Increasing speed and/or stamina

[RubberBiscuit]

I have one of those. Can you elaborate on what they did in that program?

It was all around teaching proper running form then doing focussed strengthening and stretching around supporting that proper mechanics. DD is right next to me right now and said she could elaborate even more if ya like. Just send me a private message.

 

[splinterpicker]

I like the fetch your own ball also. The difference is we would practice withouth a back stop. At first there was a lot of conditioning retrieving balls but her accuracy sure did improve. A great way we found to improve her stamina was to have pitching practice after she had been to the swimming pool for a few hours. She would be tired but it forced her to focus on mechanics and pushing through a little fatique. Stamina is mental almost as much as it is physical.

 

[javasource]

There's a lot of good suggestions on here to the original post. In the off-season, I have pitchers do some of the following:
1). Video breakdown for fundamental aspects of their pitch. I think the best improvements to speed start with solid fundamentals.
2). Conditioning the legs, core, and arms. Good stamina builder as well as injury preventer.
3). Wiffle throws drive in fundamentals and the underweight helps with control. Lots of feedback with a wiffle ball.
4). Spin work. This often gets underlooked when speed/stamina are the topic - but better breaking pitches result in fewer pitches thrown and more innings pitched.
5). Revfire every 2-3 weeks - I find it keeps them focused and goal oriented.
6). Charting reps and sets, and building on number of sets as the off-season progresses. Acts as a good feedback tool.
7). Practice makes permanent, so make sure they only count repetitions that were 100% of effort and correctly performed.

The list can go on and on but it's important that they feel like they had something to do with the program they use - as that sense of ownership really drives in how dedicated they'll be to the program. Have them set reasonable goals, make sure they practice at 100%, and also make sure they don't fall into a predictable routine - as effort is really hard to maintain when performing the same routine every day. Add in some variety for them and be sure they don't burn themselves out. Taking a day off is important, too. As always, make sure they listen to their body to prevent injury.

 

[halskinner]

"She has topped out in speed". That is a comment I have NEVER accepted. Work with enough pitchers and you will learn that adding speed is just as much a mrntal and confidence thing as a strength and mechanics thing. Many will say that building strength, perfect mechanics, aggressive momentum is all you can do to get maximum ball speed. I have proven that wrong many MANY times

Throwing faster is as much mental and confidence related as it is physical and mechanics related.

I have had many students that would be throwing well, throwing fast and everything looked great. Except, my gut said she is not throwing as fast as she can. I would whisper to the Dad, "I'm gonna piss her off". I would go to the catcher's side and whisper what I wanted her to say, in a loud voice EVERYUONE IN THE BUILDING would hear.

Thropw hard, was added after every insult. Did you switch to slow pitch or what? THROW HARD. You stay up all night or what?? THROW HARD.. C'mon stick girl THROW HARD. I;m gonna lose my voice before you THROW HARD. If you cant THROW HARD, let us know so we can put someone in that can.

Some where in the middle of all that, our pitcher is throwing noticeably faster! 5, 7, 8mph faster. I walk up to her and she doesnt even look at me. She is staring down her catcher wanting to kill her for embarrasing her like that. I ask, in anm equally loud vopice as the catcher, "YOU MAD ? " 'YES ' "REALLY MAD?"" "YES". "DID YOU NOTICE YOU'RE THROWIN FASTER NOW?" "YES" "WELL I GOT NEWS FOR YOU YOUNG LADY, IF YOU CAN THROW THAT FAST WHEN YOU'RE MAD, (now quieter voice) you can throw that fast when you're not mad too."

Now she turns her head and looks at me! I asker if I'm right, she says very loudly, "YES AND I HATE IT WHEN YOU DO STUFF LIKE THAT". Then I would add "Then you'll really love it when your catcher does that during the game to get you to throw as hard as SHE NOW KNOWS you can throw."

There is always a little more speed hiding. You just have to spot it and bring it out of em. That;s one of the 'other' things a smart instructor is SUPPOSED to do. WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET INTO THEIR HEAD, that is what needs to be done. They have to have that kind of confidence and that kind of thinking to be a champion.

 

[Rocketech1]

What are your drills for increasing pitching speed or pitching stamina?
Overload work?

IMO, the best ways to increase speed is making sure you are:

a) maximizing great arm whip with palm to the sky at 9:00, leading with the elbow as the arm internally rotates, and finishing naturally with the palm down and/or across the body. Most pitchers never get close to these arm positions and mechanics;

b) resisting against a firm leg at stride plant. Too many pitchers waste (or leak) their power by walking through the pitch at release.

There is a reason that "sling shot" pitchers were still able to throw hard back in the day without windmilling and leap and dragging.

Work on maximum arm whip and resisting the front side and you will see immediate results in velocity.

 

[2ddsplayingball]

For my DD, she does distance throws of 5 balls each at 10 feet increments, starting from the mound and moving back 30 feet. Then goes through her regular workouts. At the end, she will do speed drills where she has to throw a certain number of pitches within an amount of time. Then on off pitching days, she run the sand dunes for power in her legs. God it is good living 15 mins from the beach.