Exercise is performed to maintain and enhance the body’s muscular and cardiovascular systems. 

This is where it becomes more challenging for coaches and parents.  There are so many different opinions on this subject, it gets confusing.  What exercises are best for baseball players, especially pitchers?  I for one, I have never been a proponent of utilizing a lot of free-weight exercises (zero free-weights for players under 16).  In my programs, the players must first learn their own body.  I firmly believe that an individual must be able to understand one’s body before they add free-weights to their program.  The average body of a young man does not fully develop until the age of 21. 

I will discuss sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, medicine ball exercises and dumbbell exercises.  The two latter exercises, medicine ball and dumbbell, should not be implemented into the program until the player is ready.  There are some “experts” out there that say sit-ups, push-ups and pull-up exercises do not benefit baseball players.  Their argument is based upon the exercises being isometric.  Though I agree these are isometric exercises, these exercises build the “foundation” of the body.  These exercises do not place undue stress on the joints.  You can also add a dynamic to these exercises by performing the exercises under a timed factor, i.e. do as many as you as fast as you in 30 seconds.  I have found, my students contain more endurance, explosiveness, balance, and most importantly remain healthier than those who exclusively utilize free-weights. 

The medicine ball exercises are outstanding for sport-specific training.  Medicine ball exercises are used to develop core strength, stability and explosive power.  Incorporating the medicine ball into a program enables you to focus on baseball specific movements.  The weight of the ball is critical.  If he can only perform one (1) set of the medicine ball exercises, the ball is too heavy.  I recommend you start in a methodical fashion to allow for proper execution of the exercise.  It is important to concentrate on speed of movement without sacrificing technique.  It is recommended to receive proper instruction while performing medicine ball exercises, especially in the first couple months.

The dumbbell exercises incorporate stabilizing muscles which assist in the development of a much more balanced posture and physique.  I found dumbbells can be utilized more for baseball specific training.  You can control the movement more precisely around the body.  The dumbbell exercises provided isolate the shoulders, wrists and forearms.  Dumbbells are also incorporated into a few of the leg exercises.  Be cautious when performing exercises with dumbbells.  It is important to choose the right weight; you have to maintain full control throughout the motion of the exercise.  Improper execution of the exercise can create injury.  It is recommended to receive proper instruction while performing dumbbell exercises.

The critical exercises in my program are performed with resistant tubes.  Resistant tube exercises can be utilized in the same manner as free-weights, but with baseball specific motions.  With resistance tubes you can emulate the motion of throwing, hitting and fielding a baseball.  It is important to know the correct mechanics and fundamentals of throwing, hitting and fielding a baseball for the resistance tube exercises to be effective.  The resistance exercises must be executed with complete body control.  It is important for the player to maintain full control of the resistance band/tube throughout the entire motion of the exercise.  If the resistance tube is pulling the player back, then your player is using too much resistance.

The most important exercises in my program are the leg exercises.  You will find that the leg exercises are simple, but effective when executed correctly.  Besides the core, the legs are extremely important for throwing, hitting and fielding.  The exercises provided have the ability to strengthen the legs as well as provide the cardiovascular work out for the body when performed with maximum effort. 

There are numerous routines you can create with these exercises to produce an exercise program. Be creative and mix it up, you want to program to stay interesting and fun.  The key to an exercise program is to obtain physical balance while increasing strength and explosive power.  Only when the player achieves complete physical and mental balance, will he be able to start training to reach maximum potential.  Remember, it is important to keep in mind the player’s age, current activities, and physical and mental condition when developing an exercise program.  It is recommended that you check with a physician prior to starting any type of exercise and/or training program.