Ideal Pitching In-Season Training Program

Virtually all young pitchers today don’t have much of an off season thanks to the popularity of travel teams and the mix of prep, summer and fall leagues. This has created an upturn in elbow and shoulder injuries at a early age for pitchers who sadly are not allowing themselves an off season to recover and rebuild. I found myself a victim of this cycle throughout my personal career. I received rotator cuff surgery at eighteen to fix a torn supraspinatus immediately after my first college start. Three of the common issues contributing to my tear, the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), lead by the famous Dr. James Andrews, has defined as the explanation for the increase in elbow and shoulder injuries in youth pitchers in their Position Statement released this season.

Three common issues of all pitching injuries:

1. Overuse
2. Poor mechanics
3. Poor physical fitness

This is significant to comprehend since injury prevention ought to be the main focus of any in-season pitching system. Based on these details an excellent in-season pitching system should include a reduced volume of throws to protect yourself from overuse, drills to help maintain good throwing mechanics and lastly add a strength and conditioning program that should institute good physical fitness and health.

Contraindicated Training

Before I format the perfect in-season training method we have to first outline and number typical methods to pitching that will belong to the category of the above common injury factors.

Extreme Long Tossing (Exceeding distances of 150 ft)

This kind of practice, even though it is rather well-known, features a cautionary tale. ASMI performed a series of scientific studies with this type of training and yes it produced elbow varus torque within the pitching arm and throwing mechanics which were not favorable on the pitching mound. ASMI urged against these kind of tosses for rehabilitation and training purposes.

This type of training could easily bring about excessive use of the rotator cuff and elbow and when bad mechanics exist, the pitcher is even more at risk of an injury.

Weighted Baseball Workout (Over Under Load Training)

I have no research against this type of training. I have actually used these two pitching practices in my career, but it was ahead of my arm injury. This type of exercise yet again falls into the three typical factors of the majority of pitching injuries. This would raise the volume of throws together with poor mechanics, puts the thrower in a dangerous situations.

Tv and Net Gimmicks

I’m not proclaiming that every gizmo or gimmick in the media or the Net is trash, nevertheless, you must make sure that they will not put you in to the class of the three typical factors ultimately causing arm injury while in-season. A number of these products promote a higher volume of pitches and bad mechanics. I advise you to coach your self on good mechanics and use this ideal in-season training program before you throw away your dollars.

The Ideal In-Season Pitching and Strength Maintenance Program

This routine consists of both the parts, the pitching program and the power training program. You must recognize that we are really not trying to enhance speed or strength while in-season. The foundation of any ideal in-season throwing program would be to prevent damage and to maintain power. If you do well at this you will experience consistent velocities between appearances and you should remain off of the Disabled List (DL).

This is not a cookie cutter system because it is intending to include all ages, all levels of the game and your throwing work load. Ones own pitching workload incorporates your personal amount of pitches for every performance.

There is a vital component to an in-season pitching program that will not be discussed here which happens to be diet regime. Good eating plan supports your body’s capacity to restore and rebuild.

Relief Pitcher Workload (According to two day Pitching Rotation)

• 21 – 35 throws –> 24 hours rest from pitching
• 36 – 50 throws – 2 days rest from pitching

Day I (Rebuild and Mechanics)

1. Dynamic Warm-up
2. Throwing Exercises (How to Beneath) 3X Med Ball Throws, 3X Target throws on Pitching Mound
3. Plyos (1 each, 20 yards) Pogo Plyos, Bunny Hopes, Frog Hopes
4. Anaerobic Training (3-6 each) Hurdles, Resistance Sprints, Standard Sprints
5. Rotator Cuff Routine (Tubing or 2-3 pound weights, 3 sets ten reps) External Rotation, Positives and Negatives, Shoulder extensions, Up and Out, Windmills

Day 2 (Eat, Rest and Recover)

1. Dynamic Warm Up
2. Visualization (Visualizing yourself pitching perfect pitches with perfect mechanics, has been proven to be far better compared to actually practicing)

Starting Pitcher Amount of work (Based on 4 Day Rotation)

• 51 – 65 throws –> 72 hours rest from pitching
• 66 pitches and more –> 4 days rest from throwing

Day 1 (Routine maintenance)

1. Dynamic Warm-up
2. Plyos (1 set, twenty yards) Pogo Jumps, Bunny Hopes, Frog Hopes
3. Anaerobic Training (3-6 each) Hurdles, Resistance Sprints, Standard Sprints
4. Core Routine (three sets 10 reps) V-Ups, Med Ball, Russian Twists, Two Leg Jack Knife, Med Ball Slams, Back crunches
5. Shoulder Routine (Resistance Tubing or 2-3 lb weights, three sets 10 reps) External Rotation, Positives and Negatives, Shoulder extensions, Up and Out, Windmills

Day two (Mechanics)

1. Dynamic Warm Up
2. Mechanics Routine (Instruction Beneath) 3X Medicine Ball Exercises, 3X Target throws on Mound
3. Twenty five Pitch On Mound around 60% effort (10 Fastball, 10 Breaking Balls, 5 Off Speed)

Day 3 (Eat, Rest and Rebuild)

1. Dynamic Warm-up
2. Visualization (Visualizing oneself throwing perfect pitches with perfect mechanics, has been confirmed being more effective as compared to actually practicing)

For a lot of data on these types of drills and exercises remember to visit TopVelocity.net. Anyone may get in touch with me personally at TopVelocity.net/Contact.

Mechanics Drills

This part of the program may incorporate any drills to help institute the muscle memory for superior mechanics while not putting a high amount of throws on your arm. I have listed 2 mechanics drills coming from the 3X Pitching Velocity program and a link to the 3X Pitching Mechanics Movie in the referral section listed below. I highly recommend watching the movie before using the 3X Exercises so you possess a excellent knowledge of the method.

3X Medicine Ball Throws (15-25 Throws together with 2lb medicine ball. DO NOT GO OVER 2 POUNDS)

Phase #1

Start out in a full stride, which is 80-90% of your height. Each of your feet need to be pointing towards the target. You are on the ball of your back leg foot with nearly all of your weight on your drive leg. Your shoulders are closed to the catcher. The medicine ball will be behind your head, over your throwing shoulder, with the two of your hands holding the ball. Your chin is buried and behind your belt buckle.

Phase #2

Lift your lift leg and triple extend your drive leg before your lift leg foot lands. Triple extension is the extension of the ankle, knee and hip flexor. Land strong without the need of allowing your front leg knee push past your lift leg heel. When your front foot lands you are going to feel your hips slam open while you maintain your shoulders closed. This is going to generate core torque or hip to shoulder separation that will coil your body and then release your shoulders towards the zone externally rotating your pitching arm.

Phase #3

You must finish with your chest area out over your front leg and your chin still tucked. Release the ball by stretching your arms out and up and DON’T PULL THE BALL DOWN TO RELEASE.

3X Target Pitches (15-25 Throws with Baseball)

The importance at this point is to program the motor coordination or muscle memory through the medicine ball throws into your target throws.

Phase #1

Start in the very same position and stance as the Med Throws Step 1. Full stride, feet in direction of target, shoulders closed. The only real difference is your throwing arm is behind your head cocked and set and your baseball glove side is elbow to zone and baseball glove hand relaxed. Use the glove side to help you aline your shoulders up with the target.

Phase #2

Identical to the Medicine Ball Throws Phase #2, start by picking up your front leg while loading your weight on your back leg. Follow this with an explosive drive of the back leg, acquiring triple extension before the front foot lands. This will build power through your stride and launch your hips open as soon as the front leg touches down and stabilizes. The shoulders should stay closed to produce optimal hip to shoulder separation.

Phase #3

Begin the pitch by allowing your shoulders to release the core torque, leading with your chest in direction of target. Maintain the chin tucked as your chest shoves out over your lift leg and your arm externally rotates. Ensure only at that spot your throwing elbow is higher than your shoulder. End the throw by internally rotating your arm and stretching your elbow up to release point.

Referrals:

• Position Statement for Youth Baseball Pitchers http://www.asmi.org/asmiweb/position_statement.htm
• Biomechanical Comparison of Baseball Pitching and Long-Toss http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21212502
• 3X Pitching 101
• 3X Pitching Velocity Program