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Strength exercises are essential for throwers to make injury-free shots and enhance their sports performance. Incorporating strength exercises will provide throwers with many benefits, such as developing strength in the whole body, building stability, and boosting power output. If you're a thrower, you need to generate a large amount of force to achieve your best throwing distance. These exercises will help you while reducing your chances of injury due to faulty action.
Here are some of the best strength exercises that throwers can incorporate into their workout routine.
Best Strength Exercises for Throwers
1. Plate Twist
Plate twist is one of the best strength exercises that primarily works on the core muscles while engaging the legs and arms muscles. This exercise will allow for a stronger and more stable core, which is crucial for throwers to boost their sports performance. Plate twists will also help in building balance and muscle tone in the body.
How to do it?
Lie on the ground with your upper body upright and your legs extended. Grab a weight plate by the sides in front of your stomach by slightly bending your arms. Slowly lift your legs off the ground a few inches with your knees slightly bent. Slightly move your upper body backward for a better balance. Move the weight plate toward one side of your body and gently touch the ground with it before returning back to the center position. Now repeat the above movement for the other side of the body. Repeat the exercise as many times as you can.
2. Lateral Band Walking
Lateral band walks can be considered one of the ideal strength exercises which particularly target the hip muscles, glutes, and knee joints. This exercise will help throwers enhance the overall mechanics of the body by improving their stability and action. Lateral band walks are particularly beneficial for movements such as twisting, running, and jumping.
How to do it?
Wrap the resistance band around your legs and just above your ankles. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and the resistance band must be taut. Descend into a half squat position with slightly bent knees and activated glutes. Make sure that the weight of your body is evenly distributed on both feet. Start moving sideways with the leveled hips and upright back.
3. Medicine Ball Rebounds
Medicine ball rebounds are efficient strength exercises that provide a full-body workout as well as train major muscle groups in the body. This medicine ball workout will help in strengthening the core muscles, hips, arm muscles, and the back. Medicine ball rebounds also mimic the act of throwing to a certain extent.
There are other variations of the medicine ball workout that throwers can also include in their exercise routine to target different muscles effectively.
How to do it?
Start off by standing at a perpendicular angle to a solid wall. Rotate your body from your hips to your shoulders and throw a solid rebound medicine ball throw onto the floor. Swap sides and repeat.
4. Bench Press
Bench press in one of the compound strength exercises that you can do with either dumbbells or barbells. This is an effective upper body exercise that throwers must include in their workout sessions for better muscle development and increased strength. Bench pressing significantly helps the throwers as they work on pulling movements and reduces the chances of a shoulder injury.
How to do it?
Lie flat on the bench while clutching the barbell with an overhand grip with arms placed slightly wider than shoulder-width. As you breathe in, bring the bar toward your chest. Push the bar above your chest toward the ceiling and exhale while completely straightening your arms. Repeat. Make sure that you do not round your shoulders or arch your back while doing this exercise.
5. Walking Dumbbell Lunges
Walking dumbbell lunges tend to be another excellent strength exercise that will build the strength of your core and leg muscles. This exercise brings greater balance in your movement and supports in completing the throwing motion smoothly.
How to do it?
Stand in an upright position while holding the dumbbell in both hands and positioning your arms at the sides. Take one step forward with your leg while landing on your heel. Descend until the thigh of your front foot is parallel to the ground. Bend the rear leg and balance the weight on your toes in the position. Now bring the rear leg to the front and repeat the movement that is mentioned. Keep alternating sides and repeat.
Bottom Line
The strength exercises given above will be quite useful for throwers by significantly improving their action and strength. This will reduce the likelihood of shoulder injury and ensure peak performance. Additionally, it enhances overall fitness for throwers.
