General vs. Specialized Exercises
A. General Strength Exercises General exercises are those exercises that are used in overall body conditioning. They are not directly related to the specific actions encountered in pitching. Because of this, they do relatively little to increase your functional potential for improving throwing speed and accuracy. These are the exercises typically used in a pre season conditioning program.
B. Specialized Strength Exercises Special strength exercises are used to develop the physical qualities that apply directly to pitching actions. These exercises are designed so that the movements match those seen in pitching. For an exercise to be specific, it must fulfill one or more of the following criteria:
1. The exercise must duplicate the exact movement witnessed in the key actions of the pitching technique. In other words, the exercise must be technique specific. 2. The exercise must involve the same type of muscular contraction as used in pitching. For example, in the shoulder (upper body) turn the abdominal oblique muscles undergo a powerful shortening contraction (after being pretensed) to produce maximum forward force. After the initial contraction, the shoulders continue on their own momentum until the antagonist muscles (erector spinae) undergo a strong lengthening contraction to slow down and stop the shoulders. Thus, the strength exercise must be executed in a speed-strength manner to be specific, (after initial strength training). 3. The special exercise must have the same range of motion as in the actual pitch. For example when you pronate the hand prior to the wrist snap, the action starts with the hand in the neutral position. Pronation then take place through a 90? range of motion. Thus the exercise must start with the hand neutral and then pronate. However most strength exercises for pronation start with the hand supinated and end in the neutral position. Thus this latter execution is not specific to pitching.
The concept of exercise specificity is new to pitching but the term “specificity” is not. Many authors have used the term “specific exercises” in reference to strengthening or stretching the muscles that are involved in pitching, but not in a manner that duplicates what occurs in the pitching action. The major criteria used by these individuals is that the exercise involves the same muscles as are used in pitching. This is where all resemblance of specificity ends!
For maximum effectiveness, the development of strength, speed-strength, flexibility and power must be in synchronization with your pitching technique. This is considered usable strength (i.e., the strength that you gain is displayed in your pitching). This is the greatest value that specialized exercises can give you and general exercises cannot.
C. Exercise Equipment Because of the need for skill (technique) duplication, most exercises are best done with rubber tubing. The reason for this is that it is very difficult and in some cases, impossible, to duplicate the exact movements of the thighs, hips, shoulders and arms with dumbbells, barbells or exercise machines. Also important in the training program is the use of supplemental equipment such as medicine balls and dumbbells and the Yessis Back Machine for unique lower back, hamstring and abdominal muscle strengthening exercises.