The 10 Basic Principles Of Strength Training For Baseball Pitching

So you want to get bigger, faster and stronger so you can throw harder and reduce the risk of throwing arm injuries?  Here are 10 basic principles to adhere to when strength training for pitching. I used these principles as a general guideline when developing the popular TUFFCUFF Strength and Conditioning Manual for Baseball Pitchers.

1. Poor conditioning contributes to risk of injury and poor performance

2. Good conditioning can not be achieved in a few weeks

3. A good conditioning program is well rounded including aspects of endurance, strength, power, skill, flexibility, speed and aerobic conditioning

4. Condition the entire body as more than half of the energy used to deliver a pitch comes from parts other than the arm, specifically the trunk and legs

5. Condition the muscles with the action used during the delivery

6. Train for a base level of strength then move on to endurance and power

7. Adhere to quality over quantity

8. Train for agility and endurance especially in the arm and shoulder, but focus more on training for shorter bursts of energy

9. Train for balance in the muscle groups /accelerators and decelerators

10. Train the mind as well as the body

For specific ways to train your body for more strength and power, click here.