1. Pitching Makes the Team
A baseball team with good pitchers makes a champion team. Pitching comes before hitting--a maxim all baseball coaches know and practice. They even agree that 80 percent of the sport is pitching. For this reason, coaches need to care for each pitcher to prevent unnecessary strain on the throwing arm. There are many strategies, drills and other regimens to keep the pitching arm healthy and strong. One regimen a pitcher should never overlook is stretching the properly before throwing to ensure a long, successful career.
2. Stretch Lower Forearm
A little light jog around the diamond before starting to stretch is an excellent idea. Then start with the forearm muscles even before you start throwing the ball. One of the best forearm stretches is to raise your throwing arm upward toward the sky and point the fingers. Next, take your opposite hand and gradually pull back on the fingers of the pitching hand until you feel the lower muscle part of the forearm stretch. You need to hold that stretch for 30 seconds and relax. Perform this stretch five times.
3. Don't Forget to Stretch the Upper Forearm
Make sure when you stretch the forearm you stretch both the lower and upper muscles of the forearm. To stretch the upper muscles of the forearm straighten the throwing arm until the fingers dangle at the side pointing down. Next, with the opposite hand, gradually pull down on the center of the hand of the pitching arm. Once you feel the stretch of the upper muscle, hold the stretch for 30 seconds and relax. Perform the stretch five times.
4. Loosen the Shoulder Socket
A simple, effective stretch that gets the pitcher's shoulder socket loose starts with holding the glove with the throwing arm. Bend from the waist and swing your hand with your arms wide in a round, circular movement for one full minute. The shoulder relaxes after this valuable stretch, which enables you to feel comfortable in performing a complete pitch. This also helps loosen the rotator cuff, a common place of injury for pitchers.
5. Triceps Stretch a Pitching Must
Arm stretches need to be a common activity for every pitcher. It's vital that you stretch your triceps because they extend to the shoulder area in each pitch. The pitcher extends the throwing arm upward and slowly flexes the elbow, then relaxes. When you flex the elbow, the hand ends up at the neck's base. The opposite hand gently pulls the throwing arm elbow back above the shoulder to feel the complete stretch of the triceps.
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