What's your pitcher's warmup routine?

CoachJD said:

Looking to develop a warmup routine, specifically for one pitcher, but possibly for all my pitchers if the idea of the same warmups for everybody is a good idea (I think it is, but willing to listen to arguments that it should be tailored to the individual). I've seen a bunch of the different drills, and I know mostly which ones are terrible/reinforcing HE mechanics, but not sure what the best ones are, how many pitches of each, etc. are ideal.

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DD's routine she has done for the last 8 years:

- Throw overhand for a few minutes to warm-up the arm;
- T-drill (set-up about 90 degrees to home plate and about 25 feet back); up together, down together;
- "45's" (set-up about 45 degrees to home and about 30 to 35 feet back, and do a full arm circle and release the ball), focusing on good whip and tight spin;
- "walk thrus" - have her start about 10 feet behind the pitching plate, take several steps and going into her full pitching motion;
- At the pitching plate work on her various pitches, starting with "fastball"; screw, curve, rise, drop, c/u. IMO, I think she has too many pitches and I'm thinking of having her just focus on maybe 3 this season (drop, rise, and c/u).

I'm sure there are better pre-pitch warm-ups but this has worked well for her over the years. It doesn't tire her out too much but gets her warm and in a routine before each game.

quincy said:

Not ideal but DD used to get thrown in games with her 6 warmup pitches. She never complained about lack of warm up.

We had 1 pitcher that warmed up for 30 minutes, she was tired before she came into game.

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A friend of my says his DD will happily to jump into a game without her usual warm up. He is concerned about the chance of injury, and he has seen her get rocked for an inning or so, before her arm is fully ready. I have seen that happen to a D1 player.

30 minutes, that seems like the opposite extreme.

Rocketech1 said:

- T-drill (set-up about 90 degrees to home plate and about 25 feet back); up together, down together;
- "45's" (set-up about 45 degrees to home and about 30 to 35 feet back, and do a full arm circle and release the ball), focusing on good whip and tight spin;

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I am not familiar with the terms T-drill and 45's. What does setting-up 90° and 45° from home plate mean?

Bob516 said:

A friend of my says his DD will happily to jump into a game without her usual warm up..

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I have never thought DD would get hurt, not as sharp as she should be though.

One piece of advice:

Teach your DD how to play pitch and catch underhanded. This means you are standing up and she is tossing the ball to you underhanded. She is not using the funky "pitching" windup...just simply playing pitch and catch.

Why?

The shoulder is surrounded by a membrane called the synovium. The synovium produces synovial fluid which lubricates the shoulder joint. The synovium produces more fluid when the arm is rotated.

If a kid learns to play pitch and catch, she can grab anyone and toss the ball. And at least her body is prepared to pitch, even though she may not be mentally ready.

Bob516 said:

I am not familiar with the terms T-drill and 45's. What does setting-up 90° and 45° from home plate mean?

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The simplest way to explain the "T" drill is for a RHP the front of your body would be facing 3rd base if you were pitching to home plate (i.e. completely open). When you are doing the 45 degree drill you are slightly closed 45 degrees from being fully open. Hope that helps?

Rocketech1 said:

The simplest way to explain the "T" drill is for a RHP the front of your body would be facing 3rd base if you were pitching to home plate (i.e. completely open). When you are doing the 45 degree drill you are slightly closed 45 degrees from being fully open. Hope that helps?

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I don't quite get it. Where are the pitcher's feet planted in respect to the powerline?

Below encourages HE mechanics.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w0N4XrHACwE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

(I am not sure why video not popping up but t drill link above)

possibly for all my pitchers if the idea of the same warmups for everybody is a good idea

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It's not. I don't see why anyone would think it is. For example, if one girl needs to warm up her change and it's not working but the other has the change going but is not doing well with the screwball...the two warm ups are going to be completely different. .02

Quincy: The drill you show demonstrates HE mechanics. Are you sure you want people doing that drill?