Monthly Archives: May 2012

Baseball Basics — No Comments
18
May 12

Increasing Your Endurance in a Baseball Game

Many say that every game of baseball different from one another. They mention that for every team, there is a special kind of challenge that needs to be overcome. It is these new challenges that make the sport more interesting. However, for the athlete, it means adjusting to new strengths and weaknesses they might encounter in game. Increasing one’s endurance in a baseball game is very important to successfully adjust to these new challenges. Here are a few ways you can begin.

1. Diet

Endurance is all about having the proper weight, strength and agility. Endurance is never just being able to run as fast as possible. It is being able to withstand the fatigue of continuous hitting, catching and running, and having that energy to observe the opposite teams’ strategies carefully. Your weight is important as you carry it while you run. A good diet ensures that you have enough weight to support your muscles, energy to make a play and enough power to train yourself to get your endurance at a much higher level.

2. Training

Exercising on and off season is something that can increase your endurance. Running, which is the staple of baseball, is what you primarily have to focus on. Increase your jogging time. If you’ve been jogging for an hour, try pushing it slowly to an hour and fifteen, then half an hour, then when you can take it, increase it to 45 more minutes or even until your body can’t take it. Carrying weights to help body movements and your ability to catch and bat is also important. Increase the number of repetitions you make to ensure that your endurance becomes progressive and not stagnant.

3. Accuracy

Focusing on your catching and batting skills is a very important part of the game as well. You might be coming up with great runners or someone who has a great batting ability next season. Your running endurance, even if it has increased, will be useless if you cannot catch and pass the ball to your receiver. Try to ensure that your accuracy in catching and throwing the ball is in the best possible level it can be, then try to catch balls in more realistic ways, such as by sliding or jumping, to increase your endurance. In batting, try more fastballs and curveballs during your practice to help you anticipate the level of throw the opponent in the next or current season may throw at you.

Baseball Basics — No Comments
09
May 12

A Beginner's Guide to Choosing a Baseball Bat

Baseball is definitely one of the best games you, your child or your older brother will definitely enjoy. Getting your game on means spending almost an entire day out in the field catching, running and batting away in-game. To enjoy the game fully, one must have the best equipment in the house. Now you might have trouble choosing the best bats for your players. Here’s a quick guide to choosing that baseball bat suitable for your practices.

1. Playing/ Skill Level

Choosing a baseball bat is like choosing a suitable tool for the occasion. Definitely, you will not use a wrench to work a screwdriver in, or use a bicycle to travel great miles (unless you are THAT capable). The playing or skill level of the batter should be studied first before they purchase a bat. If you have a beginning player, it is important that they know the weight of the traditional wooden bat so they can build their strength. Advanced players will need agility and precision, which makes it feasible for them to use a light, aluminum baseball bat.

2. Batter Length and Weight

Batting involves a precise motion of your arms to swing the bat in a proper way. Swinging involves strength from the upper body and the legs of the batter. The length and weight of the batter is very important for choosing a bat that suits their performance in-field. Batters who are at a young age are recommended to have a 24 -32-inch bat depending on their height. More capable young players can use a 30-33-inch bat. Most adults play with 34-inch bats. The weight of the bat also differs per length. Lighter players must use a shorter bat while heavier players are

3. Cost

Sure aluminum bats are really lighter and more efficient especially for advanced players. However, they can be very costly. Wooden bats cost less than aluminum bats but they are quite heavy. The manufacturer of the bats can also affect the price of the bats. By considering the factors mentioned earlier, you can avoid extra costs by avoiding purchasing bats by ‘trial and error’.

4. Regulations

If you’re playing in the amateur or professional league, it will be wise to consider the rules for baseball equipment before purchasing a bat. It might cost you the entire season if you fail to comply with the requirements. Remember, rules make up the game and if you violate it even with mere equipment, you lose your chance of game success.

Diet and Nutrition — No Comments
01
May 12

Exercises to Prepare for Baseball Games

Let’s face it; baseball is one of those games that involve much running, precision, accuracy, you name it. If you can’t stay fit during the off-season of the games, don’t expect to make it to the baseball team. Staying fit for the games requires physical exercises, but more importantly discipline. Having the discipline to practice all these exercise routines and observe them properly should make you the team ace in no time.

Weight Lifting

The best way to begin your exercise is by introducing weights in the equation. However, unlike football where you will need a large build to suppress opponents, in baseball, you need endurance. Endurance is achieved when you use lighter weights and focus more on the repetition of the activity. Repetition is very important; it builds your muscles steadily while not too bulky. Most baseball players favour a leaner muscle build as it helps them run faster without the extra weight. It is important to treat your upper and lower body equally during weightlifting. Your pitching, hitting and running depend greatly on your legs too.

Stamina

Building stamina is the key of any sport. Having the stamina ensures that you have the competitiveness to stay in the game and maintain a great performance on your game review. Jog daily. Jogging sessions will last longer as your stamina builds. Remember to avoid any vices such as smoking. This can reduce the performance of your lungs as well as your stamina. It is ideal to jog at least three times a week and as much as a mile on every session. Remember to only jog on the same days you are weightlifting. Your body needs complete rest at intervals or you will burn yourself out.

Diet

Eating food that is high in protein and carbohydrates is the key to winning a game. Healthy food can develop your stamina and muscles faster. It will also condition your body automatically during work out sessions, which will be very helpful during your game.