No More Surprises
Way too long ago….in a galaxy far, far away…..baseball players didn’t have 25% of the injuries that now occur these days. One of the culprits of this injury epidemic has been the immense amount of games that young players are playing over the course of a year. What used to be a 3-4 month season of games… and the other 8-9 months were playing football, basketball, and any other made-up games one could think of.
With all the games going on with youth travel ball, specifically, the injuries are piling up big time. And this is now carrying over to high school seasons. Many Foothill League teams are dealing with multiple arm injuries with pitchers because of the lack of knowledge from the head coach down to the freshman level coaching… and it is always sad to hear a player having to sit out due to an arm injury.
This time of year, pitchers are starting to increase their pitch counts and innings as the season moves forward. Unfortunately, what we see far too often is that most players aren’t doing anything after they pitch to help their arm recover. In fact, I would estimate that about 90% of young pitchers finish a game and simply go home without doing the work needed to keep their arm healthy.
That approach almost always catches up with them later in the season.
Proper post-throw recovery is one of the most important things a pitcher can do to maintain arm strength, reduce soreness, and be able to get back on the field the next day to play catch or prepare for their next outing.
At Throwzone, we teach several simple but highly effective post-arm recovery protocols that players should be doing immediately after they pitch, and especially the following day.
These recovery routines are a big reason why pitchers are able to maintain the same velocity, command, and intent at the end of the season that they had at the beginning.
Some of the most effective recovery exercises include:
- Jaeger Band (J-Band) work, especially reverse throwing movements
- Scapular loading exercises to activate the back of the shoulder
- External rotation single-arm band stretches
- Reverse throws, similar to a softball throwing motion
- Scap push-ups
- I’s, Y’s, and T’s
- Skydivers
These movements are simple, but when done consistently, they play a huge role in keeping the shoulder strong and protecting the arm from fatigue and injury.
Arm care isn’t something that should happen occasionally. It needs to be part of a pitcher’s daily routine, just like throwing and mechanical work.
At Throwzone Academy, we focus on developing the complete pitcher. That includes teaching young athletes:
- How to warm up properly before throwing
- How to develop efficient mechanics and arm action
- How to care for their arm after throwing
- How to maintain strength and durability throughout a long season
When pitchers learn how to take care of their arm the right way, they not only perform better — they also stay healthier and enjoy the game longer.
If your son is serious about improving as a pitcher and protecting his arm, we would love to help guide him through the process.
Throwzone Academy
Developing pitchers the right way.
Jim Wagner's ThrowZone Academy 