If I am going to make the sophmore team next year as a outfielder, I need to improve my arm strength. And if I didn't live in minnesota I would play catch year round. But since I can't I need to build my arm in the winter I have until the snow falls to improve arm strength. My question is how often should I play long toss and will my arm strength diminish over the winter?
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If you have a basement with a concrete or block wall or anywhere else for that matter give these a try. Weighted sand baseballs. Ron Wolforth has a program that uses these and my son's college program has all of their pitchers do a custom program with these in the off season. I have it on paper but it would do you no good as there is a lot of technique involved in it. You contact Oates and see if they have something or Wolforth.
Good luck.
There are plenty of opportunities to work on your arm (and other things) during the winter in Minnesota. Some examples that my 2016 can participate in are;
- twice a week long toss program during the fall until the snow flies (HS)
- weekly workouts at a local dome(HS), covers hitting, fielding, and long toss.
- biweekly workout at a local dome; same as above but put on by the local sports org.
- focused training put out by a local college - specialist catcher, infield, pitcher, or hitting training - including position specific lifting (commercial).
- pitch, hit, catch. A weekly come and sign up opportunity to pitch a couple of innings to live batters. You can pitch, catch, or hit, or all three. Great place to work on new pitches.
- go outside and long toss. Hey, it may be cold, and it may have snow, but there are plenty of days during the winter when it's sunny, not too much wind, and it's above 10F. Wear appropriate layers, find a plowed parking lot, and go out and long toss.
- get you and your buddies to pitch in and rent some time at the Metrodome. It's $500/hr (less before 6am) and you'll have a MLB ball park to play baseball in.
- go to the YMCA and throw baseballs at the concrete wall. Mark out a strike zone with duct tape and have at it.
- sign up to train at one of the specialist baseball facilities (there are many outside of the Twin Cities metro area). Most have a field house large enough to do long toss (well 120-150ft anyway).
So, stop making excuses and go out and train.
