One of the more widely discussed topics, related to pitching, is long toss. Now don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other things we can throw in the mix there (arm slot/action, weighted ball training, and countless strength training debates) but for the time being we'll discuss long toss and its role in our program.
The simple answer is, we preach it! Our pitchers typically long toss [on average] four days per week. One of the biggest things I talk with our guys about is 'listening to your arm' - a term coined by Alan Jaeger. Example, if I long toss on Monday and then come out to throw on Tuesday, it may be easy for me to think that I shouldn't stretch it out as much since I threw to my maximum distance the day prior. When it comes to throwing, I want our players doing as little 'thinking' as possible, I want them feeling and listening!
One thing we talk about quite often is the recognition that you may not feel at your best [for any multitude of reasons] on a given day. We want to get the most out of what our arm has in it, on that particular day - and the only way to do that is to listen to your arm as you begin to throw and stretch things out. For instance, if you determine that your arm is only at 70% that day - then you goal should be to get 100% of that 70!
The only way to do that is to let your arm dictate how much or how far you throw, don't have a predetermined idea going into that throwing session. We don't put maximums or minimums on our guys - I don't mandate they get out to 290 ft. and I don't tell them they can't go further than 250 ft. I tell them to get the most out of their arm, day in and day out. This concept is described well in Derek Johnson's The Complete Guide to Pitching, "...there are no restrictions of time or distance on the throw and these elements will vary from pitcher to pitcher. The general rule is to throw the ball as far as possible, as hard as possible, for as long as possible, always maintaining body control."
