FREE 6-WEEK TEMPLATE · PDF INCLUDED
Free 6-Week Strength & Conditioning Program for Pitchers
A useful basic lifting plan is understandable enough to repeat. This template covers squatting, hinging, single-leg work, pushing, pulling, and trunk control using common gym equipment. It complements a separately managed throwing plan.
No email required · Healthy adults learning a simple supervised gym routine · By Pitch AI · 2026-09-07
Who this template is for
Adults without current injury or exercise restrictions. Youth athletes should use the supervised youth guides. Seek individual guidance for pain, surgery history, or medical restrictions.
Exercise names matter less than choosing a variation the athlete can perform and recover from. Start with light loads and leave repetitions in reserve. The exact sets and weeks below are practical examples, not a clinically tested Pitch AI intervention.
Your weekly framework
The days below are movable placeholders. A qualified coach should fit them around current throwing, other teams, and recovery. This template does not prescribe additional pitching counts or maximum-intent throwing.
| Day / window | Plan |
|---|---|
| Monday | Session A, approximately 35–45 minutes. |
| Tuesday | Throwing as already planned; no extra lifting. |
| Wednesday | 15–20 minute comfortable walk or cycle. |
| Thursday | Session B, approximately 35–45 minutes. |
| Friday | Existing sport practice or recovery. |
| Weekend | Existing activity plus at least one full rest day. |
Session details
Before each session: 5–8 minutes of comfortable walking or jogging, marching, bodyweight squats, and easy rehearsal of the first exercise. Use a clear surface and equipment that fits the athlete.
Strength sets should finish with about 3 good repetitions still possible. Rest 60–120 seconds between ordinary sets and 2–3 minutes between explosive efforts. Stop earlier if speed, balance, or technique deteriorates. No lifting to failure or maximum-effort testing is required.
A · Squat and push
| Exercise / task | Dose / question | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat | 2 × 8 | Choose a comfortable depth. |
| Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 2 × 8 | Keep the load close. |
| Incline push-up | 2 × 8 | Adjust the incline to preserve control. |
| Chest-supported row | 2 × 10 | Pause briefly without shrugging. |
| Dead bug | 2 × 5/side | Keep breathing. |
B · Lunge and hinge
| Exercise / task | Dose / question | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse lunge | 2 × 6/side | Use support for balance if needed. |
| Glute bridge | 2 × 10 | Smooth lift and lower. |
| One-arm supported row | 2 × 8/side | Do not rotate to lift the weight. |
| Incline push-up | 2 × 8 | Finish before form fails. |
| Side plank | 2 × 15–20 seconds/side | Use knees down if needed. |
Practice focus
Before each session: 5–8 minutes of comfortable walking or jogging, marching, bodyweight squats, and easy rehearsal of the first exercise. Use a clear surface and equipment that fits the athlete. Strength sets should finish with about 3 good repetitions still possible. Rest 60–120 seconds between ordinary sets and 2–3 minutes between explosive efforts. Stop earlier if speed, balance, or technique deteriorates. No lifting to failure or maximum-effort testing is required.
Week-by-week progression
| Week | Decision |
|---|---|
| 1 | Learn the exercises with one set if needed. |
| 2 | Use two sets with the same comfortable load. |
| 3 | Add one repetition per set to two exercises if recovered. |
| 4 | Keep the dose unchanged or use one set during a busy week. |
| 5 | With coaching, add the smallest available load to one exercise and return to initial reps. |
| 6 | Repeat; compare control, load, and recovery rather than testing a maximum. |
The weeks are decision points, not deadlines. Repeat or reduce a week when recovery is poor. Exact doses here are original coaching examples, not a research-proven route to a certain velocity.
Keep a simple log
| Date | Work completed | Response / next-day notes |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________________ | ________________________ |
| ________________ | ________________________ | ________________________ |
| ________________ | ________________________ | ________________________ |
| ________________ | ________________________ | ________________________ |
Do not enter private medical details in shared team copies. Keep your personal log securely.
Common questions
Must pitchers avoid all pressing?
This template uses a tolerable push-up variation, not a universal ban or prescription for every shoulder. Pain or a restriction calls for an individualized alternative.
Can I add more exercises?
First establish consistency and recovery. More work is not automatically a better plan.
Evidence & source notes
These sources inform the principles, not a guarantee that this exact template produces an outcome. Coaching manuals are labeled separately from research. No proprietary program tables or illustrations have been reproduced.
- Haff & Triplett, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed. (2016)
Chapters 7, 17 and 18: youth training, resistance-program design, and plyometric-program design. Consulted from the supplied book; no program tables reproduced.
- Ben Brewster, In-Season Training Blueprint
Supplied coaching guide, introductory discussion of integrating lifting, throwing, and recovery. Its cover says 16+ but its disclaimer says 18+; not used to prescribe youth loads.