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Dieting where you do not need to starve yourself
I am somebody who has had an ongoing battle with my weight for most of my life. I have to be very careful what I eat as I seem to gain weight very easily. I have tried many diets, however I wanted to find a way of losing weight without having to...
Improving Your Golf Swing
You've got your golf clubs, your 18-pack of golf balls, your bag, your shoes, even one of those fancy little electronic caddies. You're as ready as Tiger Woods ever was when he stepped onto a golf course for the very first time. Maybe you're a...
The Benefits of Portable Batting Cages
Many advanced baseball and softball teams use portable batting cages to ensure adequate training while on the road. Just like standard batting cages, portable models act as a virtual catcher, helping to control the movement of baseballs and...
Where Are the Black Head Coaches
http://www.collegecharlie.com/Blackcoaches.html About the Author
Bill Cherry has been a prep school athletics administrator for 32 years. He is a form college football and baseball player and is the webmaster of the popular CollegeCharlie Sport...
Why We Watch Sports - (And It's Not What You Think)
Author: Jason OConnor Copyright: 2006
Whether you want to believe it or not, we like to watch sports
for very different reasons than you may think. In fact, the real
things that cause us to like sports are in every person, whether
we like...
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Strength Training Develops Solid Softball Players
Lynn VanDyke delivers a strength training article for any athlete, but specifically geared towards softball and baseball players. It provides general guidelines and sample exercises for sport specific situations.
Softball is a popular sport these days. Corporations, adult leagues and inner-city competitions are fueling the demand for skilled and competitive players. While softball may be experiencing a surge of interest, the basic techniques to improve your game and gain a competitive edge have remained the same.
Many do not realize that basic softball movements such as batting and throwing are not a directly related to arm strength. The movement begins in the legs. The power is then transferred into the hips, the torso, the upper back, the chest, the shoulders and then the arms.
A proper softball strength training routine will include an exercise for each muscle group. During the off-season, athletes will be able to strength train 2-3 times per week. Training should be reduced to 1-2 times per week during the season. Each exercise should be performed 8-12 times for 1-3 sets.
Quickness, speed, agility, balance, explosiveness, and power will be enhanced as the strength training program progresses. Below is a list of sample exercises
for the commonly used muscles in softball. There are many other exercises you could perform, but this will provide a starting point.
Quadriceps- Squats, One-Legged Squats, Jump SquatsHams & Glutes- Lunges, Explosive Lunges, Bridge on BallHip Adductors/Abductors- Lying Side Leg Raises, Ball SqueezeObliques- Oblique Crunch on BallRectus Abdominis- Ball Crunch, 180 Ball CrunchErector Spinae- Plank PoseDeltoids- Shoulder Press, Military PressPectoralis Major- Chest Fly, Chest Press, Push upsLatissimus Dorsi- Bent Over Row, Reverse FlyTriceps- Overhead Extensions, Skull crushersBiceps- Bicep Curl, Hammer CurlA powerful softball strength training program will produce powerful players. Use a full ROM (range of motion) for each exercise. Generally free weights provide a better ROM than machines, but use which ever feels best to you. The ultimate goal is to create a solid program that will deliver a well-rounded athlete.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn VanDyke is the proud owner of http://strength-training-woman.com . Her expertise in strength training and fitness is quickly becoming recognized by industry leaders. You may grab your free strength training log by visiting her site.
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