How To Stay In Great "Pitching Shape" During The Baseball Season

One of the big misconceptions in baseball is that playing the game keeps you in shape to pitch. I wish it were that easy. It's not.

Just playing the game does not keep you "in shape" for baseball. That has to happen in practice and in the weight room or you'll actually lose strength throughout the course of a long season.

In the Chicago Cubs organization, we strength-trained in season on a very regular basis. My former teammate Kyle Farnsworth, above right, used to religiously hit the weight room after games. (He's now with the Yankees.) Depending on our throwing schedule -- the throwing always comes first, of course -- we performed some sort of conditioning, usually following our throwing sessions.

We hit our core (abdominal and lower-back muscles). We trained our legs by running and performing various squats, lunges, step-ups, etc. We strengthened our shoulders performing tubing and light dumbbell exercises. We stretched.

Make it a point to get your throwing done first. Then, maintain your strength this season a few times a week by doing some pitcher-specific training. It'll help you remain strong and healthy.