Lie on your back at the edge of a table so your throwing arm hangs off the side. Move your throwing arm in a 90-degree abducted position. Have someone stabilize your shoulder and move your arm to an internal rotation (as though the arm was following through after releasing the ball). Hold it for 20 to 30 seconds. Complete 2 reps of this motion.

Make sure the only part of your body moving during this stretch is the abducted arm. Fournier warns against forcing a stretch in the external direction and adds, "External rotation of the shoulder will be worked through normal throwing."

Because this stretch moves the shoulder through the throwing arc, Fournier uses this as a range of motion test for pitchers. He looks for an external and internal throwing arc to be at least 180 degrees. He sets the minimum for internal rotation of the shoulder at 45 degrees.

You can also use this test to check for a defficiency in either direction. Get into position on a table. Have someone take your arm to an external rotation (as though your arm was cocking back to throw a ball) and measure the angle. Then, repeat with the internal rotation. Stabilize the shoulder to prevent any false readings. Repeat this test periodically to monitor improvements in your range of motion.