Your Arm Needs A Little TLC… Too!
Way too long ago… in a galaxy far, far away…..baseball pitchers actually understood that throwing a baseball was only ONE part of becoming a better pitcher. They understood that taking care of their arms, allowing their bodies to recover, and preparing themselves physically were just as important as throwing bullpens and playing games.
Nowadays…..it seems like we are constantly looking for the next thing that will make our pitchers throw harder. More throwing, more bullpens, more showcases, more velocity, and more opportunities to get in front of somebody with a radar gun!
But what happens AFTER we throw?
What happens the day after a bullpen? What happens after a weekend of tournament baseball? What happens when the arm is tired, the body is sore, and the pitcher has another practice or throwing session scheduled?
Unfortunately…..these are questions that don’t always get enough attention.
At Throwzone Academy, we know how to progress you through a baseball work week with 25+ years of experience get pitchers to recovery more quickly and assist getting rid of the soreness someone who doesn’t work with us does experience…..over and over again.As we move into the late fall and winter months, I want to spend a little time talking about something that should be a BIG part of every pitcher’s development program…..ARM CARE AND RECOVERY!
YOU CAN’T OUTWORK A LACK OF RECOVERY!
One of the biggest misconceptions in baseball is that more is always better. If throwing three days a week is good, then throwing five days must be better, right? If one bullpen is good, then two must be even better!
NOT SO FAST!
The body doesn’t get stronger simply because we continue to put more demands on it. The body needs the appropriate stimulus AND enough time to recover and adapt.
Think about what happens when we lift weights. We challenge our muscles during training, and the body needs proper nutrition, hydration, and rest to repair and rebuild. Throwing places tremendous demands on the muscles, tendons, joints, and other structures involved in the pitching motion.
The shoulder and elbow experience significant stress throughout the throwing process. If we continually pile throwing sessions on top of one another without considering workload and recovery, we can put ourselves in a difficult position.
Remember…..THE ARM DOESN’T GET STRONGER JUST BECAUSE YOU THROW MORE!
It needs a plan!
ARM CARE IS NOT JUST A BAND ROUTINE!
I love seeing pitchers take the time to work on their arm care. But we have to understand that taking care of our arms involves much more than grabbing a set of bands and doing a few exercises before we throw.
Arm care should be part of an overall development program that includes:
1. SHOULDER STRENGTH AND STABILITY! Develop the muscles that help support the shoulder and allow it to function properly throughout the throwing motion.
2. MOBILITY! Maintain appropriate mobility throughout the shoulder, upper back, hips, and other areas that contribute to an efficient throwing delivery.
3. LOWER BODY STRENGTH! Don’t forget where a pitcher’s power comes from! Developing the legs, hips, and trunk helps create a stronger foundation for the throwing motion.
4. PROPER THROWING PROGRESSION! Build throwing volume and intensity gradually. Your arm needs time to adapt to the demands being placed on it.
5. RECOVERY! Give your body the opportunity to repair and rebuild through proper rest, nutrition, hydration, and managing your overall workload.
And one more thing…..arm care should NOT be something we only think about when our arm starts hurting!
It should be something we do consistently as part of our preparation and development.
YOUR ARM DOESN’T KNOW THAT YOU ARE AT A SHOWCASE!
This is something I have talked about before, but it is worth repeating. Your arm doesn’t know whether you are throwing a bullpen, attending a showcase, playing catch, or pitching in a game. It only knows the demands being placed on it.
Every throwing session contributes to your overall workload.
This is especially important as we approach the winter months and begin preparing for the upcoming high school season. We want our pitchers entering January feeling strong, healthy, and prepared…..NOT trying to recover from everything they did in November and December.
There is a reason we spend so much time talking about building a foundation during the offseason. We want to develop strength, improve movement patterns, establish good throwing habits, and allow the arm to progressively adapt to the demands of pitching.
RECOVERY IS TRAINING TOO!
Here is something I want every pitcher and parent to think about…..we spend an awful lot of time scheduling practices, lessons, bullpens, strength training, and showcases. We spend money on equipment, memberships, and instruction. But how much time do we actually spend planning recovery?
Sleep is one of the most underrated tools in a young athlete’s development. Proper nutrition and hydration are also critical.
And perhaps most importantly, we need to understand that rest is NOT being lazy!
Sometimes the best thing a pitcher can do for his development is to be on a structured throwing schedule allowing for a day off….2 DAYS….after their outing. Now that HS players are pitching every Saturday then their off-day should be on a Monday with little to no throwing. Tuesday is when you get after again. This also goes for youth players and their travel schedule. Coaches at this level have very little regard for a structured throwing program but you can speak to them about it all in the name of arm health and recovery that we know works and that you trust Throwzone to carry out for you!!
The best pitchers understand that taking care of their arms is part of their job.
