By Matt Browning
As one of the top pitchers in Class 5A, Grayton Gross’ most valuable asset is his arm. So being able to maintain it throughout the baseball season is vital.
“You have to get every part of your body moving well so it doesn’t put extra stress on your arm,” said Gross, who is a junior at Salina Central. “After throwing, I make sure to stretch my arm out and get blood flowing to it by putting heat on it. On days after pitching I do an exercise that takes about an hour and a half where I focus on my core, hips, forearms, and shoulders.”
There are certain changes Gross makes when he pitches in the offseason, especially when it comes to strength training.
“In the offseason I’m trying to make adaptations in my body so I threw five days a week,” Gross said. “I followed an arm care program and I would throw at different intensities every day. In the offseason I would also do strength training three days a week for my shoulder, scaps, mid back, forearms, and core.”
While Gross certainly favors his arm and how he takes care of it, he also recognizes the importance of taking care of his entire body.
“Last season I strained an oblique that took a long time to heal, so I learned that I need to put tons of focus into my core this offseason,” Gross said. “Also having your legs in great shape so you can pitch late into games is a big deal. A lot of your power comes from your core and legs, so your body is a huge deal.”
