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National Strength and Conditioning AssociationBridging the gap between science and application
April 2007Volume 6, Number 2
www.nsca-lift.org/per form
BaseballBaseball
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No.2 | Page 2
Baseball
Improving Your Base Running SpeedGreg Fredrick, MEd, CSCSDo you want to get down the line a tenth or two tenths faster
or go from fi rst base to third base or second base to home in
less time? Th is article discusses the mechanics of base running
and provides drills to improve your performance.
Resistance Training to Develop
Increased Bat VelocityDavid J. Szymanski, PhD, CSCS,*DOne thing all batters are looking for is a way to increase their
power at the plate. Th is article discusses ways to develop power
(bat velocity) for multiple ability levels.
16
OunceOfPreventionPlyometric Tips for Baseball PitchersJason Brumitt, MSPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS,*DInjuries to the shoulder are common in baseball, especially
for pitchers. Th is article provides upper body plyometric exer-
cises you can perform to decrease your chance of developing
a shoulder injury.
TrainingTableProper PotassiumDebra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, NSCA-CPT,*DFor athletes potassium is an important mineral. It regulate fl u-
ids and mineral balance and is needed for muscle contractions
and transmission of nerve impulses. Th is article discusses how
much potassium you need, where to fi nd potassium in your
diet, and the risks of too much or too little potassium.
MindGamesPreperformance RoutinesSuzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*DPreperformance routines can facilitate performance by opti-
mizing your physical, mental, and technical readiness. Th is
article provides information on how to develop your own
preperformance routine.
8
Departments
InTheGymStrength TestingJoseph M. Warpeha, MA, CSCS,*D,
NSCA-CPT,*DTh is article discusses one of the more common questions that
relate to beginners as well as seasoned veterans. Can cardio-
vascular exercise be performed on the same day as resistance
training, and if so, which one should be performed fi rst?
4
10
6
21
14
Contents
FitnessFrontlinesG. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS,*DTh e latest news from the fi eld on baseball practice improving
reaction time, the eff ect softball bat composition has on bat-
ted ball velocity and the potential for injury to pitchers, and
factors that relate to shoulder and elbow injuries in adolescent
baseball pitchers.
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform
Editorial Offi ce1885 Bob Johnson DriveColorado Springs, Colorado 80906Phone: +1 719-632-6722
Editor: Keith Cinea, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*Demail: [email protected]
Assistant Editor: David Pollitt, CSCS,*D
Sponsorship Information: Richard Irwinemail: [email protected]
Editorial Review Panel
Kyle Brown, CSCS
Scott Cheatham DPT, OCS, ATC, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
John M. Cissik, MS, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
Chris A. Fertal, CSCS, ATC
Michael Hartman, MS, CSCS,*D
Mark S. Kovacs, MEd, CSCS
Matthew Rhea, PhD, CSCS
David Sandler, MS, CSCS
Brian K. Schilling, PhD, CSCS
Mark Stephenson, ATC, CSCS,*D
David J. Szymanski, PhD, CSCS,*D
Chad D. Touchberry, MS, CSCS
Randall Walton, CSCS
Joseph M. Warpeha, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 3
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upon these fi ndings it was reported
that the batted ball speed achieved with
the aluminum single wall bat was the
only achieved batted ball speed which
was under the 137.2 km/h cut-off rec-
ommended. However, all of the bats
resulted in reaction time requirements
which were less than that of the 0.420
second recommendation. Based upon
these fi ndings it appears that the use
of high tech bats results in batted ball
speeds which exceed the recommended
limit for safety and result in a need for
increased pitcher reaction times in order
to prevent serious injuries.
McDowell M, Ciocco MV. (2005). A
controlled study on batted ball speed
and available pitcher reaction time in
slowpitch softball. British Journal of
Sports Medicine, 39:223 – 225.
What factors are related to shoulder and elbow inju-ries in adolescent baseball pitchers?Recent data suggest that a four fold
increase in shoulder and elbow injuries
has occurred when comparing the time
periods 1994 – 1999 and 2000 – 2004.
Researchers at the American Sports
Medicine Institute in Birmingham,
Alabama recently performed a survey
based study in order to determine what
factors might be contributing to this
alarming increase in injuries. Ninety-
fi ve adolescent pitchers who had either
shoulder or elbow surgery and 45 ado-
lescent pitchers who never had a pitch-
ing related injury were recruited for this
investigation. Th ree major categories
were assessed by the survey: 1) nonmod-
ifi able factors, 2) preventive measures,
FitnessFrontlines G. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS
Does baseball practice improve reaction time or go / nogo reaction time?Baseball hitters generally have to make
rapid decisions about when and how
hard to swing the bat in response to
a pitch. Researchers from the Kyoto
University in Japan recently tested two
hypotheses: 1) that skilled baseball play-
ers have quicker reaction times and
quicker go/nogo reaction times and 2)
that training can improve reaction times
and go/nogo reactions times. In order
to test the fi rst hypothesis, 22 univer-
sity baseball players, 22 tennis players,
38 non-athletes, and 17 professional
baseball players were recruited. For the
evaluation of reaction time, the subjects
simply responded to a computer gener-
ated stimulus. Th e computer generated
stimulus consisted of a color change in
one of four 3 x 3 cm squares. To test
the go/nogo reaction times the subjects
were to respond only to color changes
in two of the four computer generated
squares, which were designed to simu-
late the strike zone. For each test the
subjects undertook a total of 100 trials
with an inter-trial interval of three, four,
or fi ve seconds. When examining the
basic reaction time results, there were
no signifi cant diff erences between sub-
jects. Conversely, when examining the
go/nogo results the professional base-
ball players were signifi cantly quicker
than the university players. All baseball
players tested were signifi cantly quicker
than tennis or non athletes. To test
the second hypothesis 26 high school
baseball players performed the simple
reaction time and go/nogo reaction time
test three times in the fi rst, second, and
third year of high school. Results of this
second investigation revealed that there
were no diff erences in the simple reac-
tion time test across the three years of
training. Conversely, the third year test
demonstrated a signifi cant improvement
in go/nogo reaction time when com-
pared to either the fi rst or second year
of training. Th e researchers suggested
that intensive practice which included
go/nogo decision making improved go/
nogo reaction times.
Kida N, Oda S, Matsumura M. (2005).
Intensive baseball practice improves the
Go/Nogo reaction time, but not the
simple reaction time. Cognitive Brain
Research, 22: 257 – 264.
Batted ball speed in slow pitch softball, do high tech softball bats increase the risk of injury?An initial batted ball speed of 137.2
km/h has been recommended by the
United States Special Sports Association
and the Amateur Softball Association as
the critical cut-off speed for safety, as it
corresponds to a pitcher reaction time
of 0.420 seconds. Researchers at Bamani
Sports Research Incorporated wanted to
investigate the eff ects of using titanium,
composite, and various aluminum bats
on mean batted ball speed and predict
the average pitcher reaction time needed
in response to balls hit by these types
of bats. Data were collected by using a
professional softball pitching machine
in conjunction with a professional radar
gun. Results of the study indicated that
the following batted ball speeds were
achieved: 1) titanium = 147.3 km/h, 2)
composite = 159.7 km/h, 3) aluminum
multi-wall = 141.7 km/h, and 4) alumi-
num single wall = 134.0 km/h. Based
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 5
and 3) competitive habits. When com-
paring the injured and control groups
there were no diff erences in age and
number of years pitching. Conversely,
the injured pitchers were signifi cant-
ly taller and heavier than the control
group. Th e largest fi nding was that the
injured group pitched signifi cantly more
months per year, games per year, innings
per game, pitches per game, pitches per
year, and warm-up pitches prior to a
game. Additionally, the injured pitchers
tended to pitch at higher velocities and
utilize anti-infl ammatory drugs and ice
more frequently than the control group.
When looking at the total data set the
researchers determined that injury risk
increases fi ve fold when young athletes
pitch more than eight months per year,
and increases four fold when pitch more
than 80 pitches per game. Finally, it was
determined that injury rates increased
by 2.58 times when pitching fastballs
at speed greater than 85 miles per hour.
Based upon these fi ndings the research-
ers suggested that overuse and fatigue
may be the primary cause of increased
elbow and shoulder injuries in baseball
pitchers.
Olsen SJ, Fleisig GS, Dun S, Lftice
J, Andrews JR. (2006) Risk factors for
shoulder and elbow injuries in adoles-
cent baseball players. American Journal
of Sports Medicine, 34(6):905 – 912.
About the AuthorG. Gregory Haff is an assistant professor in
the Division of Exercise Physiology at the
Medical School at West Virginia University
in Morgantown, WV. He is a member of
the National Strength and Conditioning
Association’s Research Committee and
the USA Weightlifting Sports Medicine
Committee. Dr. Haff received the National
Strength and Conditioning Association’s
Young Investigator Award in 2001.
▲
FitnessFrontlines G. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 6
There seems to be an almost
infi nite number of questions
that arise when talking about
exercise and training. Some questions are
more common than others while certain
inquiries are unique to the training level
or experience of the coach or athlete/exer-
ciser. Th is article will briefl y discuss one of
the more common questions that relate to
beginners as well as seasoned veterans: can
cardiovascular exercise be performed on
the same day as resistance training, and if
so, which one should be done fi rst?
Th e answer is yes, you absolutely can do
aerobic and resistance training in the same
day. Some people like to alternate aerobic
training and resistance training from one
day to the next and there is nothing
wrong with this. More times than not, the
reason for this stems from the individual
deciding that he or she is going to do two
or three days of cardiovascular exercise per
week and two or three days of resistance
training per week. Th e alternating for-
mat allows for more days of activity per
week with a shorter duration per session.
However, there are many people who, for
a multitude of reasons, choose to do both
aerobic and resistance training on the same
day. Th e question then becomes: which
one to do fi rst?
athlete and what their immediate train
ing is geared towards or a recreational
exerciser who wants increased levels of
strength and conditioning, but is more
concerned with enhancing one over the
other.
Th ere are very few sports that are entirely
aerobic in nature or one-hundred percent
based on maximal strength/explosive
power, which means some combination
of aerobic and strength training must be
implemented in the training program.
Th e quandary of how to put together
the most eff ective training program for
athletes usually falls on the strength
coach and is by no means a simple task.
Many factors like the specifi c sport, time
constraints, and the training level of the
athlete, among many others, enter into
the program design equation and are
beyond the scope of this discussion.
If it is necessary to perform aerobic and
resistance training in the same day, one
way to minimize the eff ects of the prior
exercise type is to lengthen the time
period between the two. For example,
performing the aerobic component in
the morning and doing the resistance
training in the evening (or vice versa) is
one possible remedy. Th ere still may be
residual eff ects from earlier in the day,
Th is issue is more important as the
intensity of the exercise and/or train-
ing level of the exerciser increases. At
very low intensity levels, it probably
makes little practical diff erence which
type of exercise is performed fi rst. As
the intensity of exercise increases, how-
ever, there are some things to consider
if optimal training is the goal. One of
the biggest things to keep in mind is
that, in the context of a relatively short
period of time between performing the
two exercise types, the second exercise
type will very likely be compromised
due to the prior exercise. For example,
it would be very diffi cult for a weight
training session performed after a hard
30-minute run to have the same quality
as that same session being performed
without a prior intense aerobic workout.
Decreased overall energy and prefatigu-
ing of various muscle groups are just a
couple of the culprits in the previous
example. Similar deleterious eff ects on
performance would likely be found in
the opposite example of doing heavy
resistance exercise immediately prior to
aerobic training.
Th e answer as to which type of exer-
cise to perform fi rst probably should
depend most heavily on the individual’s
overall goal. Th is goal could relate to an
Aerobic and Resistance
Training in the Same DayJoseph M. Warpeha, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
IntheGym Joseph M. Warpeha, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 7
but they will most likely be signifi cantly
less than if the two types were performed
within one to two hours or less of each
other. Again, if the exercise intensity is
very high, and if the two types must
be performed in the same day, it will
be impossible to totally eliminate the
lingering eff ects of the previous exercise,
no matter how long the period between
the two sessions is.
Th ere is a large amount of research out
there that has been performed to answer
just these types of questions related to
the order of exercise types. Much of
this research was designed to look at
the eff ects of the ordering, spacing, and
intensity levels of exercises types on hor-
monal levels (testosterone, growth hor-
mone, etc.) and substrate utilization (i.e.
fat vs. carbohydrate usage). Th e eff ects
of manipulating one’s hormonal and
other chemical levels through exercise
cannot be underestimated as it relates
to performance enhancements but these
are complicated ideas based on complex
physiology and biochemistry and are
certainly beyond the scope of this article.
However, for those interested in these
types of articles/studies, the reader is
directed to a publication like the Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research
which frequently published articles on
the aforementioned topics.
Very simply put, if time constraint
is a factor and it is necessary to do
aerobic exercise and resistance training
back-to-back (i.e. short period of time
in-between), fi gure out which is your
number one priority in terms of train-
ing goals: aerobic performance/condi-
tioning or strength/power development.
Once you have determined which is
more important, perform that type of
training fi rst when you are fresh and
least fatigued. Th en you will not have
to worry about the prior exercise type
aff ecting the quality of your training in
this area. Deciding on whether to do
aerobic or resistance training fi rst in an
exercise session can be tricky for some.
Ultimately, all of the advice in the world
from the experts may be of some value
but, as with most aspects related to
the human mind and body, time and
experimentation often yield the best
individual results.
About the AuthorJoe Warpeha is an exercise physiologist and
strength coach and is currently working
on his PhD in exercise physiology at the
University of Minnesota–Minneapolis. His
current research focuses on bone adapta-
tions to training and the eff ects of skeletal
loading on physiological and mechanical
properties. Joe teaches several courses at
UM including “Advanced Weight Training
and Conditioning,” “Measurement,
Evaluation, and Research in Kinesiology”,
and “Strength Training Program Design”.
He has a master’s degree in exercise physiol-
ogy and certifi cations through the NSCA,
ACSM, USAW, ASEP, and YMCA. He
has over 15 years of resistance and aerobic
training experience and has been a com-
petitive powerlifter since 1997. Joe is a
two-time national bench press champion
and holds multiple state and national
records in the bench press while competing
in the 148, 165, and 181-pound weight
classes.
▲
IntheGym Joseph M. Warpeha, MA, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 8
Take one step forward and throw the
ball to a partner or against a rebounder/
trampoline (fi gure 3).
One-Handed Baseball ThrowTh is single arm throw mimics the pitch-
ing motion. Start with your arm and
shoulder in the 90-90 position (fi gure
4). Th row a light plyoball toward a
rebounder and catch the ball with the
same arm upon its return.
Side ThrowHold the medicine ball in both hands.
Initiate the exercise by swinging your
arms across your body rotating towards
the right (or vice versa if you are left
hand dominant pitcher). Quickly rotate
back toward the left, throwing the ball
to a partner or against a rebounder
(fi gure 5).
Kneeling 90 – 90 Catch and ThrowKneel with your throwing shoulder in
the 90-90 position. Have a teammate
or coach stand behind and slightly to
the side of you. Your partner will throw
(lob or underhand toss) a light plyoball
forward over your shoulder. As the
ball passes over your shoulder catch it
(shoulder internal rotation) and quickly
reverse direction (externally rotate the
shoulder) throwing the ball back to your
teammate or coach.
should be performed. Plyometric exer-
cises may help prepare the pitcher to
handle the signifi cant forces experienced
by the shoulder during the decelera-
tion phase of the throwing motion (1).
Th is article will off er a few plyometric
exercises that can be incorporated into
a comprehensive training program for
baseball pitchers.
Plyometric ExercisesPerform each exercise for one to two sets
of fi ve to eight repetitions. Th ese exercis-
es should not be performed more than
two days a week. A certifi ed strength
and conditioning specialist (CSCS) can
help design and progress your overall
program.
Overhead ThrowWhen starting a plyometric program for
the fi rst time, take care to select a light
to moderately weighted medicine ball.
To perform this exercise, begin with
both arms holding the ball overhead.
Ounceof Prevention
Injuries to the shoulder are com-
mon in baseball. Pitchers are par-
ticularly at risk of injuring their
rotator cuff , a collection of four muscles
that originate on the scapula and insert
on the humerus (arm bone) (table 1).
Even though these muscles are small in
size, relative to other shoulder muscles
such as the deltoid and the trapezius,
they play a crucial role in the overhead
throwing motion. Recovery from cuff
injuries can be a slow process, requiring
the player to miss a signifi cant number
of practices and games.
Basic Rotator Cuff TrainingProfessional organizations, like the
National Strength and Conditioning
Association and the American Sports
Medicine Institute have done a good
job educating coaches, strength training
professionals, and athletes to the impor-
tance of performing shoulder exercises.
Many popular baseball strength training
programs exist consisting of rotator cuff
exercises such as the side-lying external
rotation and the 90-90 shoulder exter-
nal rotation (fi gures 1 & 2). Th ese exer-
cises do an adequate job of training the
shoulder, but a comprehensive program
consisting of general lower extremity
exercises, core stability exercises, and
upper extremity plyometric exercises
Plyometric Tips for
Baseball PitchersJason Brumitt, MSPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS,*D
Table 1. Rotator Cuff MusclesMuscle Origin on Scapula Insertion on Humerus
Supraspinatus Supraspinatus fossa Greater Tubercle
Infraspinatus Infraspinatus fossa Greater Tubercle
Teres Minor Upper 2/3 lateral border Greater Tubercle
Subscapularis Subscapular fossa Lesser Tubercle
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 9
ConclusionTh ese plyometric exercises presented
here are designed to functionally chal-
lenge the baseball pitcher. Th ose who
perform a functional strength training
routine may enhance their performance
and minimize their overall risk of injury.
Reference1. Meister K. (2000). Injuries to the
shoulder in the throwing athlete: Part
one: biomechanics/pathophysiology/
classifi cation of injury. American Journal
of Sports Medicine, 28: 265 – 275.
About the AuthorJason Brumitt is a board-certifi ed sports
physical therapist residing and practicing
in the Portland, OR, area. He serves as
adjunct faculty for Pacifi c University’s
school of physical therapy. He is currently
pursuing his Doctor of Science degree at
Rocky Mountain University of Health
Professions. To contact the author email
him at [email protected]. ▲
Ounceof Prevention Plyometric Tips For Baseball Pitchers
Figure 1. 90-90 Shoulder External Rotation (start position)
Figure 2. 90-90 Shoulder External Rotation (end position)
Figure 3. Overhead Throw
Figure 4. One-Handed Baseball Throw (90-90 position)
Figure 5. Side Throw Figure 6. Kneeling 90-90 Catch and Throw
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 10
Baseball
In the past ten years or so, the phrase,
“speed kills” has been thrown about
by coaches, scouts, parents, and
players. For those wanting to be a fi ve-
tool players (throw, catch, hit for power,
hit for average), running the bases with
speed, effi ciency, and eff ectiveness is also
a must. In determining what drills to
do, it is always critical to examine the
demands of the sport/game and the vari-
ous positions/stances that you may be in
as the athlete.
In examining the game of baseball there
are three main movement areas for posi-
tion players: getting out of the batter’s
box after contact, crossing over to steal
bases or to fi eld ground balls and fl y
balls, and lastly, running multiple bases
on a bend or curve versus a straight
line.
Getting Out Of The Box —Post Swing SprintsOne of the most critical and often over-
looked aspects in improving home to
fi rst base time is making use of it the
instant the ball is in play. Most high
school and college players that I have
in the forward direction (distance cov-
ered times two). Th ird, while you are
performing this ineffi cient task, the ball
just got that much closer to the infi eld-
er, allowing him or her to make the
play under much less pressure. Make
use of a good, fi rm front side (proper
swing mechanics) and push with that
leg, while you push and punch with
your trail leg.
Come out of the batter’s box with a
good forward lean (around 45° – 50°),
not upright and tall. Th e longer you can
stay down and drive, the quicker you
will make it to fi rst base. Allow yourself
to become upright and tall gradually
over about 60 feet (20 yards) down the
line. If you can see the fi rst baseman as
soon as you get out of the box, you got
too tall too soon. Th is results in an inef-
fi cient and slower movement and time.
Punch or drive your knees forward
toward fi rst base with your heel under-
neath your hamstring, not out in front of
your body reaching and pulling. While
driving your knee/leg forward, keep
your toes up toward your shin, this is
called dorsifl exion. If you run with your
toes pointed downward, called plan-
tarfl exion, you will experience a slower
home to fi rst base time.
Once you have driven or punched the
knee forward with your toes pointed up
toward your shins, attack the ground
down and back (on that same 45° body
lean angle), underneath your hips with
the ball of foot, not the heel, making
contact with the ground. As soon as
seen, spend too much time watching
and standing still. Th ink about it, the
longer you are in the box, the more time
you are giving to the opponent to have
an easier play. Put the pressure on the
defense, force them to move explosively,
fi eld cleanly, and make an accurate
throw. Once the ball is in play, run.
Upon completing your swing and put-
ting the ball in play, keep your feet set
right where they are and push explo-
sively with both legs and drive out of
the batter’s box. Oftentimes, players at
all levels drop their front foot back a
step, then make their motion toward
fi rst base. Th is is very ineffi cient and
will, in no doubt, raise your home to
fi rst base time.
Th is movement of dropping the front
foot back is called a negative step. By
defi nition, a negative step means that
your body as a whole or a segment
moved in a direction opposite of where
you intended to go. Why is this bad?
Well, fi rst your body is not moving
toward your destination. Second, what-
ever ground you covered to move your
front foot back has to be covered again
Improving Your
Base Running SpeedGreg Fredrick, MEd, CSCS
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 11
you fully drive and extend that leg into
the ground, be as quick as you can to
get that foot back up off of the ground
and into its next drive or punch repeti-
tion. Th is will help in reducing ground
contact time.
Driving your arms while you run will
help with coordination which will
increase effi ciency and help in lower-
ing your home to fi rst base time. Also,
a good arm drive will help to deliver
greater power and frequency into every
repetition. Be sure to pivot from your
shoulders, not your elbows. Drive your
elbows and hands back behind you and
your lead hand upward toward your
chin. A good rule to follow is to have
your hands go from your hips to your
lips.
DrillsSkipping
• Nothing is better at improving tim-
ing, rhythm, and coordination
than skipping. Take a 20 yard area
and rehearse the aforementioned
mechanics (knee drive to almost
hip height, heel under hamstring,
ankle dorsifl exed, contact with
ball of foot and the arms driving
in sync with the legs). Do two to
three sets daily as a part of training
or warm-up.
Wall Drill Series• Th ese drills will also rehearse good
running mechanics, but will be
performed while leaning against
a wall at an angle about 45° – 50°
(similar to that of the start of a post
swing sprint).
count, or three-count. Try three
sets, two to three switches per leg.
4. Wall Drill Sprint—With a proper
starting posture and position,
sprint as fast as possible for fi ve to
six seconds. Maintain good drive
and attack form and keep your
core strong. Try three to four sets.
Crossing OverYou have put the ball in play and you
have used proper form and mechanics
to be quick, explosive, and effi cient in
getting down the line. Now the next
step, getting to second base. Again, we
want to be effi cient and explosive so the
fi rst thing we need to do, once we have
a good lead, is to sit in our hips, without
back fl at, chest over our thighs, and our
toes forward.
In order to use all the power we have in
our gluteals, hamstrings, and quadriceps,
we need to initiate our crossover sprint
by pushing with both legs, not just the
left leg. Oftentimes, runners push with
their left leg and open and spin with
their right leg. Th is is ineffi cient and
reduces power or explosive starts. Th ink
about it, can you jump further vertically,
horizontally, or laterally off of one leg
rather than two? In addition, do not
forget that the pitcher is watching you
and may attempt a pick-off move to fi rst
base. If you have opened up your right
side, you are dead meat, you cannot get
back too well. Th e same push eff ect that
you need toward second base to steal is
the same push eff ect that you want as
you return to fi rst base when the pitcher
is trying to pick you off . You want to be
quick, effi cient, and explosive in either
direction. You also want to move this
way in the fi eld when you have to cover
1. Wall Drill March—Upon attaining
a 45° – 50° lean (with your body
in a perfectly straight line), begin
alternating your legs in a marching
fashion all the while maintaining a
straight body line lean and appro-
priate mechanics. Keep the toes
up, drive your knees to the wall
with your heel underneath your
hamstring and attack down and
back toward the ground with your
foot contacting exactly where it
began. It is important to keep your
head in line with your spine, which
means your eyes should be focusing
a few inches below your hands. Try
three to four sets, fi ve to six sec-
onds in duration.
2. Wall Drill Skip—Performed
exactly like a wall drill march, but
with a skipping cadence. Be sure to
not move the feet closer to the wall
with each repetition, but contact in
the same spot in which you started.
Try three to four sets, fi ve to six
seconds in duration.
3. Wall Drill Counts—Start with a
good 45° – 50° lean with one leg
in the up position (knee just below
hip height and driven to the wall,
with the heel under the hamstring,
toes pointed upward toward the
shin) and the other leg still in
contact with the ground, fully
extended. With a coach, friend, or
by yourself switch the positions of
each leg at the same time, fi nish-
ing in the same position that you
began, just with each leg in the
opposite role – this is called a one
count. It is important to maintain
good body posture throughout all
sets and repetitions. Th is drill can
be performed on a one-count, two-
Baseball Improving Your Base Running Speed
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 12
ground to your right or left when fi eld-
ing ground balls or tracking down fl y
balls in the outfi eld.
As you push laterally toward second base,
continue to push with your right leg
until it fully extends, while at the same
time punching and driving your left leg
across your body to second base. Once
your left foot has contacted the ground,
the rotation of your torso will bring your
shoulders and head around, a lot like
your swing. Upon squaring yourself to
second base, utilize all the linear sprint
mechanics you just learned (45° – 50°
lean, knee drive toward second base,
heel under hamstring, toes up, attack
down and back contacting the ground
with the ball of foot, and coordinating
effi cient and powerful arm drives).
DrillsDouble Leg Lateral Jumps• Start off in an athletic stance.
Keeping your toes forward, initi-
ate your lateral jump by pushing
through your heels. As your body
rises, fi nish your extension by
pushing with the inside edge of
your left foot and the outside edge
of your right foot, when jump-
ing to the right (roles are reversed
when jumping to the left). As
always coordinate your arm drive
with your leg drive. Try two sets
each way, four to fi ve jumps per
side. Th is drill will help you to
explode better out of your start.
Crossover Wall Drill Pickups• Set yourself in the exact position
as a regular wall drill (45°– 50°
lean). Now, turn 90° to the right
so only your extended left arm is
on the wall, with both legs still full
extended (you should still have a
45° – 50° lean). At this moment
tions. First, once you have moved a safe
distance off of (and slightly behind) sec-
ond base, take a few shuffl e steps toward
third base while the pitch is on its way
to the plate. Once you realize that you
can score off of this play, begin your
motion to third base just like you did
stealing second base (by pushing with
your right leg and punching your left
leg across your body). As you approach
third base, you want to utilize a good
lateral lean to the inside of the fi eld, as
well as the inside and outside edges of
your feet. Your objective is to not take a
lot of steps getting around the bag (this
slows you down), but to maintain your
acceleration and stride, thus reducing
the amount of your steps. Drive off of
the bag with a good knee punch, attack-
ing with the ball of foot, and driving
your arms with both speed and power.
Continue this process until you safely
reach home.
DrillLarge Circle Cone Drill• Set up cones in a circle fi ve yards in
diameter. Begin circling around the
cones running with your feet con-
tacting more in a straight line (one
foot in front of the other as you
circle around), then side to side as
you would do when running in a
straight line. Keep your lean (and
bodyweight) to the inside of the
circle with the foot nearest to the
circle feeling more outside edge
pressure and the foot furthest from
the circle feeling more inside edge
pressure. Keep a normal stride and
running gait while utilizing good
arm drive mechanics. Make two
complete circles, rest, and repeat.
Try three to four repetitions in each
direction, two sets total. Th is drill
will help you to maintain accelera-
you should feel a lot of outside
edge pressure to your left leg and
inside edge pressure to your right
leg. In a quick, explosive manner
drive your right leg across your
body, with your knee facing the
wall, heel under hamstring, toe fac-
ing upward, the left leg still fully
extended and the head, shoulders,
and chest still facing forward (your
left ear faces the wall). Set the right
leg back down and repeat. Perform
two sets, fi ve to six repetitions, turn
180° and repeat the same process
for the other leg. Th is drill will
help you to improve your knee
drive across the body in an explo-
sive and effi cient manner.
Single Leg Outside Edge Hops• Start off with your right foot on the
ground and your left foot off the
ground. Sink your hips and extend
laterally to the right covering three
to four feet of distance. Land only
on your right leg and absorb the
landing by resinking in your hips.
Remain square (sideways) through-
out this process, keeping your toes
forward. Repeat this process fi ve to
six times, rest for 60 seconds and
repeat. Repeat the above process on
your left leg hopping to your left.
Th is drill will help you to drive
more explosively with your lead
leg (which ever way you are facing),
allowing you to cover more ground
out of your start.
Running On A Bend or CurveYou are now at second base, in scoring
position, and ready to get to home on
a base hit to the outfi eld. But it is not a
straight line to home, and you have got
to make a turn around third base. No
problem, here are a few recommenda-
Baseball Improving Your Base Running Speed
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 13
tion around third base by utilizing
a good lateral lean, proper edges of
foot contact, running mechanics,
and arm drive.
Practice all of these drills twice a week
and before you know it, you will begin
to see an improvement in your perfor-
mance. Best of luck and keep training.
About the AuthorGreg Fredrick is the sports performance
director of Velocity Sports performance in
Louisville, Kentucky. He currently over-
sees a staff of ten coaches working with
youth, high school, collegiate, Olympic,
and professional athletes. Prior to joining
the staff in Louisville, Greg served as the
speed director for the Auburn University
Baseball Team from 2002 to 2004.
▲
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NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 14
ing and diarrhea. Additionally, many
medications such as diuretics, laxatives,
and steroids can cause depletion of potas-
sium (4). Again, athletes must be aware
of these infl uences.
Th e most common symptom of potas-
sium depletion is fatigue. Other symp-
toms of potassium defi ciency include
slow refl exes, muscle weakness, and EKG
changes. A quick loss of potassium could
lead to cardiac arrhythmias and even
death (1,4).
Increased levels of potassium in the blood
is known as hyperkalemia. Muscle break-
down from heat, exercise, or medications
can occur, albeit rarely, and can cause
hyperkalemia. In addition, during vig-
orous exercise, especially in a dehydrat-
ed individual, excess potassium intake
through food or supplements can cause
hyperkalemia. Cardiac arrest (absent
heartbeat) may occur at any time with
hyperkalemia, so hospitalization and
close monitoring is required (3).
Potassium supplementsTaking in a potassium supplement is not
necessary as this mineral can be readily
obtained through a variety of food sourc-
es. Fish such as: salmon, cod, fl ounder,
and sardines are good sources of potas-
sium. Various other meats also contain
potassium. Vegetables including: broc-
coli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes
(especially their skins), and leafy green
vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and
parsley contain potassium. Fruits that
contain signifi cant sources of potassium
include: citrus fruits, apples, bananas,
and apricots (4).
Potassium is a mineral involved
in electrical and cellular body
functions. It plays various roles
in metabolism and is essential for the
proper function of all cells, tissues, and
organs (4). Adequate potassium helps
to maintain lower blood pressure levels,
reduce the eff ects of sodium intake on
blood pressure, prevent kidney stones,
decrease bone loss (1), and improve glu-
cose metabolism (2).
For athletes, potassium’s role is of particu-
lar importance because potassium helps
regulate fl uids and mineral balance and is
needed for muscle contractions and trans-
mission of nerve impulses. Specifi cally,
potassium:
• Assists in the regulation of the acid-
base balance.
• Assists in protein synthesis from
amino acids and in carbohydrate
metabolism.
• Is necessary for the building of mus-
cle and for normal body growth (4).
Even the 2005 Dietary Guidelines point
to potassium as an important miner-
al not to be overlooked. Th e Dietary
Guidelines suggest that individuals
choose and prepare foods with little salt.
At the same time, consume potassium-
rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables
(1). Apparently, there is some concern
about adequate intake. And with good
reason.
How Much Potassium Do You Need?Until the Institute of Medicine (IOM) set
the recommended guidelines for potas-
sium, there was no real consensus on the
amount of potassium required by indi-
viduals and athletes. Th e Adequate Intake
(AI) for potassium, set by the (IOM) in
2004 is 4.7 grams per day (1).
Unfortunately, the dietary intake of potas-
sium by all groups in the United States is
considerably lower than the AI. Currently,
the average daily intake of potassium by
adults in the United States is 2.8 to 3.3
g for men and 2.2 to 2.4 g per day for
women (1). Clearly, adults and athletes
in particular, need to pay closer attention
to their potassium intake.
Potassium BalanceA defi ciency of potassium (hypokale-
mia) can occur in people with certain
diseases or as a result of taking diuretics
for the treatment of high blood pressure,
heart failure, or weight loss. Th erefore,
athletes with eating disorders, or those
wrestlers and others who are trying to
make weight, may be at an increased risk.
Diuretics are probably the most common
cause of hypokalemia.
A variety of conditions can cause the loss
of potassium from the body. Th e most
common of these conditions are vomit-
TrainingTable
Proper PotassiumDebra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, NSCA-CPT,*D
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 15
Th ere is no upper level set for potassium,
as food sources of potassium have not
shown to reach toxic levels. On the other
hand, supplemental potassium can lead
to acute toxicity in otherwise healthy
individuals (1).
Be sure to check your intake to make
sure it is adequate in all nutrients,
including potassium.
References1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute
of Medicine. (2004). Dietary reference
intakes for water, potassium, sodium,
chloride, and sulfate. Washington, D.C:
National Academy Press.
2. Karppanen H, Karppanen P, Mervaala
E. (2005). Why and how to implement
sodium, potassium, calcium and mag-
nesium changes in food items and diets.
Journal of Human Hypertension, (19)
S10 – S19.
3. Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia.
Retrieved February 8, 2007, from
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
ency/article/001179.htm
4. National Heart Lung and Blood
Institute. Do vitamin mineral supple-
ments such as potassium, calcium or
magnesium help lower blood pres-
sure? Retrieved February 1, 2007, from
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/
factors/supls.htm
TrainingTable Proper Potassium
About the AuthorDebra Wein is a faculty member at the
University of Massachusetts Boston and
adjunct lecturer at Simmons College.
Debra is the President and Co-founder of
Sensible Nutrition, Inc. (www.sensiblenu-
trition.com), a consulting fi rm established
in 1994 that provides nutrition services to
individuals, universities, corporate wellness
programs and nonprofi t groups. Her sport
nutrition handouts are available online at
www.sensiblenutrition.com.
▲
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 16
Over the past 15 years
the sport of baseball has
changed tremendously in
the way players prepare in the off season.
Today they are training multidimension-
ally. Training consists of strength/power,
speed, agility, plyometric, nutrition, and
regeneration. In order for baseball players
to enhance hitting performance, they can
and should work on two items during the
off season. One is swing mechanics and the
other is strength/power. Strength/power is
going to be addressed in this article as it
pertains to increasing bat velocity.
Strength/power can be developed by imple-
menting various forms of resistance train-
ing. Baker (1) stated that resistance training
exercises can be classifi ed into three catego-
ries; general, special, and specifi c. In order
to develop strength/power, a combination
of the three resistance training exercises
should be implemented. “General” resis-
tance training increases overall strength by
using traditional exercises such as squats,
deadlift, bench press, and rows. “Special”
resistance training is designed to develop
power, once strength has been improved,
through the use of explosive exercises
Factors Aff ecting Bat VelocityBat velocity depends on the coordina-
tion of a sequential, rotational, explo-
sive movement (contractile properties of
various muscles), as well as the stretch-
shortening cycle (4, 9). In general, hit-
ters tend to move or shift their weight
backwards before striding towards the
pitcher. Th is movement backwards is
called “loading” by coaches. Th is is
when the stretch-shortening cycle is
initiated. Loading should allow a bat-
ter to swing with more velocity, most
likely through utilization of stored elas-
tic energy and the neural stimulation of
muscles in a sequential manner (4, 9).
Th erefore, it could be said that bat veloc-
ity is improved, in part, by training the
muscle fi bers and the effi ciency of the
stretch-shortening cycle.
In today’s sports media driven society, it
appears that maximal strength is one of
the most important variables in off en-
sive baseball performance (bat velocity);
however, bat velocity is characterized by
explosive, rotational force production
in a short period of time (power). Th e
fact that explosive, rotational forces in
such as the snatch and clean and jerk lifts,
ballistic resistance training like throwing
medicine balls, and plyometric exercises.
Finally, “specifi c” resistance training incor-
porates a training stimulus that mimics
actual game motions and their velocities.
For hitting, this can be accomplished by
using underweighted and overweighted
baseball bats.
Th is article will discuss ways to develop
power (bat velocity) for the baseball hit-
ter, and it will be assumed that strength
has already been developed. Power is the
combination of strength and speed. When
the baseball is hit on the sweet spot of the
bat, increased power will allow a player
to hit the ball with greater velocity result-
ing in a hard line-drive, hitting the ball
farther, or both. Th e intent of this article
is to supply a theoretical rationale for
resistance training by identifying the neu-
romuscular factors that aff ect bat velocity,
and briefl y review the relative success of
general, special, and specifi c training exer-
cises that increase bat velocity. Additionally,
the application of these diff erent exer
cise classifi cations will be discussed for
players at various levels.
Resistance Training to Develop
Increased Bat VelocityDavid J. Szymanski, PhD, CSCS,*D
Baseball
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 17
bat velocity must be produced by the
entire body (lower to upper body mus-
cle groups) in about 0.3 s, highlights
the need for general, special, and spe-
cifi c resistance training. Consequently, a
sound strategy for increasing bat velocity
would be to periodize the various types
of exercises described previously. Th is
program would be based on the biome-
chanics of the swing, electromyographic
activity of the muscles that contribute
to swinging a baseball bat, and the short
amount of time for explosive, concen-
tric force production.
Eff ects of Resistance TrainingTh e eff ect of various resistance train-
ing programs on bat velocity has been
studied by a few researchers (4, 5, 8,
10 – 15). Research indicates that to
increase bat velocity, one could use vari-
ous training programs. It is theorized by
this author that to develop optimal
bat velocity one should incorporate all
three types of resistance training meth-
ods described by Baker (1). “General”
resistance training, for the most part,
attempts to increase the muscle’s con-
tractile capabilities, “specifi c” resistance
training tries to more effi ciently utiliza-
tion of the stretch refl ex and the use
of stored elastic energy, while “special”
resistance training combines both the
contractile and stretch-shortening cycle
mechanisms (1).
Periodized “general” resistance training
appears to be eff ective in increasing bat
velocity for high school baseball play-
ers. Szymanski and colleagues (12, 14,
15) have demonstrated that for high
school baseball players a stepwise (%
change every 4 wk) periodized full-body
resistance training program signifi cantly
increases bat velocity on average of 3
– 4% or 2 – 4 mph. What does this
mean? If a pitched baseball is thrown
at 85 mph and is hit on the “sweet-spot”
of the bat, it will travel 375 ft with a bat
velocity of 70 mph and 410 ft with a bat
velocity of 75 mph.
Th e amount of “general” strength gained
through resistance training may aff ect
the amount of increase in bat velocity of
high school baseball players. However,
the increase in bat velocity may also
be explained by the strength training
process per se and not to the amount
of change in maximal strength. Bat
velocity results for collegiate baseball
players who were trained with a “gen-
eral and special” undulating (% change
daily) periodized resistance program did
not increase mean bat velocity after 12
weeks of training like the high school
players described above (13). Results
may be due to position players not hav-
ing the large gains in maximal strength
compared to the high school play-
ers, indicating that the college players
already had a good strength base. Th e
high school players, on the other hand,
were initially much weaker than the col-
lege players. Furthermore, the college
players did not have access to medicine
balls or underweighted or overweighted
implements that emphasized the rota-
tional aspect of the baseball swing in the
weight room. It may be that “general”
strength training alone is insuffi cient for,
or may limit, the amount of increase in
bat velocity in college or more advanced
baseball players. For example, this may
be due to diff erences in the biomechani-
cal and/or neuromuscular attributes of
heavy squats and bat velocity.
Th e search for better ways to increase bat
velocity has led researchers to compare
other methods of resistance training,
including both “special” (medicine balls)
and “specifi c” (underweighted and over-
weighted implements). Recent research
(14) reported that additional “special”
(rotational medicine ball exercises) resis-
tance training provided signifi cantly
greater improvements in bat velocity
(6.4% vs 3.6%) in high school baseball
players compared to resistance training
and swinging a regulation baseball bat
alone. Th is is an improvement of an
additional 2 mph (5 mph vs 3 mph).
Th is research supports the theory of
adding “special” resistance training to a
“general” program to increase bat veloc-
ity. Th e combination of “general” and
“special” resistance training (traditional
weight training and rotational medicine
ball exercises) may produce greater bat
velocity due to predominantly training
both the contractile and stretch-shorten-
ing cycle (neuromuscular) components
that are used when swinging a bat.
When “general” strength levels are suf-
fi cient, a more eff ective use of the stretch
refl ex and elastic energy, accomplished
with “general and special” resistance
training, could provide a better training
stimulus. In this regard, when including
additional “special” resistance training,
such as medicine balls, it appears benefi -
cial to increasing bat velocity (14).
Eff ects of Overweight and Underweight TrainingIn addition to the above results, DeRenne
et al. (4, 5) reported that for advanced
(collegiate and professional) baseball
players, “specifi c” resistance training
improved bat velocity by 6 – 10% or
5 – 8 mph. Th e underweighted and
Baseball Resistance Training to Develop Increased Bat Velocity
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 18
overweighted resistance training used
placed emphasis on the speed of the
contraction, force production, and the
utilization of stored elastic energy. It
may be that the advanced, physically
mature baseball players had suffi cient
“general” strength. Th us, the increased
bat velocity could have resulted from
a better use of elastic energy and the
sending of quicker signals from the
brain to the muscles to fi re (swing the
bat). It is possible that advanced base-
ball players, who are generally stronger
and more powerful than high school
players, may benefi t more from training
with faster contraction velocities or with
greater stretch loads to further improve
their use of the contractile and stretch
refl ex/elastic properties of the muscle
that occur during the stretch-shorten-
ing cycle (6, 7). Th is may not occur
for baseball players with lower strength
levels since improvements in bat velocity
have occurred with almost any form of
consistent training or simply swinging a
regulation baseball bat itself (10).
Combining training methods may allow
a greater transfer of eff ects by improving
the neuromuscular system (contractile
and stretch refl ex/elastic properties of
the muscle). One must also take into
account the specifi c patterns of motor
unit recruitment, the number of motor
units recruited, temporal sequencing,
and neural fi ring frequency and rate
when performing “specifi c” under-
weighted and overweighted bat swings
(3).
In agreement with previous research
on power development, Bobbert and
Van Soest (2) indicate that an increase
in strength alone may decrease vertical
jump power if the ability to “control”
the new degrees of force has not been
enhanced. Th ey concluded that “muscle
training exercises should be accompa-
nied by exercises in which the athletes
may practice with their changed muscle
properties” (2). Basically, this supports
the use of “general” resistance training
to increase muscular strength, and “spe-
cial and specifi c” training to “fi ne tune”
muscular control needed to swing the
baseball bat.
Training ProgramAlthough the resistance training exer-
cises listed in the fi rst paragraph may
help increase bat velocity, an increase
in maximal strength itself does not
necessarily correlate to increased bat
velocity for more advanced players. It
should be understood that an increase
in squat or bench press (lower and upper
body) strength will not automatically
increase bat velocity. Th e ability of the
advanced baseball player to transfer the
eff ects of “general” resistance training
to the explosive, rotational movement
of hitting is questionable. Th erefore, it
seems appropriate to use not only the
traditional “general” resistance training
exercises, but to also perform “special
and specifi c” resistance training exercises
to produce maximal bat velocity. Th is
may be exactly what the advanced base-
ball player needs who already has a lot of
strength training experience.
In order to develop greater bat velocity,
athletes should use a continuum of exer-
cises that incorporate “general,” “special,”
and “specifi c” forms of resistance train-
ing. For example, a resistance training
continuum for increasing bat velocity
should utilize squats (general), rotation-
al medicine ball exercises (special), and
underweighted and overweighted bat
swings (specifi c).
Practical ApplicationsReasons to use “general,” “special,” and
“specifi c” resistance training to increase
bat velocity have been provided. A play-
er’s training age may dictate which types
of exercises are needed to increase bat
velocity.
Several recommendations can be from this article:
1. Bat velocity can be increased by
implementing a full-body “general”
resistance training program for
high school or novice baseball play-
ers. See Table 1 for “general” resis-
tance training protocol. See Table 2
for schedule of “general” exercises.
2. Combined methods of resistance
training may provide the greatest
training eff ect. See Tables 1 and
2 for “special” rotational medi-
cine ball training. See Table 3 for
“specifi c” overweight and under-
weight bat swing training protocol.
Advanced players should incorpo-
rate all three forms of resistance
training into their program.
3. If not using a combined method,
the best approach to increase bat
velocity seems to be “general” resis-
tance training for high school play-
ers or “specifi c” (underweighted
and overweighted bats) resistance
training for more advanced (colle-
giate and professional) players.
4. Based on previous research (4), do
not use loads that are any more
than 4 oz lighter or heavier that
your game bat (i.e., 30 oz for a col-
lege player) when implementing
“specifi c” resistance training. See
Table 3. Heavier or lighter loads
(bats) have shown not to allow a
Baseball Resistance Training to Develop Increased Bat Velocity
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 19
player to swing with greater bat
velocity.
5. “Specifi c” resistance loads progress
gradually by 1 oz heavier and light-
er every 3 weeks over a 12-week
training cycle. See Table 3.
6. Th e role of “general” resistance
training programs remains
unclear for more advanced players.
Although players are getting stron-
ger, their on-fi eld (bat velocity)
performance may not be any better
than if they did not resistance train,
since their bat swing mechanics are
already advanced.
References1. Baker D. (1996). Improving verti-
cal jump performance through general,
special, and specifi c strength training:
A brief review. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research, 10(2): 131 – 136.
2. Bobbert M, Van Soest A. (1994). Eff ect
of muscle strengthening on vertical jump
height: A simulation study. Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, 26: 1012
– 1020.
3. Bosco C. (1985). Stretch-shortening
cycle in skeletal muscle function and
physiological considerations on explosive
power in man. Atleticastudi, 16(1): 7
– 13.
4. DeRenne C, Buxton BP, Hetzler RK,
Ho KW. (1995). Eff ects of weighted bat
implement training on bat swing veloc-
ity. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research, 9(4): 247 – 250.
5. DeRenne C, Okasaki E. (1983).
Increasing bat velocity (Part 2). Journal of
athletic training, February: 54 – 55.
6. Hakkinen K, Komi PV. (1985). Changes
in electrical and mechanical behaviour
of leg extensor muscles during heavy
14. Szymanski DJ, McIntyre JS,
Szymanski JM, Bradford TJ, Schade RL,
Madsen N, Pascoe DD. (in press). Eff ect
of torso rotational strength on angular
hip, angular shoulder, and linear bat
velocities of high school baseball play-
ers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research.
15. Szymanski DJ, McIntyre JS,
Szymanski JM, Molloy JM, Madsen
NH, Pascoe DD. (2006). Eff ect of
wrist and forearm training on linear
bat-end, center of percussion, and hand
velocities, and on time to ball contact
of high school baseball players. Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research,
20(1): 231 – 240.
About the AuthorDavid Szymanski is an assistant profes-
sor of exercise physiology, Director of the
Applied Physiology Lab, and the Volunteer
Assistant Baseball Coach at Louisiana Tech
University. He formerly was the Sports
Performance Director for Velocity Sports
Performance-Tulsa. Prior to that, Dr.
Szymanski was the Exercise Physiologist
for the Auburn University Baseball team
for 5 years. Before attending Auburn
University, where he earned a doctorate in
exercise physiology, Dr. Szymanski was the
Assistant Baseball Coach and Weight Room
Director at Texas Lutheran University
for fi ve years. Dr. Szymanski has been
involved in several research studies evalu-
ating sports performance. His primary
research has focused on ways to improve
baseball performance. Dr. Szymanski can
be contacted at [email protected].
▲
resistance strength training. Scandinavian
Journal of Sports Sciences, 7(2): 55 – 64.
7. Hakkinen K, Komi PV. (1985). Eff ect
of explosive type strength training on
electromyographic and force production
characteristics of leg extensor muscles
during concentric and various stretch-
shortening training. Scandinavian Journal
of Sports Sciences. 7(2): 65 – 75.
8. Hughes, S. S., B. C. Lyons, and J. J.
Mayo. Eff ect of grip strength and grip
strengthening exercises on instantaneous
bat velocity of collegiate baseball play-
ers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning
Research, 18(2): 298 – 301. 2004.
9. Komi P, Bosco C. (1978). Utilization of
stored elastic energy in leg extensor mus-
cles of men and women. European Journal
of Applied Physiology, 38:181 – 188.
10. Sergo C, Boatwright D. (1993).
Training methods using various weighted
bats and the eff ects on bat velocity. Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research, 7:
115 – 117.
11. Schwendel PJ, Th orland W. (1992).
Traditional baseball weight training ver-
sus power weight training: eff ects on bat
velocity. Medicine &Science in Sports &
Exercise, 24: S137.
12. Szymanski DJ, Albert JM, Hemperley
DL, Moore RM, Reed JG, Walker JP.
(2007). [Eff ect of overweighted forearm
training on bat swing and batted-ball
velocities of high school baseball players].
Unpublished data.
13. Szymanski DJ, Albert JM, Reed JG,
Wheeler TD, Szymanski JM. (2007).
[Physiological and anthropometric char-
acteristics of collegiate baseball players
over a competitive season]. Unpublished
data.
Baseball Resistance Training to Develop Increased Bat Velocity
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 20
Baseball Resistance Training to Develop Increased Bat Velocity
Table 1. “General” and “Special” Resistance Training Protocol (14)Weeks 1 – 4 Weeks 5 – 8 Weeks 9 – 12
Sets Reps %RM Sets Reps %RM Sets Reps %RM
Core Assistance
2 WU 10 45, 50 2 WU 10 45, 50 2 WU 10 45, 50
3 10 65, 70, 75 3 8 70, 75, 80 3 6 75, 70, 85
3 10 3 8 3 6
Medicine Ball Exercises
Sets Reps Mass Sets Reps Mass Sets Reps Mass
2 6 5 kg 2 8 4 kg 2 10 3 kg
Reps = Repetitions RM = Reptition Maximum WU = Warm-Up Rest Time Between All Sets = 90 sec.
Table 2. Schedule of “General” and “Special” Exercisese“General” Exercises Monday Wednesday Friday
Parallel Squat* X X
Stiff -Leg Deadlift X X
Barbell Bench Press* X X X
Bent-Over Row X X X
Barbell Shoulder Press X X X
Lying Triceps Extension X X X
Barbell Biceps Curl X X X
“Special” Exercises Monday Wednesday Friday
Hitter’s Throw X X
Standing Figure 8 X X
Speed Rotation X X
Standing Side Throw X X
* Core exercise. All other lifts are assistance exercises. This program was kept simple since many of the high school facilities were limited by equipment.
Table 3. Overweight and Underweight Bat Swing Training Protocol (4)
Weeks Total Swings Sequence of Swings Weight of Bat (oz)
1 – 3 150 50/50/50 (H, L, S) 31, 29, 30
4 – 6 150 50/50/50 (H, L, S) 32, 28, 30
7 – 9 150 50/50/50 (H, L, S) 33, 27, 30
10 – 12 150 50/50/50 (H, L, S) 34, 27, 30
Note: Baseball players either hit batting practice or took dry swings 4x/wk. H = Heavy Bat; L= Light Bat; S = Standard 30 oz Bat
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 21
steps into the batters box. Or maybe you
have a teammate who, when he gets to
the ballpark, visualizes specifi c pitches
to prepare to bat, visualizes on-fi eld sce-
narios then runs through a specifi c and
detailed warm-up.
Such routines, whether you use them to
prepare for a competition or to prepare
for a task within the competition (e.g.
batting, pitching, or fi elding), can set
the stage for your performance. Th at is,
preperformance routines can facilitate
performance by optimizing your physi-
cal, mental, and technical readiness. But,
what really is a routine? A routine is a
regular course of procedure; a habitual
or mechanical performance of an estab-
lished procedure. Routines in sport, then,
can be viewed as thoughts and behaviors
that are done regularly to bring consis-
tency to your approach to performance
and your ensuing performance.
Now, let us get you started on develop-
ing or fi ne tuning your pre-competition
routine or your routine prior to specifi c
athletic tasks. While there is no one best
routine, the following are general guide-
lines to think about when developing
your routine:
“Th e most important thing is how a
guy prepares himself to do battle.” —Hank Aaron
Every time you compete, you want to
perform to the best of your abilities. You
practice in the fi eld, spend time in the
weight room, study game tape, stretch,
manage your diet, and hone your men-
tal skills all in an eff ort to enhance your
performance. Th is may be part of what
Hank Aaron is referring to in the above
quote, preparing yourself for competi-
tion by taking control of what you do
on a day in and day out basis.
But, he probably is also referring to the
importance of your preperformance rou-
tine or what you do on game day, prior
to stepping up to bat or diving into the
pool, to prepare yourself for competi-
tion. Do you have a preperformance
routine that you use to prepare yourself
for the athletic battle?
You have undoubtedly observed routines
(we tend to be more aware of the physi-
cal elements of a routine as an athlete’s
mental routine is tough to observe) that
are performed by some athletes such as
the baseball player who adjusts and read-
justs his gloves, kicks dirt in setting his
stance then takes a practice swing as he
R efl ect on what works and what
does not work for you in terms of things
you do, say and think to prepare yourself
for performance. As a starting point, use
past experiences to direct you. When
you performed well, how did you pre-
pare? Contrast this performance with a
poorer performance to help determine
what helps and what hurts. Keep as a
part of your routine the things you can
do that seem to help your performance.
Optimize your mental readiness by
focusing on the process of performance,
as opposed to the outcome. What are
those things you need to do to perform
well? Your focus should be on the con-
trollable aspects of your performance.
Your preperformance routine should
direct your attention to these factors
that you can control.
Use the routine on a consistent basis,
not just for big games. Every time you
step up to the plate, whether in practice
or competition, in preseason or a cham-
pionship game, you should use your
hitting routine. Routines are designed to
optimally prepare your body to perform,
so use it every time you perform, regard-
less of the situation.
Think “checklist.” In the book
“Heads up baseball” (1), the authors
suggest that athletes think of a routine
as a checklist of things to do in prepa-
ration for performance. Th ey note that
just as pilots have a checklist of things
they need to do to ensure a safe fl ight,
athletes should develop a checklist of
Preperformance
RoutinesSuzie Tuff ey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*D
MindGames Suzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*D
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal | www.nsca-lift.org/perform Vol. 6 No. 2 | Page 22
mental and physical things they should
do to facilitate performance and set the
stage for success. What are the criti-
cal elements of your checklist that will
prepare yourself for a game or prepare
yourself to bat?
Identify a plan B. Th at is, have a back
up routine that you can fall back on.
Th ings do not always play out the way
you expect them to and it sometimes
is necessary to switch things up in the
middle of the game. Keep your plan B
simple, but be sure to practice this as
well so you are comfortable with it when
you need to use it.
Never mind what others are doing.
Routines are highly individualized such
that what you need to do, say, and
think to set yourself up for a success-
ful performance may be very diff erent
from a teammate. Do not worry about
others and instead focus on yourself
and what is best for you. Years ago, I
worked with an athlete who decided
she needed to “be more serious” like her
teammates. She took on the routines of
her teammates and disregarded a means
of preparation that, while diff erent, had
worked for her. As expected, the results
were disastrous.
Elements of a routine versus supersti-
tions? Athletes can get caught in the trap
of integrating superstitious habits into
their preperformance routines, these are
behaviors that do not necessarily facili-
tate performance such as having to put
their left shoe on before the right shoe.
As an athlete I used to wear the same
hairclips every race. Th e fi rst cross coun-
try race of my college career I had a great
performance. In my mind I attributed
my success, in part, to wearing these
specifi c hairclips. How ridiculous, right?
Elements of a routine are things you do,
say, or think that help in preparation
for performance and help your perfor-
mance. Superstitions, on the other hand,
have no such link to preparation or
performance, except a link that you have
created. While some superstitions are
benign, the danger is in becoming over-
whelmed by these rituals or supersti-
tions. You can easily end up with a long
list of things you feel you have to do to
perform well that and this can take away
from the preparation that has more of a
direct impact on performance.
R.O.U.T.I.N.E.Set the stage for your performance suc-
cess by bringing consistency to your
physical and mental preparation and by
controlling the factors that impact your
performance.
Reference1. Ravizza K, Hanson T. (1995). Heads
up baseball: Playing the game one pitch at
a time. Lincolmwood, IL: Masters Press.
About the AuthorSuzie Tuff ey Riewald received her degrees in
Sport Psychology/Exercise Science from the
University of North Carolina – Greensboro.
She has worked for USA Swimming as the
Sport Psychology and Sport Science Director,
and most recently as the Associate Director
of Coaching with the USOC where she
worked with various sport national govern-
ing bodies (NGBs) to develop and enhance
coaching education and training. Suzie
currently works as a sport psychology con-
sultant to several NGBs.▲
MindGames Suzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*D