Should Baseball And Softball Players Participate In Weight Training Programs?

It's baseball season, and you are ready for it. You bought a new bat, dusted off the cleats, and oiled the glove. You drilled, grounder after grounder, only to follow it by fly ball, after fly ball. When the fielding drills were over, you moved on to the batting cages.

By Joelyn Pullano

You have hit so many balls that you could probably tag a slider in your sleep. So, what's next but to hit the field, right? Wrong!

What about your weight training? Yes that's right, lifting weights. Almost all baseball clubs, from high school to the majors, use weight training for injury prevention, rehabilitation of injuries and for strengthening individual weaknesses. One of the most important things a weight training program needs to do is to isolate certain muscles specific to the throwing motion and strengthen them to prevent arm injuries.

A combination of various forms of exercises tends to work best: isometrics, isotonic and is kinetic, plyometrics, (not just for tennis anymore), active resistive and especially flexibility/stretching exercises are all important in developing a well-balance program. Players at different positions need to emphasize different elements of the program, and different body parts.

For pitchers, you need to build cardiovascular endurance, and lower body strength and endurance. You also need to build general flexibility, and strengthen the shoulders and the elbows. For catchers, you need to emphasize leg strength, flexibility and agility. Building hand a wrist strength is also important along with building abdominal strength.
For Infielders and outfielders, a combination of building leg flexibility, hand and wrist strength, upper body strength and endurance is very important.


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For all positions its important to add exercises that emphasize the rotator cuff complex, consisting of internal and external shoulder rotation, and front, rear and side elevation isolating the supraspinatus. Especially effective are lightweight shoulder excursuses stimulating the small muscles (rotator cuff) essential to the throwing motion.

When putting together a workout program for baseball, it is most effective if three programs are built. The first program should be the off-season program. The program should be designed to strengthen and balance all major muscle groups of the body. You should consult your coach or trainer about varying the exercises in the program to strengthen your particular weakness and/or correct muscle imbalance.

The second program should be the pre-season program. This program should be designed to build more strength. This program should be started 4-6 weeks before the season, this is also the time to start incorporating baseball-specific exercises in the gym or out on the field. This helps get your body ready to perform baseball skills again.

The third program should be the in-season program. This program should be designed to maintain strength levels acquired during the off and pre season programs. Abdominal, rotational and light weight work are essential parts of any in-season program. Pitchers should concentrate on light weight shoulder work such as deltoid raises.
As you can see, as much as we want to hit that chalk lined field, it's just as important to incorporate a weight training program, to insure a fun filled, and injury free season

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Preventing Throwing Injuries

Injuries are the number one preventable reason youth (9-12 years old) pitchers seldom continue pitching past high school. The risk of injury is especially high in this age group due to immature skeletons, poor coordination, improper technique, and coaching. At all levels, the biggest risk factor is "overuse".

By Gerry Van Dyke

While most Little League pitchers dream of pitching in the "Big League", the sad truth is that none will. Almost all Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers, if they even played in Little League, played a different position in their youth. Do I have your attention yet? As surprising as these statements may seem, according to studies by several MLB team physicians, they are true.

While injury risk factors can be mitigated, injuries are inherent to pitching. For example, despite access to the best coaches, trainers, and doctors, virtually every MLB pitcher sustains a serious injury at some point in their career.

What can be done to reduce the risk of pitching injuries, especially in young pitchers? The three most important contributors to a pitcher's ability to perform well and stay healthy are pitching mechanics, pitch volume, and pitch type. Pitching mechanics, "proper form", is the same at all levels of competition. That is why it is so important to teach proper pitching and throwing mechanics early. As the level of competition increases, pitchers throw harder-increasing the torque and forces on the throwing arm. Good mechanics will spread the forces more evenly along the kinetic chain (foot to hand). Flaws in the pitching form will put more stress on the joints (shoulder and elbow primarily), causing an injury sooner, rather than later. Because Little Leaguers don't throw very hard (relatively speaking), injuries may not be visible for years. Yet the effects add up and will cause problems eventually. Some studies have reported that 15% of male college students feel their ability to throw in college is hindered or hampered by pain, tenderness, or limitation of movement as a result of their youth baseball pitching. So teaching proper pitching mechanics is first step in reducing throwing injuries.






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The next most important contributor is pitching volume-the number of pitches thrown. All youth leagues have regulations limiting innings pitched. Yet the important component, number of pitches thrown, isn't (usually). Although there is no study that defines the exact number of pitches that can be thrown safely, MLB pitchers are generally limited to 100. College and high school pitchers often greatly exceed that number. What is a "safe"amount for Little Leaguers? I recommend no more than 70 pitches a game. The third important risk factor is the type of pitch thrown. Most people assume that throwing a curveball is more stressful to the arm than a fastball.

Biomechanical studies of adult pitchers indicate though, that there are minimal differences in elbow and shoulder forces when throwing a fastball or curve ball, and significantly less force throwing a change-up. But, an improperly thrown curve ball is much more stressful than an improperly thrown fastball. Worse yet is the split-fingered fastball (should be banned at the amateur level). The least stressful pitch? Knuckleball. A fastball is the easiest to learn and the most natural to throw, and along with a change-up, should be the only pitches thrown before the age of 14. There are a lot of factors contributing to pitching injuries, most of which can be minimized by emphasizing pitching mechanics and limiting the number and type of pitches thrown. Proper conditioning is also important, and we will talk more about that in future columns.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerry_Van_Dyke

Sports Psychology - Anger Management and Young Athletes

How can you train your mind to focus when you play a sport? What should you be thinking about when you compete in your sport and you want to perform your best? This article offers suggestions on training your mind so you can perform your best.

By Jay Granat

Athletes frequently asked me what their mind should be on when they are involved in their sport. For instance, golfers want to discover the ideal state of mind to strike the ball purely. Baseball hitters want to know what they should be telling themselves before they step up the plate, at the plate and in between pitches. Gymnasts and divers want to know what they should be thinking about before and during their routines.

Now, obviously, the answer to this question varies a bit, depending on the sport. A quarterback dropping back to pass has a different mindset than does a golfer. Similarly, a tennis player needs a different mental outlook than does a soccer player.

However, many athletes in a wide variety of sport seem to do well if they can train their mind to have a simple thought, one thought or no thought at all. For example, one golfer who tended to over swing liked to repeat the phrase "easy does it," before he would start his back swing.

A baseball player, liked to say "find the path of the ball." Another one liked the saying "drive it into the gap."

A swimmer trained his mind to view himself as a cross between a speedboat and a dolphin before he would race.

Many athletes can move to the empty mind technique after they master the art of focusing on just one thing. I encouraged a gymnast to empty her mind before she would compete in her event. I suggested that she imagine a cub being emptied of water. When her mind was empty, she felt ready to let her body do what it had been trained to do for many years.

Many athletes have too many thoughts racing through their mind when they compete. Learning self-hypnosis, meditation and visualization can help athletes to gain the control over their minds that they need to perform well.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.stayinthezone.com. He has written several books and developed several programs to help people perform to their fullest potential at sports, at work and at school. Dr. Granat, a former university professor, has appeared in The New York Times, Good Morning America, AP, ESPN, Golf Digest, The BBC and The CBC. He can be reached at info@stayinthezone.com

His books include Zone Tennis and Get Into The Zone In Just One Minute. He is also the author of How To Get Into The Zone With Sport Psychology And Self-Hypnosis, How To Lower Your Golf Score With Sport Psychology And Self-Hypnosis, 101 Ways To Break Out Of A Hitting Slump and Bed Time Stories For Young Athletes. Golf Digest named Dr. Granat one of America's Top Ten Mental Gurus. He was recently featured in a documentary film on long distance running. Dr. Granat writes a weekly column for three newspapers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Granat

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Two Situations Drills For Little League Pitchers

By John R Di Nicola

Once you have had a couple of practices and have had infield and outfield practice you can venture to the next step working on game situations. You set your 9 players in their positions. Have your spare players as base runners. Have them stand behind home plate and you hit ball. This is so important it enables you to practice your pitchers and position players real situations. You will have to have patience. At first they will throw the ball around and be out of positions. Below are two drills that are very important in teach the fundamentals of defense.

Situations

Backing up 3rd base and home plate.


With nobody on base and ball is hit into gap pitcher should line up in between third base and home plate.
With base runners on first base and ball hit into gap they should do the same and watch and see where the play may be and make their decision which base they should back up.
With men in scoring positions and ball hit into the gap they should back up home. You have to make sure the pitchers have good distance from the foul line so they are not to close and have a good angle to go between third and home. The Pitcher must have depth behind the base so they get overthrown ball.
The mistake they all make is getting to close to base. Explain, they are backing up to get the overthrow. If they are to close they can't make adjustments. This defeats the purpose of them backing up the base.

Covering Home Plate on Pass Ball

This drill is very important because you will have passed balls at this level. Providing the backstop is not to far back it is an excellent way to get what I call a cheap out.
You can have signals for the pitchers to call out to the catchers. Most of the time the catchers will not be able to pick up which directions the ball has traveled.
You can use one, two and three. One being right, once he has turned to retrieve the ball. Two would be middle of backstop. Three would to the left.

Organizing your practice set up your schedule and rotate your days you do the drills. You will find that some of the drills they will pick up quicker than others. The biggest thing is you cannot have marathon practices. By keeping the practices short and crisp you will keep players motivated. I found if you have a practice schedule and post it will show the players approximately how long each drill will be and what to expect.

Practice makes perfect.

By: John R. Di Nicola

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can E-Mail me at:
jdinicola@easypitching.com

You can follow us on Twitter
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Web site:
http://www.easypitching.com,

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Di_Nicola

Winning Workouts For Pitchers!

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By Dan Gazaway

Growing up I was obsessed with Baseball. Just like every other kid, I knew I was going to play major league Baseball. My parents must have spent over $20,000 just on my education about pitching mechanics; that is no exaggeration. As a youth I was always tall so my parents and other high school coaches always tried to get me to play other sports, but I was never all that interested. Baseball was my game and Pitching was what I did best.

When I was involved in little league baseball I pitched the majority of the time. In my mind, pitching was the only thing worth pursuing and it consumed the majority of my time. I don't regret a minute of it because of what I do for a living now. I was simply intrigued by every aspect of the game. Particularly pitching, where, at the early age of 10 I dedicated a lot of my time learning about pitching mechanics and pitching specific workout routines.

One year, I believe I was in Junior High at the time; I was studying the way Nolan Ryan threw the baseball. I became more intrigued in the way he was working out. I started doing light dumbbell workouts and elastic cord workout programs the way Nolan did them. At the end of that year I must have tried every pitching specific routine available at the time. There was only one problem; I didn't have the time to keep up with all of them at once.

Every pitcher should have a regular workout program. However, you have to pick and choose which workouts are going to be best for you or you will find yourself being overwhelmed with all you have to accomplish. Make sure when you get involved with a new workout program you find a great workout partner. A great partner will be there for you to help you be consistent with your workouts and ensure you are on pace to reach your goals.

Training partners are also good at keeping you motivated when times get tough. I still train with somebody who lifts more than I do or seems to train harder that I do. I love the competition that brings. My point is to find a pitching specific workout routine that works best for you and then find a training buddy that will inspire you to stick with it.

Learn how to throw a baseball with proper pitching mechanics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Gazaway

Baseball Hitting Tips: Swing with Power

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Letting ‘your hips lead your hands’ is by far the most important baseball hitting tip that you must learn how to do in order to drive the ball to great distances. This phrase is thrown around very loosely in the baseball world today, but not many people actually grasp its true meaning. I've known plenty of hitters that are aware of this important batting concept, but still don't implement it within their swing. And because of this, they're not generating the POWER that they are truly capable of, or in other words, they are not hitting a baseball to their full potential.

Let me now explain WHAT 'let the hips lead the hands' actually means. By using common sense, you understand that your lower body needs to start your swing off and move towards the ball before your upper body does. This sequence of events is essential, because if it’s done in any other order, than you will not ACTUALLY be using your lower body to hit the ball. You will only be using your upper half, which takes away most of the POWER you could produce if you were using your ENTIRE body.

So exactly HOW do you go about doing this in the proper manner? Well first off, in order to get your lower body involved in your swing, you need to open up your hips immediately as you’re taking a step towards the pitcher. This is done by making sure your foot makes an angle of about 45 degrees or slightly greater, measured from the front of the plate (if your foot was pointing straight at the pitcher, that would be an angle of 90 degrees). While this is occurring, you also need to make sure you keep your upper body back, or slightly twisted in the opposite direction your lower body is moving in. So to sum it up, your lower body is starting to move forward, while your upper body is staying back. These opposing forces create a torque, which is crucial for obtaining MAXIMUM power for your baseball swing.

Ultimately, your hips should be the major driving gear of your body when swinging a bat. So when you’re in the position as described above, you need to use your legs, hips, and lower body to rotate your whole body, while simultaneously allowing your hands and upper body to follow them and absolutely CRUSH the ball.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/baseball-articles/baseball-hitting-tips-swing-with-power-1038392.html

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Baseball Training

Baseball Training - Batter's Edge for Balance


The Batter's Edge is the greatest technological advancement in baseball training equipment in over 30 years. The reason is simple - the Batter's Edge is a baseball batting training device that teaches balance and control when hitting a baseball or softball. It is a remarkable tool designed to improve your hitting performance through repetition of best practice techniques.


Baseball Training - Balance Perfects the Swing

Why is balance important to your swing, you ask? Baseball and softball training coaches teach that balance is the key element for an effective swing. "You can't hit a round ball with a round bat squarely unless your body is properly balanced," says Ryan Gorecki, a three-time Seton Hall University batting leader in the 90's and five year member of the Texas Rangers organization.


Gorecki is a firm believer in the correlation between proper balance and control and the baseball swing: "In order to have proper balance at the plate, your stance must be comfortable, and your weight must be equally distributed with your feet and shoulders squared. Balance must be maintained as you stride into the ball and your bat follows through the hitting zone."


Baseball Training - Swing is the Thing

Baseball balance training can help boys and girls become better hitters. Gorecki continues, “By staying in balance when hitting, you will be able to rotate on your hips and swing the bat through the zone level, which is the only way to hit the ball squarely. Baseball hitting balance equates to success, and eliminates chopping or upper cutting."


Ted Williams, the greatest of all technical batsmen, preached the importance of balance in developing a swing that generates greater bat speed and power through the hitting zone. Through repetition of proper baseball training techniques, players can improve their batting skills dramatically.


Baseball Training - For Players of All Ages

A-Game Technology, a pathfinder in technological innovation, has developed the Batter's Edge as the first baseball training tool that teaches balance, stride, swing, and muscle memory. The Batter's Edge is a platform training device that comes assembled and fits in most bat bags. Muscle memory allows hitters to concentrate on the pitch, and not their swing. It is like having a coach under your feet helping you to master the skill of hitting.


Gorecki, batting instructor for the East Coast Sports Academy on Long Island, teaches hitting mechanics to boys and girls of all ages. He recommends the Batter's Edge for baseball hitting drills because it promotes balance by keeping batters on the balls of their feet, allowing a smooth rotation of their hips and weight transfer as the swing comes through the hitting zone.


Through the use of the Batter's Edge, hitters will better control their stride while maintaining their eye contact on the ball. It also teaches proper back foot rotation at the point of contact. "The more you repeat good balance habits, the better you will hit," says Gorecki, "and the Batter's Edge can make the difference in your baseball and softball swing.”


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A Innovative Baseball Batting Tee - A New Way of Training Off the Tee and Improve Your Hitting 100%

By Keith Hodges

Do you play baseball and would you like to improve your swing and hitting mechanics so that you can compete at any level of baseball or softball? There is a new way of training baseball and softball players by visually train their eyes to see a baseball coming toward them at 80-95 mile per hour. This training technique allow baseball and softball players to totally concentrate on the ball while at the same time hitting a ball off a batting tee. This technique can be done in-door or out-door day or night and starting as early as 2 years of age continuing to t-ball, high school, college and up to the professional baseball level. By using this training technique you will also eliminate having to set-up or pick-up ball after hitting them off the batting tee.

As the ball move back and forward in and out over the plate strike zone it forces the player eyes to concentrate on the movement of the ball entering the hitting-zone. As the ball enter the hitting-zone the batter recognize the best pitch he or she would like to hit then reacts to the pitch by swing with the bat to make contact with the ball. By using this vision training technique you will train your eyes to see and recognize balls and strikes crossing the plate while at the same time improving swing and baseball hitting mechanics needed to play the game of baseball and softball at the highest level possible.

By using this technique along with the different movements and angles of the ball crossing the plat strike-zone the players will also develop and improve the following:


Plate Patients
Plate Balance
Hand / Eye Coordination
Hitting
Swing
Recognize Balls In Or Out Of The Strike Zone
Eye Tracking
Ball Tracking
Reaction Time To Pitches Entering The Strike Zone


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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Hodges

Should Baseball And Softball Players Participate In Weight Training Programs?

It's baseball season, and you are ready for it. You bought a new bat, dusted off the cleats, and oiled the glove. You drilled, grounder after grounder, only to follow it by fly ball, after fly ball. When the fielding drills were over, you moved on to the batting cages. You have hit so many balls that you could probably tag a slider in your sleep. So, what's next but to hit the field, right? Wrong!

What about your weight training? Yes that's right, lifting weights. Almost all baseball clubs, from high school to the majors, use weight training for injury prevention, rehabilitation of injuries and for strengthening individual weaknesses. One of the most important things a weight training program needs to do is to isolate certain muscles specific to the throwing motion and strengthen them to prevent arm injuries.

A combination of various forms of exercises tends to work best: isometrics, isotonic and is kinetic, plyometrics, (not just for tennis anymore), active resistive and especially flexibility/stretching exercises are all important in developing a well-balance program. Players at different positions need to emphasize different elements of the program, and different body parts.

For pitchers, you need to build cardiovascular endurance, and lower body strength and endurance. You also need to build general flexibility, and strengthen the shoulders and the elbows. For catchers, you need to emphasize leg strength, flexibility and agility. Building hand a wrist strength is also important along with building abdominal strength.
For Infielders and outfielders, a combination of building leg flexibility, hand and wrist strength, upper body strength and endurance is very important.

For all positions its important to add exercises that emphasize the rotator cuff complex, consisting of internal and external shoulder rotation, and front, rear and side elevation isolating the supraspinatus. Especially effective are lightweight shoulder excursuses stimulating the small muscles (rotator cuff) essential to the throwing motion.

When putting together a workout program for baseball, it is most effective if three programs are built. The first program should be the off-season program. The program should be designed to strengthen and balance all major muscle groups of the body. You should consult your coach or trainer about varying the exercises in the program to strengthen your particular weakness and/or correct muscle imbalance.

The second program should be the pre-season program. This program should be designed to build more strength. This program should be started 4-6 weeks before the season, this is also the time to start incorporating baseball-specific exercises in the gym or out on the field. This helps get your body ready to perform baseball skills again.

The third program should be the in-season program. This program should be designed to maintain strength levels acquired during the off and pre season programs. Abdominal, rotational and light weight work are essential parts of any in-season program. Pitchers should concentrate on light weight shoulder work such as deltoid raises.
As you can see, as much as we want to hit that chalk lined field, it's just as important to incorporate a weight training program, to insure a fun filled, and injury free season.

http://www.articlesbase.com/baseball-articles/should-baseball-and-softball-players-participate-in-weight-training-programs-516868.html

Training Your Mind For Baseball

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By Ray Peters

Baseball is a sport which requires the perfection of body mechanics. A baseball player who is in control of his mechanics dramatically increases the consistently of his performance. Practice is of course the most critical aspect, in baseball, to retaining control over your pitching or hitting mechanics. You can tune your body to perform the way it should through practice, but equally important is to train the mind. The difference between quality and average lies in the mind of the player. A baseball player with a strong mind dramatically increments his chances of performing to the peak of his potential. Here are a few tips to working the mind for better performance when it matters, on the field.

Tip1: Practice Silencing the Mind: This technique is a brainchild of zen. The mindless state. When the mind is still your focus on the present mind increases by hundred folds. A noisy mind is the biggest distraction to performance. It is easy said than done though, to silence the mind is not an easy task. Samurai's were known to silence their mind before they went to war to ensure that they were immune to the distractions of emotional interference. Meditation was their method of silencing the mind. In the modern age of coaching mediation is not a alien from warm-ups. In baseball players are taught to meditate to still their mind even before starting their physical warm-ups.

Tip2: Practice Visualization: Before the actual act should come the imagination of what you want the end result to be. This gives focus and clarity of purpose. In your own mind you might be sure of which pitching lane you want to concentrate on but unless you visualize the process of actually pitching the ball through the angle to go through the pitching lane, it may not succeed. Golfers like Tiger woods are known to visualize the entire shot to the end before going for the putt. Its like playing a picture in your mind about the entire sequence of events. This gives focus to your mind. A calm mind will develop a sense of purpose and execute it to perfection. Many baseball players practice this technique of visualization before taking their pitching or hitting stance.

Tip3: The Art Of Concentration: Silencing the mind is one part of enhancing your concentration the second part is to be aware of your body. When you are playing unconsciously you tend to repeat mistakes of the past. Your mind even if its still would work on subconscious control. When you become aware of your body and the immediate surroundings you create a sense of stillness and awareness at the same time. From the awareness comes the instinct to act. Have you ever seen baseball players who are in the zone, you can feel a force of awareness radiating through them. Baseball is as much a mind game as a physical game.

Tip4: Going For the Kill: Your mind should not be meek before entering the field. There should not be a feeling of dullness or lack of purpose. The sense of a hunter going for the hunt should be the vital feeling present inside your body. Baseball like any other sport is a test of character. There is no space for weakness. With such a mindset you will never succumb to pressure and no amount of distraction from the opposition will ever faze you.

Building mind semantics to conquer sports is like entering the zen in sports. Hope this article helps. If you are into baseball you can check out the wide range of baseball gear available at Sport Diamond

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Peters

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Hall of Fame Coach Reveals Baseball Hitting Tips, Drills

By Joe Brockhoff

Personally, I have seen this happen over and over again during analysis of players in their front view hitting videos. They took beautiful contacts of the ball and turned them into ground balls because they rolled the bat head too early.

Does it seem logical to roll the wrists at the point of contact when we are trying to attack the ball? Answer: Absolutely not. The only time the wrists should roll is when the bat is brought back to the opposite shoulder following the forward extension of the bat after contact.

We must keep the bat head in line with the stroke and not allow it to roll. When making contact, the barrel of the bat must be kept constant before, during, and after contact. Otherwise, the ball will escape.

So, to learn how to hit better in baseball, here is a great rule: It's called "UNDER - UNDER".

Check out your little league baseball coaching drills. The top hand on contact, should be UNDER the bat. Open up the hand on the bat when it is at the point of contact. It should be under the bat with palm up.

Following contact, the bat head should travel to its forward extension, and the top hand should still be UNDER the bat. Check it out. Open up the hand. It should still be under the bat with palm up.

So again, here is one of our best hitting tips: Use this: The UNDER - UNDER rule.

One final note: Here is another way to keep the hands in check. The knocking knuckles of the top hand always face the pitch on contact and never face down as the bat goes into extension.

Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting tips with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting drills to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average. http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4967039/13223597

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Brockhoff



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Baseball Performance Training - Why Every Baseball Player Should Hill Sprint

By Tim Kauppinen

Serious ball players are always looking for ways to get an edge on the competition – to gain an advantage. It's why you spend so much time researching methods of training that will make you faster and stronger – without taking too much time to get results.

That's why I believe that running hill sprints (which includes running bleachers and stairs) is a must for any baseball player looking to be the best.

This is because hill sprints provide a number of benefits to the baseball player. Here are the Top 5:

1. Hill Sprints Provide the Perfect Combination of Strength and Speed Training.

It's like lifting weights and sprinting at the same time. The hill gives resistance to your sprints, making them more difficult while being shorter in distance and duration. Including hill sprints in your training program can bring great results in as little as 15 minutes 1 or 2 times per week.

This training can help you develop great strength and power in your hips – the key to hitting farther, pitching harder and throwing longer.

2. Hill Sprints Build Stamina.

Endurance is something that every baseball player needs to keep consistency in your play in the later innings – but it is a special kind of endurance. If you want to perform at your peak, then long, slow distance types of cardio just won't work. When is the last time you had to jog around the ball field at 60% of your max heart rate for 30 minutes straight? Instead, your endurance training needs to mimic the demands of your sport. Those needs being – short bouts of intense exertion alternated with periods of lower intensity movements.

Hill sprints provide just this type of interval training. They will take your heart and lungs to intensities far greater than those found in jogging or traditional types of endurance training. Your body will become used to reaching these higher levels, and recovering quickly in between the "sprints." Not only that, with hill sprints, you will be able to spend much more time training at that high intensity than if you try to "go hard" at a steady state.

More and more scientific studies are showing that VO2 Max (the traditional measure of aerobic endurance) is improved as much – or more- by using high intensity exercise like hill sprinting. (And you can gain these benefits in incredibly short workouts). This endurance is due to the sprints upgrading your oxygen intake system with new capillaries, developing stronger heart and lung tissue, adding more energy producing mitochondria and increasing your tolerance to lactic acid buildup.

Without this endurance, your body will become fatigued as the game goes on (especially if it goes into extra innings). Fatigue can lead to a decrease in performance and the loss of your form and technique. Being tired can also lead to a lack of focus, which can kill your batting average or your pitching consistency (not to mention lead to costly errors).

Want to stay fresh and win in the 9th inning (and beyond)? Hill sprint.

3. Hill Sprints Increase Your Speed and Explosiveness.

Let's face it. Speed kills. Whether it's for stealing bases or chasing down a fly ball, speed development is key to your success - and hill sprints can help you get there.

Hill training promotes two important factors of your speed: hip strength and quickness.

First, when you run hill sprints, you will immediately feel the difference in your hips – especially your quads and glutes. Improving these "pushing" muscles in your legs will help get you up to full speed faster – greatly improving your chances of making it to the next base or covering ground to make a play.

Secondly, hill sprints can improve your quickness. Sprinting up hill forces you to shorten your stride slightly. This shorter stride forces you increase the turnover of those strides – making you run faster. Faster feet also translate into a lightning-quick first step – a great asset to have in any ballgame.

4. Hill Sprints Improve Your Mental Toughness

Besides all of the physical benefits of hill sprinting, they also promote mental toughness and goal-setting.

Looking up at the hill can be daunting when you are fatigued and nearing the end of your sprint session. By using the hill as a metaphor, you can see the importance of having a goal (the top of the hill), taking the steps necessary to reach it (one step at a time up the hill), and celebrating your success when they reach that goal (just like you'll celebrate after winning your next big game). Looking back down the hill after your workout, you can feel the satisfaction of accomplishing something that may have seemed an impossible obstacle.

With all of these benefits for you as a ball player, adding hill sprints to your training program should go to the top of your To Do List. It's no coincidence that Ichiro Suzuki and other baseball greats include hills and stairs in their off-season training.

Make yourself stronger, faster, better conditioned, injury resistant and mentally tough with this "old school" training. You and your fans will be glad you did. The opposing team won't be quite as happy…

Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete and coach. He has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities in track and field, basketball, speed training and strength and conditioning after graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a coaching emphasis. This has given him the privilege and the opportunity to coach athletes who have become conference champions, state champions and Division I college players. Coach K is the author of the Uphill Fitness Training, Ultimate Insider Speed Training Secrets and Iron Shins programs. He also publishes a FREE daily training email newsletter.

Tim can be contacted through his website at
http://www.makesyoufast.com/power_hill_sprint.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Kauppinen

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Better Baseball Strength Training With Qi Gong

By Chris Moheno

Baseball coaching should incorporate some oriental wisdom into their baseball strength training program. Qi Gong, also known as Chi Kung is an ancient oriental art that unites mind, body and spirit while helping the person to be more in touch with their own energy and the earth. It incorporates the synchronization of different breathing patterns with a variety of motions and postures of the body.

Most people use this as a method of maintenance of health and wellness, but some disciplines do use is as a type of therapy or even to support medical treatment. It does fall under traditional Chinese medicine and has been used for centuries in that capacity. It is often taught along with Chinese martial arts as a supporting or supplementing discipline. It teaches control and discipline while helping the body to breathe properly and re direct its Qi or Chi. In Chinese, Chi means breath or gas and it symbolizes the energy field that exists within the body.

There are four major areas of application in this area: Healing, External Healing, Spiritual healing and Sports Chi Kung.

Healing Qi Gong (Yi Gong) is sometimes translated as Medical Chi Kung. It is the aspect of Chinese Medicine that is self healing and preventive. It teaches people how to control their reactions to stress which can help to prevent high blood pressure, heart disease and other conditions. It is also very effective on reducing anxiety.

External Chi Healing (Wai Qi Zhi Liao) helps the healer to tap into the healing energy of nature and channel it through their body. The exercises that are involved are used to increase the healer's sensitivity to energy fields as well as the efficacy of treatment. The base concept is that the more a person practices this art, the more effective their healing treatment will become. The techniques are appropriate for stand alone practice as well as in combination with other therapies such as massage, acupuncture and osteopathy.

Spiritual Qi Gong (Fo Gong or Tao Gong) is a discipline that is spiritual in nature. Its practice can open the person to self awareness, tranquility and harmony with nature. This aspect of Chi Kung has its roots in Buddhism and Taoism.

Sports Chi Kung (Wu Gong) is very beneficial in sports training because it is the key to speed, flexibility, strength, balance, stamina, coordination and resistance to injury. While Qi Gong exercises have the ability to improve performance in any sport, it can be very beneficial in baseball strength training. It can make players stronger, faster and even improve their focus. What's more, it helps to improve accuracy on the field as well as overall ability in the sport.

In baseball strength training, Chi Kung can help players take their game to the next level. As a discipline, it should be incorporated into baseball coaching as a regular part of player training. Players will be more focused and their skills will improve. Qi Gong will benefit the entire player as it benefits each individual player, one at a time.

Discover more about Baseball Training on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Moheno



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Looking for Cheap Batting Cages? Here's some Basic Advice

CoachesBest Batting Cages

By Jason Gluckman

Cheap batting cages can be found in a number of places. One option is to look in your local newspaper for garage sales or in the ads under sporting equipment for sale. Garage sales would probably be a good place to look for smaller, cheap batting cages. It might also be possible to buy cheap batting cages from a school or recreation facility during an equipment upgrade.

Another option for finding cheap batting cages is to look online. Many sports equipment dealers have web sites, as well as individuals who are selling their sports equipment on the Internet, many of whom will be able to offer good deals. However, you should be careful that you obtain a warranty or guarantee on the item you are purchasing, especially if the item is used. If the item is of lesser quality than you were led to believe, it will be necessary for you to have a means to return it and get your money back.

Even used batting cages typically cost hundreds of dollars, but discounts may be available if you build one yourself. If you’re interested in making your own batting cage, pipe for the frame can be purchased at a hardware store and netting can be purchased from a sports equipment dealer. You can purchase complete batting cage kits online, with varying prices, depending on the size and quality of the cage. Instructions for putting together your own batting cage are usually fairly simple. In addition, you will experience the satisfaction of having built something impressive and useful with your own handss

Batting Cages Info provides detailed information about batting cage equipment and indoor, outdoor, portable, and tunnel batting cages for sale. Batting Cages Info is the sister site of Trampolines Web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Gluckman

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Baseball Swing Mechanics Tip - A Different Two-Strike Approach

By Nate Barnett

I might have a slightly different approach for hitting a baseball with two strikes than most coaches, especially at the younger level. The short of it is that I work with hitters in being offensive producers, since that is their job in the first place when they step into the box. Having said this, a hitter obviously gets three chances to produce something valuable for his team each and every at bat.

Because of this offensive thinking, I do not want my athletes shrinking into a defensive position while being on offense and limiting their production potential with two strikes. Just make contact with your baseball swing, or put the ball in play, etc. are all examples of defensive thinking. Few would argue that the just put the ball into play and make contact advice would rarely be given to a hitter outside of the two strike scenario. Because of this, I would much rather take a highly aggressive hitter who swings and misses on his third strike than a hitter who changes his approach into a defensive mindset. That defensive mindset is more damaging in the long run than an aggressive hitter who can be taught to focus that energy more constructively with some sound baseball instruction.

Having said that, there is great value in shifting the focus of what to do with a pitch later in the count. Because of a higher percent chance of an off speed or outside pitch being thrown later in the count, working on taking the ball the other way would be appropriate. Therefore in your baseball drills work on molding aggressive hitters which if they go down, they go down playing the game hard.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Come download a free ebook on dealing with failure in baseball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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Hitting Power - 2 Kettlebell Drills to Help the Baseball Player Develop Into a Major Slugger!

By Brandon Richey

There is no arguing that one of baseball's biggest attractions is "the long ball." That's right, hitting home runs is exciting. Even though this is an exciting part of the game there is a lot that goes into being able to do it. It takes technique, bat speed, and power. As a strength and conditioning specialist I have included 2 hard-hitting drills, no pun intended, in this article to help you to achieve these necessary traits. Kettlebells are a great way for a baseball player to develop incredible power and tremendous bat speed.

1. The Double-Arm Swing: For this drill you will only need a single kettlebell that is of moderately heavy weight. To begin, set the bell between your feet and make sure that your feet are about shoulder width distance apart in length. From here perform a proper form squat and pick the bell up. Allow it to hang at your groin. The next step you have to perform is a technique known as the hip snap. The hip snap is executed by you flexing and extending at both your hips and knees in order to create enough momentum to swing the bell up from between your legs up to your chest level. Make sure that you keep your arms straight and your shoulders retracted. Lock out at the top of each swing. The hip motion is great for developing those muscles and your core which are the source of your hitting power! Attempt 30 to 50 of these in a row with a moderately heavy bell.

2. Kettlebell Push-Up Rows (aka Man-Makers): For this drill you will need the availability of a pair of kettlebells of equal weight. You will want to get into an upright push-up position while stabilizing your body on the kettlebells. Make sure that your hands and the bells are shoulder width distance apart in length. Grip each handle of the kettlebell firmly in the palms of your hands. Your hands should be in a mid-pronated position or your palms should be facing towards each other. Stabilize and control your body. Make sure you maintain good rigidity from your shoulders all the way to your feet. Your feet can be shoulder width apart. From here simply execute a push-up off of the bells and when you ascend simply row one kettlebell to your rib cage picking it up off of the ground. Set it back down and perform another push-up to execute another row on the opposite side. This is a highly effective strength training drill for baseball players. You further develop incredible core strength and power to help prep you for the long ball! Train hard and enjoy my friends.

To learn more about Kettlebells, Fitness, and achieving Total Mind-Blowing Strength come and visit me at: http://www.efandps.com
To be one of my members and to receive more tips on INSANE BODY CONSTRUCTION please visit me at: http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html
I'm Brandon Richey the Strength and Conditioning Pro!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Richey