Every baseball player wants to be able to drive a pitch out of the ballpark. The exhilaration is gives from the crack of the ball to the gapping players to the roaring crowd can’t be matched in this All-American sport. 

Many believe that power hitting comes from massive arms. However, this isn’t the case. The power to drive a homerun deep into the bleachers comes from the torso and hips. Therefore, strength training programs which targets these core muscles is essential for power driving a baseball.

Consider the Mechanics of Power Batting

Before beginning power training, first stop and consider the movements which are most used to deliver power through a baseball bat to the ball. Arms are definitely part of the equation, but the focus is on their ability to flex and extend. Therefore, include exercises which best target the pulling and pushing motion of swinging arms.

Consider the lower body and midsection positioning at the plate. Knees are slightly bent with the front foot planted and the back foot slight behind with weight placed mainly on the ball of the foot ready for a pivot motion. The knees are bent, as is the waist. Knee flexion exercises are necessary to give power to their release. Abdominal and lower back workouts are also needed.

Batter positioning of this nature is key to the powerful swing. Your body is coiled up like a spring ready to release its wound up energy. The stronger that the spring is the more energy it will expend when released.

Exercises to Strengthen Your Spring

The best exercises to do which give your coiled up spring the most power are variations of the Olympic lift. Since most of a batter’s power comes from the core and legs, these muscle groups should be the focus of a baseball player’s strength training program.

Because strong legs and hips are where a batter’s power originates, add the following exercises to your workout routine.

• Olympic Lift
• Goodmornings
• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Rotational Chops

Strong abdominals are part of the core package but are normally targeted separately. Here are some top ab exercises.

• Forearm Planks
• Side Planks
• Bicycling
• Vertical Leg Crunch
• Reverse Crunch
• Hanging Knee Raises (both normal and with side twists)

Knee flexion is another key element for a power swing. Target this strength building aspect with the following exercises.

• Single Leg Squats
• Front, Back and Overhead Squats
• All Variations of Lunges

By adding these and other strength training exercises that target your core, leg power and knee and arm flexion, you’ll soon be slamming homeruns out of the park.