Softball Players Should Not Do Cardio
Cardio, as you know it, is a complete waste of time. Here are the four most popular forms of “cardio” and my reasons as to why a softball player has no business doing them.
Read MoreLower Body
The Best Flexibility Exercises for Softball Players (Video)
Young female athletes tend to lose flexibility secondary to loss of stability as they grow. Muscles can either be placed under tension as the bones grow or they protectively contract in attempt to control the larger skeleton. A proper stretching routine should enhance body stability as well as flexibility. In this week’s video, I demonstrate my favorite active flexibility exercises for softball players.
Read MorePitching Drills for a Smoother Drive-through
A little while ago I received an email from a Fastpitch Power reader asking for specific windmill pitching drills to address the issues of turning the load foot and dragging it during the drive-through. The reader was right; though we’ve discussed these issues at length, we’ve been a little light on info regarding how to fix them. I see more pitchers every day having problems dragging their feet, and since it’s so prevalent, I want to share my response with all of you.
Read MoreMedicine Ball Exercises for Batting and Pitching Power
Medicine ball exercises should be used to coordinate and translate the benefits of traditional strength training exercises into softball specific patterns. In this video, I demonstrate the “meat and potatoes” of the medicine ball training I use with softball players to increase rotational power for throwing and batting.
Read MoreAwesome At-Home Softball Specific Total Body Workout
In this post, I demonstrate a two-circuit, total body workout using only Valslides, a Cook Band, and your own bodyweight. This routine can be done at home, in a hotel when traveling, or you can take theses portable pieces of equipment to your gym. Throughout the videos, I explain the softball-specific and female-specific physical benefits of each exercise.
Read MoreMuscles and Exercises You Can’t Pitch Without: Part 3
How exactly does a strong core allow you to track properly and throw harder? In these two videos, I continue to define how the core muscles contribute to softball pitching performance and demonstrate three exercises using the Valslide that reinforce pitching specific core control.
Read MoreMuscles and Exercises You Can’t Pitch Without: Part 2
In this week’s video, I explain in more detail the role of the core muscles in maintaining optimal posture throughout the windmill pitching delivery. I redefine what “the core” is and demonstrate why old fashioned exercises like sit ups and crunches are a BAD choice for softball pitchers. I also give you three pitching specific, KILLER core exercise progressions.
Read MoreMuscles and Exercises You Can’t Pitch Without: Part I
THIS IS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Well, maybe this is just what I’ve been waiting to write. My three upcoming articles will identify how specific muscles and exercises can contribute to optimal pitching technique. For this series, I’m breaking down the windmill delivery into three general phases, for each of which strength training has different benefits: acceleration, transition, and deceleration. The first installment will review the critical mechanics of the acceleration phase.
Read MoreSoftball Strength 101: Terms You Must Know!
Welcome! My name is Joe Bonyai, strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Fastpitch Power. I promise you will not find a better source of evidence-based skill, strength training, and injury prevention strategies for softball players than here on FastpitchPower.com. The initial posts on FP.com are a critical introduction to our language. It seems that too often, a language-barrier exists between coaches, trainers, and parents that ultimately only hurts the people we want to help the most: the athletes.
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