Baseball Early Training for Pitchers

Early-Season Baseball Pitching Training

As is true in the case of every ball player, the baseball pitcher should begin his early-season training by getting his whole body into good condition. It is a grave mistake to think that all a baseball pitcher has to do is to get his arm into shape to throw nine innings twice a week. Many a baseball pitcher has weakened in the last part of the game, not because his arm was not powerful enough, but because the rest of his physique was exhausted; he had neglected the rest of his body while training the arm alone. Road-work, dumb-bells, handball, any- thing to bring all the muscles into play, regularly, and out-of-doors if possible, will give a man the right start in his training. And during the early-season work, the pitchers, when not in the box, should work hard to get their legs in good condition. To get good wind and endurance chase fly balls in the outfield. Practise fielding bunts off the side lines; this will help wonderfully in games—and the work will help to put you in sound condition. Another excellent exercise is that of batting fly balls to the outfield; swinging the bat will strengthen the arms and the back muscles. In order to pitch a long, hard game, your whole body will be called upon to reinforce your arm, and you will be called upon to hit and run bases like any other player; so prepare yourself by careful training.