General Speed Training
In order for any part of the body to move faster a few things must happen. First, the body must be put in a situation where it must move those muscles faster than normal. This allows for the muscle fibers to be trained, and eventually transitioned into fast twitch muscle fibers. These fast twitch muscle fibers are not ideal for distance or endurance athletes, as these muscle fatigue rather quickly, but they will aid an athlete in short, explosive movements.
A good combination of speed exercises and sport appropriate endurance training will allow athletes to continue to use these explosive muscles far into a game. Athletes need to correlate their endurance training with a few things. First, what are the endurance requirements of my sport? Athletes should not that an excessive amount of endurance training will transition the more muscle fibers to slow twitch muscle fibers, reducing an athletes explosiveness. Soccer players for example must perform a large amount of endurance training due to the requirements of their sport. Whereas a baseball player would have lower requirements for their endurance training, and can spend more time focusing on speed exercises and sport specific training.
How To Increase Bat Speed
The best ways to increase bat speed are to physically swing a baseball bat, and to perform movements at different speed and intensities which are similar to swinging a bat. The Victory Ropes are a great piece of resistance training equipment due to their versatility and level of resistance. Many different rotational speed and strengthening exercises, as well as sprinting speed and strength drills, can be performed with the Victory Ropes. Athletes can go to the Training Section to learn about additional strength and speed exercises which can be performed with the Victory Ropes.
To perform the Victory Ropes Shuffle Torque Drill athletes will need a Victory Rope securely mounted to the Fusion Wall Mount. Athletes will place their outside hand in the Anchor Strap and grab the Victory Rope with the opposite hand. Both hands should remain around shoulders distance apart. The farther the athlete is from the Fusion Wall Mount the more difficult the speed exercise becomes. Athletes need to find a challenging distance which stays within the 20 foot stretch distance of the Victory Rope.
Once athletes have established a challenging distance from the wall they will move into an athletic stance, lateral shuffle two times away from the wall before rotating their hips, and punching through the turn with the back hand. Athletes will then use their abs to rotate their chest and arms back to the center position, shuffle back to the start of the speed drill, then repeat the movement.
Athletes will complete 12 fast paced repetitions before performing the same number of repetitions on the opposite side. After completing both sides athletes will take a 60-90 second recovery break before moving into their next set of the speed exercise. Complete 4 total sets of 12 repetitions on each side.
How To Increase Bat Speed With Good Habits
Whether athletes are performing a drill to help them steal a base, hit a ball, or makes plays in the field good footwork, body movements, and technique must be used. Baseball players who are using the Victory Ropes Shuffle Torque to gain bat speed and rotational speed need to use those same muscles to complete the shuffle and punching motions of the bat speed exercise.
When athletes shuffle away from the anchor they should be in a good athletic position with a slight bend in the knees and hips, like they are preparing for a pitch during a baseball game. Their abs should be engaged while pulling the shoulders back into their sockets, and pulling the shoulder blades back and down. This strong position will allow athletes to successfully shuffle and punch with a fast tempo, but controlled way.
It is also important for athletes to not over rotate as they turn. Their back foot should rotate with the turn to provide additional rotational speed and power. Athletes who treat each repetition of the Victory Ropes Shuffle Torque Drill as a swing of the baseball bat will be able to build a quick and controlled bat that can hit any pitch to any part of the field.
Increase Bat Speed, Throwing Speed, and Strength Endurance
Aside from being a great drill to teach athletes how to increase bat speed the Victory Ropes Shuffle Torque Drill can be effective at improving overall fielding skills, and throwing strength and accuracy. The general building of rotational strength and power will have positive effects on every aspect of a baseball players skill set.
These drills are also great for football and basketball players who need to be strong and explosive when rotating, or turning. Regardless of the sport it is even more important that athletes use bat speed and rotational power exercises like the Victory Ropes Shuffle Torque in a proper workout sequence, and with additional speed training exercises designed to improve athletes speed abilities.
Additional speed and strength training drills should be paired with sports specific skills. Although speed exercises with the Victory Ropes and Kbands Leg Resistance Bands are great for building speed, strength, and power in both sprinting, lateral and rotational movements. There is no better way to use these enhanced skills to have success in a sport than by practicing swinging a baseball bat, shooting a basketball, or performing tackling and locking drills. Performing these sports specific drills, in proper alignment with additional speed and strength training, will help athletes take their game to the next level.
Ideally athletes and coaches should be structuring their workouts so the things requiring a high amount of skill, energy, or concentration are performed at the beginning of a practice or training session. Things like endurance training should be saved for the end of practice. This will allow athletes to build on skills, and sports specific movements without being fatigued. This could lead to bad running and moving habits making athletes slower and more susceptible to injuries.