Its a statistical fact that fewer than 1% of high school and college athletes ever get the chance to play professionally. Those odds are a bit shocking if your goal is to play professional baseball down the road. And if taken only at a surface level will discourage many athletes.

Its not my intent to share this information with you to try to bring you back to reality if you are attempting to fulfill your own dream of playing professionally. Instead, let me tell you that most high level athletes and success-minded people never look at failures or statistics in this way. Most big time performers see these stats as an extra motivator because they know that many will fall off the path early because they cant get past the odds. This only reduces the competition and increases the chances for themselves. I know this is the attitude I used as I progressed through high school, college, and into pro ball. So lets look at how this attitude is developed a bit more.

For those of you who have played baseball, did you ever step up to bat and think to yourself about the statistic probability that you would hit a home run in any given at bat? Of course you didnt. Why is that? Because when the emotions and excitement are strong enough, statistics never come in to play. For another example of this, look no further than a little leaguer learning how to play baseball. Everything is exciting, the sky is the limit, and statistic reality of becoming a professional baseball player never factors into the equation.

So how do we (players and coaches) learn how to play baseball without allowing reality and statistics to paralyze our game? Understand that thousands upon thousands of athletes quit baseball each year. The main reason for this is that they allow statistics in the form of lack of playing time, batting average, etc. to paint a clear picture that seems to suggest that they find something else to invest their time in doing.

If you will never let your mind go down that road, but keep persisting, you will find that you will achieve more than you ever thought you would. This thinking will undoubtedly transform your vision as you learn how to play baseball and develop your goals.

As a pitcher there are many pitching workouts you get to choose from. Many workouts are effective but can be very time consuming. Some of the so called pitching experts will tell you that weight training is not for baseball pitchers as others will tell you it is critical that you dont avoid weight training. So, what do you do to choose the best pitching workouts for you that are going to be time efficient?

The point I would like to make today is choosing the workouts that are right for you, time efficient and most effective. You are after results training and you need to get specific with your workouts. You are a pitcher and need to do cross training for the movements that you make on the mound. That means you need to condition your entire body to throw the baseball and not just workout your arm. It wouldnt make sense to just have a strong arm because you use your entire body to throw and gather momentum.

Perhaps the most critical of all workouts is core strength training. Without a solid core your body will not function properly and you wont be able to throw the heat. The reason behind this is that your core is the hub that connects everything together. Throwing the Baseball is a feet to fingertip exercise and the majority of your energy travels through your core. You should remember that you are only as strong as your weakest link and if your weakest link is your core, you will lack power.

Secondly, a pitcher should become involved in a light dumbbell and elastic cord workout. There are three shoulder muscles that need developing. There are also tendons and ligaments that attach to those muscles. Dumbbell work strengthens your rotator cuff and adds strength and flexibility. If you start a light dumbbell workout you should consider only starting with three pound weights. The elastic cord workouts are resistance training that serves many purposes including using them as a preventative tool for arm injuries and rehabilitation.

As there are many wonderful pitching specific workouts out there to select. You dont want to skip a workout that doesnt include core strength training, light dumbbell and elastic cord training, skill training, aerobic and anaerobic work. With all of these programs implemented into your routine, you will definitely be fit to pitch.

One of the greatest challenges parents and coaches are finding out in the Baseball world is lack of quality pitching instructors. Great ones are hard to find. Not only are there a lot of theories as to how you should throw the baseball properly; most of the instructors out there have the most difficult time trying to share that knowledge that they do know to most age groups. They are not great teachers. There are also those instructors who clone each of their students. Should you teach each pitcher the same way? Absolutely not!

Here is a list of a few things you should avoid when looking for a great pitching instructor in you area.

Dont assume since a qualified pitching instructor in your area has spent some time in the Major Leagues that they know what they are talking about. Many of those pitchers have a lot of natural ability to throw the ball and have incredible arms, but dont know the first thing about pitching mechanics. They only know what has worked for them in the past and some of the things they picked up when they played is no longer good advice. Not only that, what has worked for them may not work for you. Remember that everyone has a unique build and not all of us will share the same arm slot.

Is your pitching instructor a good educator? What experience do they have instructing? Some of the best coaches in Major League and collegiate sports didnt have the best success on the field, however they are better teachers. I have done pitching camps with some retired Major League pitchers and found that they hadnt the slightest clue how to teach even the most basic fundamentals of pitching. They may have a great deal of knowledge; in fact, I know they do; they just dont have the ability to share that knowledge to Little Leaguers, High School Level Players and Collegiate athletes.

Any pitching instructor who tries to change your natural arms slot should be avoided like the plague. Most instructors are still teaching that you have to throw at a ninety degree angle to be a successful pitcher. They teach this because they feel the pitcher has a better angle on the ball. There have only been a few pitchers in the Major League level who have even thrown with a ninety degree angle. Again, we are all build differently and should not be cloned.

Last but not least; dont take lessons from an instructor who is behind the plate catching for you and trying to instruct at the same time. They are going to be watching the ball, but they will not be watching you closely to see what youre really doing mechanically. They may be able to give you a pointer or two along the way; but they cannot be effective instructors catching for you. They cant see what you are doing out of the corner of their eye.

Last but not least; dont take lessons from an instructor who is behind the plate catching for you and trying to instruct at the same time. They are going to be watching the ball go into the glove and not necessarily what you are doing. They may give you a pointer or two along the way; but they cannot be effective instructors catching for you, they cant see what you are doing out of the corner of their eye. There are some great instructors out there, dont get me wrong! The great instructors are just very difficult to find. Good luck in your pursuit of the perfect pitching instructor.