Expert: Rick Bundy - 11/12/2008

Question
Hi Rick, I'am 14 years old a freshman in high school. I'am trying out for first base, pitching and right field for the base ball team.try outs ain't till about 6 more months. So my question is until the time comes is there any base ball exercises that can improve my arm power and accuracy. Thanks for answering my question.

Answer
David:  If your high school tryouts are 6 months away, you must live in an area of the country that gets pretty cold.

Any weight training you can do will help you, whether it is in a physical education class in your school, or an after school program at school, or possibly you have access to weights at home.  The location doesn't matter.  I have found over the years that the work, effort and gain is greater in a formal class or after school program.

Be sure to work on your legs.  Often players neglect their legs; but they are the basis for athletic power.

If you have an indoor area where you could throw 30 - 35', you can throw on flat ground or floor.  Set up a screen at the distance above, and throw to spots, or a marked strike zone on the screen.

Depending on what your screen is made of, you might want to attach a foam pad to stop the balls.  You can paint, or tape your target areas on that pad.

There are commercial screens available, which already have targets or strike zones on them, that is also a possibility.  Baseball Express and MASA are two Internet companies that sell them.  There are undoubtedly many more.  If nothing else, you can look at what they sell to get an idea how to make one yourself.

You don't need, or want, to throw hard.  Focus on your mechanics, especially balance.  Balance is one of the major keys to accuracy.

Whether you work from the windup, or stretch position, bring your front leg up to where your thigh is parallel to the ground.  Hold that spot, timing yourself, and recording those times.  Your ability to hold that balanced position should increase day by day.

Another balance drill you can do; stand on 1 foot, use the hand of the leg you have in the air, lean down and touch the floor, 3 sets of 5 touches for each hand.

This is a good time to experiment with grips on the ball, 4 seam fastball, 2 seam fastball, various change up grips.  It will help you get comfortable with each.  Probably won't be able to see the difference in movement between the grips due to the limited distance.  Still very valuable to get comfortable with each grip.

I don't know what pitches you have been throwing.  I would suggest you avoid curveballs at this point.  Work on change ups and fastballs.  Protect your arm.

Hitting is all about timing.  Pitching is the disruption of that timing.

Back to the screen.  Develop a game for yourself.  If you have a friend, or friends you can workout with, compete in simulated games.  Working on accuracy, keep the count and award base runners for walks, outs for strike outs.  Designate a portion of the target that, when a pitch goes in there, it becomes a hit ~ single, double-triple or homerun.  Play 7 innings. Keep score.

As you go along, modify the game to make it more challenging.  So much of accuracy is focus.  Instead of counting a strike if the ball is in the marked strike zone, tape on smaller boxes or x's in the corners.  If you have a friend you are competing against, let them call the pitch type and location, you throw it.  You do the same for them.  If it isn't in the smaller marked boxes, even though it is a strike, count it as a hit.  It's all about accuracy!

Within this framework, you can also learn a lot about setting up hitters using different pitches, in different locations.  Example; working up and in to set up a strikeout pitch low and away.  That's just one, they are numerous.

As a pitcher, think about never throwing the same pitch, at the same speed, in the same location, two times in a row.

Limit your games and pitches.  You have a long time to go, you want to come out of the winter wih a stronger, but rested arm.  Concentrate on the mechanics.

Squeezing a rubber ball or a tennis ball is good for hand and forearm strength.  It will help your hitting also.  You can do that while you are watching TV.

I hope that provides you a place to start.  Have fun with it, and good luck this spring.

Yours in baseball,

Rick