Core Strength and Stability Training With MLB P Craig Kimbrel

MLB pitcher Craig Kimbrel performs a series of strength and stability exercises targeting the core muscles, including Suspended Plank Circles, a Hanging Knee Raise, Split-Stance Rope Pull and Incline Plate Squeeze.

Craig Kimbrel works on strengthening unilaterally in the upper body and core to reduce injury and improve strength. Craig performs several strength exercises that focus on balancing as well as strength in a dual action workout.

TRANSCRIPT

Dallas Terrell: What I just try to do with them in the weight room is to give him a little bit of power work to keep him satisfied but keep him doing things unilateral and alternating so he doesn't get injured. You've got to be able to balance this stuff. So get them to understand that aspect of it is that no body part exists by itself. Everything is functioning together because that's where they're going to run into injuries when they just go hog wild on one particular area with the exclusion of not doing the other.So we try to incorporate doing some kind of core stability type exercise over there, get that engaged and then make them do some kind of standard exercise, whether it be a bench press or whether it be a pull up or whether it be a rope pull or whatever it is that they are doing so they can actually feel those core muscles contracting while they're lifting something.We'll also try to incorporate some type of isometric exercise with what we're doing right there. Whether it be a plate squeeze when they're on the incline position where they're actually going to feel those pec muscles contracting and having to control what's happening with the rhomboid area on the backside.There's a basic set that people do and it's called planks. Sometimes they're face down, face up, on their side; the bungee cord takes that to a whole other level because instead of being in contact with the ground your now in touch with a rubber band, which means the middle of your body is going to have a tendency to drop down while you're trying to do something with your arms because you're all spread out.So that puts you in an environment that makes it a little bit harder than if you did it on a swiss ball where you put your elbows on the swiss ball because your stretched out more. But the whole idea is to put them in an environment where they're body has to balance something while they're upper body is doing something and gravity is pulling they're midsection down to the ground. For more with Craig Kimbrel, check out Craig Kimbrel: How to Train as a Closing Pitcher