Standard Long Toss to Build Strength in Pitchers

Great daily drill for pitchers:

The pitchers start 50 feet apart and gradually back up to a distance just beyond what they can throw in the air. After 10 throws at the maximum distance, the pitchers work their way back. Forty to 50 throws are usually adequate to stretch the arm. However, in the off-season, when a pitcher is trying to develop arm strength, more repetitions are required-up to 100-with one third of those being at the maximum distance.


Unless they are injured, pitchers should long toss at least every other day. In-season pitchers may want to cut down the number of long tosses. Off-season, pitchers should long toss only every other day and increase the repetitions to develop arm strength. Long-tossing, more than anything else pitchers do, increases velocity. It also shortens their recovery time.

Long tossing the day after pitching a game stretches out the arm and helps with blood circulation in the arm. Number of pitches The number of pitches pitchers throw in a game, a scrimmage game, or the bull pen should be carefully monitored by the coach.

Coach's Point:

The drill helps develop arm strength and stretches the players arms out.