Improving throwing velocity is vital for any softball player who is serious about their game and wants to reach the fullest potential. There are many exercises and drills you can perform to increase the strength and velocity of your throwing arm.
In this article, we’ll be going over the 5 best softball exercises that can be done at home to strengthen your throwing arm and improve your performance. These exercises will help you get stronger and throw farther with less effort. And you don’t need to go to the gym!
1. Band Pull Apart

A really simple and amazing exercise that can be done at home to strengthen the throwing arm is the band pull apart. Targeting muscles like the trapezius, rotator cuffs, and rear deltoids, the band pull-apart is an exercise that will correct and improve your posture.
To do this exercise, you need to have a resistance band. For starters, you can start with lower resistance, and as you get stronger, you can increase the resistance gradually.
Stand straight and hold the resistance band with both hands at your chest weight. Now pull the resistance band apart, squeezing your shoulder blades. Soon, you’ll be able to see how much tension you can generate by pulling apart the band.
2. Band External Rotations

An exercise that is done with an elastic band that works your rotator cuffs. Band external rotations improve your throwing a lot.
For starters, you should attach the band somewhere where it will remain stable while you are doing this exercise (the door handle for example). Hold the band with the arm that is farther from the band’s anchor.
The height of the band should be around your elbow height, and your forearm must be parallel to the floor. Now pull the band from the anchor point (externally) until you feel the tension. Move the arm to the starting position and repeat the process.
3. Dumbbell External Rotation

Another exercise that works your rotation cuffs is the dumbbell external rotation. It is a compound movement that requires a combination of shoulder and elbow strength. You can do this exercise by standing, sitting, or lying down, but we are now going to explain how to do it lying down.
To perform lying dumbbell external rotation, you need to lie down to your side on a bench or on the floor and hold a dumbbell in your hand. The elbow of the arm which is supporting your head should be bent at a 90-degree angle.
The other arm is holding the dumbbell, with it you should rotate the dumbbell outward so that they point away from your body.
4. Elevated External Rotation Burnouts
The elevated external rotation burnout exercise is a good exercise for building strength in your forearm muscles. In order to do the elevated external rotation burnout, you should grab an elastic band, strap it to your arm and anchor it to the wall. The height of the anchor point should be around your shoulder height.
Now stand on the side and place your arms at shoulder height one below the other. The one that is higher should be held strapped to the elastic band. Now rotate the arms outwards until you reach 90 degrees.
5. Push-Ups

A push-up is a simple and popular exercise that will help strengthen your body and is a great way to work your chest, triceps, shoulders, and abs. To do a push-up, start with your hands on the ground, your feet shoulder-width apart, and your back straight. Now, slowly lower your body until your chest almost touches the ground. Then, push yourself up again.