Pitcher Training Exercises Specific To Building Power And Velocity While Remaining Flexible

by Dick Mills on November 17, 2009

Here are pitching training exercises that are not only are more functional for pitching but very specific to helping build better movement skills for improving pitching mechanics. These are far more beneficial for helping pitchers develop power with flexibility rather than typical weight room exercises such as two-legged squats, leg press, leg curl or leg extension. Remember pitchers spend very little time on both legs while pitching.  

This is my son Ryan demonstrating some exercises to a 16 year old high school junior from North Carolina who came for one-on-one instruction in September. 

Ryan is demonstrating some the best functional exercises such as one-legged medicine ball touchdowns that build hip and glute strength.  He is also demonstrating one-legged squats, skater and wheel lunges that build functional flexibility within the hips and legs which allow pitchers to reach full range of motion for completing back leg drive for more power and stability for landing.

Most high school pitchers that come for one-on-one instruction are not able to do most of these exercises because they are functionally weak and most are very tight and inflexible.  They may be able to squat 400 lbs or bench press 250 but they are not able to demonstrate strength within the hips and glutes or flexibility within the hamstrings which allow them do develop power.

Our conditioning program DVD's are comprised of three hours of functional exercises that help pitchers not only develop more power but to also develop functional flexibility.

There is no exercise in the weight room that can provide the benefit of this medicine ball exercise. Most high school and college pitchers waste time in the weight room rather than doing explosive functional exercises that transfer directly to improving pitching velocity and overall performance while reducing the risk of injury.  

These are the functional and explosive types of exercises that we recommend and have been a part of our Conditioning The Pitcher For Power DVD's for several years.   

This is what I have been focusing on in our Explosively Pitching DVD program since 2004.  We teach parents how to help their sons use their bodies to pitch instead of just their arms. Not only does this improve velocity but reduces the risk of arm injuries. http://www.pitching.com/products/

"I had spent several hundred dollars on a pitching coach who was leading my son down the path to ruin. He embraced every failed philosophy and technique you've identified - long toss, towel drills and more drills ad nauseum. My son's skills were deteriorating. When I found your website and read your report, I sense intuitively your words had merit and deserved further study."    Mark Smith, Downers Grove, IL