Arm Care and the Daily Throwing Program
This lesson is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have a health condition, food allergy or specific goal, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Foundation · Free lesson
about 40–50 minutes
Pitching Lesson 2: Arm Care and the Daily Throwing Program
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Level: Foundation (HS and up) · Time: about 40–50 minutes · Need: resistance band (J-band or similar), a ball, a partner or wall, open space for long toss, a notebook
Goal: Own a daily warm-up, band and catch-play routine so your arm is ready to work and recovers between outings.
Why it matters: Most arm problems in high school come from throwing without a plan: no warm-up, random long toss, and no idea how the arm feels. A routine you repeat every day builds arm strength safely and makes your bullpen days better.
⚠ Health: follow MLB/USA Baseball Pitch Smart guidance and your state association’s pitch-count rules. Warm up fully first. Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain, elbow or shoulder pain, numbness) and see a qualified professional.
1. Watch first (about 19 min total)
| Video | Channel | Length | Why we chose it | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Arm Care Routine For Pitchers | Tread Athletics | 3:35 | A full band and arm care routine you can follow along with in under 4 minutes. | |
| Jaeger Sports Baseball Long Toss Throwing Program -- Condensed | Alan Jaeger | 4:20 | The classic long toss program, condensed: stretching out and pulling down. | |
| [Is Your Warm-Up Hurting Your Velocity? \ | Pitching Tips](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrOsExxJ1Nc) | Tread Athletics | 11:33 | Explains how to warm up so you are ready to throw hard, not just loose. |
2. Do this: drills, sets and reps
| Drill | How | Sets × reps | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Dynamic warm-up | Jog, then arm circles, leg swings, lunges with a twist and carioca. Break a light sweat before you throw. | 1 × 6–8 min | “Warm body, then warm arm.” |
| B. Band routine | Follow the band video: external rotation, internal rotation, Ys, Ts, reverse throws. Controlled, no jerking. | 1 × 10–15 each | “Slow and smooth.” |
| C. Catch play with intent | Start at 30 feet. Every throw has a target (chest) and a clean four-seam grip. Move back 10 feet every 5 throws to 90 feet. | 30–40 throws | “Every throw has a target.” |
| D. Long toss ladder | Stretch out on an arc to a distance that feels easy, then pull down: come back in with firm, lower throws. | 15–25 throws | “Stretch out, then pull down.” |
3. Common mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | What you see | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Throwing cold | First throws feel tight and stiff | Do the full dynamic warm-up and bands before the first throw. |
| Long toss to max every day | Arm stays sore the next day | Use your arm-feel score. On a low day, stop at a shorter distance. |
| Lazy catch play | Throws drift, no target, grip changes | Pick a target every throw and use a four-seam grip. |
| Skipping recovery | Arm feels heavy two days in a row | Light band work, sleep and food. Tell your coach if it lasts. |
4. How to measure progress
- Arm-feel log: Rate your arm 1–10 before you throw each day. Write it down with what you threw.
- Long toss distance: Note your easy stretch-out distance once a week. It should slowly rise.
- Catch-play accuracy: Count throws that hit the chest out of 20 at 90 feet. Goal: 16 of 20.
- Move on to Lesson 3 when: you have done the full routine 5 days in a row and logged it.
5. At-home version
- Band routine in your room or garage (10–15 reps each).
- Towel or no-ball arm circles and dry throws to rehearse the throwing motion.
- Throw against a wall or into a net at 30–45 feet for target practice.
Challenge: Do the full routine every throwing day for 2 weeks and keep the arm-feel log. Bring it to your coach.
Videos
Complete Arm Care Routine For PitchersTread Athletics · 3:35A full band and arm care routine you can follow along with in under 4 minutes.Watch on YouTube
Jaeger Sports Baseball Long Toss Throwing Program -- CondensedAlan Jaeger · 4:20The classic long toss program, condensed: stretching out and pulling down.Watch on YouTube
Is Your Warm-Up Hurting Your Velocity? | Pitching TipsTread Athletics · 11:33Explains how to warm up so you are ready to throw hard, not just loose.Watch on YouTube