The Baseball Observer April 2015 vol 2 | Page 46

NEXT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT EXERCISES WE DO TO DEVELOP EXPLOSIVE LATERAL MOVEMENTS WITH THE LOWER BODY: BOSU SIDE LUNGE: The BOSU Side Lunge can be performed with or without weights. Perform a side lunge onto the round side of the ball keeping the back straight and the chest up. Then, explode off the BOSU ball, which should result in the leg lifting to the side. Hold that position for a count before returning to the starting position. Perform an equal number of repetitions on each leg. BOSU SPEED SKATER: All baseball activities require a positive shin angle (knee inside foot) to maximize lateral drive. The BOSU Speed Skater exercise requires athletes to keep a positive shin angle while moving explosively in a lateral plane. To perform this exercise, start to the side of a round-side-up BOSU ball. Load on the outside leg, while bringing the other leg slightly behind the knee. Drive onto the BOSU ball from the inside of the loaded leg while pumping the opposite arm. Be very careful to land on the inside of the BOSU ball because landing on the top or outside could cause injury. Drive back off the BOSU ball with the inside of the foot to the starting position and repeat. Switch the side of the BOSU ball and repeat. About the Author: For more great information on baseball specific conditioning, check out Coach Kyle Nelson and Cornerstone Coaching Academy’s blog post on The Top 7 Mistakes Baseball Players Make in the Weight Room. You can follow Coach Nelson on Twitter @Coach_KNelson.