Throwing a baseball is not a natural movement, so players must stretch and exercise the arms, wrists, and shoulders to prevent injury, as well as reach maximum performance level. If a baseball player does not have strong shoulders and arms that are appropriately trained they will not be able to field, pitch, throw, or hit to their potential. Every position on the baseball field, including hitting, requires strong shoulder and arm muscles that are able to move with flexibility and mobility. Weak shoulders produce weak throws and hits because throwing velocity and swing drive are enhanced with shoulder and arm strength. The shoulder and arm muscles depend on proper warm-ups, stretches, and workouts to become strong enough to endure the stress of the sport.
Arm resistance bands like the ArmPro Bands and KB Upper Body Workout Bands are great tools for building shoulder, arm, and wrist strength. The resistance provides tension to each movement for building strength, flexibility, and endurance for quick muscle contractions. With the KB Upper Body Workout Bands you can get 4 levels of resistance for strengthening and stretching your arms and shoulders. Simply clip the handles on the ends for curls, tricep extensions, forearm curls, etc. or take one of the handles off and use the clip to attach it to a fence for easy arm stretching in between innings or before and after practice. The ArmPro Bands are designed to provide resistance for your level of fitness, beginner/youth, advanced/high school and travel teams, or elite/college and pro level. It includes the bands, 2 wrist straps and an adjustable strap so you can attach them to a post.
A baseball player's shoulder must be flexible for throwing power and velocity. Baseball players throw and hit so much that the shoulders and arms often experience tightness or tension from overuse or strain. Stretching with the Myosource Kinetic Bands prepares the shoulders and arms for excessive use in order for a baseball player to remain flexible and loose to play at a full range of motion. A shoulder that is not stretched properly will lack the momentum and power needed to produce throwing or batting speed.
The baseball player will connect one end of Myosource Upper Body Kinetic Bands to a fence, or any other stable item. You can also use the door stop or ankle strap included to train at home. Stand sideways, about 5-6 feet away from the item the bands are connected to, and put the other end in both hands. Pull the band across the body, towards the opposite shoulder and then back to the beginning position then change sides to work the opposite shoulder.
The baseball player will place the hands to the sides while standing in an upright position. They will then raise the arms forward to shoulder level and lower them back down to the starting position.
The baseball player will utilize the resistance of the bands to curl the arms up and down, stretching the muscles throughout the entire arm.
The baseball player will use the resistance to pull upward with the throwing arm until it is fully extended to stretch the triceps and elbow. Then lower the throwing arm back down to release the resistance. Finally, the baseball player will switch arms to stretch out the non-throwing arm.
The wrists are another important aspect of a baseball players throwing and hitting potential.
Wrist curls are combined with the arm curls above. Baseball players should curl the wrists towards the chest and then out when bending the arms at the elbows and then back down.
The baseball player will put the wrist of the throwing arm in front of the body, parallel to the ground. Use the opposite hand to pull back on the fingers to stretch out the wrist and push down on the top of the hand to stretch the wrist downward.
