Pitchers: Exercises to Avoid for Injury Prevention and Optimal Performance

What exercises should pitchers not do?

Pitchers, due to the extreme forces and unique biomechanics of throwing, must be highly selective with their exercise choices, avoiding movements that compromise shoulder stability, promote internal rotation, or place undue stress on vulnerable joints and soft tissues.

The Unique Demands of Pitching and Exercise Selection

Pitching is a highly specialized, unilateral, and ballistic movement that places immense stress on the entire kinetic chain, particularly the shoulder and elbow joints. The repetitive, high-velocity internal rotation and external rotation, coupled with the deceleration phase, make pitchers uniquely susceptible to specific overuse injuries. Therefore, a pitcher's strength and conditioning program must prioritize joint integrity, muscular balance, and movement efficiency over exercises that might look impressive but contribute to injury risk or exacerbate existing imbalances.

Core Principles Guiding Exercise Selection for Pitchers

Before delving into specific exercises to avoid, it's crucial to understand the underlying principles:

• Prioritize Joint Health: The glenohumeral (shoulder) joint and the elbow (specifically the ulnar collateral ligament, UCL) are highly vulnerable. Exercises that push these joints into extreme ranges of motion under load, especially in vulnerable positions, should be avoided.
• Maintain Muscular Balance: The throwing motion naturally develops powerful internal rotators (pecs, lats, subscapularis) and anterior musculature. Training must counteract this by strengthening external rotators, scapular stabilizers, and posterior chain muscles to prevent imbalances that lead to injury.
• Avoid Excessive Anterior Stress: Many common gym exercises emphasize anterior deltoid and pectoral development, which can pull the shoulders into a rounded, internally rotated posture, detrimental to throwing mechanics and shoulder health.
• Focus on Controlled Movement: Ballistic or uncontrolled movements, especially when fatigued or without proper foundational strength, can lead to instability and injury.

Exercises to Avoid (and Why)

The following exercises, while not inherently "bad" for the general population, pose specific risks or are counterproductive for pitchers:

Behind-the-Neck Presses and Pulldowns

• Why to Avoid: These movements force the glenohumeral joint into an extreme abducted and externally rotated position, placing significant stress on the anterior capsule and potentially impinging the rotator cuff tendons (supraspinatus) and biceps tendon in the subacromial space. This position is similar to the late cocking phase of pitching, but under heavy, bilateral load, it can compromise the very structures a pitcher needs to protect.
• Safer Alternatives: Dumbbell or barbell overhead press (in front of the head), lat pulldowns to the front, single-arm presses, landmine presses.

Upright Rows (Especially with Narrow Grip)

• Why to Avoid: Upright rows, particularly with a narrow grip, elevate the humerus in internal rotation, which significantly narrows the subacromial space. This can cause impingement of the rotator cuff tendons and biceps tendon against the acromion, leading to inflammation and potential tearing over time.
• Safer Alternatives: Dumbbell lateral raises, face pulls, reverse flyes, bent-over rows.

Deep Dips (Especially with Wide Grip)

• Why to Avoid: Deep dips stretch the anterior shoulder capsule and can place excessive stress on the AC (acromioclavicular) joint and glenohumeral joint, particularly if shoulder mobility is limited or the movement goes beyond the end range of comfortable motion. A wide grip further exacerbates this by increasing the lever arm and external rotation moment on the shoulder.
• Safer Alternatives: Push-ups (various elevations), dumbbell bench press, incline press, controlled triceps extensions.

Traditional Barbell Bench Press (as a primary or exclusive chest exercise)

• Why to Avoid (or at least limit/balance): While not entirely "off-limits," excessive or imbalanced barbell bench pressing can contribute to muscular imbalances by over-developing the internal rotators and anterior deltoids, potentially neglecting scapular stabilizers and external rotators. This can pull the shoulders forward, promoting a rounded posture and increasing anterior shoulder stress. It also lacks the unilateral and rotational specificity needed for pitching.
• Safer Alternatives/Modifications: Dumbbell bench press (allows for natural scapular movement and neutral wrist position), incline dumbbell press, single-arm push-ups, cable flyes (to promote better scapular protraction/retraction), and always balance with ample posterior chain and rotator cuff work.

Heavy Overhead Squats (without exceptional mobility and stability)

• Why to Avoid: The overhead squat demands extreme levels of ankle, hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder mobility, along with exceptional core stability. For pitchers who often develop asymmetries and tightness from their throwing motion, attempting heavy overhead squats without perfect form can lead to compensatory movements, placing undue stress on the lumbar spine, shoulders, and knees. The risk of injury outweighs the benefit for most pitchers.
• Safer Alternatives: Front squats, goblet squats, split squats, single-leg RDLs, specific mobility drills for thoracic spine and hips.

Ballistic Rotational Trunk Exercises (without controlled foundation)

• Why to Avoid: Exercises like unweighted, high-velocity medicine ball twists or swings that lack control and a strong foundational core can place high shear forces on the lumbar spine, potentially leading to disc issues. While rotational power is crucial, it must be developed progressively and with controlled movements that integrate the hips, core, and thoracic spine.
• Safer Alternatives: Controlled medicine ball throws (rotational, scoop, overhead slams), cable chops and lifts, Pallof presses, Russian twists (with controlled movement and proper spinal alignment).

Kipping Pull-ups or Toes-to-Bar (for high volume/without proper progression)

• Why to Avoid: While useful in certain contexts for CrossFit athletes, kipping movements involve a powerful, uncontrolled swing that places high, repetitive stress on the glenohumeral joint and surrounding connective tissues. For a pitcher, who already subjects their shoulder to extreme ballistic forces, adding high-volume, uncontrolled kipping can compromise shoulder stability, increase risk of impingement, or exacerbate existing issues. Proper strength and stability should precede kipping.
• Safer Alternatives: Strict pull-ups, strict chin-ups, inverted rows, scapular pull-ups, controlled hanging leg raises.

Understanding the "Why": Biomechanics & Injury Risk

The exercises listed above contribute to common pitching injuries by:

• Increasing Impingement Risk: Many of these movements (e.g., upright rows, behind-the-neck press) narrow the subacromial space, compressing the rotator cuff tendons and biceps tendon, leading to inflammation (tendinitis) and potentially tears.
• Stressing the Anterior Capsule: Deep dips and behind-the-neck presses can stretch the anterior joint capsule, compromising shoulder stability and increasing the risk of subluxation or dislocation.
• Promoting Muscular Imbalance: Over-reliance on anterior-focused exercises without balancing with posterior chain and external rotator work exacerbates the natural imbalances created by pitching, pulling the shoulder into a vulnerable, internally rotated position.
• Exacerbating UCL Strain: Poor core stability, thoracic mobility, and shoulder imbalances can force the elbow to compensate, increasing valgus stress on the UCL during the throwing motion.
• Creating Lumbar Spine Issues: Uncontrolled rotational exercises or heavy axial loading with poor form can lead to disc compression or shear forces on the lumbar spine.

Focus on What Pitchers Should Do

Instead of these risky exercises, pitchers should prioritize:

• Scapular Stability: Exercises that strengthen the serratus anterior, rhomboids, and lower trapezius.
• Rotator Cuff Strength: Emphasize external rotation and eccentric control.
• Thoracic Mobility: Improve upper back rotation and extension.
• Hip-Core Integration: Develop powerful and controlled rotation through the hips and core.
• Unilateral Strength: Single-leg exercises that mimic the demands of the pitching delivery.
• Posterior Chain Development: Hamstrings, glutes, and back extensors for power and injury prevention.
• Prehab/Rehab Focus: Incorporate exercises specifically designed to strengthen vulnerable areas and improve joint health.

Conclusion

A pitcher's training program is a delicate balance of developing power and maintaining durability. While many exercises can build strength, not all are appropriate for the unique biomechanical demands and injury risks associated with throwing. By understanding the "why" behind avoiding certain movements and prioritizing joint health, muscular balance, and controlled movement, pitchers can optimize their training for performance, longevity, and injury prevention. Always consult with a qualified strength and conditioning specialist or physical therapist experienced with throwing athletes.