Baseball is a total body sport that requires a proper warm up. Drills in the warm up must have different components to prepare each body part for the game or practice. A proper warm up prepares the body for competition and reduces the risk for injury. Components to a good warm up include drills that elevate the body temperature and cardiorespiratory rate and incorporate movement preparation, stretching and range of motion drills.
Step 1
Elevate body temperature and cardiorespiratory rate with drills that require the players to move, jump and squat. Elevating body temperature will result in the player starting to sweat, and the cardiorespiratory rate is elevated when the heart rate and breathing increase. Drills that can accomplish this include jumping jacks, squats, pushups or jogging. Spend at least 10 minutes on these drills to elevate the body temperature and cardiorespiratory rate properly.
Step 2
Schedule five minutes for stretching and range-of-motion drills. Range-of-motion drills will take different body parts and muscles through typical movement patterns in a dynamic stretch. Warm-up drills that incorporate range of motion include trunk rotations and arm circles. For trunk rotations, have the players stand straight and rotate at the waist to work on core and trunk flexibility. For arm circles, have the players hold the arms straight out to the sides and start by moving the hands and arms in small circles and gradually increasing the size of the circles. Perform arm circles for 30 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and repeat for another 30 seconds in the opposite direction.
Step 3
Perform movement preparation drills--drills that mimic movement patterns that will be executed in the game. Typical movement patterns include throwing, running, lateral movements and hitting. Design drills that resemble these movements and gradually increase the intensity of each drill as the warm up continues. Drills can include playing catch, walking lunges, lateral shuffles and sprinting starts. For playing catch, have two players stand about 60 feet apart and start throwing the baseball to each other. As the players feel more comfortable, increase the velocity of the throws and the distance. For walking lunges, have the players alternate legs as they lunge for a 20 yards. Lateral shuffles prepare the body for lateral movements in the game on offense or defense. Keep the knees bent and hips down to shuffle quickly for 20 yards. Reverse the direction and return to the starting point.
Tips and Warnings
- Gradually increase the intensity during the warm up.
- Avoid exercises that may irritate existing injuries.
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