With travel baseball beginning to slow down and the off-season approaching fast, I wanted to highlight an example of our medicine ball progressions we use at Bullett Performance Training.
With the boatload of swings and throws players perform throughout the season, the body endures a great amount of stress. The spine and hips take the majority of the stress produced by the extreme volume of throwing and swinging.
In video 1️⃣: @a_giannetta_12 is performing a Half-Kneeling Anti-Rotation Shot-put. This variation emphasizes more rotation through the thoracic spine while sparing the lumbar spine and hips.
Video 2️⃣: @chris_lenocker is demonstrating a Split-Stance Anti-Rotation Scoop Toss. This exercise teaches more stability in a dynamic position, while still focusing on limiting the amount of rotation of the lumbar spine.
Video 3️⃣: @daylonyount is executing a Rotational Shot-put. In this particular exercise, we are now re-introducing eccentric load into the back hip, transferring that force through the hips, up to the thoracic spine; ultimately driving the ball into the wall.
Video 4️⃣: In this variation, @s_pillsbury17 is demonstrating a Cross-Behind Rotational Shot-put. Syler is creating momentum from the step to gain more velocity on his throw while experiencing a transfer of force from his back leg into his front hip as he delivers the medicine ball into the wall.
Video 5️⃣: In this last example, @wyattgibson16 is performing a Partner Toss to Rotational Scoop Toss with Coach @savannahuh. We are adding an eccentric component by tossing the medicine ball to our athletes, creating greater hip and shoulder separation, resulting in increased rotational power output.
This medicine ball progression sequence is typically what we will use with all of our rotational athletes. It’s important to understand that power is very plane specific, therefore when training for a rotational sport, it’s crucial to incorporate plane specific exercises.
Give them a try!