Check out my latest article on Stack.com, “3 Medicine Ball Drills to Develop Velocity”
Posts Tagged ‘medicine ball’
Medicine Ball Drills for Velocity Development – New Stack Article
Posted: April 26, 2013 in Baseball, TrainingTags: baseball, medicine ball, throwing velocity, training
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Power Sequencing, the Stretch-Shortening Cycle, and Hip/Shoulder Separation
Posted: April 10, 2013 in Baseball, TrainingTags: baseball, hip shoulder separation, lower half, medicine ball, pitching, power, power sequencing, stretch shortening cycle, training, velocity
Nearly all of the programs I write incorporate med ball throws. During the “preseason” phase of training, 100% of them do. One of the first things I teach the athletes I train is how to properly execute these throws. Some people can do them right off the bat with no problem, but most untrained athletes need at least some coaching. The problem I see most often in untrained athletes is the tendency to try to do everything “all at once”. What I mean by this is that they have a difficult time creating torque and utilizing the stretch-shortening cycle in their throws because there’s no separation between upper body and lower body movements. (more…)
Rotational Med Ball Drills for Pitching and Hitting
Posted: March 29, 2013 in Baseball, TrainingTags: andrew sacks, baseball, hitting, med ball, medicine ball, pitching, power, training, velocity
Training programs and goals must change throughout the offseason. At the beginning of the offseason, training is dedicated to improving strength and fixing imbalances incurred during the season. As the season approaches, training programs for baseball players should transition from strength-based to power-based, and more emphasis should be placed on sport-specific movements and drill work. Many younger ballplayers who have not yet reached high school are in the middle of their “pre-season” training phase right now, as outdoor practices have begun and regular season games are right around the corner. This means that they are doing a LOT of explosive drills like medicine ball throws to improve their ability to use the strength they’ve gained over the winter.
One of the most important things my athletes have been working on this offseason is powerful, effective hip rotation. Without good hip rotation, both pitching velocity and hitting power will suffer. Here’s two medicine ball drills that will help develop pitching and hitting power, while grooving good lower body movement patterns: (more…)
Andrew Sacks Sports Performance 