Flat ground work for pitchers

I heard a college coach at a convention say that throwing off a mound adds six times the stress on the body/arm as compared to throwing on flat ground.  Unfortunately, most young pitchers think that if they are not throwing off

a mound then they aren’t really pitching.

If you have ever attended a pro team workout, probably spring training if you did, you will undoubtedly see the pitchers lined up in the outfield playing catch.  If you look carefully, they usually are not just throwing.  They often go through the key phases of their delivery as they throw.  They also work on their grips, pay attention to their arm slots and release point, and focus on the accuracy of hitting an exact spot on their partner.  In short, a whole heck of a lot is going on during a simple game of catch on flat ground.

Young pitchers need to understand that pitching practice does not have to involve a mound.  In fact, most of their work will be away from it.

The off-season is terrific for flat-ground-work.  In the near future I’ll provide a basic flat-ground routine that young pitchers can try and coaches can incorporate into their pitching programs.

Tomorrow’s post:  Score one for the good guys