How to Follow a Weight Training Program for Softball
Swinging a bat and throwing a softball may seem to be all about the strength in your arms, but much more is involved. Both hitting and pitching actually begin in the legs and travel up the entire body. So, to follow an effective weight training program for softball, your program should include all major muscle groups.
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Things You'll Need
- Exercise ball
- Dumbbells
- Weight bench with leg curl extension (optional)
- Health club membership (optional)
Instructions
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Follow a Weight Training Routine for Softball
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Begin with a leg workout. Sit down on the weight bench and slide your legs under the leg curl bar. Slowly raise and lower your lower legs. Leg strength is especially important for softball pitchers.
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Roll over onto your belly and slide your ankles under the leg curl bar on the bench. Raise and lower your legs through a full range of motion.
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3
Do some squats. Standing with your legs apart just beyond your shoulders, lower your bottom as if you were going to sit down. Rise slowly and repeat.
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4
Strengthen your arms with dumbbell curls. While seated on the weight bench with a dumbbell in each hand, slowly raise your lower arms. Your elbows should remain at your sides throughout.
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Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your back straight raise your arms out to the side up to shoulder height. Your elbows should remain very slightly bent.
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Try dumbbell lunges to work both arms and legs at once. While holding your dumbbells at your sides, place your feet together. Take a giant step forward with one foot, then stand and repeat with the opposite foot.
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Try modified push ups to enhance your softball swing with chest exercise. Stand a few feet from a wall and place your hands on it. With your back straight, lean forward into the wall and then slowly back.
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Place your stomach on your exercise ball. Keeping your toes on the floor behind you, raise your self up with your arms at your sides. This will tone your lower back to handle the stresses of softball.
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Tips & Warnings
Weight train for softball one to two times each week during the softball season. Increase to two to three times per week during the off-season.
All exercises below should be done eight to twelve times in succession (this is the number of "reps"), once or twice each workout.
If you don't follow your training program consistently, your results will suffer. When you take prolonged breaks from exercising, your muscle tone may convert to fat.
