The Pitcher's Game Plan to Maintain a Healthy, Strong Arm

A pitcher’s game is extremely valuable to any baseball team. Every successful pitcher has a few special exercises that help keep the pitching arm in optimum shape. When a pitcher is first starting out, things can be tough. Young baseball players need to be careful of arm injuries but they also need to condition the whole body. Any baseball team that hopes to find any success must have a good pitcher. There are several exercises that can improve a pitcher’s game and keep his arm healthy.

Every pitcher wants to be the one with the cannon arms and are one to strike outs and the rare, but possible no-hitter or perfect game. In the beginning, the pitcher probably has little chance of being MLB material, but there is no reason not to shoot for the stars. There are safe, legal ways to develop the pitcher’s game but they require time vested and a little bit of knowledge about the dynamics of the motion.

First let’s dissect a pitch. A pitch consists of five parts: wind-up, cocking, acceleration, deceleration and follow through. At the beginning of the pitch, the wind-up, the shoulder muscles are involved only a little. Surprisingly, the wind-up starts in the legs. When the arm is drawn back and up, the pitch is in the cocking phase. One leg starts pushing off the mound and the lead leg moves forward.

A number of muscles in the arms and legs are at work during the cocking phase. The back and stomach work together when the arm is drawn back. After this, the pitch progresses to the deceleration phase which is the point at which the pitch is released. The conclusion is the follow-through. The arm travels over the body and the back legs wind up in front of home plate. The pitch is a fast motion that is over before you know it, which is a testament to the velocity and speed that the pitcher is moving at.

While pitching plenty of innings helps keep the pitcher’s arm in shape, it is not the most important factor. The number of pitches thrown is what contributes to good arm health but for a pitcher to have a well-rounded complete game, the entire body needs to be in great shape. A number of exercises can be used to help get the pitcher ready for the season.

Practice pitches are important in properly conditioning the arm. The coach should count the number of pitches to assure the player does not over do it. The player’s health and safety should never be put in danger by over pitching.

In addition to practice pitches, rotator cuff exercises can also be helpful. A light hand weight can be used, but be sure to only do a few reps at a time. Place an ice pack on the shoulder afterwards to assure no swelling occurs. A few days should be taken off in between rotator cuff exercises to avoid injury.

A couple of weeks prior to the start of the season create a schedule. Build the number of practice pitches. Occasionally leagues establish throwing level schedules to help keep track of player’s pitches. If your league has one, do not go over the recommended amount of pitches. Also, is it vital to not overwork one person. Every team should have a few pitchers to carry the load. One pitcher per team is not enough.

Managers of baseball teams know that they will have to deal with sore arms. This is not so much an injury as it is a young player’s arm adjusting to the task at hand. As the arm gets into shape for the season, the pain will dissipate. To help alleviate the initial stress put on the arm by pitching, start off slow and build the workouts are time progresses.

Developing the pitcher’s game is essential to good team management. Keep in mind that the pitcher is in the spotlight. A position that takes a little getting used to. Allow ample time for young pitcher’s to develop their skills. Good training and patience will be key. Although baseball is a team effort and only a good team is going to be successful, the pitcher’s game is special and deserves a fair amount of attention.