Arm strength drills for catchers

i've always had catchers long tossing from their knees from a young age. first of all to feel their back leg working as they push off of it. i have them throw the ball high vs as far as they can and focus on stretching the arm as they throw

(Not a catcher expert)

Many catchers that I see don't know how to throw.

For increased speed, you should allow your hand/forearm to bounce back near your neck (arm in an "<" position), then extend your forearm away from your body (arm extended in "\" position).

Many youth/HS catchers keep the forearm in a "L" position, then maintain the "L" as they roll the forearm over. That's slow and painful.

Catching 101 video freeze his extended arm at the 1:28 mark

Aleebaba,

Do you have any video of your son throwing. I would like to take a look at his throwing patterns. If arm action and sequence between the hips, trunk and arm are incorrect, there is only so much velocity that can be gained. Without seeing what he is doing, it's difficult to make suggestions.

Long toss and strength training are also two important elements for increasing throwing velocity. Remember it's a process and every athlete will vary in how much velocity is gained each year.

Let me know if you would like for me to take a look at his patterns.

Thanks!

Austin

quote:

Originally posted by austinwass:
Aleebaba,

Do you have any video of your son throwing. I would like to take a look at his throwing patterns. If arm action and sequence between the hips, trunk and arm are incorrect, there is only so much velocity that can be gained. Without seeing what he is doing, it's difficult to make suggestions.

Long toss and strength training are also two important elements for increasing throwing velocity. Remember it's a process and every athlete will vary in how much velocity is gained each year.

Let me know if you would like for me to take a look at his patterns.

Thanks!

Austin

Here is a one year old video. Throwing starts at 26 seconds.
http://video.search.yahoo.com/...eball&sigb=11r2lf2nn

Thanks for posting the link. I will take a look at it this evening.

The same type of lower body (rear hip v rear leg)load/stretch...darn near max load/stretch....that he gets in his swing....can be....and should be....attained in his catching stance.....BEFORE receiving the ball.

Simplest way for a catcher to improve his throwing: Make more throws to second base.

Obviously, this extra practice should be done on his own time (games and practices only allow for minimal repitition). In fact, he does not necissarily need a partner to do so. If he has a screen or even a bucket, he can set it up at the distance of second base and make throws to this target.

My individual preference is to have a partner throwing me pitches and then attempting to hit the desired target (bucket or screen) at second base. That way I can get a good feel for my transfer. Also, it's always nice to have an actual person or teammate standing at the base for this but sometimes it is difficult to gather enough teammates to help you out. Therefore, a simple material target is the next best thing. Even if you are just practicing by yourself, you can still simulate the transfer (to some extent) and make the throw that is required of you in an actual game situation.

Back to my original answer:

I believe catchers do not practice enough throws to second base. The more you do it, the better you will get. You can long toss all you want. You can do as much band work as possible. However, without making the actual throw that is most crucial to your success as a catcher, you will be at a disadvantage.

get a buddy and play catch every day including some long toss