A pitcher's pre-season workout can be key to their success for the upcoming season. You can help prevent many serious arm injuries by "protecting" how they throw early in the year as well as drastically improve their performance on the mound.
Here is a three-step arm workout perfect for helping young hurlers build arm strength, improve their performance, and stay healthy all year long.
How it Works
What we do is we break pitching down into phases, much like hitting stations. Phase 1 is mechanics, Phase 2 is control, and Phase 3 is conditioning.
Phase 1: Arm Mechanics
We work from head to toe, concentrating on balance and body control. Pitchers throws 20 pitches (fastballs) at a distance of 30 feet.
Phase 2: Control
Here, we get on one knee, and work on hitting areas and on follow through. I teach my kids to throw to an area before throwing to a spot, especially early in the season. Again they throw 20 pitches.
Phase 3: Conditioning
Here's how the phase will go: (Pitcher throws from full wind-up at 3/4 speed)
- Throws 10 pitches
- Runs two foul poles
- Throws 10 pitches
- Run two foul poles
- Throws 10 pitches
So in the end, the pitcher throws 30 pitches 60'6" at 3/4 speed, runs four foul poles, there and back being one, and works on mechanics and control in a set environment.
After we implemented this program, our team era went from 4.+ down to under 2.00. I hope this works for you also. Good luck.