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Online now: 4 members: 3_SoftballFreak, MariaO17, Qualitye00, Tru; 9 anonymousDiscussion: best weight training to improve hitting
| Posted | Discussion |
| June 14 madsenior 54 posts | I take bp three times a week and I lift once or twice a week. My question is what is the best way to lift to get a stronger swing. I just want to increase my distance. I know about the bats so that is not the issue. thank you. Mike |
| June 14 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | Demarine used to be big on bench press and talked about exploding through the weights so you can train your fast twitch muscles. For ball players, strengthen the core is important. Many guys I know pull lateral weights on a machine that work both sides of the same muscles as swinging a bat does. All of the work-outs I know about and do for ball require enhancing the fast twitch muscles rather than building bulk. Protein supplements after a work out help. |
| June 14 E4/E6 Men's 70 873 posts | EV I think you hit on it. A strong core and obliques are essential to the one thing thats needed more then any strength you can build. That would be bat speed. Madsenior I dont know what size bat you use but its been said the 26 to 28oz composites are optimum for driving the ball, due to increased bat speed. |
| June 14 madsenior 54 posts | I just talked to a baseball coach at a high school here in Montana. He also is the weight coach for MSU. I am told that the best training for my age is thing called the Total Gym. I think it is sold on TV. Anyway I googled it and it uses your body weight and pulleys. Anyone here have one?? good - bad - ? |
| June 14 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | MadSenior: I notice you are in Montana. Will you be at the senior games there in June? I will be there playing with the Marauder 60s from Vancouver, BC. Look me up. ...No. 11 |
| June 14 madsenior 54 posts | Wish I could but have to go to visit the grandkids. good luck... |
| June 15 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I'm a believer in strong hands, wrists and forearms. I don't work on anything else. ;) |
| June 15 olie04 Men's 50 48 posts | madsenior, the question you are asking does not have one answer that would apply to everyone. There are to many variables regarding the human body and how we are genetically built to have an answer that would apply across the board. I will give you the short answer that will help you to make what choices may be best for you. First of all there are basically three body types, Ectomorphs, Meosomorphs, and Endomorphs. You need to understand which type you are, and then understand what your limitations are within each one. We are born with a certain amount of "Fast twitch" muscle fibers as well as "slow twitch" fibers. Fast twitch are designed for explosive movements, slow twitch are for endurance or repetative firing over a longer duration. At the age of 25, males begin to decline in the amount of testosterone that they produce. This process starts the natural decline in the quality and quantity of muscle that a person naturally has based on their body type. This also obviously effects our strength capabilities. You can't increase the amount of fast twitch muscle fibers you are born with, but by working out with resistence training and cardio/endurance training you can stave off the inevitable decline. About 70 percent of males over the age of 45 are suffering from a medical condition called "Testicular hypofunction" aka, low testosterone levels. This has a dramatic effect on our endurance ,strength and vitality. I suggest you get you free testosterone level checked by you doctor to determine if you are in the high risk percentile. Any exercise that strengthens the torso, core, thighs and hips all add to a better and stronger swing. If you were never a home run or power hitter as a young man, you are not going to be one just because you now start working out. But if you are looking to improve what you are already capible of then implement a sensible resistance/cardio training routine(work each muscle group once a week), healthy eating, good rest and you will reap the benifits of a much better game. Good luck and be consistent. |
| June 15 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | every one here has made real good comments on what to do.working on your forearms and wrists,i also work the back(upper),along with the core.also work your legs as you need a good base to work off from. when i had availability to a gym,i used to use the pull down as i would swing,do both sides. |
| June 15 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | also on reading this thread no one has suggested mike macenko's bat speed drill,this is a great tool for improving your bat speed.also there is a bat chute out by ray demarini that really helps. |
| June 15 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | CrazyPup: You are right about the bat speed drill. I do it every Winter. |
| June 16 Reggie44 Men's 50 43 posts | Olie great post. Olie has been a weight lifter and great softball player for years and he definatly knows what he is talking about. This is my take on lifting weights as it pertains to hitting a softball. Currently I workout 4 days a week, mostly upperbody, but there have been times that I haven't worked out at all and have found that I can hit a softball just as far and just as hard as when I was working out. Most guys that play Major plus or Majors can hit the ball out on a consistant basis but the mental part of the game is where you can get your edge. That's where working out helps me. If I go into a tournament feeling that I have done the off the field work it helps a ton with my mental attitude and confidence when I step on to the field therefore translating into more home runs, higher batting average and better defense play. So working out and staying in shape may or may not make you hit the ball harder but it certainly will not make things worse. Reg #27 Colorado Rapid Erectors |
| June 16 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Just like spot-reducing, targeted weight training is really not a valid concept. Yes, some things will contribute to specific activities more than others, but a BALANCED program is essential if for no other reason than to prevent injuries from muscle imbalance. Not to mention, who does not want a symmetrical look v. large arms/small legs, deep chest/narrow back, etc.? |
| June 16 madsenior 54 posts | Great stuff guys....good advice and very helpful. thank you |
| June 16 #6 Men's 60 1173 posts | mad dog, I saw you in Dallas, the only "weight training" you did there was with 12 oz. curls ! LOL ! |
| June 16 Captain Marauder Men's 65 91 posts | Maddog hope you pump iron untill Huntsman I need a powerhitter Keep pushing dude |
| June 16 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | #6 but they all were in my bubba keg 1/2 (32 oz)gal jug so more weight than the 12 oz :):).will do George,you know i like my weight training,LOL. |
| June 18 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | Good thread for a while huh? Cap'n Marauder - Mad Dog would prolley' be throwing them 12oz cans knuckle ball style |
| June 19 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | another training aide is to hang a tire from a tree and hit the side of it(to spin it),might want to anchor the bottom ,to keep it from swinging.i use a heavy bag also for this.go get some 16" balls to bp with,not a lot of distance/fun but you'll need to drive thru them to get a good swing/distance,and that is what you want to do when you are hitting anyways. |
| June 19 Capt Kirk 541 posts | Chicken Fried Steak, mashed tater/gravy, fried okra, blackeye peas, & pecan pie seems to work for me. Couple of shiner beers to make sure all of that get stuff get distributed. |
| June 20 #6 Men's 60 1173 posts | Capt Kirk.so that is where all that weight came from ? LOL ! LET ME KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR TOURNAMENT. WE DIDN'T HAVE IT ON OUR SCHEDULE, BUT LET ME SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, |
| June 20 Capt Kirk 541 posts | Kenny, our fund raising tournament will be held on Saturday, August 7th, for 50's, 60's, & 65's divisions and Sunday, August 8th, for 69+ divisions at Alvo Jo Fisher Sports Complex in San Antonio: San Antonio Senior Softball League 2nd Annual TOURNAMENT 4 game Round Robin Cost: $215.00 per team Fee includes Umpires + 2 New Balls Additional softballs will be available for purchase at the field Trump With Vapor Block -.44/375 Four Divisions: 50 + / 60 + / 65 + / 69 + Saturday Sunday 1ST Place - Championship Tee Shirts 2nd Place - Tournament Tee Shirts SASSL/SSUSA Rules will be in effect Deadline for registration is July 23, 2010 Contacts: Gary Kirk 210-548-9559 gkirk49ers@sbcglobal.net or Bill Altman 210-651-5507 waltman@satx.rr.com All Proceeds used for Improvements for the League, we are in the process of converting our 2nd field to meet SSUSA Specs. Hope to see you there. |
| June 20 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | capt everything but that okra,ugh. |
| June 20 Capt Kirk 541 posts | #6, Just in case if there is some confusion about our tournament dates: 1) 50'S, 60'S, & 65'S will play a four (4) game round robin on Saturday, August 7th. 2)69+ will play a four (4) game round robin on Sunday, August 8th. 3)All games will be played at Alvo Jo Fisher Sports Complex, San Antonio, TX. Gary |
| June 21 madsenior 54 posts | Ok…I have decided to give up on working out to hit better…..going to take some steroids, shave my U2 and only hit 50 core/600 comp balls. For running the bases I have one of those football fan caps that will feed tubes of Red Bull in me for the whole game!! |
| June 22 Robo2 238 posts | Lifting is very important to increasing hitting for consistency and power. The only ones who say not are ones that do not lift. The head of Sports medicine and pain management in a hospital in NJ told me that for my age (58) the best way to build muscle is 2 sets of 15 (any more is just a fatigue). He also said that the back is critical to work on. Wide grip pull downs; seated rows; upright rows; and reverse flys are important. I too am a proponent of dumbell inclines (dumbells hit the stabilizer muscles). I also work forearms with reverse curls; bi's with curls and legs for a strong base and balance. How this gives you another persepctive. |
| June 22 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Robo, no disrespect to the doctor but how muscular is he? While medical knowledge can certainly be helpful, I prefer to take my advice from those who have, not just those who sort of studied it. Fifteen rep sets are pretty/very high for muscular development, and certainly too high for strength development. 8-10 rep sets, with occasional 6-rep and 4-rep workouts thrown in, are much more optimal. Just the thoughts of someone with 31 years of practical lifting experience. |
| June 22 hombre Men's 60 240 posts | This really hurts me, but Dirty, I tend to agree with you. I've too have been lifting for to some degree for most of my adult life. However, our muscles respond much differently thatn they did 30 years ago. I know what does and doesn't work for me, but I'm older than 58. LOL |
| June 22 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | Gee thanks, I think. :) I do agree that each person reacts differently, but there does seem to be some principles that apply to most if not all. |
| June 22 lemons Men's 65 323 posts | I'm reminded of the old joke, "Could you hit before you started weight training?" |
| June 22 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | what degree do you have dirty,for physical training.15 reps will build strength and stamina.now,unless you do explosion type lifting it will not help your fast twitch muscles needed for hitting,but you will build strength and stamina. |
| June 23 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | Dang, you guys work too hard. I have been trying to perfect one armed bp so I can drink a cold one at the same time. I have left-armed down, but am having trouble right arming it. May just have to quit and drink Sam Adams Lager. :-) |
| June 23 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | webbie don't laugh,there is a guy from bakersfield,ca that does hit 1 arm.he has a lot of pop also.he started doing it b/c he would hit to his kids and have a glove on so the kids could throw the ball back to him instead of lobbing it.he said he has tried 2 hands but gets more extension 1 handed. |
| June 24 Dirty Men's 50 1371 posts | mad dog, I don't. As I said I have 31 years of 4 times a week of practical experience. Of course 15-rep sets will build stamina, I never said otherwise. But it will not build strength in the real sense. It just doesn't. And hitting is an explosive action, so while muscle stamina is not a bad thing it will do little to affect the softball/basebal swing. |
| June 24 Webbie25 Men's 70 2414 posts | mad dog, I was tongue in cheek, but we had a guy in Albuquerque that hit one armed and did pretty well.He had lost his other arm somehow. My apologies if my attempt at beer humor offended anyone. |
| June 24 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | webbie no prol,was just letting ya know,that you can do it,LOL,beer in one hand and swing with the other. back to reality i have seen actual 1-armed guys play also. dirty,i have been lifting for over 40 years,so i guess my expertise is better than yours. anytime you lift you gain strength no matter how many times you pump it up-6,8,10,12,15. |
| Sept. 23 "MARIO" 20 posts | I just turned 50 and trian 4 nights a week. I have learned over the years to listen to my body. I do each body part once a week. I do 4 sets of 10 of 3 different movements for each body part. This is just a outline. Legs are the most important part of a powerhitter. So I do legs when I feel the strongest.My workout is as follows. Monday-Legs/Shoulders, Tuesday cardio/abs, Wednesday-Chest/Triceps, Thursday-cardio/abs, Friday-Back/Biceps. During the season when I am traveling on Fridays I skip Thursdays workout. Also during the season I do a routine called 21. Do 1 set of each body part 21 reps. So on chest/triceps day I will do 1 set of bench - 21 reps and 1 set of triceps -21 reps. This helps keep my strength and keeps me from over training. The biggest problem I see I in older guys is over training. I'm a big guy 6'5" 275 lbs and have been training for over 30 years. Listen to your body!!!!!! |
| Sept. 23 stick8 1992 posts | The best way I know to improve your hitting is taking lots of bp. Besides "mario" I'm suprised no one has mentioned LEGS. Everything in softball-running, hitting, throwing, reacting to a hit ball on defense starts with your legs. In fact everything in most all major sports is generated from your legs. When your in the 7th or 8th game of a tournament and you don't have the zip on your swing or movement chances are it's your legs that are holding you down. While some have upper bodies that ask "which way to the beach" having weak legs won't bode well for improving ones hitting. |
| Sept. 24 canIjack Men's 60 322 posts | Walking, leg squats or knee bends for the legs. Leg raises(core)Push ups(5 sets of 20 or more), Dips(5 sets)and pull ups(5 sets)for the upper body And 30 sec. rest between each set, and last get a tire, hang it from a tree and get to swinging hard or chopping wood action with a heavy bat. YOU DON'T NEED WEIGHTS! |
| Sept. 24 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | stick read the 9th post down,my first post,i say you need to work on the legs for a good strong base in it. glad to see this post brought back from the dead as we are going to the off season.many good idea's to help our conditioning. |
| Sept. 24 stick8 1992 posts | Mad dog I stand corrected. Let me add that one should use lighter weights when working on legs. It's more important to perform the exercise correctly to isolate and develop the muscle rather than too much weight which harm the joints. |
| Sept. 24 mad dog Men's 65 4191 posts | well i guess u better be,LOL.i like to use weights,that if pushed i can do almost 20 reps,that is light enough for me.i go for 15 reps when i do work out,and when the time comes that i can get the 20 easy(more like 23-25), i go up a little in weight. |
