FREE 4-WEEK TEMPLATE · PDF INCLUDED
Free 13U Velocity Building Program: A 4-Week Transition Plan
The transition toward a larger field can tempt a 13U pitcher to force every throw. This four-week block emphasizes balance, controlled strength, and tracking the demands of practice. It does not require maximum-distance throws or weekly velocity tests.
No email required · Healthy 12–13-year-old pitchers with supervised training experience · By Pitch AI · 2026-09-07
Who this template is for
A 13U roster label is not the athlete’s exact age. Use actual age for pitching rules, and training experience for exercise selection. Consult a coach before combining lessons, teams, and this plan.
Field size may change faster than a player’s strength and coordination. During a growth spurt, an exercise that was easy last month may need a simpler variation today. Repeating a week is a legitimate progression decision.
For age-specific pitching limits and rest requirements, consult the current MLB Pitch Smart guidance and your league’s rules. Limits are ceilings, not training targets.
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 | Strength A, away from a demanding pitching appearance. |
| Tuesday | Existing catch practice; note distance, time, and perceived effort. |
| Wednesday | Rest or comfortable walking. |
| Thursday | Strength B. |
| Friday | Existing throwing practice or rest according to the coach. |
| Weekend | Game replaces throwing practice; no make-up sessions. |
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 · Strength control
| Exercise / task | Dose / question | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet squat or bodyweight squat | 2 × 6 | Use the lighter option until technique is consistent. |
| Incline push-up | 2 × 6 | Keep three good repetitions in reserve. |
| Band row | 2 × 8 | Control the return. |
| Dead bug | 2 × 5/side | No rushed repetitions. |
B · Single-leg foundation
| Exercise / task | Dose / question | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Supported split squat | 2 × 6/side | Hold a support if balance limits movement. |
| Light dumbbell hip hinge | 2 × 8 | Coach teaches hips-back movement first. |
| Side plank | 2 × 15 seconds/side | Use knees-down version if needed. |
| Low jump and stick | 2 × 3 | Stable landing before the next repetition. |
Practice focus
Use a workload notebook with separate entries for games, bullpen work, warm-ups, catch, and other positions. Game pitch-count limits are not a universal allowance for all training throws.
Week-by-week progression
| Week | Decision |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose light loads and record the normal throwing week. |
| 2 | Repeat the same loads and throwing schedule. |
| 3 | If recovery and technique are stable, add one repetition to strength sets, not extra throwing. |
| 4 | Keep or reduce week 3 volume; review growth, fatigue, and schedule changes with the coach. |
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
Should a move to the big field mean more throwing every day?
No. Changing distance and adding volume simultaneously can hide how the athlete is responding. Have the coach manage the transition.
Can I use adult velocity drills?
Not just because the drill appears online. The generic plan deliberately excludes weighted-ball and maximum-intent protocols.
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.
- NSCA: Youth training and long-term athletic development
Development and training experience matter alongside chronological age.
- 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.
- ASMI: Position Statement for Adolescent Baseball Pitchers
Fatigue and throwing workload require active management.