Most coaches tell high school and college pitchers to hit the weight room in order to get bigger and stronger. Because there is a lack of general education by coaches about how pitchers should condition. Many high school and college pitchers end up with rotator cuff or labrum shoulder injuries.
Parents should be aware of the following exercises to avoid when they hire a personal trainer for their sons during the off-season. This is a short list of exercises to avoid:
- Bench press (Unless it is done on a physio ball with dumbbells so that the scapula is able to retract)
- Military press
- Lat pulls behind the neck (These should only be done with the pull in front)
- Cleans or any other power lifts
- Dips
- Pull ups
Generally, a pitcher should not do any arm exercises where he cannot see his hands. This tip was given by a top orthopedic surgeon at one ASMI’s Baseball Injuries Seminars. It may help prevent rotator cuff injuries.
Squats should be done 1 legged to enhance the proprioception and train the neuro-muscular system. Pitchers move from one leg to the other. There is nothing in a two-legged squat that will provide a benefit for a pitcher.
Developing a Safe and Effective Workout
The warm up should be dynamic, or filled with movement, not static. Static stretching prior to pitching has proven to increase the risk of injury and reduce pitching velocity.
The key to a properly conditioned pitcher is a strength in the core and glutes along with flexible hips. Heavy leg press tightens up the hips, as does heavy two legged squatting. Hamstrings need to be worked in the eccentric plane so they can stay elastic enough to take off off the mound.
Repeated heavy arm lifting causes tendonitis in the arm, mostly on the ulnar side. Because the bicep is the decelerator in pitching, it needs to be able to lengthen and heavy bicep lifting does not allow this.
Since 1999 we have focused on having our clients use our Conditioning The Pitcher For Power DVDs as well as other aspects of our training programs. Each of them teach pitchers of all ages how to be more explosive while reducing the risk of injury so they are fit to pitch once the baseball season begins.
The post Which Injury-Leading Pitching Workout Exercises to Avoid appeared first on Baseball Pitching.