Pitcher Development

Incorporating Weight Training into Your Throwing Routine

Over the years I have witnessed many baseball players, especially pitchers, with arm issues. Why are there so many younger athletes having any issues? This ranges from middle school to college athletes.

One of the main causes of these arm issues could be the improper combination of throwing and lifting. This article will share the benefits of incorporating a workout regimen into your throwing program. You will be learning about selecting the best exercises, understanding load management, and maintaining a balance between work and recovery.

The Benefits of Combining Weight Training and a Throwing Program

When a throwing program and weight training are integrated properly, you can see improvement in arm health. Throwing a baseball at max effort over and over and over again demands a high level of strength and power.

Incorporating a proper weight training program into your routine can help build arm strength, durability, and longevity which leads to an improvement in throwing performance. Weight training can also play a huge role in injury prevention.

By developing the surrounding muscles and joints needed to perform the throwing motion, the body is better supported, reducing the likelihood of getting injured. The importance of combining weight training with a throwing program not only improves performance but also contributes to an athlete’s longevity.

Choosing the Right Weight Training Exercises for Throwing

When trying to decide what exercises you want to incorporate, think of the athlete and the demands of the sport they play. A good place to start when thinking of what exercises to do for baseball players should focus on the muscle groups and movements that mimic the throwing or hitting motion.

Exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and dumbbell bench presses can be the “meat” of your program. Some simple exercises to consider while putting together a weight training program would be overhead presses, tricep extensions, banded movements, and plyometrics.

Baseball is a rotational sport, so the importance of rotational movements is key. Adding rotational exercises such as paloff press, med ball throws or slams, a lunge with a rotation, and many others can boost the power and strength of the core and low back. These areas play a big role in producing the force necessary for throws at maximum effort.

Understanding Load Management

Load management for weight training and throwing go hand in hand. I believe once this is understood, the player will see greater benefits on and off the field. You want to be able to build up as time goes on. Simply put, the workload you have for throwing should match the workload in the weight room.

Applying this simple principle to your training and throwing routine will help not complicate how to handle the workloads. It simply involves gradually upping the physical demands you’re putting on your body. You can boost the weight you’re lifting, as you up the amount of throwing at max effort.

For example; week one of the throwing program has 25 pitches in a bullpen. Your weight training will have fewer sets and more reps (ex. 4 sets of 8 reps on squats). A lighter load of throwing equals more volume with lighter weight in the weight room. A higher load of throwing equals more sets at a low rep range with heavier weight (ex. 6 sets of 3 reps on squat).

While it’s essential to challenge yourself to achieve progression, it’s equally important to do so responsibly. An excessive increase in weight can lead to injury. Therefore, ensure that your increments are in line with the throwing load. This allows your body to adapt to the new demands without being overwhelmed.

Remember, progressing in load management isn’t about lifting those heavier weights. It’s about continuous improvements, both in your weight training and throwing.

Balancing Rest and Recovery for Optimal Results

We all know throwing gas and lifting heavy are the exciting parts of this journey. One of the more crucial if not the most important part of it all is rest and recovery. Providing your body the time to recover and heal is equally important.

It might not be the most exciting part but to not take it as seriously as the other two is a major downfall in progressing. Overexertion can lead to exhaustion, diminished performance, and a higher risk of injuries.

Here are some ways to recover; scheduled rest days, hydration, a nutritious diet, getting the required amount of sleep, and proper mobility. These few things will help you out in the long game.

Putting the time and effort into your recovery will have you ready for the demands your body will endure during the off-season and in-season. By dedicating as much attention to recovery as you do to training, you’ll ensure that all your hard work pays off.