Staying Healthy for Baseball Season
Baseball season is finally upon us! To be at your peak performance, consider starting a baseball-centric exercise routine that’ll work wonders for your game. Here are some great exercises recommended by the pros that you can use to improve your overall performance!
Leg Cradle - This exercise will help to target your hips and your glutes, which come into play for almost every movement you make on the field. Start by lifting your left foot off of the ground. Bring your leg up to your chest while holding your knee and ankle. Pull the leg in tightly as you squeeze your glutes in the standing (right) leg. Swap legs and repeat with 10 reps on each leg.
Chair Kettlebell Press - The goal of this exercise is to achieve good stability. You’re going to be learning how to transfer energy to your feet so that you can use a peak force to make a turn on a dime or dive for the ball. As the name suggests, you're going to need a kettlebell for this one, but a dumbbell can work too. Grab your kettlebell with your hands on either side and hold it level to your shoulders. Get into a squat (about a quarter squat should be fine), and use your arms to drive the item up and away from your body (as if you were pointing to the sun). Bring the item back down and repeat for two sets of 8.
Backward Lunge Twist - You'll be working out the hip again with this one, but this time, with the added benefit of strengthening the lower back. It’ll be useful to both strengthen your back and hip flexors, but this exercise will also increase your rotational ability. First, lunge with your right leg in the back. Put your hands out to about chest level then twist your torso left (always to the leg that's in front) and stretch slightly. Return to the front, stand back up, rinse and repeat for 10 reps on each side. Alternatively, you can do this while holding a small weight, but don't overload yourself while doing so.
Don’t let yourself get into a health-issue this summer; exercise and healthy habits can take your baseball performance to the next level! If you were injured playing the sport you love, our team at United Rehab Physical Therapy can make sure you rebound to where you want to be.
