Routines

Pre-game warm-ups
Before leaving my house for a game, the bat exercises I do (along with some stretching and very short/mild/light/generic weight exercises) include swinging a wiffle ball bat for about 10 swings (easy for the first 5; really swing the last 5) then I move up to a regular bat for 4 or 5 regular swings. Next, I get out the DeMarini Chute and swing about 8 times using that.

Then once I'm at the park (still before the game) I get the wiffle ball bat back out and will swing another 5 to 10 swings. Then I swing my regular bat about 5 swings and then it's game time.

The only thing I do before each at bat is to swing a weighted bat (not even a full swing, just whip it back and forth) a couple of times to make my regular bat feel light. The thinking behind all of this is that the wiffle ball bat will allow you to warm-up without straining anything. It will also get your hands 'thinking' fast. The DeMarini Chute and weighted bat makes your regular bat feel light. Combine speed and strength and you have power !

Weight training

All my weight training exercises are done using the pyramid principle. If you are not familiar with this, it is when you start the set lifting with low weight and high reps and then work your way up to high weight and low reps and then back down to low weight and high reps. If you put this on a graph, it will look like a pyramid.

An example bench press routine will look something like the following:

Reps	Weight
10	50
8	100
6	140
4	180
6	120
8	80
10	50

Looks simple enough, remember to train explosively on the 'down side' of the pyramid (the reps done after peak weight is done). As you go down the pyramid (the 120lbs, 80lbs and 50lbs sets), the explosive technique should be used.

An explosive rep can be defined as follows (doing bench press as an example): as the weight comes down at REGULAR speed and just BEFORE the weight reaches the bottom position, that is where you kind of 'let go' of the weight to let it reach it's bottom position and then in that split second you EXPLODE the weight off of you, accelerating well past the halfway point but not to full extension (to prevent injury).

The 'let go' and accelerating throughout is also why you MUST use lighter weights for this type of exercising. It is always better to start too light than too heavy !

The heavy/light combination does 2 things:
1) allows you to become stronger by doing normal reps and weight on the 'up side' of the pyramid.
2) Won't prohibit you from developing your explosiveness because the 'down side' will get your muscles thinking fast again.

Also note that the first set is a light warm-up done at 50lbs. When training explosively you don't need as many exercises or sets. They are very taxing when done correctly.

Most of the exercises I do are performed with only 2 or maybe 4 sets. Only large muscle exercises (bench press, squat and maybe curls) need more sets, like the 6 shown above. The first one or two sets are done regularly with the emphasis on weight and the last one or two sets are done EXPLOSIVELY ! The maximum exercises you should do in one workout is 10. Anything more will counteract the explosive philosophy. Also, you should do no more than 8 to 10 reps per set.

If you get nothing else out of reading this, just remember this one line:

FOR EVERY SLOW, HEAVY MOVEMENT; DO A QUICK, LIGHT MOVEMENT WITH THE SAME MUSCLES TO BUILD THE EXPLOSIVENESS.

Your light scenarios don't need to be done with the same type of exercise. For example, you could do a set of heavy bench presses and then take a 5lb medicine ball and do some sets of laying on your back and just pushing it off your chest as high as you can and then catching it. Another example would be to do some heavy squats and then doing some jumps - just jump in the air as high as you can without any weight on you.

You should take about a 3 minute rest between sets to let your body totally refresh. Remember you are trying to build explosiveness, not endurance or bulk.

Let me also remind you that I am NOT an expert in the field and what I give you is just my insight and what I've come across from reading various articles. I myself have just begun to use this type of training for a couple of months now. This type of training is not for the beginner. If you are just starting out, then you should do a regular routine at regular speeds for at least 3 or 4 months to build up the necessary initial strength to begin this type of workout.

And as always, don't forget to get checked out by a doctor before beginning any workout regimine.

Next up: I will post some specific bat swinging exercises.
Check back often.

I've also heard of filling your bat up with water and freezing it overnight. But, I have heard mixed reviews about this one. Some have said it works, while others have said that it will either expand lengthwise too much and blow your end cap off, or will expand outward too much and distort the barrel.

Either way you choose, it is done under your own risk. But the bats already dented so give it a try. I don't know how well this technique will work on a double wall bat. This is only a proven method for single walls.