Posted by: Coach C () on Fri Dec 19 16:04:23 2003

which muscle groups should I focus on working, Or should i work on all muscle groups equally?
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> > Stretching can not be overstated as well....baseball requires muscles be strong and loose. You can lose power if you are not flexible as well. Buy books on core training/plyometrics.
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> > Good Luck,
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> > Coach C
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> >>I have been doing a different workout which this year even though I am getting older I am hitting far more balls out of the ball park.I am not as strong this year because I am not pushing the heavy weights and lifts I did last year.Here is my routine now:10 minutes of stretch ,especially in groin area,hamstring,and lower back.This is enhancing my coil/uncoil ability[stretch position.Then I do cable and band work on the shoulders creating resistance over a long motion and stretch.[Great for strengthening muscles around rotator cuff as well].I do cross over flies with the wide cable machine for the chest.I also stand like I am hitting and with a cable stretched I do the motion of the rear arm bringing the elbow in the slot then turning with resistance.If you do this move with resistance you will feel how much workand force the front of the rear shoulder and the outer part of the rear chest muscle does[feel the flex] once the elbow has slotted and the rotation begins.Agreat move I have been tinkering with,is take the cable machine if it is adjustable on height and raise it up pretty high and to your side,reach back and up like your hitting but higher and with resistance already there and step like your hitting and pull and turn as you finish down low with your hands near your lead knee,this has resistance created over a long distance through the core mid section and works the hips.Next bring the cables to your chest ,hands together and do lunges,/Take a medicine ball and sit on the ground with someone 10 foot behind you and throw it around the side and outside the shoulder so it goes behind you to the person and then turn to other side and catch it as they throw it outside your shoulder.One of my best is to take the medicine ball 10# for me and act like your throwing with both hands on the ball as you reach back and throw it as hard as you can against the wall 10 foot in front of you,catch it and do it again,see what it takes to throw it as hard as you can this well be very similar as to what you should do to throw and hit with speed.I still like over/under training as well againt the tire or bag for more specific training.


Outstanding!!! I love the creativity and your understanding of the key muscle groups in hitting. Let me throw one other thing at ya. Tom (hitting guru on this site) talks a lot about scapula load. In my opinion the good old "push up" gives me the greatest sensation of working these key muscles. It's not the same on the bench press. Make push-ups, a major part of the deal. You can buy a weight jacket to increase the load. There's a reason the body collapses at failure in push-ups and it's tough to recover from. It's the best scapula over-load exercise I can think of, although there may be others.

I know Jack doesn't like this term in hitting, but I do thing hitting is ballistic, just not with the hands, so mix in ballistic training with your high reps (Sounds like you may be doing that already, but wanted to mention it).

I love all the exercises you do, but especially the medicine ball work.

Take care,

Coach C