There’s no arguing that one of baseball’s greatest attractions is “the long ball.” That’s right, hitting home runs is exciting. Although this is an exciting part of the game, there is a lot to do to be able to do it. You need technique, bat speed and power. As a strength and conditioning specialist, I’ve included 2 hard-hitting exercises, no pun intended, in this article to help you achieve these necessary traits. Kettlebells are a great way for a baseball player to develop incredible power and tremendous bat speed.
1. The Two-Arm Swing: You’ll only need a single, moderate-weight kettlebell for this exercise. To start, place the bell between your feet and make sure your feet are about shoulder-width apart. From here, squat into proper form and lift the barbell. Let it hang from your snout. The next step you have to perform is a technique known as hip snap. The hip snap is executed by flexing and extending both the hips and knees to create enough momentum to swing the bell from between the legs to chest level. Make sure to keep your arms straight and your shoulders tight. Block at the top of each swing. Hip movement is great for developing those muscles and your core that are the source of your hitting power! Try 30 to 50 of these in a row with a moderately heavy bell.
2. Kettlebell Push-up Rows (also known as Man-Makers): For this exercise you will need the availability of a pair of kettlebells of the same weight. You’ll want to get into a push-up upright position as you stabilize your body on the kettlebell. Make sure your hands and the bells are shoulder-width apart. Hold 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 each other. Stabilize and control your body. Make sure you maintain good rigidity from your shoulders to your feet. Your feet can be shoulder width apart. From here simply perform a pushup on the bells and as you come up simply row a kettlebell towards your ribcage lifting it off the ground. Put it back on and do another pushup to run another row on the opposite side. This is a highly effective strength training exercise for baseball players. You further develop incredible core strength and power to help you set up for the long ball! Train hard and enjoy my friends.
