Strength Conditioning Drill: 14 Best Gym Exercises For Baseball Players (Baseball & Softball)

Olympic strength coach Dane Miller presents 14 exercises to train every key muscle group for baseball. Covers shoulder/elbow strength (44% of player needs), core/trunk stability (25%), and hip/groin power (31%). Includes progressions from traditional movements to advanced explosive exercises.

14 Best Gym Exercises For Baseball Players - Video Demonstration

How to Run This Drill

This video covers 14 exercises organized by muscle group based on a poll of 5,700 baseball players.
SHOULDER & ELBOW (Exercises 1-5):
1. Dumbbell External Rotation - Slow eccentric, 4x5-7 reps. Build to 8-10% of bench press.
2. Incline Y Raises - 4x7 reps, retract scapula at top, fixes wonky scaps.
3. Meadows Swings - 3x30 reps for upper back pump, squeeze shoulder blades.
4. Chaos External Rotation - 5x5-7 reps with band instability, speed and squeeze.
5. Drop External Rotation - Light weight catch drill, do closer to season.
FOREARMS (Exercises 6-7):
6. Forearm Roller - Rotate quickly, 5-6 reps as finisher.
7. Zottman Curls - 4x12 reps, rotate at top, lower with palms down.
LEGS & CORE (Exercises 8-11):
8. Zombie Squats - Front squat with arms extended, requires stable trunk.
9. V Up Throw - Core exercise, fulcrum on butt not lower back.
10. Single Leg Squat - Progress from bodyweight to goblet to barbell.
11. Ab Wheel Rollout - 4-5 sets, focus on lats and hollow position.
POWER & ROTATION (Exercises 12-14):
12. Crow Hop Medicine Ball Throw - Shot put style, not overhead. Feel ground force transfer.
13. Power Snatch - 5x3 or 6x2 or 4x4, builds impulse expression.
14. GHD Rotational Back Extension - Alternate rotation sides, add plate to progress.

Coaching Points

Shoulder/elbow work controls the bat and throwing health
Core/trunk provides stability and rotation for hitters and pitchers
Hips/groin generate power and ground reaction force transfer
Co-contractions are key in shoulder, hips, and knees for joint stability
Pair exercises as supersets: Zombie Squats with V Ups, Single Leg Squat with Ab Wheel
Baseball players: it is okay to bench press - you do not need to avoid weights
Start light on Olympic lifts, learn proper progressions before adding weight

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At a Glance

Equipment Needed

Dumbbells

Barbell

Bench

Incline bench

Resistance band

Kettlebell

Forearm roller

Squat rack

Medicine ball

Ab wheel

GHD machine

Bumper plates

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