Lifting shortens the muscle and makes it tight, so stretching and foam rolling before and after every lifting workout is important to minimize soreness to come back the next day to throw. If you have some soreness after a back workout it is okay to throw, but listen to your body. If you have soreness in the legs it is okay to throw, but keep it very light and easy. The legs generate and absorb the energy, but when sore that generation and absorbption occurs in the arm. Though we should not be bench pressing or military pressing, but if you do and if your chest, shoulders, or triceps are sore from lifting you should NOT THROW.
You should try to do your upper body workouts right after your max throwing, so the next day is a light throwing day.
Legs are the most important part for pitching at a high level. Must do's include squats, deadlifts, plyos, box jumps, kettle bettle. Integrate the following with fall workout.
Leg Press | 4x25 twice/wk |
Deadlifts | 5x10 twice/wk |
Squats | 4x10 twice/wk |
Plyos | 240 twice/wk |
Box Jumps | 100 twice/wk |
Kettle | 5x10 twice/wk |
If no leg press, then 6 sets of squats. If no squats, then 6 sets of legs press.
Back work is the most important upper body workouts. Developing the lats, scaps, delts, traps, and rotator cuffs allows the mind to tell the body to let it fly when throwing. If your back muscles are not strong the mind will tell the body to slow down because the back muscles are the breaking system when throwing and absorbing energy. Focus on 2 sets per exercise, but 9 different exercises. Super setting provides maximum benefit in strength and conditioning. Forearm work also very important. Forearms, strong hands, and strong fingers makes it easier to control your pitches and take stress off the ligaments.
Bar Warmup | 2x4x10 twice/wk |
Arm Rows | 2x10 twice/wk |
Shot Guns | 3x10 twice/wk |
Incline Pulls | 2x10 twice/wk |
Angle Pulls | 2x10 twice/wk |
Pull Ups | 2x10 twice/wk |
Lat Pulls | 2x10 twice/wk |
Chin Pulls | 2x10 twice/wk |
Pull Downs | 2x10 twice/wk |
Jobes | 2x10 twice/wk |
Forearms | 6x10 twice/wk |
Dumbell Bench | 2x10 twice/wk |
TRX Chest | 2x10 twice/wk |
Core work is crucial for connecting or transferring the power generated in the legs to the actions in the upper body (throwing and hitting). The goal is 800 - 1,000 reps per week. Break up the core work into 4-6 times per week. Here is a list of the most important exercises.
Russian Twists | 270 twice/wk |
Situps | 90 twice/wk |
Hyper Back | 4x20 twice/wk |
Cable Twists | 2x10 twice/wk |
TRX | 100 twice/wk |
Roller | 5x10 twice/wk |