Building Your Arm: Start Smart, Build Slowly,
There is one mistake I see over and over again with young throwers:
They want to do too much, too soon.
Everyone wants a stronger arm. Everyone wants to throw harder. Everyone wants to get on the mound and see the radar gun climb.
But developing a great throwing arm isn’t about how much you can do today.
It’s about what your arm will be capable of doing a year, two years, and five years from now.
That is why our Throwzone Academy throwing program should begin with one simple principle:
BUILD — DON’T RUSH.
Your arm needs time to adapt to the demands of throwing. The muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and entire throwing system all need to develop together.
If you haven’t been throwing consistently, you don’t start by trying to throw as hard or as far as possible. For many HS and travel programs, the Head Coach and/or Pitching coach, the start guys throwing too much too soon. Many players feel the pressure to compete with their teammates to throw harder whether on the mound or on the field. And by the 3rd or 4th day, their arms are ‘hanging’ or fatigued or just are dead. This is where Throwzone Academy comes into play.
You start by preparing the arm to throw.
START WITH A PLAN
A good throwing program has a purpose.
Before you ever pick up a baseball, you should know:
- How often you are going to throw
- How much throwing you are going to do
- How hard you are going to throw
- When you will increase the workload
- When you will back off and recover
The goal isn’t to see how much you can tolerate.
The goal is to give your arm the right amount of stress followed by enough recovery to adapt.
That’s how development happens.
DON’T CONFUSE THROWING HARD WITH DEVELOPING
One of the biggest traps for young players is believing that every throwing session needs to be a maximum-effort session.
It doesn’t.
There is a time to throw hard.
There is a time to throw at moderate intensity.
There is a time to play catch and work on rhythm, accuracy and feel.
And there is a time to rest.
A responsible throwing program uses different levels of intensity instead of living at 100 percent every day.
You don’t build a better arm by constantly testing it.
You build a better arm by training it.
This is where Throwzone Academy comes into play and consistently develops and improves what we have done for 25+ years.
LISTEN TO YOUR ARM
There is an enormous difference between normal training fatigue and pain.
Your arm may feel tired after throwing.
That’s part of training.
But sharp pain, persistent pain, unusual soreness, or a change in your throwing motion should never simply be ignored.
Pain is not a badge of toughness.
If something doesn’t feel right, tell your coach, parent, athletic trainer or medical professional.
The smartest throwers aren’t the ones who ignore their bodies.
They’re the ones who understand them.
And Throwzone Academy provides this programming day in and day out.
We know the right programming to get the most out of your arm. HS coaches know that Throwzone Academy is doing things right….even when it is hard to accept the fact that we are in fact taking the pressure off their players arm and that we can build any pitcher whether they are on Varsity, Junior Varsity or Freshman teams. In the last 9 years and as a coach at West Ranch HS (the rival school for everyone in the Foothill League), Throwzone Academy has had 6 Pitcher of the Years….12 -1st team All-League and 10 other All-League selections….7 players on the All-Foothill league along including the Co-Player of the year and Pitcher Of the Year. I would say that we definitely help players at all the other schools!!
RECOVERY IS PART OF THE PROGRAM
Throwing is only one part of developing an arm.
Recovery matters just as much.
That means paying attention to:
Sleep.
Your body needs quality sleep to recover and adapt.
Nutrition and hydration.
You can’t expect your body to perform and recover without giving it the resources it needs.
Mobility and preparation. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL!!
Prepare your body before throwing rather than simply picking up a baseball and letting it rip.
Rest.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your arm is put the baseball down.
CONSISTENCY BEATS HEROIC WORKOUTS
For our coaching at Throwzone Academy, I’d rather see a young player follow a sensible throwing program with our facility..and build up… than throw as hard as possible for three weeks.
Arm development takes time. But we can help shorten that time with our proven training.
There are no shortcuts.
You can’t skip the foundation and expect the house to stand.
Build the body.
Build the throwing mechanics….an area where we shine!
Build the workload.
Build the recovery habits.
Then build the intensity.
One step at a time.
THE THROWZONE APPROACH
At Throwzone Academy, our goal isn’t simply to help a player throw harder.
Our goal is to help players understand how to develop their throwing ability.
Velocity is a result.
It shouldn’t be the entire program.
We want athletes who understand how to prepare their arms, how to throw with intent, how to recover, and how to progress their workload responsibly.
The best arm is not necessarily the arm that throws the hardest today.
It’s the arm that continues to get better tomorrow.
So if you’re starting a throwing program, remember:
Start where you are.
Build gradually.
Throw with purpose.
Recover properly.
Listen to your body.
And let development take time.
Your arm is an investment……and we will train and treat your arm accordingly.
Until next time…
Jim Wagner's ThrowZone Academy 