Core Exercises for Baseball: Try These 3 Moves for Power
Your core transfers force from your lower body to your upper body and vice versa. You need a strong and stable core to transfer the maximum amount of energy.
Core Exercise Principles for Baseball Players
The exercises should mimic what the core does during hitting and throwing. In the simplest terms, when a hitter or pitcher creates power, his lower body generates the force, which travels through a stable core into his upper body.
According to the Postural Restoration Institute, core work helps baseball players with proper breathing. Most baseball players tend to breath through their mouth, neck, and chest and ignore the most important muscle in breathing: the diaphragm. This causes the ribs to fly up and the lower back to arch when inhaling, enhancing anterior pelvic tilt and causing loss of power.
RELATED: Train Like a Pro: Baseball Strength Workout Program
Core work also helps you find the “neutral spine,” the strongest, most stable position for your body. To find what a neutral spine feels like, stand up against a wall with your heels a couple inches from the wall and your butt, upper back and head touching the wall. Slide one of your hands along the wall to your lower back. In a neutral spine position, only your fingers should be able to get past your lumbar spine.
3 Exercises for Core Power
Dead Bug
- Lie on your back with your arms straight over your chest, and your hips and knees flexed 90 degrees.
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Inhale through your nose.
- Begin to exhale when your arm and opposite leg begin moving.
- Exhale hard through pursed lips, like breathing through a straw for 5-10 seconds.
- Return to starting position at conclusion of exhale.
- Alternate sides after each repetition.
- Sets/Reps: 2-3×3-4 per side
RELATED: 2015 Summer Training Guide: Baseball
Pallof Press
- Begin with your body next to a cable machine or band attachment.
- Grasp the handle with both hands and bring them to the center of your chest.
- Find a neutral spine position by giving a slight posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your butt under) and maintain through the exercise.
- Inhale through your nose.
- Begin to exhale as your hands press straight away from your body.
- Exhale hard through pursed lips, like breathing through a straw for 5-10 seconds.
- Return to starting position at conclusion of the exhale.
- Sets/Reps: 2-3 x 6-8 per side
Bear Crawl
- Begin on your hands and knees with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
- Find a neutral spine position and maintain it throughout the movement.
- Lift your knees slightly off the floor.
- Move your right hand and left foot simultaneously.
- Alternate movement for desired length.
- Sets/Distance: 2-3×10-15 yards
RELATED: Why Baseball Players Shouldn’t Bench Press
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Core Exercises for Baseball: Try These 3 Moves for Power
Your core transfers force from your lower body to your upper body and vice versa. You need a strong and stable core to transfer the maximum amount of energy.
Core Exercise Principles for Baseball Players
The exercises should mimic what the core does during hitting and throwing. In the simplest terms, when a hitter or pitcher creates power, his lower body generates the force, which travels through a stable core into his upper body.
According to the Postural Restoration Institute, core work helps baseball players with proper breathing. Most baseball players tend to breath through their mouth, neck, and chest and ignore the most important muscle in breathing: the diaphragm. This causes the ribs to fly up and the lower back to arch when inhaling, enhancing anterior pelvic tilt and causing loss of power.
RELATED: Train Like a Pro: Baseball Strength Workout Program
Core work also helps you find the “neutral spine,” the strongest, most stable position for your body. To find what a neutral spine feels like, stand up against a wall with your heels a couple inches from the wall and your butt, upper back and head touching the wall. Slide one of your hands along the wall to your lower back. In a neutral spine position, only your fingers should be able to get past your lumbar spine.
3 Exercises for Core Power
Dead Bug
- Lie on your back with your arms straight over your chest, and your hips and knees flexed 90 degrees.
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Inhale through your nose.
- Begin to exhale when your arm and opposite leg begin moving.
- Exhale hard through pursed lips, like breathing through a straw for 5-10 seconds.
- Return to starting position at conclusion of exhale.
- Alternate sides after each repetition.
- Sets/Reps: 2-3×3-4 per side
RELATED: 2015 Summer Training Guide: Baseball
Pallof Press
- Begin with your body next to a cable machine or band attachment.
- Grasp the handle with both hands and bring them to the center of your chest.
- Find a neutral spine position by giving a slight posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your butt under) and maintain through the exercise.
- Inhale through your nose.
- Begin to exhale as your hands press straight away from your body.
- Exhale hard through pursed lips, like breathing through a straw for 5-10 seconds.
- Return to starting position at conclusion of the exhale.
- Sets/Reps: 2-3 x 6-8 per side
Bear Crawl
- Begin on your hands and knees with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips.
- Find a neutral spine position and maintain it throughout the movement.
- Lift your knees slightly off the floor.
- Move your right hand and left foot simultaneously.
- Alternate movement for desired length.
- Sets/Distance: 2-3×10-15 yards
RELATED: Why Baseball Players Shouldn’t Bench Press