Though baseball is not thought of as an endurance sport, being out of shape can hamper your play on the field. Baseball players need to be in shape to perform better and prevent injuries. In baseball, it is not only important to get in proper cardiovascular shape, but also to boost your strength so you can play to the best of your abilities and embrace the stretch for good flexibility.
This simple, but effective, workout will help you build up your strength and flexibility to get you game ready in no time!
Begin by Foam Rolling
If you have tight muscles, you won’t be able to train through your full range of motion. When it comes to playing baseball, tight muscles can also lead to injuries!
Focus on your hamstrings, quads, back and IT bands.
You might also have tension in your biceps and rotator cuffs if you play baseball regularly, so give these a stretch too.
Hill Sprints
Start with a light jog to warm up your body and get your heart rate up a little, and then head to your chosen hill - remember, you can do this on a treadmill too by increasing the incline!
Sprint as fast as you can for 5-30 seconds, depending on your level of fitness, and take as long as you need to recover in between sprints.
Sprinting up a hill won’t just improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance. It will also strengthen your legs and glutes to give you more acceleration and speed.
Upright Rows
If you want to throw a fast ball, then you need strong shoulders. In particular, you’ll need strong deltoids, which play a major role in rotating your arm.
You can do this exercise with two dumbbells. Start with your arms straight and the weights resting in front of your thighs. Bend at the elbows to row the dumbbells upwards towards your collarbones.
Make sure to perform this exercise slowly to maximize time under tension and get the best results. If you find that you need to swing the dumbbells or use motion, try a smaller weight and work your way up.
Diamond Pushups
This variation is similar to a regular pushup, but will work your triceps harder.
Your triceps are important for extending your arms during batting and throwing, so regardless of your position on the field you need to make sure your triceps are in good shape!
Start in a regular pushup position with your wrists, elbows and shoulders stacked on top of one another. Bring your hands in towards the center, one by one, and make a diamond shape with your pointer fingers and thumbs.
See how many reps you can do compared to a regular pushup!
Finish with a Farmers Carry
This exercise will challenge your whole body's stability, and push your muscles further when they’re fatigued after your workout.
It’s also great for grip strength and for growing your forearms, which are both important when you come up to bat.
You can use dumbbells or kettlebells, just make sure they are heavy!
Stretch One Final Time
Reward your muscles with a cool down stretch, making sure to stretch out all your muscles from your shoulders down to your ankles. Ensuring you add this to each workout will help improve your overall mobility, as well as helping your muscles reset and recover more quickly for your next session.
Feed Your Game
Remember, in order to support your physical efforts to the maximum; you should also balance things out by consuming a healthy diet. Make good choices and easy swaps like sticking to lean meats, whole-grain products, low-fat dairy and munch on nuts and seeds for snacks.
Batter up! Happy playing…
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