Light Dumbell Exercises for Rotator Cuff
Light Dumbbell work (Deltoids, anterior and posterior deltoids)
To complement your throwing program a pitcher should implement light dumbbell work in their pitching workout to add strength and flexibility. It is important to note that pitchers are not weight lifters. An athletes objective here is not to see how much weight they can lift while doing these exercises. In fact, most athletes start with 3 lbs weights. It is recommended that no more than 10 lbs. should be used while performing the following exercises. Most high school and collegiate athletes use 5 lbs. And feel it is sufficient weight for them. I have never used more than 5 lbs dumbbells and I am 64 225 lbs. When doing the exercises, do three to five repetitions for each exercise, one right after another, allowing little to no rest between sets. You may want to start with 2 lbs or 3 lbs dumbbells to start and only do one set of each exercise. Do these exercises to tolerance. It is important to know that range of motion within the shoulder joint, is more important for a pitcher than having overdeveloped shoulders. Overdeveloped shoulders affect range of motion. Again, were not creating bulky muscles here.
Pitching Workout #1 Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart, arms at your sides pinching your shoulder blades together. Raise the weight shoulder high. Perform three to five repetitions with thumbs level, three to five with thumbs up and three to five thumbs down.
Pitching Workout #2 Begin with arms in relaxed position, raise weight in front of you with shoulder blades touching. (Arms with your palms down, thumbs up, thumbs down; three to five repetitions at each angle)
Pitching Workout #3 Start with dumbbell waist high and raise until throwing arm creates an L-shape (thumbs up, down, and palms out) Start with your throwing arm relaxed by the side of the bench and raise arm in front of you until it reaches level of bench. (Repeat with all three arm positions)
Pitching Workout #4 Put your head against the wall, arms raised at a 90 degree level in a flex-t position. Raise the weight shoulder height, extend the arms straight out until parallel with the ground, lower slowly and repeat exercise. (All three positions)
Pitching Workout #5 Begin this exercise with the weights in front of you shoulder height at a 90 degree angle. Raise the weights in a controlled fashion to the flex-t position, lower the weights slowly until the weights are almost at your waste. Maintain the 90 degree angle throughout the exercise. Thumbs level, thumbs up and thumbs down.
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