Throwing Prep

Similar to our planning for skiing and race ready preparation, getting ready for spring sports such as softball or baseball is crucial to prepare the body for soreness, pain or most importantly injury.  A proactive preventive maintenance routine with throwing and strength exercises is necessary to prepare yourself.
The first important part of protecting a throwing arm is stretching.  Using proper stretches for the shoulder is key to help loosen the arm, but also lengthens it out.  Also, a more premature step is using light massage in the biceps, triceps and shoulder areas to warm-up the areas before or after stretching.
One key to remember is you warm-up to throw, you don’t throw to warm up.  You should always have a little sweat under your arm before you throw your first ball.  A little jog around the field is a good way to get warm after stretching. 
Strengthening the arm is important to not only protect the arm but to increase velocity on your throws.  The throwing motion utilizes many muscles, not just the arm.  Developing the biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest, back is important.  Effective exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, and bench dips are great for body weight exercises.  If you have access to a gym, using dumbbell or barbell curls, triceps pushdown or extensions, bench press, pull downs, and many shoulder presses raises are great for develop muscle mass for those areas. 
One common misconception for throwing and even hitting is the lower body, especially the hips is where a majority of your power comes from.  Develop a strong lower body through squats, lunges, leg press, box jumps is essential for a powerful base.  In addition, developing a strong core not only helps quicken and strength any twisting movements, but also helps prevent any abdominal and back injuries.
Lastly, don’t forget the cardio.  Being able to breathe longer will help you and your muscles last longer.  Developing a running, biking, or swimming routine will not only help your cardiovascular improve but also the muscles in those areas, allowing you to enjoy what you’re doing instead of the letting your body fight against you.

Exercises- (bodyweight only)
Push-ups – shoulders, chest, triceps.
Pull-ups – rear shoulders, back, biceps.
Crunches/leg lifts- strengthens abs and trunk area.
Standing jumps, squats, lunges-strengthens legs.

Exercises- (gym workouts)
DB/BB bench press-shoulders, chest, triceps.
Machine Pull downs-back, biceps, rear shoulders.
DB triceps extensions and pushdowns- triceps
DB/BB curls-biceps.
DB/BB presses- shoulders.
DB side/rear raises-lateral/rear shoulders.