Off Season workouts: Weightlifting 3 days a week with cardiovascular exercise (bike, jogging, sprints, hills)on the other two or three days. The weight/resistance used can be higher and repetitions lower during this period of training. (2-3 sets of 6-10 reps). However, you should continue to utilize low weight and high repetitions for all isolated shoulder exercises.
Pre-Season workouts: During this period of time, you will begin the attached throwing program. Weightlifting should be performed on the days you throw, after throwing. Weight/resistance should be kept low and repetitions high. Continue cardiovascular activities on non-throwing days.
Strengthening exercises for the shoulder:
- Tubing diagonal (D2 flexion): start with tubing held at your opposite hip, bring band upward and out at a diagonal across your body. (similar to pulling a sword out and bringing it overhead)
- Tubing diagonal (D2 extension): start with tubing held high above your throwing shoulder and pull downward across the front of your body toward your opposite hip.
- Theraband External rotation at 0° abduction: arm held at side with elbow bend to 90 degrees, move arm outward keeping forearm parallel to the floor.
- Theraband and Internal rotation at 0° abduction: same as above however, pulling hand toward your stomach
- Theraband abducted external rotation at 90° abduction: hold your arm straight out at shoulder height, bend elbow to 90 degrees, move hand from that position backward.
- Theraband abducted internal rotation at 90° abduction: same as above however, pulling hand downward as to simulate the throwing motion.
- Dumbbell standing shoulder flexion to 90°: start with hands at your hips, raise straight up in front of you to shoulder height.
- Dumbbell standing shoulder abduction to 90°: start with hands at your hips, raise straight outward to shoulder height.
- Side lying external rotation: lie on your non-throwing side, bend elbow to 90 degrees and raise dumbbell toward ceiling maintaining the bend in your elbow.
- Prone Horizontal abduction (neutral): Lie on your stomach, raise arm straight out to the side just even with the surface you are lying on.
- Prone Horizontal abduction (full ER, 105° abduction): Lie on stomach on weight bench as above, with thumb pointed toward ceiling, raise arm parallel with floor with hand raised to the 2 o’clock position.
- Prone Rowing: lying on stomach, start with hand pointing toward floor, draw elbow upward keeping it slightly away from your side.
- Prone Row into external rotation: lying on stomach, bend elbow to 90 degrees using bench to support the bend of your elbow, rotate hand upward toward ceiling.
- Push-ups: lean against kitchen table or something with equivalent height, feet and hands shoulder width apart, perform a push-up, at top of movement, spread shoulder blades apart by spreading upper back.
Elbow and wrist strengthening:
- Biceps curls:
- Standard dumbbell and barbell curls
- Hammer curls: perform curls with thumbs up
- Triceps:
- triceps extensions
- seated overhead extensions
- triceps kickbacks
- triceps extension, lying on your back with elbows pointed upward, raise bar toward ceiling.
- Wrist flexion and extension: rest forearm over your thigh with wrist slightly over your knee, with palm down, bend wrist upward, then with palm up, curl wrist upward.
- Supination and pronation: same position as above, with one end of a dumbbell in your hand and the other end pointing upward, rotate your palm upward and downward.
Additional upper body strengthening exercises:
- Latissimus pull downs
- Bent over rows
- Dumbbell bench press
- Dumbbell incline bench press
- Seated pulley rows
- Push-ups
- Reverse flys
Leg strengthening:
- Squats
- Lunges: forward and out to the side (may use dumbbells)
- Leg press
- Knee extensions
- Hamstring curls
- Standing calf raises
- Dumbbell step ups
- Forward jump lunges: start with left leg forward, slowly lower your body straight down, so that your opposite knee is very close to the floor, jump up and alternate your legs in the air so that when you land, your right leg is forward.
Abdominal/Back strengthening:
- Crunches
- Crunches with diagonal twist
- Weighted crunch: hold weight against chest and perform crunch
- Prone back extension: lie on stomach either on floor or off the end of a bench and raise chest off floor.
- Prone alternate arm/leg raises: begin on your stomach with arms stretched overhead like a swimmer, alternate lifting your right arm and left leg off the floor and switch to left arm and right leg.
- Hands and knees: start on your hands and knees, slowly left right arm out in front of you while raising your left leg straight behind you, slowly return to start position and lift opposite arm and leg. Hold stomach tight and back in a straight position. Prevent your hips from wobbling from side to side.
Endurance:
- Wall dribbling with plyoball
- Wall arm circle with plyoball
- Upper body bike
- Throwing an over weighted and under-weighted ball
Plyometrics:
- Two handed chest pass
- Two handed overhead pass
- Two handed side pass
- One handed throw (holding arm in cocked position)
- One handed step and throws
References:
Coleman GE. 2000. 52 Week Baseball Training. Human Kinetics.
Coyle ED, Coleman GE, Gearity BR, et al. Sport Specific Training Conference. 2005. National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Loftice IE, Fleisig GL, Wilk, KE, Reinold Mi, Chmielewski Te, Escamilla Ra, Andrews Ja. Conditioning Program for Baseball Pitchers. Americal Sports Medicine Institute 2nd edition, 2004.
Reinold, MI. Strength and Conditioning: Principles for the Preadolescent and Adolescent player. ASMI: Injuries in Baseball Conference, 2004, Orlando Fl.
