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View Full Version : CST better than conventional strength training for baseball



DennisRL
03-24-2004, 02:15 PM
Today, while searching for baseball training aids for my son, I came across an interesting bit of information.

Mickey Mantle who stood 5'11" and weighed 195 lbs hit a baseball an estimated 734 feet. Whereas, Mark McGwire standing 6'5" and 250 lbs "only" hit his longest out to 545 feet. The Mick had ten homeruns of 530 feet and longer. Of those ten, six of them were over 600 feet. His two longest, 734 feet and 630 feet, were estimated mathematically. The other four were measured and not estimated.

Why all of the trivia? Mickey Mantle's early strength training consisted of swinging a sledge hammer all day long in the lead mines of Oklahoma. Kinda looks like circular strength training to me. Whereas, Mark McGwire's training was modern convetional training with performance enhancing products.

I didn't write this to disparage conventional weight training. Nor did I write it to prop Mickey Mantle. I wrote this because I am new to CST (got my clubbells a few days ago), and I can't wait to see how many 734 foot homeruns, figuratively speaking, I can hit using my new training tools. Also, I'm looking forward to teaching my son to use clubbells to improve his game.

It's also good to know that you don't have to increase your body size to increase your strength.

Connie Brown
03-24-2004, 02:21 PM
I wish Albert Pujols would show us what can be done with Clubbells. Just so I could see it.

rbibbs
03-24-2004, 08:08 PM
Congrats Dennis, you'll have a lot of fun with them, everybody I've seen pick them up has.

See the Mark McGuire guest appearance on "South Park" tonight?

Niko
03-25-2004, 07:00 AM
Dennis,

I love stuff like this, comparing athletes from different era's. I know you bring it up as a comparison in training but Mickey Mantle was blessed with amazing abilities. Not to say Big Mac wasn't, but not only could Mantle hit the ball 700 feet, he also could get down to first in about 3.2 seconds! That is a blazing time. Ichiro gets down the line in 3.6 and everyone raves about his speed. So The Mick not only had strength but also the speed which in turn adds up to amazing power. One last thing, Whitey Ford said if Mantle was playing today, in this watered down version of the game, he would be hitting 90 homer's a season and I do not doubt this.

Anyone up for a Marciano/Ali discussion? :D

With respect,