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House league spring training tips

By Justin Lewis, 04/16/21, 4:15PM EDT

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As a result of the decision by the Ontario Government to enter a lockdown stage, as of April 3, 2021, all Baseball Oshawa in-person activities are cancelled until further notice.  We remain hopeful that our travel and house league programs will still start-up in the near future. House league registration remains open.

In the meantime, we have these tips and suggestions you can do in your backyard from our own Justin Lewis to help you prepare for the eventual start of the 2021 House League season. 


1. Warm up to throw, don't throw to warm up!

I did a recent post on this on my Instagram page; feel free to pick out parts of it, none of it, or all of it. 

"A simple, but often forgotten thing to do. Warm up to throw, don't throw to warm up.

Lots of sitting these days (in class, virtual school, working from home, etc.), adding to the commute to the training facility (or practice/game field).

Don't be the old guy whose warmup is to throw the ball softly, grunt, windmill his arm a couple times, and repeat it again. We all know these guys!!! (Go watch an adult slo-pitch game.)

A general template for a warmup - typically in the 10-30 minute range - includes:

1.) Get the heart rate going
2.) General range of motion movements - dynamic in nature, focusing on both the major muscles and joints used
3.) Add in a neurological component - can be muscle coordination movements and/or change in sense perception (speed, direction, vision, etc.)
4.) Begin to add in sports or activity specific movements

The first time you perform a sports-specific movement, shouldn't be during the sport. The first big throw shouldn't be trying to throw a player out at second. The first good run, shouldn't be trying to leg out that infield single in the second inning."

2. Out Eat and Out Sleep the others. 

Having your body ready to handle the stress of throwing and pitching, and then recover quickly, starts before you step on the diamond. Getting a proper amount of sleep can decrease your injury risk. While proper nutrition can have your body ready to perform the task at hand and help aid in the recovery process.


3. Throwing and Pitching are two different things. 

There is a saying that we pitch too much but don't throw enough. You may not be able to pitch properly at home, off a mound, or to a catcher, but we can still throw. Throw into a net. Throw at an open field, pick it up, and throw it again. Play catch with another member of the household. Throw daily. Throw a football! Lots of ways to 'turn your arm over, while not fully putting it under the stresses of pitching. That will come soon enough.  

Other tips....
4. Be athletic - move, change direction, pace, movement patterns, etc.
5. Get strong - at-home bodyweight exercises, sprints, band work, Thrower's Ten, etc.
6. Mobility - not just being flexible, but able to control the movement. Yoga (different types, YouTube, etc.)


Supplied by Justin Lewis, RMT
The Physio Studio - Oshawa
https://www.Instagram.com/JustinLewisRMT