C
Clarity News Hub

Should pitchers lift after pitching?

Author

Daniel Moore

Published Jan 15, 2026

If you really must workout everyday, you will want to lift after you pitch. But keep the weights light! A light workout after you pitch is a good way to keep your body loose, but lifting too heavy may get you really stiff. Nobody knows your body better than yourself, so do what works best for you.

What should a pitcher do after pitching?

Perform a “cool down activity.” Have pitchers' jog for four to six minutes, to the point when they start to sweat. This increases general blood flow throughout the body and prepares the body for a post-performance flexibility routine.

Should a pitcher lift weights?

When pitchers lift weights, their muscles get stronger so they can produce more force. When pitchers learn to express this force quickly through training, they improve their power. Power, therefore, is best described as strong movements performed with speed.

Should pitchers lift upper body?

The upper body is crucial to baseball pitching success, because it imparts the force from the legs into the ball. A strong upper body can improve your performance, whereas weakness or injury in this area can limit you.

Should pitchers lift heavy in season?

The answer is a resounding “yes.” We can lift during the season, but there are considerations we need to make. The first, and in my mind most important, is fatigue. We need to be cognizant about the amount of fatigue placed upon our athletes and how that fatigue is actually accumulated in the weight room.

30 related questions found

Are push ups good for pitchers?

Push-Ups are perfect for pitchers, because the shoulder blades can move freely (not locked down on a bench), similar to when you throw a ball. Lots of different variations can make Push-Ups more challenging, like Plyo Push-Ups or Push-Ups with resistance from a weighted vest, resistance band or chains.

Are squats good for pitchers?

So much of pitching and other athletic movements involves the glutes and hamstrings, and the back squat trains them much harder than the front squat (not to mention the higher amounts of weight you can move with the back squat).

Is bench pressing good for pitchers?

Should Pitchers Bench Press? The answer is yes! If they use good form and even the 3 board technique then it gives the athlete the ability to assess upper body power while also enhancing it.

Are deadlifts good for pitchers?

We've had sprinters do those with 150 pounds in each hand—so people can go pretty heavy on them.” The deadlift can help work out your glutes, increase flexibility in your hamstrings—very important for pitchers—and strengthen the lower back.

What lifts should pitchers avoid?

4 Lifts Baseball Players Should Avoid

  • Hang Clean. There are two critical points regarding hang cleans and other similar Olympic lifting exercises as it relates to baseball training. ...
  • Barbell Back Squat. ...
  • Upright Row.

Why do pitchers lose velocity?

“When baseball pitchers lose release velocity, it is always a result of the decrease in joint stability,” said Marshall, who has a Ph. D. in exercise physiology, coaches athletes and offers advice on his Web site, drmikemarshall.com.

Should I lift the day before I pitch?

Both soreness and reduced contraction force can be detrimental to performance, hence most pitchers will choose not to train the day before they pitch.

Does lactic acid build up after pitching?

Many coaches tell their pitchers to run poles post pitching to “flush” the lactic acid from their body. In reality, there is no lactic acid buildup during pitching.

Does icing your arm help after pitching?

Should you ice your arm after pitching? If you have sharp pain in your arm after pitching, then yes – icing will help reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. However, if you do NOT have sharp pain, then ice only stands to reduce the amount of bloodflow to the pitching arm, which actually slows recovery.

What muscles make you throw a baseball faster?

Pitchers generate tons of power from their lower bodies, using their hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings to transfer force from the ground through their torsos and to their arms. Studies show that pitchers with stronger quads land with a stiffer stride leg, resulting in increased velocity.

How much does the average MLB pitcher squat?

Squat 160 for 8. RDL 160 for 12. Trap Deadlift 240 for 6. Front squat 160 for 8.

How much should a pitcher bench press?

The range is probably somewhere between 180-300. There ya go. I'd guess maybe 200. If I were to make an educated guess, I would say that all the professional pitchers should be able to bench press their body weight at least a few times.

What muscles do you use in baseball?

Baseball recruits all the major muscle groups in your legs. Moving laterally, throwing and squatting down to retrieve a ball engages your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles. Running is not only a good cardiovascular workout, but also ideal for toning and building up your leg muscles.

Should I bench during baseball season?

Additionally, maximum strength bench pressing is not advisable during peak intensity in-season activities, as training should typically focus on sport-specific power and/or function and/or maintenance during in-season activity.

Is powerlifting good for baseball?

These lifts stimulate neuromuscular adaptations, which may potentially result in improved sports performance.” (2). It is for this reason that so many coaches turn to the clean (primarily) and it's pulling variations to improve general athletic power potentials.

Do J bands increase velocity?

The eleven-step J-Band exercise routine is designed to balance, strengthen & condition the rotator cuff & surrounding muscle groups. These stretches are crucial for injury prevention, endurance, recovery period and increased velocity.

Is biking good for pitchers?

Cycling protects muscle groups that players need to perform by focusing their energies elsewhere. For instance, a pitcher can hop on a bike and exercise knowing that he's not going to inadvertently tweak his pitching arm or wrench his shoulder.