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Around Major League Baseball
San Francisco: Pitcher Kirk Reuter was upset that he was placed on the DL because of a case odf gout in his big toe. Reuter claimed he'd be ready to pitch this week, but GM Brian Sabean felt otherwise. It's no secret Reuter has been wanting out of...
Baseball Gifts to Award The Men in Your Life
How about an MVP commemorative baseball gift for a keepsake? Or a Stay Cool Sports Towel? What about a Louisville Tpx Youth Equipment Bag? Or for the enthusiastic amateur consider an instructional video such as “A Parent's Guide to Baseball”? There...
Pedro, Beltran, and the Mets as seen by one true Yankee Fan:
Pedro, Beltran, and the Mets as seen by one true Yankee Fan:
It was the middle of the NFL playoffs, and what has grabbed the interest of many sports fans has been the off-season maneuvering and acquisitions of the Mets and Yankees. In the...
Real Baseball Players Hit With Wood
Real Players Hit With Wood Let me say this up front… I do not like aluminum bats . . . but I’ll win with them. Practice with wood . . . and you’ll win with aluminum. It’s really very simple. An aluminum bat swing can be mechanically flawed but...
Traditional Wooden Baseball Bats
Wood baseball bats are available for all leagues and levels. Some believe wood baseball bats embody the art or the poetry of baseball. Precision crafted wood bats are replete with the spine-tingling crack of a home run or the splintered remains of...
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Strength Training Develops Solid Softball Players
Lynn VanDyke delivers a strength training article for any athlete, but specifically geared towards softball and baseball players. It provides general guidelines and sample exercises for sport specific situations.
Softball is a popular sport these days. Corporations, adult leagues and inner-city competitions are fueling the demand for skilled and competitive players. While softball may be experiencing a surge of interest, the basic techniques to improve your game and gain a competitive edge have remained the same.
Many do not realize that basic softball movements such as batting and throwing are not a directly related to arm strength. The movement begins in the legs. The power is then transferred into the hips, the torso, the upper back, the chest, the shoulders and then the arms.
A proper softball strength training routine will include an exercise for each muscle group. During the off-season, athletes will be able to strength train 2-3 times per week. Training should be reduced to 1-2 times per week during the season. Each exercise should be performed 8-12 times for 1-3 sets.
Quickness, speed, agility, balance, explosiveness, and power will be enhanced as the strength training program progresses. Below is a list of sample exercises
for the commonly used muscles in softball. There are many other exercises you could perform, but this will provide a starting point.
Quadriceps- Squats, One-Legged Squats, Jump SquatsHams & Glutes- Lunges, Explosive Lunges, Bridge on BallHip Adductors/Abductors- Lying Side Leg Raises, Ball SqueezeObliques- Oblique Crunch on BallRectus Abdominis- Ball Crunch, 180 Ball CrunchErector Spinae- Plank PoseDeltoids- Shoulder Press, Military PressPectoralis Major- Chest Fly, Chest Press, Push upsLatissimus Dorsi- Bent Over Row, Reverse FlyTriceps- Overhead Extensions, Skull crushersBiceps- Bicep Curl, Hammer CurlA powerful softball strength training program will produce powerful players. Use a full ROM (range of motion) for each exercise. Generally free weights provide a better ROM than machines, but use which ever feels best to you. The ultimate goal is to create a solid program that will deliver a well-rounded athlete.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://strength-training-woman.com . Her expertise in strength training and fitness is quickly becoming recognized by industry leaders. You may grab your free strength training log by visiting her site.
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