Upper Body

Thrower’s 6 Exercise Program By Nathan Friedman, CSCS, Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball and softball players of all ages are throwing with greater velocity today than in previous years. With increased velocity, especially among players who are fatigued and are not engaged in an appropriate arm care program, there is an...

Why We Don’t Do the Sleeper Stretch in Baseball By Nate Friedman, CSCS and Scott Cline, CSCS, Arizona Diamondbacks A common complaint that strength coaches, athletic trainers and physical therapists in professional baseball hear from players is that their posterior shoulder is tight. Given the throwing volume that...

Dumbbells are Smart  By Gene Coleman and Bryan King If you are an athlete performing strength training for baseball, sometimes it’s better to go lighter than heavier to ensure that your technique is proper and that you are training movements that have carryover value to on-field performance. When performing the...

Modified Grip for Lat Pulls By Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS It is common to encounter individuals who experience shoulder pain with certain exercises from time to time. Most coaches and trainers are aware that the rotator cuff is a common culprit. In addition, SLAP tears (superior labral tear from anterior to posterior) can...

Why Grip Strength? Jose Vazquez, PT, CSCS and Gene Coleman, Ed. D. RSCC*E Grip strength has been an integral part of conditioning for baseball for decades. Why? Because years of practical experience and scientific research indicate that grip strength can have a significant effect on offensive performance in...

SLEDGEHAMMER TRAINING FOR BASEBALL – THE OVERHEAD SWING by Napoleon Pichardo, CSCS, RSCC Hitting an oversized tire with a sledgehammer is an inexpensive, but extremely effective, closed kinetic chain exercise that allows you to increase strength and power in the muscles of the hips, legs, trunk, shoulders, arms and...