Sports training
Baseball arm care warm-up
This warm-up is built on the Yokohama programme as two reviews describe it. In a Japanese trial of 237 players aged 9 to 11, teams that did its 9 stretching, mobility and balance exercises in their warm-up at least once a week for a year had 1.7 shoulder and elbow injuries per 1,000 practices and games, against 3.1 in teams that didn't, and about 73% of players kept it up. The trial's exact techniques and reps weren't available to us, so four moves are stand-ins (the ball roll for the arm massage, a standing cross-body stretch for a stretch done on all fours, the reach matrix for the sideways slide, and the one-leg stand for the elbow-to-knee balance), and every rep and time is our editorial choice. It takes about 10 minutes, then build up your throws. It doesn't replace pitch counts and rest days.
Arm and shoulder
- Forearm ball roll30 s each armBeginner · Forearms · 3D demoStand-in for the upper-arm massage: roll the upper-arm and forearm muscles of your throwing arm
- Wrist flexor stretch2 × 15 to 20 s each armBeginner · Forearms · 3D demoPalm up, elbow straight, gentlyEasier: Wrist circlesHarder: Quadruped wrist rocks
- Cross-body shoulder stretch2 × 20 s each sideBeginner · Shoulders, Back · 3D demoStand-in for the programme's stretch on all fours: arm across your chest, lower it if the front of the shoulder pinchesHarder: Sleeper stretch
- Doorway chest opener2 × 20 sBeginner · Chest, Shoulders · 3D demoElbow at or below shoulder heightEasier: Elbows backHarder: Fish pose (Matsyasana)
Hips and spine
- Standing figure four (chair pigeon, Eka Pada Utkatasana)2 × 20 s each sideIntermediate · Glutes, Quads, Hip abductors · 3D demoSit back as if into a chairEasier: Chair pose (Utkatasana)Harder: Pigeon preparation (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana prep)
- Cat-cow8 slowBeginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoRound, then arch, through the upper backHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
- Thoracic rotation6 each sideBeginner · 3D demoTurn from the ribsEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch
Balance
- Single-leg reach matrix4 reaches each direction each legIntermediate · Quads, Hip abductors, Glutes · 3D demoStand-in for the sideways slide: slide the free foot out to the side and back, standing tallEasier: Standing crossed-leg side reachHarder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift
- Single-leg stand8 elbow-to-knee touches each sideBeginner · Hip abductors, Calves, Glutes · 3D demoStand-in for the elbow-to-knee exercise: lift one knee to meet the opposite elbow, balancing on the other legEasier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walkHarder: Single-leg reach matrix
Tips
- Then 10 to 20 easy throws, lengthening the distance, before full throws or pitching (our suggestion). Stop if the arm hurts.
- Do it at least once a week, as in the trial, or before every throwing session (our suggestion).
- Follow Pitch Smart's daily maximum and rest days for your age, across every team and tournament.
- Elbow or shoulder pain when throwing in a child or teenager: stop throwing and get it checked, as our elbow pain guide advises.
- Teenagers and adults: add the Shoulder Control block from the throwing arm strength workout, trialled in handball.
The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.
Guides that recommend it
Find more moves like these
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How long does the baseball arm care warm-up take?
About 12 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.
What equipment do I need?
You need: A massage ball, A wall. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.
Is it suitable for beginners?
It is written for beginners. 6 of its 9 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.
How do I make it easier or harder?
Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.