POWER FOREARMS 3 - Baseball Hitting TechniquesPOWER FOREARMS A Baseball & Softball Supplemental...

POWER FOREARMS

A Baseball & Softball Supplemental Training Program for Building Powerful Forearms

POWER FOREARMS 5 New Forearm Exercises to Build Ball Crushing Bat Speed

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Disclaimer

Exercise, nutrition, and food supplements are known to affect people differently depending upon the choices, combinations, intensity, timing, general health, genetics, and effort expended. Therefore, because of these and other factors over which Elia & Partners, LLC has no control, no guarantee is made as to the outcome or favorable results of any program, product, or information provided herein.

You are advised to consult a physician before beginning any function or activity described in this booklet and to obtain your physician’s specific approval to conduct of any or all of these activities. You understand that these exercises or activities involve risks and dangers, which could result in serious bodily injury such as permanent disability, paralysis, and or death. You also understand that such risks and dangers may be caused by your own actions or in-actions; the action or inaction of others participating in the activity; the condition in which the activity takes place; or your own or Elia & Partners negligence. With this understanding, you hereby release Elia & Partners and its agents and employees. Therefore, with full knowledge, you fully accept and assume all such risks and responsibility for the losses, injuries, or damages as a result of participation in any activity set forth herein. You further understand and agree that participation in any activity described herein is at your own and sole risk. And, you hereby release Elia & Partners and its agents and/or employees from any liability, of any kind or nature, resulting from your use of these materials, programs, or products or participation in any activities described herein.


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CONTENTS OVERVIEW

1

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

1

SAFETY

1

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

2

THE PROGRAM

3

TARGETED MUSCLES

4

PROGRAM RULES

6

EXERCISES

1. Wrist Curl

7

2. Reverse Wrist Curl

7

3. Wrist Pronation

7

4. Wrist Flexion

8

5. Ulnar Flexion

8

CHARTING YOUR PROGRESS

9

COMPLETE TRAINING REGIMENS

9

FINAL THOUGHTS

10

APPENDIX: WEEKLY PERFORMANCE CHART

11

Copyright © 2008 by Elia & Partners, LLC. All rights reserved. This booklet may not be reproduced or quoted in whole or in part by mimeograph, electronic, or any other means or for presentation on radio or television without written permission from: Michael R. Elia 8417 Arbory Hill Ct. Dublin, Ohio 43017


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OVERVIEW Over the years, the strength training methods and exercises contained in Power Forearms have been used to stretch and strengthen the forearm muscles and reduce the chances of injury in high school, college and professional athletes. This program was specifically developed to strengthen the forearm muscles that are important for swinging a ball bat. Whatever your age, the proven strength training principles used in this program will help strengthen your swing and reduce your chances of injuries. The exercises contained in this program were carefully selected by applying the principles of kinesiology, which means the study of human motion, to the bat swing motions of baseball and softball players. These exercises are performed so that optimum hitting strength can be achieved and to reduce the likelihood of injuries. Each exercise uses the most practical form of exercise equipment available, the dumbbell. The program itself is designed to supplement your boarder training regimen that should include stretching, aerobic exercise, and a basic strength-training program for the entire body. It is based on the longstanding SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands - Wallis and Logan, 1964), which continuously challenges the body with varying demands ranging from increasing weight resistance to increasing the number of repetitions performed. This program increases the number of repetitions performed over a twelve (12) week period so you can stretch and strengthen the finer muscular structure of your forearm. The exercises are performed on an every-other-day basis (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). At the end of the twelfth week, the amount of weight can be increased and the progression repeated.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

As with any exercise or conditioning program, you should consult with your personal physician to see if you require a complete physical exam. Equally important, if you ever had an injury, especially an arm or shoulder injury, you should consult an orthopedic or qualified trainer before beginning this or any strength training program. Finally, be sure to read and follow all the safety and training techniques that follow.

SAFETY

Perform these exercises AFTER stretching or other motor skill exercises like running, hitting, and so on have been performed. Be sure to devote five to ten minutes to warm-up and rest following each training session. Whether you are experienced in weight lifting or new to it, devote


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your first several workouts to concentrating on and practicing the basic movements involved in each exercise with light resistance. Once you are familiar and comfortable with proper techniques and movements you can increase the resistance. Always make sure plate collars are properly in place and secure. Wear proper clothing and wear footwear to protect your feet and toes. It is important to perform each exercise properly and safely. Avoid performing one repetition of an exercise with maximum weight in an explosive manner. This may be the way weights are handled in the sport of weight lifting, but we are not in this sport and such a training method is more likely to result in an unnecessary injury. Breathe as normally as possible while doing each exercise. Do not hold your breath during the more difficult part of the exercise, and do not take rapid series of inhalations and hold your breath prior to lifting the weight. Such training methods may also lead to injury. This program is designed to promote muscular growth and increase the strength of your forearms. Avoid the temptation of believing more is better. It is NOT. When an excessive amount of exercise is performed, muscle recovery is impaired. When muscle recovery is impaired, you increase the chances for injury and actually degrade muscular growth and reduce strength. In addition, never perform these exercises before practice sessions or before conducting a throwing or hitting session. Otherwise, the muscle will not have enough time to be ready for the stress caused from the explosive actions of throwing and swinging, which can cause injury and damage to the muscles. Finally, error on the side of safety. Stretch and perform flexibility exercises prior to any athletic session. Always adhere to the proper lifting techniques and use common sense when exercising.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

The exercises in this program use the most practical form of exercise equipment available, the dumbbell. A dumbbell is a short bar (8 – 14 inches in length) on which weight plates (usually two and half, five or ten pounds) are secured with adjustable collars to either both ends (balanced bar) or one end (unbalanced bar). Always be sure collars are secure before beginning your exercises. Figures 1 and 2, respectively, are examples of balanced and unbalanced dumbbell configurations. Figure 1 Figure 2


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When exercising the dumbbells are held in your hands. When dumbbells are not in use, they should be placed or stored in racks or in a safe place where people will not trip or fall over them. An ideal dumbbell set for this program includes:

• 2 - 14" chrome threaded handles with rubber grips; • 4 - chrome threaded collars; • 4 - 2.5 pound chrome standard plates with rubber

bumpers; and, 4 - 5.0 pound chrome standard plates with rubber bumpers.

A hard plastic carrying case makes the set easily transportable. Sets like this are available in most sporting goods stores.

THE PROGRAM

As stated earlier, this program is designed to supplement a more complete training regimen and is based on the long-standing SAID principle: Specific Adaptation To Imposed Demands. In simple terms, this means that to improve strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, or flexibility you need to be continuously challenged with increasing demands. These demands can vary from increasing weight resistance to increasing the number of repetitions performed. Because this program is geared toward stretching and strengthening the finer muscular structure of you forearm arm, it will challenge you by increasing the number of repetitions performed over a twelve (12) week period. Thus, instead of increasing the weight used, you will increase the number of repetitions progressively. If you have never participated in a strength training program before or are unfamiliar with using weights, you should start off using just the dumbbell bar with no weights until you are comfortable with the movements. Perform each exercise with maximum weight on an every-other-day basis (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). Maximum weight is determined by an individual's ability to complete a round of exercise consisting of the required repetitions through a complete range of motion using perfect form. If the required number of repetitions cannot be completed, too much weight is being used. When the number of repetitions for week 12 can be completed using perfect form, it is time to increase the weight resistance by about five-percent (5%), and to repeat the progression starting at the beginning with week 1. Be sure you follow all the safety and training techniques previously discussed.


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The program starts with five (5) repetitions and steadily progresses to twenty (20) repetitions as shown below:

Weeks Repetitions 1 & 2 5 3 & 4 7 5 & 6 10 7 & 8 12 9 & 10 15

11 & 12 20 Targeted Muscles

The following is a summary of the muscles this program develops and the actions and sports each muscle is most involved.

Muscle Action Sport 1. Flexor digitorium

profundus 2. Flexor digitorium

sublimus

Closes fingers

3. Flexor pollicis longus Flexes thumb

Any sport that involves grasping an opponent, partner, or equipment like a baseball or ball bat.

4. Palmaris longus 5. Flexor carpi radialis 6. Flexor carpi ulnaris

Flex wrist palm-ward and side to side.

Throwing a baseball, batting, passing a football, tennis, golf

7. Extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis

8. Extensor carpi ulnaris

Extends wrist

Tennis backhand, batting

9. Pronator teres Pronates forearm Throwing a baseball, batting, throwing a football, tennis forehand

10. Supinator Supination of forearm

Throwing a curve ball, batting

11. Brachioradialis Elbow flexor with forearm pronated or partially pronated

Throwing a baseball, batting, passing a football, tennis, golf

Front forearm muscles:


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Brachioradialis (11)Extensor Capri Radialis Longus (7)

Extensor Capri Radialis Brevis (7)

Abductor PollicisLongus

Extensor PollicisBrevis

Flexor Capri Radialis (5)

Supinator (10)

Flexor pollicislongus (3)

Flexor digitoriumprofundus (1)

Pronator teres (9)

Flexor digitorium sublimus (2)

Palmaris longus (4)

Brachioradialis (11)Extensor Capri Radialis Longus (7)

Extensor Capri Radialis Brevis (7)

Abductor PollicisLongus

Extensor PollicisBrevis

Flexor Capri Radialis (5)

Supinator (10)

Flexor pollicislongus (3)

Flexor digitoriumprofundus (1)

Pronator teres (9)

Flexor digitorium sublimus (2)

Palmaris longus (4)

Back forearm muscles:

Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (8)

Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (6)

Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (8)

Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (6)


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PROGRAM RULES

In order to achieve optimum strength and reduce the chances of injury, it is important that you conduct each exercise in the proper manner and to follow these program rules.

1. Before doing the exercises, you should do some warm-up first. This includes light calisthenics and/or some recreational activity such as running, handball or squash.

2. Never perform these exercises before practicing or conducting a throwing or hitting session.

3. The exercises are ordered to work the largest muscles first, perform them in this order. After each exercise shake out your arms before beginning the next exercise.

4. Perform each exercise through its full range of motion using perfect form until the required repetitions are completed, if the required repetitions can not be completed the weight is too heavy.

5. Raise the weight to the count of two and always lower the weight slowly and evenly on the count of four and repeat. Stress correct form and never use fast, jerky movements to move the weight.

6. Perform all five exercises with both arms. 7. Be patient, follow the weekly progression. 8. After week 12 the weight resistance should be increased

about five-percent (5%) and the progression repeated starting with week 1.

9. Perform these exercises on an every-other-day basis with a spotter or training partner. Stretch lightly after each workout.

10. Chart your progress.


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EXERCISES Be sure to read and understand ALL the preceding sections above before starting any of these exercises.

Exercise 1: Wrist Curl

1. Wrist Curl

The wrist curl shown in Exercise 1, uses the flexor digitorium profundus, flexor digitorium sublimus, flexor pollicis longus, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris. Start by sitting on the end of a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Holding the dumbbell; place your forearm on top of your thigh; wrist hanging slightly past your knee; palms facing out with the dumbbell rolled to your finger tips. Curl your fingers upward and flex your wrist as far as possible. Hold for the count of one, slowly recover to starting position and repeat. Complete all the required repetitions and change arms.

Exercise 2: Reverse Wrist Curl

2. Reverse Wrist Curl Exercise 2 is the reverse wrist curl. It works the extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, and the extensor carpi ulnaris. Start by sitting on the end of a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Holding the dumbbell, place your forearm on top of your thigh palm facing downward; your wrist hanging slightly past your knee and wrist bend downward. Curl your wrists upward and backward as far as possible. Hold for the count of one, slowly recover to starting position and repeat. Complete all the required repetitions and change arms.

Exercise 3: Wrist Pronation

3. Wrist Pronation Wrist pronation, shown in Exercise 3, uses the brachioradialis and pronator teres muscles. Begin this exercise by loading the weight at one end of the dumbbell; grasping the dumbbell; stand erect with elbow bent at a ninety degree angle at waist level; hand out in front of you and palm facing upward. Keeping your elbow bent, slowly rotate your wrist inward 180 degrees until your palm is facing down; hold this position for the count of one. Then, slowly rotate your wrist back 180 degrees to the starting position. Complete the required number of repetitions and then switch hands.


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EXERCISES Be sure to read and understand ALL the preceding sections above before starting any of these exercises.

Exercise 4: Wrist Flexion

4. Wrist Flexion Exercise 4 shows the wrist flexion exercise that uses the extensor carpi, radialis longus, extensor carpi, radialis brevis, abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, and flexor carpi radialis. Start this exercise by loading the weight at one end of the dumbbell; grasping the dumbbell; stand erect with elbow slightly bent just below waist level and hand out in front of you; palms facing inward. While only bending at the wrist, slowly curl your wrist upward bringing your thumb straight up towards your elbow as far as you can; hold this position for the count of one. Then, slowly return to the starting position. Complete the required number of repetitions and then switch hands.

Exercise 5: Ulnar Flexion

5. Ulnar Flexion The ulnar flexion exercise, which uses the flexor carpi ulnaris and the extensor carpi ulnaris, is shown in Exercise 5. Start this exercise by loading the weight at one end of the dumbbell; grasping the dumbbell so the weight is opposite the thumb side of your hand; stand erect with arm extended down by your side; palms facing inward. While only bending at the wrist, slowly curl your wrist upward bringing the little finger side of your hand up towards your elbow as far as you can; hold this position for the count of one. Then, return to the starting position. Complete the required number of repetitions and then switch hands.


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CHARTING YOUR PROGRESS

Use the Training Chart at the end of this program to keep track of your progress. Record the amount of resistance or weight lifted and the number of repetitions completed for each exercise. This will help you remember how you performed in your previous workout and your accomplishments. Charting your progress is also a great motivator, while ensuring you follow the SAID principle to improve your strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility by continuously challenging your muscles with increasing demands.

COMPLETE TRAINING REGIMENS

The details of a complete baseball or softball training program are beyond the scope of this booklet. In general, a complete training regimen must be designed to improve the important factors of baseball or softball performance such as strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. Thus, your complete training regimen should include a basic strength-training program, aerobic exercise, and stretching for the entire body. Emphasis should be place on the individual requirements of your particular skills and mechanics. There are numerous books available on all aspects of these training programs that can fit your budget and your style of training. Here are brief summaries of what to look for in the various types of training programs. Strength Training A basic strength-training program should address the major muscle groups of the hips, legs, lower back, neck, upper body, arms and abdominals. In general, the best way to develop maximum strength within the shortest period of time for these larger muscle groups is to perform eight to twelve repetitions of each exercise with maximum weight on an every-other-day basis (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). Maximum weight is determined by an individual's ability to complete the minimum of eight repetitions of an exercise through its complete range of motion using perfect form. If the required number of repetitions cannot be completed, too much weight is being used. When twelve repetitions or more can be performed using perfect form, its time to increase the weight resistance of that exercise by about 5% during your next workout. Again, it is important that you never ever attempt to show-off your strength by trying to lift a maximum weight for one repetition in an explosive manner. This can only expose your muscles and its connective tissue to unnecessary injury. Aerobic Exercise Aerobic exercise addresses muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance. There are many forms of aerobic exercise. Jogging, bicycling, swimming, skating, cross-country skiing, handball/squash and


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basketball are all examples of aerobic exercise. Cardiovascular endurance is one the major tasks of conditioning and is essential in all sports. Since cardiovascular endurance will regress faster if training is not continuous than other factors such as strength and flexibility, it important to make this part of your year-round training program. The most effective and efficient form of aerobic exercise is running. The average adult requires a minimum of fifteen minutes of running three to four times per week to maintain an optimum cardiovascular endurance level. Again, there are numerous books available on aerobic exercise programs that can fit your budget and your style of training. Stretching Exercises Flexibility exercises are most commonly overlooked component in training programs for sports. Flexibility is the range of motion through which body parts move at joints. Properly applied exercises can increase flexibility and, likewise disuse or inactivity can decrease flexibility. Thus, the average person can increase their flexibility through proper stretching exercises perform continuously over a period time. The SAID principle applies to flexibility training. In order to develop or improve your flexibility, it is important to steadily increase the demand on the joint undergoing training in order to increase the demand on the joint's range of motion. Flexibility exercises should be done slowly and under control without "bobbing." This method of stretching only exposes your connective tissues to injury. To avoid such injury, slowly stretch in a continuous manner just beyond your point of pain tolerance. If you are unfamiliar with stretching exercises or would like to know more there are several books on the market to help you develop an appropriate stretching program.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND SKILLS TRAINING

A complete training program that includes activities such as aerobic exercises, flexibility exercises and basic strength training exercises should always be the core of any training program. Hitters should also work on skill development concurrently with resistance training. It is simply illogical, especially with hitters who rely on accuracy skills, to disregard individual skill development while gaining strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. To become a truly great hitter, we recommend your daily workout program include skill drills as well as resistance training. Doing so allows you to adjust your skills gradually to the physical and functional changes your body will undergo as a result of your training regimen. For example, a hitter’s hand-eye coordination is of critical importance to making solid consistent contact with the ball. Thus, hitters must devote equal attention to developing and perfecting hand-eye skills as they do to their strengthen training and endurance routines.


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One tool we find partially helpful for building eye-hand coordination in baseball and softball hitters is the PGEE Ball Hitting Training System. This system uses a revolutionary training bat called the PGEE Ball Bat and golf ball sized baseballs. Unlike other bats, this specially designed solid wood ash bat has the weight and feel of a real baseball bat. But, the bat’s real genius is in its sweet spot, which has a broom-handle-diameter barrel. A regular regime of hitting drills or playing the PGEE Ball baseball game using the PGEE Ball Bat can help you quickly develop the focus and hand-eye coordination necessary to become a better, more consistent hitter. This training system is perfect for players at all skill levels who want to improve their hitting abilities. Learn more about the PGEE Ball Hitting Training System at www.pgeeball.com. Finally, in the off-season, try to supplement your training with some recreational activity such as handball, squash, or racquetball to maintain your agility. The PGEE Ball Hitting Training System and the PGEE Ball Game are also excellent year-round ways to train effectively indoors and out.


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