Drop and give me 200. Source: gettyimages.com

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a workout based on one used by the softball team. This week, I’ve put together a workout based on one of the several used by the baseball team. Specifically, this workout is designed for pitchers, so there is a big emphasis on the functional body strength, explosiveness, and rotational core strength needed to throw a baseball hard.

Like last time, videos are included for each move to clear up any confusion on how to do these exercises!

• 200 Push-ups and 50 Pull-ups- This first part is a bit of circuit, with two exercises being done one after the other until they are both finished. Don’t do all the pushups and pull-ups at once! Though the numbers seem intimidating, if you break them up, it becomes a lot easier. For the push-ups, try to keep your arms close to your body to really focus on your triceps. If the pull-ups are too hard, don’t be afraid to revert to chin-ups. Again, take your time with this one. your arms are going to feel tired, but giving them small breaks will help you push through.
• 35 Box Jumps- 1x each leg and 1x both legs For this exercise, don’t use the biggest box you can jump on top of. Instead, use a lower height to focus on quickly jumping while still keeping your form. Use a slightly smaller box for the one-legged jumps, and land on top of the box with two feet to soften the impact on your ankles. Try to do as many as you can out of the 35 at once, but break it up into sets if necessary. Box jumps are great for building explosiveness in your legs and also double as a bit of a cardio workout.
• 50 Cable Twists (each side) Cable twists are great for building the core rotational strength that is so important in many baseball movements. Like the push-ups and pull-ups, break the fifty repetitions up into a couple of sets. Use a lower weight for this exercise (20-40 lbs.), and focus on keeping your arms straight to get the most out of the movement.
• 50 Cable Punches (each side) Like the twists, cable punches work on core rotational strength, while also incorporating some explosiveness and shoulder-strengthening Also like the twists, use a low weight and break up the repetitions into sets. Make sure you incorporate your hips into the movement, and keep control of the cable as you bring it back to the starting position.
• 100 Russian Twists Russian twists work on core strength, and will help give definition to the sides of your abs. Again, break up the repetitions. These can be done with or without weight in your hands, but I find you get more out of the exercise if you do them with weight. I would recommend using a medicine ball, but a dumbbell or a plate also works. Be sure to use a weight you are comfortable with.
• 10 Ten-Yard Sprints Finish off your workout with a series of ten-yard sprints, which can be done outside or in the field house. Since this is a baseball workout, start like you are a baserunner. Focus on an explosive first movement, and sustain max effort through the whole ten yards. When you’re done, do your best Usain Bolt impression, then hit the showers.