Baseball is all about precision, speed and explosive power. The game comes down to the accuracy of a pitch, the power of a swing or the speed of a player coming down the line to home plate.
Training like your favorite professional baseball player means focusing on power, speed, strength and agility. Here are some exercises you can use to train like your favorite baseball player.
Exercises to improve explosive speed
Squat jump: Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, drop into a squat and then jump as far forward as you can. As soon as you land, repeat the jump. If you run out of room in one direction, turn around and jump back in the other direction.
Burpees: From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the ground outside of your feet. Jump your feet back into the push-up position. Hop your feet back under your body and jump straight up as quickly and as forcefully as you can. When you land, drop back down into the low squat position and repeat.
Jumping lunges: Step one foot forward and drop down into a lunge. Keeping your front knee above the ankle, jump straight up, switching positions with your legs as you land. Repeat.
Exercises to increase core strength
Plank progression: Follow this progression: 30-second plank, 30-second left side plank, 30-second right side plank, 30-second supine (reverse) plank.
Core progression: Complete 10 reps of each:
- Slow crunches with pulses at the top of range of motion
- Russian twists
- Reverse crunches
- Side plank cross crunch (from a side plank position, bring the knee of your top leg up to meet the elbow of your top arm), left and right sides
- Windshield wipers (laying with your back flat on the ground and your arms out to your sides, hold your feet straight up in the air and slowly twist your feet down toward the floor on one side, and then up and over to the other side)
Exercises for speed and agility
Agility dots: Tape a 12” x 12” square on the ground. Standing on only your left foot, begin with your foot on the bottom left corner of the square. Hop sideways to the bottom right corner, then diagonally to the top left corner, then sideways to the top right corner and diagonally back to the bottom left corner. Repeat 10 times and switch to your right foot for 10 reps. Once you’ve completed the pattern with both feet, reverse the pattern for the same number of reps.
Mountain climbers: Start in the push-up position. Bring one knee up as far under your body toward your chest as you can, tap the ground with your toes and quickly switch the position of your legs. Complete in a continuous motion, alternating legs as quickly as you can.
Knee tuck jumps: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and jump straight up, pulling your knees as high as you can as you jump. Quickly straighten your legs to land and immediately jump again.
Note: Always consult your physician before beginning a new exercise program.
