THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF THE WEIGHTLIFTING MOVEMENTS IN BASEBALL
ALLEN HEDRICK, MA, CSCS,*D, RSCC*D, FNSCA
A
lthough there are exceptions, there is still not widespread
acceptance for the use of the weightlifting movements
(i.e., cleans, jerks, snatches, and related training exercises)
as a viable and safe training method for baseball athletes. This
is unfortunate because, as will be shown, the weightlifting
movements have the opportunity to enhance performance in the
sport of baseball.
Why has there been reluctance among some of those working
with baseball athletes to accept the weightlifting movements
as an effective training method for their sport? While there
are likely a variety of responses to that question, one common
opinion is that the weightlifting movements carry with them too
great of risk of injury to include them in the training programs
of baseball athletes. As suggested by Hammer, because of
scholarship limitations in collegiate baseball, the number of highly
talented players on any one team is scarce (4). As a result, the
ability to increase power using the weightlifting movements is
outweighed by the potential for injury. Hammer suggested that
both plyometrics and medicine ball training could improve power
development with less risk of injury than weightlifting (4).
However, while there is widespread belief that the weightlifting
movements involve an increased risk of injury, research does
not support that belief. In a study by Hamill, it was found that
youth training and competing in weightlifting had the lowest
rate of injury among athletes competing in a variety of sports
including soccer, badminton, cross country, and tennis (3). Hamill
did emphasize that all of the athletes training and competing
in weightlifting did so while being supervised by well qualified
coaches familiar with weightlifting technique and program
design (3).
Anot