How To Build Up Arm Strength For Baseball?
Contents
Building up arm strength is key for any baseball player. Here are some tips and exercises to help you build up arm strength for baseball.
Warming Up
It is essential that players warm up before playing baseball. Warming up helps to loosen the muscles and prepare the body for the game. There are a few different ways that you can warm up your arms before playing baseball.
General Warm-Up
Before you start your arm strengthening exercises, it’s important to do a general warm-up to increase blood flow to your muscles and reduce your risk of injury. A general warm-up could include light jogging, jump roping, or riding a stationary bike for 5 to 10 minutes.
Shoulder Warm-Up
One of the most important things you can do to prevent arm injuries is to warm up your shoulder before you throw. Here is a simple shoulder warm-up that you can do to help get your shoulder ready for action:
1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Reach your right arm across your body and grasp your left arm just above the elbow with your right hand.
3. Gently pull your left arm across your body until you feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then repeat with the other arm.
Arm Strengthening Exercises
Pitchers need strong arms to throw the ball with speed and accuracy. Fielders need strong arms to throw the ball with accuracy and distance. Building up arm strength can be done with a few simple exercises. Let’s get started.
Resistance Band Exercises
Resistance bands are a great way to build up arm strength for baseball. Here are some exercises that you can do with a resistance band to help build up your arm strength:
1. Bicep Curls: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the resistance band under your feet. Curl your hands towards your shoulders, maintaining a strong grip on the band.
2. Tricep Extensions: Start by holding the resistance band under your feet, and then extend your arms overhead. From here, bend your elbows and lower the band behind your head. extend your arms back to the starting position.
3. Overhead Presses: Start with the resistance band under your feet and your arms extended overhead. From here, press the band overhead, keeping your arms straight. Lower the band back to the starting position.
4. Front Raises: Start with the resistance band under your feet and raise your arms in front of you until they are parallel to the ground. Lower your arms back to the starting position
Dumbbell Exercises
One of the most common ways to build arm strength is to use dumbbells. Here are some exercises that you can do with dumbbells to help build your arm strength:
-Bicep Curl: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. From here, slowly curl the weights up towards your shoulders, making sure to keep your elbows locked in at your sides. Once the weights reach shoulder level, pause for a moment and then slowly lower them back down to the starting position.
-Triceps Extension: Start by sitting on a bench or chair with a light weight in each hand, palms facing down. From here, extend your arms straight up overhead and then bend at the elbows to lower the weights behind your head. Once the weights are lowered as far as possible without moving your upper body, pause for a moment and then extend your arms back to the starting position.
-Overhead Press: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a weight in each hand, raised up to shoulder level with palms facing forward. From here, press the weights straight overhead until your arms are fully extended. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower the weights back down to shoulder level before repeating.
Medicine Ball Exercises
One of the best ways to improve arm strength is by doing medicine ball exercises. By working with a medicine ball, you can improve your arm strength, as well as your coordination and explosiveness. Here are some of the best medicine ball exercises that you can do to improve your arm strength for baseball.
1. Medicine Ball Chest Pass
To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold the medicine ball at chest level.Then, explosively throw the ball as hard as you can against a wall or a partner. Catch the ball when it comes back to you, and repeat the exercise for 10-15 repetitions.
2. Medicine Ball Overhead Throw
This exercise is similar to the chest pass, but instead of throwing the ball at chest level, you will throw it overhead. This exercise is a little more difficult than the chest pass, but it will help to further increase arm strength and coordination. To do this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the medicine ball above your head. Then, explosively throw the ball against a wall or partner, and catch it when it comes back to you. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
3. Medicine Ball Slams
Medicine ball slams are a great way to increase arm strength and coordination while also getting a great cardio workout. To do this exercise, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the medicine ball in both hands above your head. Then, explosively slam the ball down onto the ground as hard as you can. Pick up the ball and repeat for 10-15 repetitions
Cooling Down
After your baseball workout, it is important to cool down to help your body recover. Cooling down helps your body to gradually return to its resting state and can help to prevent injuries. A cool down can last for 5-10 minutes and can be done by walking or jogging at a slow pace, stretching, or by doing light cardio.
General Cool-Down
After your baseball workout, you need to do a proper cool-down in order to help your muscles recover. A cool-down helps to gradually bring your heart rate down and prevent blood from pooling in your extremities. It’s important to do a cool-down after every strenuous activity, but especially after a baseball workout because of the high intensity of the sport.
There are two parts to a cool-down: static stretching and active recovery. Static stretching is when you hold a stretch for 30 seconds or more. Active recovery is when you keep moving but at a low intensity. This could be walking, jogging, or biking at a slow pace.
Both static stretching and active recovery are important for a proper cool-down. Static stretches help to lengthen your muscles and improve flexibility. Active recovery helps to flush out lactic acid from your muscles and prevents stiffness.
Here is a general cool-down routine that you can do after your baseball workout:
static stretch for 30 seconds each:
-quadriceps
-hamstrings
-hip flexors
-groin
-back
active recovery for 5 minutes:
-walk or jog slowly
Shoulder Cool-Down
After your practice or game, it is important to cool down your arm to prevent injury. A cool-down helps to gradually lower your heart rate and can be done by lightly jogging or marching in place for 3-5 minutes. Once your heart rate has slowed, you can move on to the shoulder cool-down.
To cool down your shoulder, start by gently rolling your shoulders back and forth 10 times. Then, hold your right arm out in front of you with your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle and your palm facing up. Using your left hand, slowly pull your right hand towards your left shoulder until you feel a stretch in the back of your right shoulder. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Next, cross your arms in front of you so that each hand is resting on the opposite shoulder. Gently press down with both hands as you roll your shoulders back and forth 10 times. Finally, clasp your hands behind you and interlace your fingers. Gently pull your hands away from your body until you feel a stretch across the front of both shoulders. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds before releasing.