Circuit Training For Women’s Softball | Cardio Fitness | Softball Power 6
Cardio fitness is an important, and often overlooked, aspect of women’s softball training. Although women’s softball players do not regularly perform explosive movements for more than 6-7 seconds it is important for athletes bodies to be able to recover quickly from these explosive movements. Although the sudden bursts of energy required to beat a throw at first or make a defensive play are short they can occur frequently during a game. An outfielder may be forced to chase down multiple fly balls, ground balls, and line drives into the outfield. This can greatly deplete a women’s softball player whose cardio fitness has not been optimally trained. The same goes for a pitcher and a catcher whom are constantly squatting, throwing, and exploding forward with powerful, throwing movements.
Circuit training for women’s softball is a great way for these athletes to increase their cardio fitness while incorporating other softball drills which incorporate glute activation, core strengthening, and shoulder mobility exercises. Softball players and coaches can use a wide variety of exercises in circuit training for women’s softball routine. Women’s softball players and coaches can go to the Training Section to learn about other softball drills that will improve cardio fitness, glute activation, throwing, and hitting power.
Advanced Circuit Training For Women’s Softball
One of the easiest ways to advance a glute activation or cardio fitness drill is by adding resistance to the legs. The Kbands Leg Resistance Bands attach just above the knees and provide an optimal point of resistance to increase power in the hip flexors and glutes. Optimal hip flexor and glute activation will help softball players be more explosive when making plays in the field, throwing, and hitting.
The term power refers not only to the increase in strength, but also to the additional increases in speed that will compliment this added power. Since the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands add additional resistance to the muscles which control the flexion and extension of the knees and hips it allows these muscles to grow stronger, building more balance and control in the legs. Working through unresisted sets of hip flexor and glute activation exercises allows softball players to actively increase the strength and speed of these muscles.
Applying resistance to such large muscle groups also forces the body to use more energy to continue firing the large muscles in the hips and thighs. This aspect of the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands makes them optimal for performing cardio fitness drills by performing familiar drills while wearing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands.
Softball Circuit Training For Women
Athletes who perform the Softball Power 6 Training Routine will experience a challenging circuit training workout for women’s softball which incorporates great glute activation drills and cardio fitness training. The combination of glute activation drills and cardio fitness training will allow softball players to make both offensive and defensive plays at a high level throughout the entire softball game. To perform the Softball Power 6 Training Circuit softball players will perform 6 different cardio fitness and glute activation exercises. To perform this circuit training for women’s softball athletes will need a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands, a wall or sturdy object, 2-3 Speed and Agility Cones, and a coach or partner to assist in the timing of some of the women’s softball exercises.
Before performing the circuit training for women’s softball athletes need to perform a good combination of flexibility exercises, foam rolling exercises, and dynamic warm ups. For demonstrations and helpful tips for preparing the body for cardio fitness training softball players can go to the Recovery Section.
Cardio Fitness, Glute Activation Drills, And Circuit Training For Women’s Softball
The Softball Power 6 Training Circuit is composed of 6 different exercises. Softball players will require the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands to complete all 6 cardio fitness and glute activation exercises.
The first exercise in the Softball Power 6 is the Resisted Wall Drill. For this softball exercise athletes will attach the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands just above the knees and place their hands on a wall or other sturdy object that can easily hold the body weight of the softball player. Softball players will move their bodies into a 45 degree angle, relative to the ground, and keeping their hands at eye level will begin to quickly alternate driving their knees up into their chest. Softball players will perform the first portion of the circuit training for women’s softball for 12-15 seconds before stopping and resting for 30-40 seconds. Softball players will perform 4-6 resisted sets of the Wall Drill before removing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and performing 2-3 unresisted sets of the drill.
The second drill in the Softball Power 6 is the Split Jumps. For this glute activation exercise athletes will attach the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and split their legs so the front foot is positioned under the front knee with a 90 degree angle at the knee. The opposite leg will be positioned to the rear of the softball player. Softball players will drive up through their front heel and while airborne switch the position of their legs and feet so the back leg is not in front, absorbing the landing, and the front leg is positioned to the rear of the softball player. Once landing softball players should immediately jump back into the air and again switch the position of their legs. Continue performing the alternating glute activation drill for 20 seconds before stopping and resting for 30-40 seconds. Perform 4 resisted sets of this cardio fitness exercise before moving into 4-6 unresisted sets of the exercise.
The third portion of the Softball Power 6 Circuit Drill is the Rhythm Squats. Perform the Rhythm Squats by attaching the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands just above the knees and standing with both feet together. Softball players will jump forward, widen their feet, and squat down. Athletes will explode from this squat, jumping forward and alternating between the narrow hop, and wide squats for 10-15 yards. Athletes will perform 4-6 resisted sets of the exercise before removing the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and performing 4-6 unresisted sets of the exercise. Allow 30-40 seconds of rest between sets.
The fourth and fifth exercises in the Softball Power 6 are very similar. The first exercise is called the Glute Walk and requires the softball player to attach the Kbands Leg Resistance Bands and laterally walk between two lines 10-15 yards apart. Athletes will keep hips, chest, eyes, and toes pointed forward as they complete one repetition by walking down and back. After completing 4 resisted sets of the Glute Walks athletes will move into the Glute Shuffle. This is performed in the same manner as the Glute Walks, but at a much quicker pace. Complete 4 sets of the Glute Shuffles allowing 20-30 seconds of rest between sets before moving into 4-6 unresisted sets of each exercise.
The final drill in the Softball Power 6 is the Kbands Switch Drill. Softball players will place one Speed and Agility Cone 2-3 feet away from them on each side of their foot. On a cue, given by partner, softball players will move into a squatted position and reach their foot toward one of the Speed and Agility Cones. Partners will continue to call out switch to signal when the extended foot should be alternated. Perform 4 resisted rounds of this drill for 20-25 seconds, allowing 30 seconds of rest between sets before moving into 4-6 unresisted sets of the exercise.