Stretching exercises can increase your throwing performance, regardless of whether you are throwing a ball or a javelin. Inflexible muscles shorten a thrower's range of motion and increase the risk of injury. The shoulder muscles are the main group that throwers use, so tension there inhibits throwing speed and power.
Shoulder Stretches
Stretching exercises for the shoulders increase joint mobility, release shoulder tension and lengthen the muscles to increase elasticity. An example of a shoulder stretching exercise is shoulder shrugs. To perform shoulder shrugs, hold your arms straight at your sides and then shrug your shoulders up toward your ears before rounding them forward. Pull them back and continue circling them forward. Repeat with circling the shoulders backward. Another stretching exercise for the shoulders is giant arm swings. This exercise is a dynamic stretching exercise. Athletes frequently use dynamic stretching as part of a warmup. To perform the giant arm swings, hold your arms straight and swing them forward in big circles at your sides. Then swing them backward.
Chest Stretches
Tight chest muscles pull the shoulders forward, thereby limiting their ability to move freely. Many people have tight chest muscles, contributing to the common postural distortion of rounded shoulders. If you work in front of a computer or simply do not consciously pull your shoulders back, you likely have some degree of rounded shoulders that affects your throwing. An example of a chest stretch is the wall stretch. To perform the chest wall stretch, bend your right arm to a 90-degree angle and place your forearm against a wall with your elbow at shoulder level. Then, twist your shoulders to the left until you feel a stretch in your right chest. Repeat on the left side.
Stretching Frequency
Performing stretching exercises once a week is not going to get results. Stretch at least two to three times a week to improve range of motion and flexibility. Hold static stretches for at least a minute for best results. Stretching exercises should not be painful, but there should be some discomfort.
Warnings
Although static stretching such as the doorway chest stretch are effective for releasing tension and increasing flexibility, performing them before a game or competition might reduce your performance, according to a 2008 article titled "Stretching: The Truth" in The New York Times. Static stretching causes your muscles to weaken temporarily. Also, dynamic stretching exercises that involve movements similar to throwing, such as arm circles, warm the muscles up and prepare them appropriately.
References
- Coach Jim's; Stretching and Warm-Up Tips; Jim M. Allen
- DailyMotion; Softball Throwing Exercises -- Chest Stretch; Marc Dagenais
- CoachKrall.com; Some Things I've Learned in 33 Year of Javelin Throwing; Roald Bradstock; 2005
- "The New York Times"; Stretching -- The Truth; Gretchen Reynolds; October 2008
- Exrx.net: Common Postural Deficiencies
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