TUFF CUFF: Strengthen your shoulder for throwing sports

Tuff Cuff is a program that teaches you how to increase the endurance and strength of the smaller intrinsic muscles of the rotator cuff and elbow joint. Due to the role these muscles play in acceleration and deceleration during the throwing motion, there is a great deal of stress placed upon them throughout a season.

Jeremy Herniman, a Certified Athletic Trainer with Thompson Health, will offer this program at the Canandaigua YMCA on the following days from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Wednesday, April 13; Friday, April 29; and Friday, May 13.

For more information about this program, please contact Jeremy at the Sports Medicine Center by calling 585-396-6700.

Preparing for Throwing Sports

To ensure that your arm is adequately warmed up, do the following exercises prior to throwing. Attempting to throw without properly warming up can lead to a greater risk of shoulder and elbow injuries.

Active Warm-Up/Stretching

Triceps Stretch

1. Bring one hand behind the head and place it between the shoulder blades.
2. Place the other hand on the elbow.
3. Pull the elbow downward and toward the ears.
4. Gradually bend to the side away from the stretching arm.

Cross Chest Stretch

1. Bring one arm across the chest.
2. Place the opposite hand on the elbow.
3. Pull the elbow across the chest.
4. Twist the torso away from the stretching arm.

Wrist Extension

1. Extend the arm with the palm facing up.
2. Using the other hand, bend the wrist backwards.

Wrist Flexion

1. Extend the arm with the palm facing down.
2. Using the other hand, bend the hand towards you.

Sleeper Stretch

1. Lay on the side of your throwing arm.
2. Hold your arm out at a 90 degree angle.
3. Use your other hand to internally rotate throwing arm and hold.

Rotator Cuff Strengthening Exercises

Shoulder Flexion

1. Bring both arms to the front with thumbs pointed to the ceiling.

Shoulder Scaption

1. Bring both arms upward at 45 degrees with the thumbs pointed to the ceiling.

Shoulder Abduction

1. Starting with arms at your sides, raise both arms outward.

Horizontal Shoulder Abduction

1. Place leg and one hand on a bench.
2. Hold the dumbbell with thumb facing away.
3. Keep the arm straight and bring upward.

Side Lying External Rotation

1. Lay on your non-throwing side.
2. Place your throwing arm at your side and bend elbow 90 degrees.
3. Rotate outward.

Side Lying Internal Rotation

1. Lay on your throwing side.
2. Place your throwing arm at your side and bend elbow 90 degrees.
3. Rotate inward.

Prone Retraction – External Rotation to Press

1. Place a stability ball under the abdomen and place both feet towards the bottom of a wall.
2. With a dumbbell in each hand, bring upward until the elbows are even with the shoulders.
3. Then, rotate the shoulder to bring dumbbells to point outward.
4. Finally, press dumbbells outward.

Prone Cobras

1. Place a stability ball under the abdomen and both feet on the bottom of a wall.
2. With a dumbbell in each hand, bring both arms backwards, making sure to keep arms straight.

Side-Lying Deceleration

1. Lay on your side with the arm fully extended while holding a dumbbell.
2. The thumb should be facing up.
3. Bring the dumbbell down across the chest.

*For all of the strengthening exercises above, you can substitute bands in place of weights. This may be easier to do while at the field.

Forearm Exercises

Wrist Flexion

1. With the forearm along a bench, hold a dumbbell with the palm facing up.
2. Flexing the wrist, bring the dumbbell upward.

Wrist Extension

1. With the forearm along a bench, hold a dumbbell with the palm facing down.
2. Extend the wrist to bring the dumbbell upward.

Forearm Supination

1. With forearm along a bench, hold a dumbbell or bat with palm facing down.
2. Rotate forearm so that palm faces up.

Forearm Pronation

1. With forearm along a bench, hold a dumbbell or bat with palm facing up.
2. Rotate forearm so that palm faces up.

Radial Deviation

1. Hold a dumbbell or bat down along your leg.
2. Raise the dumbbell or bat up toward the front.

Ulnar Deviation

1. Hold a bat or dumbbell with a reverse grip along the thighs.
2. Bring the dumbbell or bat up to the rear.

Throwing Programs

Position Players Throwing Program (5 weeks)

Pitchers Throwing Program (6 weeks)

*Touch-and-feel bullpen. This works on the mechanics of pitches. This is not a max effort bullpen.

Warming Up During the Season

After properly warming up your body, begin warming up your arm by playing catch. It is important to start at a short distance and gradually work back. For instance, start at about 45 feet and throw for a few minutes, and then move back to about 90 feet. When ready, proceed to 120 feet, and then you can do some long tosses if needed. Make sure not to move back too rapidly. Spend a few minutes on several throws at each distance before proceeding to the next.

Don’t throw at max velocity until your arm is properly warmed up. Going all out too soon or starting at too great of a distance can lead to injury. Pitchers can have their partner get down in a catcher’s crouch: This is referred to as flat ground. It is useful in working on mechanics and command without the added stress of throwing from a mound