Shoulder issues tend to be the most common problems with baseball players, especially pitchers. Many of the common complaints and symptoms are muscle strains, tears of the rotator musculature, tendonitis/bursitis, shoulder dislocations, and shoulder separations. Most of these problems come simply from over-usage. If you have athletes that have not suffered through any of these debilitating, chronic problems (which is typically common with players that have been playing since little league), there must be a series of baseball training and conditioning exercises for the shoulders that can reduce and prevent the possibility of injury. Understanding the importance of training the shoulders properly, especially for pitchers, can mean the difference between getting through the season, to having an excellent season.
Before we get started, lets get a better understanding of how the shoulder works. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The shoulder fits into the socket loosely and without restriction. The farther the shoulder rotates back creates the greatest amount of force throwing a baseball. The potential trouble is with repetition of throwing, the stabilization of the shoulder can be shaken due to the weakness of the soft tissue structure (ligaments, rotator cuff muscles, and the labrum). Throwing a baseball at high velocity relies on these structures to work simultaneously. However, there are delicate times with the repetitiveness of chucking a baseball hourly and daily that these joint structures do not work together.
Understanding the shoulder a bit better, now you can work on what it will take to keep a player out of the orthopedics office, at least for the shoulders. Before any weight training days or throwing days, there needs to always be some pre-hab. shoulder work to assure the joints become warm and naturally lubed for performance. Here are some exercises that will pre-hab., strengthen, and build incredible dexterity in the shoulders:
Shoulder rotations prepare the shoulder girdle for upper pressing and pulling movements. Standing in a tall neutral posture, draw circles with your shoulders forward and backwards.
Arm circles are done by keeping arms straight, leading with your thumbs, moving in complete circles. Never force the distance arm travel, work to steadily increase range of motion. Feel upper back and shoulder blade involvement. Use your strength and rhythm, for forward and backwards movements for desired number of repetitions.
Band/Dowel Shoulder Dislocation is another routine to slowly work to increase your flexibility and durability. Start with a stretch band at waist level, holding a little wider than shoulder width apart. Rotate the band overhead to your lower back and back over. This exercise is great for creating the necessary joint fluidity needed for better range of motion and healthy shoulders.
Y-T-W-Ls are used for pre-hab. and re-hab. work to sustain healthy shoulders. Lying flush against an incline bench, shoulders retracted back and head and neck aligned with the body, hold a pair of light dumbbells in your hands. Lift your arms into the Y formation, thumbs pointing upward, until your arms are aligned with your body. The T lift goes directly out to your sides, with thumbs facing the ground. The W is done by pulling your elbows along with the arms up until your thumbs are aligned with your shoulders, back hands face the sky. The L is pulling your elbows up first, like a hang-man, and rotating your elbows upward until both arms are aligned with your torso.
External Rotations are a great warm-up drill to help in maintaining healthy shoulders and prepare them for stress of resistance exercises. Seated on a bench with tall posture, holding a very-light dumbbell, put the elbow of your working arm on your knee and let the dumbbell hang with arm fixed in a 90 degree angle. Rotate the elbow as far as the shoulder will allow. Do not attempt to over-extend the arm by pushing the distance of movement.
Cuban Presses are effective for developing the entire shoulder and rotator cuffs. Using a barbell or dumbbells stand with good posture and look forward. The initial lift you want to perform a modified upright row, contracting your traps and arms. Rotate shoulders upwards, followed by your elbows so that your arms end up overhead.
There are many other exercises that could be added to the list, but these are a great start. Always evaluate players form of the movements (you don't want injury with injury prevention exercises!), don't overwork the exercises, and be sure to have players stretch post-training.
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Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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