The Best Resistance Band Exercises for Baseball Players
To prepare adequately for playing baseball, you need resistance band exercises are very beneficial for baseball players, even if you’re recovering from an injury. With mobility bands like this one, you can target specific muscle groups and get more of a work-out for the same amount of time. Resistance makes your muscles work harder.
Training with resistance bands will build your leg strength, thereby increasing your running speed. You can also improve your stride, your balance, and your flexibility.
Resistance bands can also improve your performance when throwing or catching the ball. You can target your shoulder muscles and your upper back. Increased arm strength improves your velocity and power.
In order to become a better hitter, you’ll want to improve your coordination, your strength, and your flexibility. By focusing on your whole body – including your core – you’ll increase your power.
Note: Make sure you warm up before doing any of these exercises, to reduce any risk of injury.
For best results, do these exercises 4-5 times a week, especially if you’re not playing often. If, however, you play daily, two or three times a week can make a real difference, both on and off the field.
Warm up
Attempt to do at least 10 minutes of cardio warm-up before other forms of exercise. Running, jogging or jumping jacks will get your heart rate up, and your body warmed up for training.
Warming up will help you avoid getting injured. You don’t want to find yourself unable to play because you were working out to play better!
Resistance band exercises
Row
Loop one end of your mobility band around anything at chest-height, such as a fence.
Stand facing the fence, with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold the other end of the mobility band in both hands.
Take a few steps backward until the band is taut.
Now extend your arms, pulling the resistance band towards your chest. Make sure you keep your elbows close on either side of your body. Pull the mobility band until your hands reach your torso.
Note: You can do this exercise one hand at a time, or with both sides.
Start with 2-3 sets of 15 reps each.
Inside elbow rotation
This exercise works your forearm muscles. Hold one end of the mobility band in your throwing hand. Loop the other end of the resistance band around a fence or other object at chest height.
Stand at a right angle to the fence, with your throwing shoulder on the fence side. Take a few steps away from the fence until the resistance band is taut. Have your hand that’s holding the band pointing towards the fence.
With your upper arm against the side of your torso, pull the resistance band towards you until your hand is face-up, or your upper arm meets your stomach.
Make sure that the rest of your body is straight and not moving.
Aim for 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Outside elbow rotation
This exercise is also good for your forearm, as well as your elbows, which will get a good stretch.
Turn around halfway from the position you had in the previous exercise. Your throwing arm should now be facing away from the fence.
Hold the end of the mobility band with your throwing hand. Rotate your arm away from your body and towards the back.
Return to your starting position and repeat.
Aim for 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Forward shoulder rotation
Shoulder rotations are, as the name says, great for your shoulders. This exercise also gives your upper arms and your upper back a work-out. By simulating the motion of a throw, you are really working your shoulder.
With one end of the resistance band attached around a fence or other object at eye level, stand parallel to the fence. Grab the other end of the mobility band, and face away from the fence.
Take a few steps away from the fence so that the band is taut, and you can feel a bit of tension in your arm and shoulder.
Keeping the band on your arm, bring your arm to your side. You want your forearm to end up parallel to the floor, with your elbow bent at a 45-degree angle.
Move your forearm forwards while keeping your whole arm still. Keep applying tension till your hand is facing up, then rotate it back to the starting position.
Aim for 2 sets of 15 reps each.
Backward shoulder rotation
This exercise is also perfect for your shoulder and upper arm and back.
With the resistance band still around the fence at eye level, turn around from the previous exercise position. You want to be facing the fence.
Standing parallel to the fence, keep your upper arm close to your body. Move your forearm, but without moving your upper arm. As in the previous exercise, you want your forearm to end up parallel to the floor, with your elbow bent at a 45-degree angle.
Do this exercise slowly, making sure the resistance band stays taut.
Aim for 2 sets of 15 reps each.
There are lots of muscles involved in playing baseball, and now you have a fabulous selection of exercises to improve your performance on the field.
