Baseball Agility Exercises

In baseball games athletes are required to accelerate, decelerate and change directions quickly and often. Agility allows the athlete to perform these functions efficiently and without injuring themselves. Without training that involves agility exercises, the athlete's performance would not reach its full potential, and games could be missed due to injury. Agility exercises can boost a baseball player's performance.

  1. Base Rotations

    • Include base rotations as a normal part of agility training. According to Stack Magazine, this agility drill will improve elasticity in your core.
      Imagine there is a large "X" on the ground, and you are standing in the center. Place the left foot on the bottom left end of the X, and place the right foot on the upper right end of the X. Face straight ahead and keep your shoulders square. You will notice your hips and feet are pointed at a 45-degree angle away from your shoulders.
      While keeping your head and shoulders forward, jump and twist your lower body using your abdominal and core muscles to make the feet face the opposite 45-degree angle. This will place your left foot on the upper left end of the X and your right foot on the lower right end. Quickly jump back and forth from the first position to the second, twisting your arms in opposite directions to keep balance. Work up to three sets of eight seconds.

    Three Hurdle Drill

    • Quicken your feet with a three-hurdle drill, according to Stack Magazine.
      Set up three hurdles or other obstacles that are 6 inches high. Place them 1 yard apart in a straight line.
      Straddle the first hurdle so the remaining hurdles are directly to your right. Do a lateral sprint to run through the hurdles sideways, clearing each one as quickly as possible. When you clear the last hurdle and come down on your right foot, hold the plant foot position for three seconds and then go back to your left over the hurdles sideways. Repeat the repetition four to six times and complete three sets. Rest between each set for at least a minute.

    Lateral Bounds

    • Lateral bounds will improve leg strength and quicken your lateral movement. Perform this exercise by standing on your left leg and use your left leg to jump as far to the right as possible, landing on your right leg. Repeat the exercise by jumping to the left. Perform three sets of five bounds, resting adequately between sets.

    Box Runs

    • Box runs will increase speed of acceleration and deceleration and improve the body's ability to quickly change direction, according to PlayYourGame.com.
      Draw or tape a square on the ground that has sides that are 1 yard long. Start at the rear left corner of the box and sprint forward to the top left corner and touch the ground with your hands. Immediately shuffle right to reach the top right corner, touch the ground again and sprint backwards to reach the rear right of the box. Touch the ground and shuffle left to reach the corner you started in and repeat. Move as fast as possible and perform one to five sets in various directions.