Therapy and exercises for pitchers are designed to strengthen your pitching arm as well as help you rehabilitate from any prior arm injuries. While a physical therapist can help you perform a variety of arm exercises, many of these exercises can be performed individually and at home.
Alternate Lying Chest Presses
This resistance band exercise will strengthen your biceps and shoulder muscles located in both your throwing and non-throwing arm. Lie down on the ground with a resistance band directly under your shoulder blades. With the end of the resistance band in each hand, bend your arms at the elbows, placing your hands right on your pecks. From here, extend out and away from your body, until your arm is fully extended. Slowly lower your arm back down, alternating between each arm until fatigued.
Rotator Cuff Exercise
This exercise is designed to strengthen your rotator cuff. With a 5 to 10 lb. dumbbell in each hand, stand up straight with your knees slightly bent and arms at your sides. From here, lift both of your arms up and away from your body. With your arms parallel to the ground and palms facing away from you, slowly lower your arms back down to your original position. Repeat this movement until fatigued. As you improve, increase the size of the weights you are using.
Wrist Curls
This wrist strengthening exercise can be performed with elastic tubing or a resistance band. Sit down on a balance ball with your foot dividing the elastic tubing in two. While this exercise does not have to be performed on a balance ball, you can improve your posture and engage your abs by doing so. With your right hand holding on to both ends of the band, place your right wrist directly on your right quadricep. Lift up with your wrist, keeping your forearm down as you do so. Slowly lower your wrist back down and repeat until you are fatigued.
Tricep Extension
Stand up straight with your knees slightly bent and arms at your sides. Take a resistance band, wrapping one end in your left hand. From here, grab the other end with your right hand, bending back behind your head at the elbow. From this bent position, extend your right arm up toward the sky until you feel tension in your arm. From here, slowly lower your arm back down and repeat, alternating with both hands until fatigued.
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