Pitching and Pitchers Discussion Whats the best method for pitchers to gain speed / velocity?

[Admin]

Whats the best method for pitchers to gain speed / velocity?

Want to build speed / velocity on 14 under girl pitcher, what the best method for reducing the length of time it would take to get her speed up.

She is a brand new pitcher, just started pitch 40 days ago.

 

[FastBat]

First, you need to establish proper mechanics, and have them become second nature. Then do walk throughs, long distance pitching.

 

[daboss]

Wait and check her speed when she's 16. lol

I have a pet peeve about other pitching instructors that feel the need to belittle other instructors. There's plenty of girls to teach/coach. Why tell a parent of a 10-12 yr. old that if they'd quit me and go to them they'll have them throwing harder in a year. DUH, she's a year older and with natural and physical changes will almost certainly be able to throw harder. Come on parents! Compare apples to apples here!!! If you go to another instructor teaching the windmill motion, look hard at the basic mechanics and see if there really is any difference in the methods taught. Most of the time the answer is no so that means you left me getting free lessons as often as you signed up to come see me for an instructor that charges you hard-earned cash by promising the inevitable, that if your daughter gets older, bigger, stronger over time she'll throw harder. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm????????

If you guys like the other instructor, your daughter enjoys working with the other instructor, if they are more convenient, closer to home, or have better hours I can see why the change. Some girls simply react differently to new methods of teaching. I'm a boring old cuss to some while other girls seem to look forward to coming every week. I always encourage my 3rd year students to go to clinics or try other instructors to see what is out there. Maybe they'll find something better for them. I want the parents to see so they can rest assured I'm doing my job. I would recommend the same to any 1st or 2nd year girls if they question what I'm doing but tell them if they wait, they'll know more what to look for then if they simply run off without the knowledge beforehand.

Parents be alert to the door to door salesmen selling snake oil. Shop for a pitching instructor teaching the proper mechanics and work on the craft at home with the drills the instructor shares with you. Be your daughter's motivation and be there for her as she practices at home. Girls like to be watched. Boys will go play and practice by themselves but girls want an audience. Sit on a bucket and be a cheerleader. This will get you more improvement than anything else you can imagine. Good luck.

 

[fastjay]

i've been down this road....the short answer on how to build speed is proper mechanics with a lot of help from God. weighted balls, speed drills, etc and a complete waste of time in my experience.

 

[Dawgsdad]

The windmill motion is not going to give you as much speed as if you were whipping the ball! Once the ball reaches the top of the circle, it should be the elbow, wrist and then fingers. That's how you throw harder. Throwing long also helps both pitching motion and over hand. Weighted balls can cause more harm than help. It is not easy to break the windmill approach to execute the whipping motion but think about it before you dismiss it, natural motion with natural follow through. Windmill to elbow to the catcher, slows the arm down to get in that position and its not natural.

 

[NESB]

Conditioning - with emphasis on Core and lower body Strength dev. Careful use of weighted balls, Distance pitching and resistance pitching with use of waist resistance band.

 

[wow]

Weighted ball is great for snaps and shorter distances. Be careful at full 43 ft. Long toss is a great predicator. If you are in the outfield and toss it home a good indicator is 115 to 120 ft is roughly 50 MPH.. Core strength is critical. Arm speed is important but not as important as snap and follow through. Pitching is so fundamental based you have to be careful not to horse the throws! Working on stride is also critical.

 

[tankerlab]

First, you need to establish proper mechanics, and have them become second nature. Then do walk throughs, long distance pitching.

Agree 100%. And run 1 mile or more three times a week...

 

[carlyderose]

I completely agree with you. I am currently a pitcher for Slippery Rock University, and I give lessons. I preach to all of my students and their parents that speed comes from the core and the lower body. I use resistance bands and teach drills that keep the pitcher moving toward the catcher because the closer you are to the catcher, the less reaction time the batter has. It's simple physics Working on your "upper body" is an open invitation for injuries.