Arm Strengthening Exercises for Softball Players

Softball players can throw harder with less pain if they take care of their shoulders and rotator cuff. But, it seems that arm strengthening exercises for softball players are very much overlooked.

I hope that softball soon catches up with baseball, and to help with this I’ve built my own strength program (with arm strengthening exercises) just for softball players. Check it out below.

Baseball players spend a LOT of time doing a dedicated arm strength regimen because pitching injuries are so common. In today’s article, we’ll share some secrets from the baseball world and help you choose smart exercises to strengthen your throwing arm in fastpitch.

Recommended reading: This detailed article on building a softball strength training program.

Gain Arm Strength with Better Training

We need to start looking at arm strengthening for softball players not just as injury prevention, but as performance enhancement. It’s easy to tap into a few extra miles per hour when we get the muscles that accelerate and decelerate the ball strong, stable and in great condition.

Whether its softball windmill pitching or overhand throwing, these four exercises will pay off.

First: The Best Band To Use: Theraband CLX

In my academy we really like the Theraband CLX. We like them so much that we bought 100 yards of it, and cut a 4-foot strip for each of the players in our travel organization.

Note: If you purchase a product through links on this page, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I use and love.

Theraband CLX (affiliate link) is versatile, durable, lightweight and can roll up to fit in the back pocket. It’s latex-free, which is also a plus for those with allergies. I recommend the GREEN resistance for anyone starting out.

You can use them for much more than just shoulder strengthening exercises–they’re versatile and can be used for hip exercises and much more.

Where to Get Bands for Yourself or Team

You CAN do these exercises with a regular ribbon Theraband or equivalent, but they’re not as easy.

I recommend grabbing a Theraband CLX single for yourself (about $10), or buying a roll for your team (ends up being about $10 per player but you’ll cut about 20 bands from a full roll, so you’ll have extras or could split with another team). They’re found on Amazon and in therapy supply stores.

Softball Arm Strength Exercise #1: The No Money

This is one of the best, simplest exercises for external rotation strength, which is crucial in decelerating the arm on a throw.

The no-money is really easy, can be performed anywhere, and hits the rotator cuff HARD. It’s one of my favorite arm strengthening exercises for softball players, especially youth players.

Softball Arm Strength Exercise #2: Pull Apart T

This exercise is great for strengthening the rear deltoids, rotator cuff and mid-back muscles that control our posture.

The pull-apart is really easy, simple and resistance can be increased over time by choosing a thicker band, moving the hands closer, or both.

Softball Arm Strength Exercise #3: Sword Pull

The sword pull is basically a reverse throw. Thus, it strengthens the arm in the deceleration pattern, helping it slow itself down.

Because the sword pull is basically the same motion as a throw (but in reverse) it does a great job of targeting the deceleration muscles that keep the throwing arm healthy.

Softball Arm Strength Exercise #4: External Rotation

For softball players, the external rotators are often weak, causing an unstable shoulder that struggles to accelerate and decelerate the arm. This exercise is crucial in throwing harder and keeping the arm healthy.

Ready to Try them But Need a Band?

I buy mine through Amazon. You can jump to the Theraband listing through the button below.

Once you commit to starting an arm strengthening routine and have a band to use, then we need to talk about sets and reps

Sets and Reps

For the sake of simplicity and motivation, I recommend the following:

• 8 minutes per day
• For all four exercises, perform one one-minute timed sets
  • Focus on going slow, and in one minute between 12-15 reps will be performed. Don’t count, just use the timer and go SLOW.
• Repeat the whole circuit of exercises twice
• Shoot for 3-5 workouts per week
• Perform one set as a warmup before all practices, and one set after as a recovery/cool-down session

BONUS VIDEO: Factors Involved in Throwing Harder

There’s more velocity in any softball player’s arm, especially if she has never done arm care exercises before.

Be sure to check out my article on softball strength exercises here on my Snap Softball website.

A stronger arm means more power, more endurance and less pain, whether throwing in the field or pitching. Just a few minutes a week can make a huge difference. Learn the Factors behind throwing harder in this video below:

Get a Free Copy of My eBook, 10 Softball Throwing Mistakes. 

This free eBook will give you my best insider tips on how to throw harder – and more accurately – with just a few quick tweaks, cues, or drills. Get instant access below by following the link above. You’ll also be added to my weekly newsletter in which I send out my newest articles and softball videos.

Softball Arm Strength FAQ

Read through these common questions below and leave a comment if you have an unanswered softball question.

How do you build arm strength for softball?

Arm strength comes from a few important factors: your throwing mechanics, your strength level and size, your conditioning and your focus on arm care exercises. To strengthen your arm, you should be working to improve all of those factors. Arm strength is built through throwing drills, as better mechanics improve throwing speed, but being physical strong and well conditioned is a MAJOR factor.

How do you throw a softball farther?

Strengthening your arm through strength training, arm care exercises and better throwing mechanics are major factors. But beyond that, one overlooked aspect of throwing farther is applying better spin to the ball. The proper grip on the softball will help you apply more backspin, which will allow it to fly straighter and farther–this is a very seldom mentioned part of good throwing.

How do you get your arm in shape for softball?

Getting your arm in shape is a product of the following:

1. Throwing 4-6 days per week – you don’t have to always throw hard in these throwing sessions, but throw often while working on your mechanics.
2. Do softball throwing drills – improving your throwing mechanics will help your arm become stronger with less effort.
3. Arm care exercises – be sure to directly strengthen your rotator cuff and shoulder, as it’s a major factor in how hard you throw (and preventing injury)
4. Strength and conditioning – being strong and in excellent physical shape helps your arm strength and conditioning as well.