Weight Training To Improve Your Power

Spring is the time when everyone heads to the gym to get in shape for the summer. Softball players are no different; we would all like to hit with more power. First and foremost: If you go to the weights to improve your batting power always remember - train like an athlete not a bodybuilder! Bodybuilders have to utilize many sets with high repetitions to achieve the look they want. Looks are one thing, but you want strength which equals distance. Hitters need to increase their explosive power, the ability to do maximum work in a short period of time, ie: swinging a bat, sprinting, throwing, etc. These are explosive movements. Increasing your explosive power will increase your bat speed, your hand speed, your ability to maintain bat speed as you contact and follow through with the ball. Most ball players do not realize how much your bat speed slows down after impact. Using a lighter bat will help maintain bat speed, but there is no replacement for brut strength. Keep in mind these rules for training: Maintain a high level of intensity. You must utilize maximum effort during your routine in order to get the most out of your body. You should limit the amount of exercises you do to 4 to 6 total per body part. Most importantly you should limit your workouts to one body part twice per week maximum. Training more frequently than this does not allow the body to recover sufficiently enough to build strength. This could lead to over training and possibly setting yourself up for an overuse type of injury. The following routine is designed to accomplish the following: increase your fast twitch muscle recruitment, train your nervous system to respond to your commands with more efficiency and finally increase your power. I would utilize free weights and dumbbells if at all possible because it requires more balance and control. There is also more recruitment of the surrounding stabilizing muscles. Let's say on Monday and Thursday you do shoulder presses. On Monday you would train for maximum power. You would use a technique called drop sets that is as follows: 1 set of 8 reps. at 80 lbs. (the weight is up to you) followed by a set of 6 reps. at 60 lbs. and go almost to failure (ie. the last rep was barely accomplished). Make sure your moves are slow, 5 to 10 seconds each way, and controlled up and down. Rest and do it again. Once you have achieved failure in your muscle there is no more to be had. You have now completed four really hard sets that required desire and most importantly ... intensity. Perform these four sets maybe one more time if you wish to challenge yourself. You have to be very focused and on purpose when training with high intensity. Now rest that body part until at least Thursday. Your body needs to recover in order to grow. Thursday is an acceleration day and is very productive when used with a routine like mentioned above. Your body needs to be warmed up well before you continue. Take about 70% of the weight utilized on Monday (80lbs.x 70% is 56lbs). Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps using the following intensity. Lower the weight slowly (about 5 seconds) then explode as fast as possible on the way up stopping just before you reach your end lock out point. You must have control. Let them down relatively slowly and accelerate back up. Move up in weight only when the weight on your heavy day goes up. You must be careful using this technique and be in decent shape in order to do this training. This type of training can be used on all body parts. Refer to your physician if there are any problems.

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