Pitchers place great stress on their shoulders and arms. The mechanics associated with pitching can put strain on the rotator cuff as the athlete performs a repetitive range of motion when tossing the ball. Perform stretching exercises regularly to lower the risk of injury and improve athletic performance.
Benefits
Pitching coach Dan Blewett notes pitching can cause severe asymmetries in bone structure, range of motion, flexibility, size and strength. A tight rotator cuff creates a deficiency of internal rotation, hampering a pitcher's performance. Pitchers must be flexible to contort their body without causing muscle or joint damage. Stretching consistently can also add speed to your pitches as flexibility plays a large role in pitch velocity.
Before Stretching
A proper stretching and warmup routine begins when a pitcher laces up their shoes. Don't wait until you get to the bull pen to warmup. Increase blood flow throughout the body's muscles by taking a light jog around the field or up the bleacher stairs before engaging in your stretching regimen.
Various Shoulder Stretches
The rotator cuff plays a key role in pitching, supporting the shoulder muscles. To stretch the posterior deltoid and shoulder muscle, pull your arm across the chest by grasping your triceps muscle. Feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder. For an alternate stretch, bend your arm at a 90 degree angle, grab your forearm and pull your arm across the back to stretch your middle deltoid. To loosen up the outer shoulder area keep your arm straight and pull down to the middle of the back, pulling at the wrist. Keep your shoulders square and chest high to maintain good posture for an effective stretch.
Sleeper Stretch
The sleeper stretch loosens up the anterior shoulder capsule, improving pitch velocity. Lay on your hip, keeping your knees bent and ankles in line with your spine. Elevate your head by propping it on a towel or pillow and extend your throwing arm in front of you at a 90 degree angle. Pinch your shoulder blades together to keep your shoulder in the proper position. Gently push your arm toward the ground with your opposing hand. Repeat the stretch three times for 30 seconds per repetition.
Proper Warmup
After stretching, play catch until you feel loose by tossing the ball to a teammate at a distance of 90 to 120 feet. Take the bullpen mound and throw five to 10 pitches to find the strike zone. Proceed to hit corners with a variety of pitches such as change-ups, curve balls and fast balls. The final five to 10 pitches from the bullpen should be at 100 percent.
