Preparing To Throw A Baseball

One of the most difficult disciplines for a pitcher to embrace is the practice of properly preparing his arm to throw. All of us are at least occasionally guilty of not taking enough time to adequately go through our routines before we play catch, and the supposed time we save to work on throwing might not benefit us as much as we think.

The idea of elevating the overall temperature of the body is important when considering the best case scenario for beginning a throwing routine. Researchers have long held the idea of having athletes begin their workouts with a fairly brief period of cardiovascular work, and doing this at a slow pace seems to benefit the overall physiological make-up of a pitcher.

The following are some immediate benefits of a 10-20 pre-workout jog or stationary bike-ride before any flexibility exercises that precede a throwing program. An ounce of prevention...

* Increased heart rate
* Blood and oxygen travel with greater speed throughout the body
* Less friction in the joints because of an increase in synovial fluid
* More oxygen in the blood due to dilated capillaries
* Increased temperature in the muscles
* Decreased viscosity in the blood
* Muscle fibers have more elasticity and extensibility
* Contractions take place more efficiently and faster