9 Conditioning Exercises for Baseball Beginners

Welcome to the wonderful world of baseball. It’s intense. It’s dirty. Most of all, it’s absolutely fun. For those who are new to the sport, there’s no better way to develop your skills in the field than proper conditioning. Here are a few exercises that can help. 

Jump Rope

Baseball requires players to be quick and agile. Jump rope is perfect for building one’s cardiovascular endurance, as well as increasing speed and agility. Try doing different variations to target specific skills to improve. Two-foot jumps help build calf muscles while one-foot hops help increase balance in each side of the body. 

Assisted Running Drills

Much like in the jump rope, running drills help enhance endurance, which will come in handy when running across the field in the shortest amount of time possible. However, this workout can pose a few risks because of the impact it brings to both muscles and bones.

Make running drills safer to the leg muscles through elastic sports tapes. Use them as you perform running drills to improve performance and lessen pain if there’s any. These tapes decompress muscle tissues, allowing better movement and acclimating the players’ leg muscles to speedy, dynamic movements required while playing.

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Glute Bridge Hold

Glute bridges are essential for an optimal baseball swing. It helps one build control and stability needed when ending a swing.

Start by lying down with the back on the floor, your knees bent and feet on the ground. Slowly lift the pelvis upward, and lock the position using the glutes and core muscles. For more challenge, alternate lifting your right leg and your left leg. 

Planks

Like other sports, baseball also requires maximum core strength. That’s why building one’s core muscles is just as important as developing the leg muscles. The best and most effective way to strengthen the core is through planks.

First, build trunk stability trough front planks. Take things up a notch with a low plank that will definitely engage the core. 

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Rotational Power Exercises

Rotational movement is important when swinging the bat. It also allows you to control the balance better in sudden changes in direction while running or in other dynamic movements.

Try doing the medicine-ball throw. Find a concrete wall, and position yourself sideways, a few steps away. Hold the medicine ball parallel to the chest, and stride to the side. Engage the bicep and rotate the upper torso while slamming the medicine ball to the wall.

Distance Throws

For budding star pitchers, distance throws should be an integral part of your training. As the name implies, a distance throw enables players to throw the baseball more powerfully while covering more distance.

Line a series of cones ten yards apart from each other. Each player will throw the ball in proper form, aiming to reach the farthest area possible. The cones will serve as a meter stick to gauge improvements in the distance thrown. Aim for a farther distance to gradually build progression in your throws. 

Dot Drills 

Dot drills help increase knee and ankle strength to get better stability in the field. Use tapes to mark areas in the ground with an x in the pattern of a five as seen on a dice.

Warm up first by jumping from dot to dot with both feet at the same time. Once the body has warmed up, try hopping while following specific jumping patterns. 

Jump Box

This exercise is best for the quads, glutes, and hamstrings muscles needed in sprinting across the baseball field.

Start by standing a few steps away in front of a plyometric box. Jump as high as possible, and tuck the knees to the chest. Use the balls of your feet to land on top of the box. Dismount by jumping back to the first position.

For more challenge, place a resistance band over your thighs. 

Reach, Roll, and Lift

Stretch out the vulnerable areas in the upper back and shoulders, using this move to cool down.

Using a foam roller or physioball, start by kneeling on the floor. Lean back and sit on your heels. Place the back of your hands on the roller with the torso parallel to the ground. Exhale while lifting back to the starting position.

Overall, becoming excellent in baseball requires diligence and perseverance. Through proper training and dedication, anyone can become the next big baseball star.

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