Key muscles groups to increase distance?

G

Goldeneagle81

The Rookie
I am 6'4, 215 but for some reason when I really feel like I "get a hold" of the ball, it still usually dies at about 290-297 feet (300 ft fence).

What muscle groups should I improve to start consistently hitting the ball over the fence, and what are the best exercises to do? I have strong arms, but my shoulders could use a good bit of work. I also could also vastly improve my leg strength, but I'm not sure which muscles to work more...calves, quads, etc? Other than that, what excersizes would be best for strengthening my core?

All that being said, I am playing NSA instead of ASA this year, and I just ordered the CL22 stadium. It's a 28 oz like I normally swing, so maybe I should have gone with 27 instead...we'll see. Any tips on increasing power/distance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
wcoastsoftball

wcoastsoftball

Moderator
I am just going to say- find either the old Core Performance book by Mark Vertegen, or the Show and Go program by Eric Cressey, read them and enact upon either one. They are both solid and give you the results you are desiring.
 
clementeunknown

clementeunknown

Addicted to Softballfans
On a serious note concentrate on multi joint exercises look them up with Google. For strength you need to go heavy so I would say start off with 3 sets of 12 reps of your 1 rep max @ 75% for 3 weeks, then 3 sets of 8 of your 1 rep max @ 85% for another 3, and then 3 sets of 5 reps of your 1 rep max @ 95% for another 3 weeks. At the end of your last 3 weeks max out again and you can start all over. Correct form is crucial so the count should be 4 seconds isometric contraction to 1 second concentric contraction, or in plain English a 4 second count when you bring the weight down and a 1 second count when you push it up. Alternate your upper and lower body days
 
King Hippo

King Hippo

Star Player
There's been a few posts about the 5, 3, 1 program. It's simple, basic muti joint exercises. The weight you lift is calculated for you. It's the first program I've used that I didn't hit a plateau. Been about 18 months, gained a ton of strength. But in general what got me over the 300 ft barrier was mechanics and leg strength. Squats, deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts.
 
Waggs

Waggs

Addicted to Softballfans
6'4 215 strength should not be a problem but bat speed must be. Post some vids of bp as mechanics most likely are your issue. Look up bat speed drills. Explosive hips and quick hands.
 
second2noone

second2noone

Active Member
i forgot what the video was called but try the swinging heavy and then swing light bat drill. increase bat speed and using core. do a search on here
 
pj3p

pj3p

Senior Power Hitter :-)
Waggs said:
6'4 215 strength should not be a problem but bat speed must be. Post some vids of bp as mechanics most likely are your issue. Look up bat speed drills. Explosive hips and quick hands.
Click to expand...
yup, I bet you have a baseball death grip on the bat with a nasty uppercut swing trying to lift the ball :rolleyes:
 
Fro Joe

Fro Joe

Snowden is a hero.
Baseball batting. An electromyographic study.
Shaffer B, Jobe FW, Pink M, Perry J.
Source
Department of Orthopaedics, Georgetown Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
Abstract
The muscle firing pattern in 12 muscles throughout the lower extremity, trunk, and upper extremity during the batting swing is described in this study. The two hamstring muscles studied and the gluteal muscle had a similar pattern of high muscle activity during pre-swing and early swing, and then rapidly diminished. The vastus medialis demonstrated peak activity between 95 and 110% maximum muscle test (MMT) throughout the swing phases and follow-through. The erector spinae demonstrated activity from 85 to 185% MMT during the swing phases. The abdominal obliques showed greater than 100% MMT during the swing phases and follow-through. The supraspinatus and serratus anterior showed relatively low muscle activity (less than 40% MMT). These results show that batting is a sequence of coordinated muscle activity, beginning with the hip, followed by the trunk, and terminating with the arms. Power in the swing is initiated in the hip, and therefore exercises that emphasize such strength development are indicated. The maintained, high muscle activity in the trunk muscles indicates a need for back and abdominal stabilization and rotation exercises. The relatively low level of activity in the four scapulohumeral muscles tested indicated that emphasis should be placed on the trunk and hip muscles for a batter's strengthening program.
PMID: 8519123 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Glute, hamstring, obliques, erector spinae, and vastus medialis all play the biggest roles in the swing.

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blog-vastus-med.jpg


These are a mere afterthought in an average gym rat program especially if it excludes deadlifts. Look in a Cressey program or other athletic based programs to properly hammer these muscle groups.
 
T

tap2284

Watching baseball somewhere
Med ball work for explosiveness and rotational power will help. Anything by Cressey will be good considering he trains a few baseball guys and has gotten pretty good results.
 
K

Kenneth Atkins

New Member
We played against a guy named Hal Wagner back in the early nineties who had similar dimensions to you, about 6'3" and 215. For a big guy he just didn't have much power, routinely hitting 280'-300' fly balls, in 1992-1994, but he loved the game. When he came out in the spring of 1995 however, his bat speed had changed, and he was hitting bombs 350+. It was a very quick transformation but he didn't appear to bulk up too rapidly, perhaps 10 pounds of muscle, but it was his increased bat speed and leverage.

I would recommend working your backside muscles, most importantly your back, glutes and hamstrings. Don't do isolation exercises but rather power movements like deadlifts, and power cleans, and squats too. Triceps are also important for power. If you are not familiar with these exercises, find someone at the gym who is, and with 4-6 months of hard training you should notice a big difference.

With regard to a bat, you need something very light but very end loaded to give you leverage and inertia.

Good luck
 
MP33

MP33

Addicted to Softballfans
Squats, deadlifts, and stiff legged deadlifts will help you gain strength. Be sure to get your form right before going heavy. Between those, and lots of bp, you should be able to get that extra 10-15' you need to get one over the fence
 
L

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
clementeunknown said:
Because he asked what muscle groups he could work out to consistently hit the ball out.
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You have no idea if dude has strong core, explosive core, weak legs, strong tris. Answering this for him, specifically, is a waste unless you know his issues. He also may be an arm swinger and get zero hips into his swing and therefore, getting legs stronger will do pretty much nothing.
 
clementeunknown

clementeunknown

Addicted to Softballfans
LngBallLvr said:
You have no idea if dude has strong core, explosive core, weak legs, strong tris. Answering this for him, specifically, is a waste unless you know his issues. He also may be an arm swinger and get zero hips into his swing and therefore, getting legs stronger will do pretty much nothing.
Click to expand...

That's why I suggested a full body training regimen split into an upper body and a lower body day. If your whole body is strong hitting the ball out should be no problem even with flawed mechanics. Ever heard of a guy named Lord7? Legend has it that he could shrug 400 lbs and hit the ball a country mile:rolleyes:. Now fixing his swing is a whole other question he didn't ask
 
L

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
Got it....and in reading his posts again, he says he has weak legs and shoulders. Pretty obvious that he should work on any weak links, especially since these are important links in the chain...especially lower body.

As you point out, balance strength (overall body strength) is key, and if you have a weak link, you best start there. You need to be explosive from wrists down to calves and anything in between.
 
Bballkking1

Bballkking1

The Veteran
Lots of good stuff here. As a few guys have said, at 6'4" and 215 it isn't a lack of size that is limiting your distance. I'd work mechanics just as much as strength.

No matter how much stronger you may get, without proper mechanics and timing of movements in your swing, you won't see full results.
 
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