How to Improve Arm Strength for Baseball Outfielders?

Question

I currently play baseball on my high schools varsity team. I play center field and can quickly pick the ball up off the bat. However, I do have one problem....my arm strength. It is not like i can barely make it to second, my focus is to increase strength so i can throw harder shots in at home for plays at the plate. Any advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

I know you hate to hear it, but long toss is always the best way to increase arm strength.  You can focus on tricep and shoulder lifting to increase the strength of the trowing muscles but only throwing frequently will help with working on accuracy and release. When you long toss, always keep the ball low and don't loft it high, try to keep the ball down around 8 feet or so, and when you're throwing with your partner, don't stretch it out to until you can keep it at that height and hit them in the glove or one hop.

Another thing that is important from the outfield is carry.  Build up your forearms so you can really snap that ball hard when you release it. the tighter the spin, the longer your ball will stay at the height you release it.  I used to throw with big yellow softballs every other day in order to build up carry.  If you can snap down a softball and get it to carry, when you get a hold of a baseball, it will snap and carry that much farther.  Oh, yeah, work on getting your hand to go to a 4 seam fastball when you throw it in.  Practice on pop up drills and grounder drills coming up with it and as you reach in to pull it out, work on getting those fingers across the seams.  it takes a while, but it makes for better accuracy and carry.

Answer 2

LONGTOSS! 50 - 75 throws extending from 20 yds to 80 yds in increments. Keep the ball on a line even if it rolls to your target. NO CROW HOP! Throw from pitchers stretch position for the whole drill. For the last 8-10 throws air it out with a crow hop. Do this drill every other day to warm up. If your arm hurts in any way, stop immediately and get yourself some treatment. Know the difference between pain and soreness. Keep making your arm sore. That's your sign your building it up. At the end of every workout, but out the ligatures. Those long elastic bands and stress your rotator cuff SLOWLY!!! Again, this shouldn't cause any pain, only slight stress and a little discomfort. Use the ligatures to stretch before you toss too. Lots of ice when your done BUT... keep your arm extended and keep the ice off the elbow joint itself. Put it on you delt, bicep, tri and flexor. Last but not least... Get a bucket and fill it with rice. Dip your throwin hand in and squeeze hard and repetatively as fast as you can for 30 seconds at a time... Do it until you can't anymore.... Do these things for an entire offseason and you'll be lacing ropes from the OF