Stay on the field

Cold muscles pull. A real warm-up raises body temperature and takes joints through the ranges the game will ask for.

1. Easy jog

   2 laps of the infield

   Conversation pace. Just get warm.

2. High knees and butt kicks

   2 × 20 yards each

   Stay tall, quick feet, arms moving.

3. Walking lunge with a twist

   2 × 10 each leg

   Long step, back knee close to the ground, turn toward the front leg.

4. Leg swings

   10 each way, each leg

   Hold a fence. Front to back, then side to side, in a relaxed range.

5. A-skips

   2 × 20 yards

   Drive one knee up, land on the ball of the foot, keep a rhythm.

6. Build-up sprints

   3 × 30 yards

   Start at half speed and finish near full speed. Walk back between each.

The small muscles around the shoulder slow the arm down after release. Keeping them strong takes stress off the elbow and shoulder.

1. Arm circles

   15 forward, 15 back

   Small circles that slowly get bigger.

2. Band external rotation

   2 × 15

   Elbow pinned at your side, bent to 90°. Rotate the hand out, slowly back in.

3. Band internal rotation

   2 × 15

   Same setup facing the other way. Rotate the hand in toward your stomach.

4. Band pull-aparts

   2 × 15

   Arms straight in front at shoulder height. Pull the band to your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades.

5. Y, T, W raises

   10 of each

   Lying face down or bent over. Thumbs up, lift the arms into each letter. No weight needed.

6. Throwing build-up

   5 to 10 minutes

   Start at 30 feet with easy throws and move back as the arm loosens. Never start at full effort.

Use a light band. If the inside of the elbow or the front of the shoulder hurts, stop, and log it as arm pain on the pitch-count page.

Hamstrings tear most often while sprinting, like running out a triple. Nordic curls train the muscle to brake under load, and studies show they cut hamstring injuries roughly in half.

1. Nordic curl

   2 × 3 to start, build to 2 × 8

   Kneel down with a partner holding your ankles. Keep your body straight from knees to head and lower yourself forward as slowly as you can. Catch yourself with your hands.

2. Glute bridge

   2 × 12

   On your back, knees bent. Push through your heels and lift your hips until your body is a straight line.

3. Single-leg bridge

   2 × 8 each leg

   Same as above with one foot off the ground. Keep your hips level.

Most players drop halfway on the first try. That is normal. Expect to be sore for a day or two the first week, so start with the low dose.

Balance work teaches the ankle and knee to react when you land wrong on a base, a cleat or another player.

1. Single-leg balance

   3 × 30 seconds each leg

   Stand on one foot. When it gets easy, close your eyes or stand on a folded towel.

2. Calf raises

   2 × 15

   Up on your toes, pause, lower slowly. Do them on one leg once both legs feel strong.

3. Lateral hops

   2 × 10

   Hop side to side over a line and land softly, knee over toes, never caving inward.

4. Squat to calf raise

   2 × 10

   Squat down, stand up, rise onto your toes at the top.