ball player is explosive | | | | important as selecting the correct baseball |
| and controlled. It's VERY difficult to move a light | | | | exercises. As the old saying goes "You are what |
| object (bat, ball) at very high speed while under | | | | you eat". A simply rule to live by, "If you can't |
| control. Some were born with this. Others have | | | | catch it, kill it or pick it, then don't eat it." |
| to work very hard at it. Either way, make it a | | | | Stick to this list and you'll not only be performing |
| focus of your training. | | | | the correct exercises, you'll be light years ahead |
| - Perform a balanced routine - Don't simply do a | | | | of your competition! |