For College Pitchers Trying To Improve Velocity Does Weight Training Work?
by Dick Mills on August 08, 2008
Many college pitchers would like to improve their pitching velocity. Unfortunately most are wasting time on activities such as long toss or weight training that will have little if any positive effect based on the latest sports science research. In fact they may actually lead to more arm injuries. Find out why one top major league closer does not weight train.
Despite what coaches advise, the latest sports science research has proven that long toss has no positive effect on improving pitching velocity. It has only two benefits. One is as part of an off-season full body conditioning program or can be used as a short warm-up. But there is no evidence that it improves pitching velocity. None. So any long toss done during the season is virtually a waste of valuable time when pitchers could be putting that energy into pitching from a mound...which is the only way they can improve for a game.
Too many coaches, even professional scouts, are telling pitchers that to improve their pitching velocity they must improve their overall strength by weight training or their arm strength through long toss. The latest sports science research has proven that additional strength has little to no positive effect on improving pitching velocity since pitching velocity is related to momentum, good timing, back leg drive and a long stride at least 100% of the pitcher's height.
The only way a college pitcher will improve his pitching velocity is by recognizing which aspects of his mechanics are preventing him from developing more arm speed.
The latest research suggests that for pitchers to improve their pitching velocity, at all levels, they must remove slow movements, hesitation or any lateral (side to side) movements such as swinging the leg out and around into landing or rotating back toward the outfield thinking that will improve velocity. It does not work.
The Most Powerful Tool Is Video Analysis
Mechanical faults in college pitchers can only be recognized by using video where the instructor can slow down the pitcher's delivery in slow motion and then frame-by-frame to observe any timing problems that may slow the pitcher's arm down. A Professional Video Analysis of a college pitcher's mechanics by an expert may be the single most powerful method for helping a college pitcher find that extra 3-7 mph on his fastball which will take him to a higher level.
Viewing pitching mechanics with the naked eye is basically a waste of time when trying to recognize mechanical flaws since the acceleration of the pitching arm is the fastest human motion is sports.
The Results After A Video Analysis Can Be Remarkable
I did a video analysis of a 21 year old pitcher last fall. He is 6'1" 195 right-handed pitcher. He had no college to go to at that point. His velocity was 86-87 mph. He had the common mechanical faults I see in most college pitchers. Nothing extreme but those faults slow the body down and prevent maximum arm speed.
This pitcher went to work making the necessary adjustments. Within two months he was throwing 90 mph and got a scholarship to Mt. Olive in North Carolina. His name is Kyle Jones. He was their closer all year long and helped them get into the D2 College World Series. By continuing to work in improving his mechanics by videotaping, during summer ball he recently hit 95 mph and was asked to sign a pro contract. However, he will go back to Mt. Olive and if he continues to keep his velocity at 95 or improve even more, which he believes he can by continuing to fine tune his mechanics, he could make a lot of money in next year's free agent draft.
Without a video analysis he would still be throwing 86-87 mph and probably would not be playing college ball.
Coaches or instructors who do not use video during instruction are wasting a pitcher's valuable time. Why don't they? Most do not understand mechanics.
Top Major League Closer Rejects Weight Training And Endorses Throwing
A recent article in Sporting News magazine 8/11/08 titled Closing Costs by Stan McNeal was about Angels' closer Francisco Rodriguez...or K-rod who leads both leagues right now in saves.
Here is what Frankie Rodriguez had to say about his pitching workout and weight training:
"I don't do the stuff that a regular pitcher does," he says. I'm the kind of pitcher who does not lift weights. The only thing that keeps my arm in shape is playing winter ball. I only play in December to make sure when I come back in spring training I'm good to go. In the past I've had injuries when I don't do anything for four months."
Why the aversion to weight-lifting? "One reason I was hurt so much was because my first couple of years (in the minors), they made me lift-weights," he says.
It seems then that Francisco Rodriguez has figured out what works for him rather than blindly listening to coaches who think you must lift weights in the off-season and rest your arm. K-Rod does neither. He keeps his body and his arm sharp by pitching during the off-season something all high school and college pitchers should be doing.
Shouldn't other pitchers question the value of too much weight training. A little is fine...however after about four to five weeks of general strength training any additional time spent trying to get stronger is a waste of time. The only strength that is valuable is usable strength. But remember pitchers are throwing a 5 oz ball. Why is a lot of strength required when some 10 year old Little Leaguers can throw 70 mph?
Why Pitchers Should Not Rest The Arm During The Off-season?
Why would you rest your arm? Does that make sense in a skill activity such as pitching where maintaining proper mechanics and the accuracy of all your pitches is the key to success. Professional tennis players don't rest for three or four months. Golfers don't. Swimmers don't. Gymnasts don't.
Why pitchers? Because baseball foolishly believes the arm is always at risk if it is used. Even professional baseball believes the arm is the source of velocity when in fact, the body produces velocity and the arm is along for the ride. The arm is at risk if pitching mechanics are poor or the pitcher is not fit to pitch because he rests for three or four months. As Rodriguez has figured out on his own, pitching during the off-season gets him fit so he is ready to pitch in spring training.
As for conditioning, college pitchers do not need more strength to throw a 5 oz. baseball. Francisco Rodriguez does not need added strength to throw 92-96 mph as the current best closer in baseball.
So what should college pitchers do during the offseason to improve their velocity or their control while reducing the risk of arm injuries. They should get fit by doing far less weight training and more full body explosive exercises such as lower body plyometrics and upper body medicine ball...since pitching is an explosive movement. That is the type of Conditioning Program pitchers at all levels should engage in rather than weight lifting.
How Should Pitchers Train In The Off-season?
College pitchers will not improve velocity by getting into better condition or getting stronger. Pitching velocity comes purely from improved mechanics where the body produces more forward momentum into a long stride...while the arm is used for ball control. Conditioning, when done properly will help a pitcher reduce the risk of injury...but will not improve velocity by itself. That is what the latest research has proven. And yet coaches still hang on to old school pitching ideas that waste time and are counter-productive and sometimes dangerous.
However, the first thing a college pitcher needs is an expert Professional Video Analysis so they know exactly what needs to be improved upon right now so their body is producing more momentum and more velocity so their arm has to work less.
Click Here To Read Dick's Free Book On Velocity
