Over the past few months I’ve released several videos demonstrating how we can use the weight room to help get our guys into better positions in the delivery while on the mound. Today, I thought I would put together a few of the ones that were most popular.

Quadruped (All Four) Breathing

Scapular winging can have a negative effect on the prime movers such as the serratus and mid/lower traps’ ability to create leverage during upward rotation. Breathing drills such as all 4 breathing can help get the ribcage down and give us back that much needed leverage when trying to get the arm overhead.

(All 4 Breathing)

Split Squat Iso Holds

Telling a young athlete to “post up” at foot strike can turn into a daunting task, especially if they don’t possess the strength to quickly get themselves out of low positions. Working on concentric quad strength in the weight room can do wonders for helping to transfer the ground reaction forces up through the core and into the arm.

(Split Squat Iso Holds)

SLDL

Back leg hip abductor strength and IR can make it difficult to to fully load the back leg while coming down the mound. This can cause the front leg to take over and contribute to an early lead leg action as well as early trunk rotation. Here’s a great one that works on both abductor strength as well as IR.

(SLDL)

Core Stability at Stride Length

Creating anterior core strength and stiffness can help an athlete “hold down” that resistance to opening up early as the hips initiate rotation towards the plate and into foot strike. This is an absolute must in order to create adequate torque through maximizing hip/shoulder separation. Our guys love this one…

(Core Stability at Stride Length)

In closing, much of a pitcher’s success on the mound is tied to movement and how well the athlete’s body can adapt to getting in and out of successful positions. Get in the weight room, build a good foundation of strength and mobility. Then let’s see what’s left from a mechanics standpoint, and deal with it on the mound.

See ya’ in the gym…

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)