Arm Care

YOU WARM UP TO THROW! YOU DON'T "THROW TO WARM UP."

Players must break a sweat before throwing their first ball. That means they should jog, jump rope, ride a bike, or do ladder drills (anything!) before they begin throwing. Activating your muscle groups before throwing is crucial in keeping your arm healthy and maximizing your performance.

Warm up should include dynamic exercises and static stretching.

Warm Up Properly

Static stretching, dynamic stretching, and jogging should all take place before you even throw a ball. You should be sweating before you make your first throw. NOTE: MANY YOUTH PLAYERS DO NOT WARM UP CORRECTLY.

Long Toss

Warm up, start playing easy catch, but then gradually get further and further and see how far you can throw the ball. At least twice a week, you should try to air it out as far as you can. You can get a little air under it, but it should not be a pop up. Feel free to shuffle or crow hop. Make sure you keep your throwing elbow at your shoulder level on all throws. Once your elbow drops, it's time to stop.

J-Bands

These resistance bands allow players to keep their throwing arm healthy, strong, and mobile. They are great to use before practices and games. Do each exercise 8-10 reps. Some require both arms at the same time, but for the single arm exercises make sure what you do to the right, you also do with the left so you can keep your body balanced. The emphasis should be on good form rather than a lot of resistance. This is not weight lifting. Nobody cares how much tension you can do. Poor form or too much tension can lead to arm injury. See my video below for more info:

Weightlifting

HS players and up should always be on a steady weightlifting program. Preseason, inseason, and postseason. There are diffferent phases, please see a certified strength coach for more on this.

Strong body, Strong arm!

Baseball players need to lift weights, condition, and stretch just like any other athlete. Upper body, lower body, and core. It all matters in baseball.