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ATLAS RAISE (FIGURES 12 AND 13)
Start with the left foot forward, and place the left hand at the
bottom of the bar, away from the loaded end (a loaded barbelltype apparatus will be needed for this exercise). Hold the bar
with the right hand near the load with both hands in an overhand
grip (Figure 12). From this position, raise the bar (keeping the
arms straight but not locked) vertically with torso extension and
rotation until the bar is close to parallel to the ground overhead
(maintaining stance and eyes forward) (Figure 13). Lower the bar
down in an arc until the chest is over front knee (torso flexion) in a
controlled manner. Repeat on both sides.
CONCLUSION
Since the nature of baseball can often be one sided, developing
imbalances can be easy to do if equal and opposite type exercises
are avoided during training. When you turn the concentric load
on the body (in throwing and hitting) into an eccentric load in
the weight room and vice versa, you will promote performance
gains and develop a strong, athletically balanced body. With
the exercises shown here, the forces put on the body are more
horizontal in nature, as well as on an arc, just like the forces
generated in the sport.
REFERENCES
1. Brown, T. How to train the core: Specific to sports movements.
NSCA’s Performance Training Journal 12(4): 4-13, 2012.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The NSCA and the author would like to acknowledge Jeff Flag’s
contribution to this article, both with imagery and content. Jeff
Flag is the Director of Training/Education at PurMotion, and is a
former Division I college and professional baseball player.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Travis Brown has led a career as a strength and conditioning coach
for over 14 years in Atlanta, GA and at the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville. He currently works for Pinnacle Athletics, which is a
sports performance company that trains professional, college, and
high school athletes. He has trained, or played next to, over 120
National Football League (NFL) starters, including dozens of Pro
Bowlers and first round NFL draft picks. Throughout his career,
he has trained a number of athletes ranging from youth to elite
professionals, which include several Major League Baseball (MLB)
players, National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes, and two
Olympic Medal winners. Brown is currently working towards his
PurMotion Master Trainer certification and is a Certified Strength
and Conditioning Specialist® with Distinction (CSCS,*D®) through
the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
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