How to Develop Greater Batting Strength

Successful ballplayers like Mark McGwire attribute their long-ball success, in part, to strong fingers, wrists and forearms. Here are some ways to develop yours.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baseball Bats
• Baseball Batting Gloves
• Baseball Cleats
• Baseball Equipment Bags
• Baseball Fielding Gloves
• Baseball Glove Conditioner Creams
• Baseball Helmets
• Baseballs
• Jump Ropes
• Baseballs

1. Swing a bat. A lot. Ballplayers swing a bat as often as possible during the winter months as well as during the season. This willl increase arm strength as well as perfect your swinging technique.

2. Work off a batting tee. It can be used indoors with tennis and plastic balls or outdoors with baseballs.

3. Squeeze a rubber ball or use wrist grips to develop finger and wrist strength.

4. Perform rollups and rolldowns. Drill a hole in a thick dowel (like a shortened broom handle) and affix a shoulder-height length of rope with a weight attached. Keep your palms down and arms straight while rolling the weight up and then down.

5. Weight train. The goal of weight training for most ballplayers is to increase muscle tone and strength, but not to build mass (McGwire not withstanding). You want bat speed, plus speed out over the field. Use light weights to strengthen and lengthen muscles while increasing their range of movement.

Tips & Warnings

• Perform warm-up calisthenics and stretching exercises before swinging a bat. Loosen up by running, doing jumping jacks, swinging your arms, bending your trunk and doing push-ups and knee-bends.
• Many players will swing a weighted bat with a weighted "doughnut" to increase swing resistance.
• To work on your form, mark a strike zone on a wall with tape and swing the bat toward it, or swing in front of a full-length mirror. Take note of your surroundings - make sure you're far enough from the mirror before swinging.
• It's strongly recommended that players seek proper supervision and assistance before embarking on a weight-training program. Ask your coach or athletic trainer for a workout program.

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on 9/21/2006 Try and keep a even stance, which means don't lean backward or forward, stay balanced. Also, be sure to transfer your weight through the ball.

on 8/8/2006 If you have a tendency to pull your head out (because you swing the baseball bat so hard) try this: b
Before you go up to bat, about 3 quarters of the way up to your shoulder (use the shoulder closest to the pitcher), bite on your shirt. It will keep you from pulling your head out. After you get good at it you can stop the shirt-biting.

on 8/8/2006 Using a tee will help your swing tremendously. Use a heavier bat to swing and the next game you will crush the ball.

on 6/30/2006 When the pitcher starts his wind up, stop all motion at the plate and have your bat cocked back. This increases readiness instead of waiting till the release to start your swing.

on 6/30/2006 Don't underestimate the importance of your feet in your search for power. Faster feet allows more time to watch the pitch, thus better pitch selection. Better pitch selection = better cuts at the balls that you like. You cannot swing for power, if your launch position is not correct when you start swinging with your arms. With proper execution, your faster feet will result in a more explosive swing. I read somewhere that a major league baller has 1/4 of a second to see the pitch, make up his mind to hit it and start his swing.