Biceps for Baseball?

Biceps for baseball? Sure why not; as long as there's an additional, integrated purpose that goes beyond just isolating the biceps.  As an example, in addition to your biceps you can enhance your grip while performing bicep curls with fat bars, or a pair of Grip Force grips.

 

Taking one step further Recline/Inverted Bicep Curls provides a series of integrated benefits. For starters the biceps, obviously, play a big role in pulling your body up. This should satisfy the "hey, Im a guy. I need to curl" excuse. Secondly, to properly perform this exercise the athlete must maintain constant hip extension thru-out the repetition engaging the posterior chain. 

This constant hip extension, which can also be referred to as anti-hip flexion, makes the Recline Bicep Curls a great core stiffening drill. Furthermore, as hip extension is maintained, this exercise can enhance hip flexor mobility (which as we know if it’s tight -lacks mobility-  can potentially have a negative impact on hamstrings).

So next time you reach for a pair of dumbbells try some recline bicep curls instead.

Out Train the Game!

Core Stiffness Series: #5 BONUS

In addition to the 4 main Core Stiffening movement patterns I've outlined in my Core Stiffness Series, the core can greatly be challenged by combining movement patterns; such as combining anti-extension and anti-rotation as the video below depicts.

Core Stiffness Series: #4 ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION

The final piece to my overall CORE STIFFNESS exercise series is Anti-Lateral Flexion; which as the name applies our goal is to prevent or minimize any lateral flexion as the exercise is performed. When Anti-Lateral Flexion drills are implemented along with the other Core Stiffening exercises (Anti-Rotation, Anti-Extension & Anti-Flexion) serious core stiffness can be achieved in order to optimize the generation, transfer and utilization of power.

Core Stiffness Series: #3 ANTI-FLEXION

Third in my CORE STIFFNESS exercise series is Anti-Flexion. When the accurate load is selected, by preventing trunk flexion, the Parallel Stance 2-arm cable/band row is an excellent exercise to challenge and stiffen the posterior core.

Core Stiffness Series : #1 ANTI-ROTATION

When training core stability, or core stiffness as I like to reference it, consider a series of movement patterns that address the following: anti-rotation, anti-extension, anti-flexion and anti-lateral flexion. First up is an example of anti-rotation... a simple cable push-out which has also been referred to as the Pallof Cable Press.

Aledmys Diaz, St Louis Cardinals

This is the first of several videos I'll be posting of Aledmys Diaz during his off-season strength training program with us.

This particular video may not look like much but there's a ton going on from shoulder stability, rotational core stiffness, to hip flexor mobility.

Traditional Lifts...Not always

It shouldn’t be about how strong you are in the gym; it should be about the strength and power that’s obtained in the gym that can  be transferred onto the field.  In other words, do you want to be gym-strong or do you want to be field strong. And field strength doesn’t always have to come in the way of traditional lifts.


Case in point. One of my MLB athletes this past off-season did not perform the traditional chest press (flat or incline, floor or bench, dumbbells or barbells). Not a single repetition, not a single set. Instead, we created a chest press that would optimize the strength and power he already has. And in the process, give him slight gains and/or improvements that he would otherwise not acquire from traditional chest pressing. Our chest press exercise was performed with feet fixed on the ground, in a staggered stance position, to take full advantage of ground reaction forces all the while integrating muscles and NOT isolating muscles. The benefits (in addition to chest, shoulders and triceps) are brief yet impactful: Hip-flexor mobility of the rear leg, anti-trunk extension that delivers serious core stiffness and shoulder stability, and scapula mobility. The amazing thing is this, not only did we not compromise his power and strength we actually gave him improvements that enabled him to utilize more of the strength and power he already has.  Here’s what the exercise looks like… 




Although this exercise has quickly become one of my favorites, it wasn't until last Monday that I realized that traditional lifts dont  always have to rule the training program. 







It was Monday night (July 14, 2014) that the MLB client I referenced earlier, won the 2014 All Star Game Home Run Derby for the second consecutive year; only the second player to repeat and first to do so since Ken Griffey Jr did it in 1998 and 1999. 
And that client is none other than Yoenis Cespedes. One of the strongest and more powerful players I have had the privilege of training. 

Sometimes being non-traditional is more than ok - it may just provide the results you need and more. 


Felicitaciones Yoenis. Todo Potencia. 

Out Train the Game...and re-think what's in your toolbox.