Proper Warm Up Techniques for Baseball Players

An often overlooked component of a good workout is the effectiveness of your warm up. While it’s important to not overdo it, you definitely want to be moving at a pace that gets your heart rate up and may even causes you to break a sweat.

While this is primarily directed towards baseball players, many of the principles I’ll cover here are relevant to the general population as well.

There are three parts to a proper warm up. This is the format we utilize here at AYC Health & Fitness with our personal training clients:

1. Full-Body Warm Up (5 minutes)

This should be the first thing you do when you walk into the gym. You need to get the blood flowing throughout your body to prepare you for a good workout.

Examples

• Row on the rowing machine
• Ride a stationary bike
• Walk/jog on a treadmill

2. Soft Tissue Work (5-10 minutes)

Foam rolling will help your muscles recover faster while reducing aches and pains from training and competition by improving your mobility.

This is accomplished by a process called self-myofascial release (i.e. self-massage). You’ll use a dense foam cylinder (foam roller) to apply direct pressure to your fibrous tissue and muscles to reduce tightness.

Common areas to target are the quads, IT bands, glutes, hamstrings, calves, lats, and the upper back.

Most people find foam rolling uncomfortable and even painful in the beginning. However, over time the pain and discomfort you may experience will lessen as your muscles and tissue begin to loosen and adapt. You’ll likely notice a dramatic reduction in tightness, along with enhanced mobility and flexibility in as little as 2-3 weeks of foam rolling.

Foam Rolling Examples

• Quadriceps
  • Lie face down
  • Place the foam roller under your quads, balance on your elbows, and maintain a tight core
  • Roll slowly from knee to hip
  • Benefits: Improves flexibility of these often over-developed muscles; expands hip and knee mobility for improved jumping height and running technique
  • Variation: For greater intensity, foam roll one leg at a time

• IT Band
  • Place foam roller under left hip and assume a side plank position
  • Balance on your left elbow and right leg; use your leg to adjust the intensity
  • Roll slowly from knee to hip
  • Perform on opposite leg
  • Benefits: Prevents tightness and knee pain that results from overuse
  • Variation: For maximum intensity, place feet together and off the ground

• Glutes
  • Sit with your left glute on the foam roller and your right leg crossed over your left thigh
  • Place both of your hands behind your back on the ground for balance
  • Slowly roll back and forth over the glute
  • Perform on opposite side
  • Benefits: Reduces pressure on the sciatic nerve to improve nervous system control of your lower body muscles and eliminate low back pain
  • Variation: Roll side to side to release fascia from multiple directions

• Hamstrings
  • Same positioning as glutes
  • Roll from the back of your knee to the base of your glutes

• Calves
  • Same positioning as glutes and hamstrings
  • Roll from your ankle to the bottom of the back of your knee on both legs

• Lats (latissimus dorsi)
  • Lie on your left side with the foam roller underneath your left armpit
  • Lean back approximately 30-45 degrees so your chest is facing slightly up towards the ceiling
  • Roll from the bottom of your lat up to your armpit
  • Perform on opposite side
  • Benefits: Relieves tension in your upper back and shoulders
  • Variation: To increase the amount of pressure, let your bodyweight sink into the foam roller a bit more

• Upper Back
  • Lie on the foam roller with it positioned at the middle of your back
  • Bridge your hips upward towards the ceiling and maintain a tight core
  • Roll slowly to your upper back, stopping short of the neck
  • Benefits: Relieves upper back tension/pain; improves flexibility and shoulder mobility
  • Variation: Roll side to side to release fascia from multiple directions

3. Dynamic Warm Up (5 minutes)

The dynamic warm up is critical because it reduces the risk of injury and enhances performance. It’s also a great time to implement corrective exercises to address any underlying muscle imbalances detected from your initial assessment.

Contrary to old beliefs, this does not include static stretching (i.e. “sit and stretch” routines), which is still effective, but only when used as a cool-down activity at the end of your workout.

A good dynamic warm up offers several advantages:

• Raises core body temperature by increasing blood flow to muscles
• Lubricates joints and enhances muscle elasticity
• Simultaneously increases heart rate and respiratory rate
• Warms up muscles and joints in a more sport-specific manner
• Revs up the nervous system, enhancing coordination and motor ability
• Develops flexibility, balance, coordination, mobility, and strength

Sample Dynamic Warm-Up

• Wall Hip Flexor Mobilization
  • Go into a half-kneeling position with your left leg forward and your left foot 6-8” away from a wall. Place your left hand against the wall for support.
  • Using your right hand, hold the toe and bring it towards your hip.
  • Slowly rock forward towards the wall, bending your left arm at the elbow
  • Keep your chin tucked and try to maintain a straight torso all the way to your knee on the ground.
  • As you get closer to the wall, squeeze your glutes.
  • Switch legs and stretch opposite hip.
  • Tip: If you aren’t flexible enough to perform this exercise, place both hands on the wall and rock forward and back, feeling the stretch in the front of the hip.
  • Benefits: This exercise takes your hip flexors through their complete range of motion.

 

• Supine Bridge with Twisting Reach
  • Lie on your back. Place your feet hip-width apart on the floor with a slight angle between your shins and your knees.
  • Push through your heels to raise your glutes off the ground.
  • From the top position, rotate your upper torso, and extend one arm to the opposite side, touching the ground.
  • Press the supporting arm into the floor, and use your core muscles to keep your glutes raised and your abs tight.
  • Repeat on opposite side.
  • Benefits: Builds mobility in the thoracic spine

 

• Yoga Push-Ups
  • Perform a traditional push-up while maintaining a neutral spine.
  • Hold at the top position.
  • Push your hips back, with your chin tucked and your head in line with your spine. You’ll end up in an inverted V position.
  • Do 8 reps per set.

 

• Walking Spiderman with Hip Lift and Overhead Reach
  • Perform a walking lunge with your left leg and hold the stance at the bottom of the position
  • Place both hands on the ground and raise your hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings
  • Lower your hips back to their starting position, then slowly raise your right arm into the air, opening up the chest, and finishing with your fingers facing directly upwards
  • Rotate your torso so the entire upper back moves (not just the shoulder). Be careful not to strain the neck as you twist.

Supplemental Lower Body Exercises

• Walking Lunge
• Straight March
• Quad Pull Walk
• Inside/Outside Taps
• Skipping
• Carioca

Supplemental Upper Body Exercises

• Shoulder Twist
• Side Reach
• Pull Position
• Arm Crossovers

All good warm ups start with some work on a treadmill, bike, or rowing machine before moving on to soft tissue work with a foam roller, then finish with a dynamic warm up that is specific to the exercises you will be performing during your workout.

There are plenty of resources available online to get you headed in the right direction with your warm-up routine.

If you have any questions, I’ll be glad to help. I can also create a personalized routine specifically for your goals and help you increase your sports performance success. Call me at AYC Health & Fitness today at 913-642-4437 or click to book a consultation.