You’ve herd the expression “you shouldn’t lift heavy weights because it will make you tight, bulky & slow you down” haven’t you? The “old school” coaches that tell you this, probably think long distance running is good idea too. Any coach that tells you this is lying to you & they don’t understand how the body really works nor do they understand how to truly maximize your potential as a baseball player. Let’s get right to the point, proper strength training will increase your velocity, make you run faster, jump higher and hit the ball with more authority.
Aside from skill, physical strength is the most important attribute a baseball player can possess. Simply put, stronger baseball players who are able to produce forceful contractions will be more successful than weaker players who rely on skill only. The combination of skill, power and strength will help baseball players reach their maximum potential.
But what about speed? My son needs to get faster. Every time a parent tells me their son needs to get faster, usually it’s because he’s weak relative to his own bodyweight. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to increase speed & power if you’re weak. Just think about your body as a car. The more horsepower (strength) you put in the engine, the more powerful the engine will be. With a more powerful engine, you’ll be able to accelerate faster. Your body works the same way. The more functional strength you have, the more potential you’ll have to run faster & be more explosive.
Parents also come to me and tell me their son is “tight” & “stiff”. Again, my answer is we need to get him stronger. In order to increase mobility, you need to have strength throughout the full range of motion. Proper strength training reinforces mobility.
So to recap, don’t listen to the old school coaches that tell you strength training is bad for you. In reality, it’s your foundation and without it you’ll never get much faster, agile or mobile. If you disregard getting stronger, it’s like building a house on sand – it’s bound to come tumbling down.
P.S I know that choosing a strength & conditioning program isn’t easy. There are a lot of factors that go into it like price, time & results. In my book, The Parents Guide To Strength Training For Baseball, you’ll have all the information you need to give your son the best chance to succeed. Just CLICK HERE to download it for FREE today.
P.P.S Getting started at GameChanger is simple & easy. Just CLICK HERE and we’ll contact you with everything you need to know to get started.
