Kettlebell training for baseball
Baseball is a game of great skill but being in better physical condition can really separate you from your competitors. There are different types of strength but one that baseball players need to develop is called explosive strength. Explosive strength is a short intense burst of strength like when you are hitting the ball. The second thing you need to develop as a baseball player is speed. Speed is absolutely vital when playing baseball and if you can improve in this area you will see real improvements in your performance.
Kettlebell workouts are ideal for developing both speed and explosive strength.
Kettlebell workouts will allow you to develop incredible core strengh. Kettlebell exercises use a large number of muscles, some that you have probably completely neglected until now. With solid core strength and developed posterior muscles you will see a significant increase in your power and explosive strength when playing. Kettlebell workouts are an especially good way for baseball players to develop strength. Kettlebell exercises strengthen movements and train muscle groups together, this means that your muscles are better at working together. This will give you better functional strength than you would get with other strength training exercises, better flexibility and to top it all off you will also have a reduced risk of injury!
When working on explosive strength you should use heavy kettlebells and complete a low number of reps. Basic kettlebell exercises like the swing and snatch are good for developing explosive strength but you can also do are double arm swings and double clean and press.
Full range arm swings
If you aren’t new to kettlebells you may already be aware of the double arm swing, the full range double arm swing is a more intense version and is better suited to building explosive strength. Instead of swinging the kettlebell only as far as chest height you should swing the kettlebell up further and above your head. When the kettlebell is at the top of the swing you should lock your arms and pause for a moment. Your arms should be straight up. Obviously don’t do this exercise with a weight that is too heavy for you or if you are getting tired. When training with kettlebells it is always important to have good form and controlled movements, as soon as your form starts to deteriorate or you aren’t controlling the kettlebell properly you should stop. Remember as well that the power for the swing should come from your hips and that your back should always be straight (this does not necessarily mean vertical!). When working on explosive strength you should stop if your movements are no longer ‘explosive’.
Double kettlebell clean and press
The kettlebells for this exercise should be of medium weight. They should also be the same weight if possible. Position the kettlebells just in front of you. Squat down keeping your back straight and pick up the kettlebells with your palms facing down. Swing the kettlebell up towards your shoulder while standing up. You need to twist and bend your arm upwards so that your arm is bent upwards the kettlebell is resting in the crook of your arm on your forearm. This should all be done in one smooth motion. Next press the kettlebell upwards so that the your arm is straight up and lock your arm. The power for this needs to come from your hips, core and upper thighs. You should ‘snap’ your hips forward. Do not drag the kettlebell upwards with your arms. When lowering the kettlebell down the momentum should carry it so that the whole movement is like a pendulum. Do not let the kettlebell to fall in the downward swing. If the movements aren’t controlled you will injury yourself so when you can no longer swing the kettlebells in a controlled way you should stop immediately.
Arms strength
Having good arm strength is obviously vital for baseball! Every position in baseball requires arm strength, so it is an important thing to focus on. All kettlebell exercises work on your arm muscles. A particularly good exercise size for developing strong arms is the kettlebell snatch.
The kettlebell snatch is an excellent exercise that strengthens your core, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders and back as well as your arms. These are all the muscles needed for throwing. You should use a light or medium weight kettlebell for this exercise. Place the kettlebell between your legs. Squat down and pick the kettlebell up with your palms facing the ground. You should squat down and swing the kettlebell back between your legs, as it comes back forward lifts it upwards keeping it close to your body. You should lift it straight up so that your arm is vertical. As it moves upwards you should squat down slightly so that you get under the kettlebell and punch it upwards with the power from your hips. Lock your arm in the vertical position. This should be done in a controlled motion and you should avoid the kettlebell hitting your wrist.
Speed training
To improve your speed you will need to increase your muscular strength. Regular kettlebell workouts will give you a lean muscular body. Kettlebell exercises require you to use a number of muscle groups, the kettlebell swing for example involves using eighty percent of your muscles! The basic kettlebell exercises, such as the kettlebells swing, will improve your strength but I have included a description of two very intense kettlebell exercises.
Kettlebell Snatch and Squat Jump Combo
This involves combining squat jumps with snatches. You should be warmed up before starting this exercise. Start by doing thirty one arm kettlebell snatches using both arms. This can be done by doing fifteen with the right arm and then fifteen with the left or you can spread them out in any other way. Ideally you should do an equal of number of snatches with each arm but if this isn’t possible you can adapt the number of reps accordingly. Obviously you can change this so that you do more or less than thirty reps depending on you level. Next you should do fifteen squat jumps. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the ground and then jump upwards. You should try to jump up as high as you can with each jump, you can use your arms to gain extra momentum. When landing soften your knees and land first on the front on your feet and then onto the back as you descend into the next squat.
Another exercise you can either incorporate into this combo or do separately are kettlebell jump squats. You should NOT do this if you are new to kettlebells! For these you should have two light to medium kettlebells of equal weight. Squat down and firmly pick them up. Leave them by your side, don’t lift them further up. Then do squat jumps as normal while
holding the kettlebells by your side.
Kettlebell Rolling Sumo Jumps
This exercise is very intense and you will need to be in good shape already to perform it properly. You should be able to do rolling squat jumps with perfect form already, if you can’t learn to do that first! You will need an exercise mat or soft surface for this exercise. You should use a light kettlebell for this exercise, at least to start off with! Hold the kettlebell firmly upside down and close to your chest. Squat down until your rear touches the ground, then immediately tuck your knees into your chest and roll back until your upper back is on the mat. Then jump forward with enough force to put you back on your feet and stand up, then jump up with as much power as possible. This is probably one of the toughest drills you can do but will really give any baseball player an edge over the competition by really increasing speed and explosive strength.
