Arm Throwing Exercises for Baseball Players
Arm Throwing Exercises for Baseball Players
While arm throwing exercises for baseball players are essential to keep a player’s arm strong and limber during the season, it is equally as important to keep arm strength and conditioning at a peak during the off season.
In season exercises should primarily focus on maintaining strength and control. Off season exercises should be used to develop strength and endurance, perfect technique, and build a solid muscle foundation to use as a platform for powerful in season performance.
Rotator cuff muscle exercises are crucial to maximize a ball player’s arm strength, flexibility, and endurance. The rotator cuff muscles are primarily used to stabilize and protect the shoulder. A player depends on a strong rotator cuff muscle group to help him from being injured during a high intensity game.
Here are some simple exercises that primarily focus on strengthening your rotator cuff muscles to build up your throwing arm.
Arm Circle
Arm circles are a basic exercise to get your rotator cuff muscles warmed up and moving before continuing on to other exercises. They help build strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance in your arms and shoulders.
To perform this exercise, stand up with feet shoulder width apart and arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Begin to make very small circles with both arms. Gradually increase the size of the circles, maintaining slow circular speed. Once the arms are making a wide circle, slowly start reducing the size of the circle in the reverse direction until the circle size is back in the starting position.
The player should accomplish at least 20 to 25 circles in each direction daily and gradually work up to completing this exercise with 3 pound weights.
Rotator Cuff Muscle
This exercise can easily be done by using a light surgical tubing, cable, or resistance band.
The tubing should be at a level just above the belly button. Another way to ensure the tubing is at the correct level is to let the elbow hang down naturally at the side of the body. The tubing should be level with the elbow. Grip the end of the tubing and walk away until there is a slight pull or resistance on the hand at the stomach. This should be a very slight pull as a heavy pull may cause damage to the muscle.
Standing with the hand holding the tube against the stomach, slowly extend the hand out and away from the body lessening the resistance on the tube. The elbow should stay to the side of the body and not move. The upper arms should stay relaxed. Slowly pull the tubing back to the starting position at the stomach region and repeat.
Start with 15 to 20 pulls and gradually work up to 3 sets of 15 pulls.
Modified Shoulder Raise
This exercise will need a light 3 to 5 pound dumbbell to start.
Standing straight with arms hanging down at the side of the body, palms forward, slowly bring arms up until parallel to the floor. Slowly lower arms back to the side of the body. Control is key for this exercise as this should be a constantly controlled slow motion raising and lowering the arms.
Gradually work up to completing 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions with a 5 or 10 pound dumbbell.
Strengthening The Rotator Cuff For Maximum Throwing Power
By completing these exercises in a slow and consistent manner, throwing arm strength, flexibility, and endurance can be achieved. Stability of the rotator cuff muscles is key to protecting your shoulder and your arms from baseball playing injuries.
References
Baseball Articles - Thrive on Throwing: https://baseball-articles.com/throwingprogram.html
Live Strong - Baseball Arm Strength Exercises: https://www.livestrong.com/article/96683-baseball-arm-strength-exercises
Ask the Trainer - Rotator Cuff Exercises: https://askthetrainer.com/rotator-cuff-exercises.html
