Archive for February 4th, 2010

This is a topic on which I need you, my readers, to give me some feedback. Everyone has their own methods and little tricks to keep their arm fresh.  Some guys hurt more than others, but any high level baseball player finds a way to deal with pains, aches and soreness to make it to the next game.

When my arm feels like tired garbage, I first try to flush it with blood. I do this either by:

1. Running
2. Performing lightweight, high rep exercises for that body part
3. Performing some other sort of conditioning like jumprope or light weight training circuits

If I have those weird little pains, extra soreness or aches, I might hit that area real hard with some soft tissue work.  This means I will roll on it with a foam roller, tennis ball or baseball, hit it with a massage tool, rolling pin, or my good ol’ knuckles.  Whatever the implement, I dig to the trouble spot and try to rub out any knots, and promote new bloodflow to the area.

If my elbow or shoulder, for example, gets extra sore or develops a little pain, I will also tend to crush it with extra prehab.  If my forearm hurts on the top part, I will crush my forearm extensors with wrist rolls, wrist extensions, hand openers, etc.  Again, this is trying to get blood and a new stimulus to the troubled area.

....whatever works

I’m only a believer in ice immediately after throwing, or any traumatic exercise for that matter, and I never ice after an hour has passed from my throwing session – this would slow bloodflow and have the opposite effect I’m looking for.  Ice immediately after an injury or strenuous exercise reduces inflammation, but otherwise it just reduces bloodflow.  I occasionally will use a heating pack to increase bloodflow if I’m really achy, but never the same day as the session that caused the ache.

So, it’s your turn…what do you do to keep yourself on the field and feeling good?  I want your secrets for your arm, but any body part will do!