Arm Strength
Any good advice on helping a young player build arm strength? My DD is playing 8U and will move up this fall. She currently plays in the circle primarily (coach pitch) but since her future is in centerfield ( fast and lefty )her coach is getting her plenty of work out there in practice and in games when she is not needed in the circle. Other than long toss what are some good drills to help her gain arm strength without risking injury?
I know there will be more intelligent answers but.... Concentrate on mechanics and practice, practice, practice... Mine is 10U right now and lefty also... 1st base but all the rec coaches tried to put her at third because she was the only one to throw the ball all the way across the infield. I hope to get her into Center also this year. Of course I have to convince the HC to move her out of the circle and off 1st.....
Two things. First, she is at the perfect age to begin a body weight strength program. Pushups, situps, stuff like that. There is a lot of info out there but I would recommend checking out Marc Dagenais from softballperformance.com. I think he has his own area in these forums. He writes some great stuff for players of all ages specifically looking at softball and position specific programs for when she is ready.
Second, I would avoid anything to try and specially work her arm strength. At this age, and at any age really, a player needs to have a very well rounded strength program so as not to develop any muscular imbalances that could cause problems in the future.
Getting started early on a strength program will give her a real leg up, in any sport she chooses to play, as she gets older.
Hand stands are one of the best body weight exercises and they're fun. To do a proper handstand, all of the body, especially the core is involved. It's amazing the back, arm and shoulder strength my DD developed when she was a beginning gymnast learning to do a hand stand. She's 15 and no longer a gymnast, but still practices hand stands as part of her training.
I'm going to be redundant and just emphasize this because it's so important. DO NOT focus on strengthening one area. It is absolutely critical to strengthen the whole body. The arm strength will come out of that.Originally Posted by barlowjames
Weighted ball...this helped a lot with mine in addition to mechanics.
^Ignore this guy.
She's 8u and you already know her future. Great.
My recommendation is to drop the obsession with trying to create a 10u softball-bot. Just let her progress and grow naturally. If she's getting regular exercise, practicing with proper mechanics, and eating a balanced diet, she is going to get stronger. Work to develop more patience in yourself and you'll get a lot more enjoyment out of the ride.
undergroundga (07-04-2012)
I missed the point about her being 8U...My DD is 14 and had hit a plateau, so we introduced the weighted ball. She works with a ball that is 2 oz heavier than regulation, a regualtion ball, and a ball that is 2 oz lighter than regulation. 10 reps each going from heavy (75% strength) - regulation (100% strength) - to light (100% strength) AFTER thoroughly warming up with the regulation. It has helped out with her velocity.
I certainly would not condone this action for an 8U player...like I said, I missed that slight crucial () piece of info.
Carly,
I agree. In contrast did you see Oregon's pitcher. Her pitching arm was twice as big as the other.
Common issue, and great example. My pitching arm was bigger when I was in high school too, because no one at the time was able to convince me of the importance of working out. The Oregon pitcher probably does work out, I would imagine, but it could be an indication that there is room for improvement. It is quite difficult to avoid having one arm be more defined when you're an elite pitcher, but as much effort as possible should be put into keeping the whole body in balance.
undergroundga (07-04-2012)
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