Overall strength for Pitching - Does it help with speed?

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STRIKE3

STRIKE3

Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
JAD said:
Michael Jordan and I are both @ 6'-5", so why does he have a 48" vertical jump while mine is 18"? The answer is genetics...and white men can't jump!
Click to expand...

Good stuff JAD :D !. I agree genetics can play a big role in things no question about it. However, it is the wrong answer. The right answer is the shorter girl is on PED's. Just kidding.

Seriously, genetics may be part of the equation but not sold on the fact that genetics is the reason the tall girl can't do 1 push-up and the short girl can do 20. Not being able to do one push-up is strength related IMHO and the question is.....which I think others have answered well, is that getting the girl stronger could or should help with her velocity.

Both girls are completely fictitious by the way and nobody was harmed in the making of this thread :D

Lastly, I am confident I could increase your vertical at least by an inch..... Thanks for the reply as always JAD and go DUKE!!!!!
 
T

Tango

Jan 28, 2017
1,664
83
Have been in coaching a long time but not very familiar with girls S&C training. IMO, it is not only about how strong you are or how many fast twitch muscle fibers you have but how well you can transfer the energy from your body (lower half) out through you fingers. Which is part of core strength. Some of that of course is genetics (a lot) and some can be acquired. I have coached a lot of football players and baseball players that are not the strongest but man can the pack a punch. Transfer of energy is something that should be studied more. Red cord probably promote is it well.
 
STRIKE3

STRIKE3

Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
Tango said:
Have been in coaching a long time but not very familiar with girls S&C training. IMO, it is not only about how strong you are or how many fast twitch muscle fibers you have but how well you can transfer the energy from your body (lower half) out through you fingers. Which is part of core strength. Some of that of course is genetics (a lot) and some can be acquired. I have coached a lot of football players and baseball players that are not the strongest but man can the pack a punch. Transfer of energy is something that should be studied more. Red cord probably promote is it well.
Click to expand...

Tango, thanks for your input on this and I am glad you brought up core strength. A couple others brought up core as well and when I first came to this site years ago there was alot of talk on core strength. How do you pitch faster?? stengthen your core was promoted alot. I am not in disagreement but what I would like to know is what do you and others think the core does in regards to increasing velocity. In other words, why strengthen it? I am not in disagreement with you and thought about just starting a different post on the topic (which I should probably do) but will start here.

Why the core and how does it help increase velocity? What does the core actually do to increase velocity is another way of putting it I guess? Question is out to everyone and would love to get everyone's input.... I do want to submit that I am baiting this question a bit but more on that later.

Thoughts on core? (again, I should probably just make this another thread but will wait to see what I get)

Thanks amigo!

S3
 
T

Tango

Jan 28, 2017
1,664
83
STRIKE3 said:
Tango, thanks for your input on this and I am glad you brought up core strength. A couple others brought up core as well and when I first came to this site years ago there was alot of talk on core strength. How do you pitch faster?? stengthen your core was promoted alot. I am not in disagreement but what I would like to know is what do you and others think the core does in regards to increasing velocity. In other words, why strengthen it? I am not in disagreement with you and thought about just starting a different post on the topic (which I should probably do) but will start here.

Why the core and how does it help increase velocity? What does the core actually do to increase velocity is another way of putting it I guess? Question is out to everyone and would love to get everyone's input.... I do want to submit that I am baiting this question a bit but more on that later.

Thoughts on core? (again, I should probably just make this another thread but will wait to see what I get)

Thanks amigo!

S3
Click to expand...

I have mostly worked with male athletes over the last 20 years with most being football players. IMO, it is about transferring energy that is generated from the ground, through the body and out of the intended area.

For example, if you have a football player that can squat 500 pounds but the middle of his body (core) can only transfer 200 pounds, when he tackles the ball carrier what comes out of his arms, shoulders, and head is somewhere around 200 or less pounds.

2nd example, if you have a football player that can squat 300 pounds but the middle of his body (core) can transfer 250 pounds, when he tackles the ball carrier what comes out of his arms, shoulders, and head is somewhere around 250 or less pounds.

The weaker player hits with more punch. I think this carries over to pitching and hitting.

One area that is way behind in sports training. Is one arm and one leg training. Most sports are played with one leg or one arm. The transfer of energy needs to be associated with coming off of one leg and coming out of one arm. Now you are talking about balance and a number of things. Think of driving off of the mound- you leave off of one leg and land on one leg basically. Hopefully both arms go forward but then they separate. As a football coach we did a lot of one legged and one armed exercise (not just bench). I'm not a scientist and not a pitching guru but think one legged and one arm work could help the most. I have done a lot of speed training work and weight lifting to enhance performance (not concerned with big numbers). The guys that were the best at one armed snatch, pistol squats, one legged squats, split squats, one armed pull ups, and so on were always the best athletes. Used some TRX stuff. Push/Pull Unilateral/Bilateral

Also, a medicine ball day, average green band workout with plyo stuff, sandpit running and plyo, and sled pulls and pushes.
 
Last edited:
Vertigo

Vertigo

May 27, 2013
2,384
113
Honestly I think core strength helps achieve better mechanics and balance with pitching. My dd used to be a leaner. Once she started working more on her core, it helped her stay more upright upon whip and release which also helped her with better front side resistance, all which can help increase velocity.
 
grcsftbll

grcsftbll

Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
DD's Tincher instructor talks about core strength a lot too. Have I mentioned how much we love Tincher pitching??
 
schwabach

schwabach

Jul 5, 2016
659
63
If a pitcher does nothing but practice pitching and pitch in games from 9th grade to 12th grade, she is going to get faster simply because she is still growing and gaining strength. So, while there is no question that good conditioning is part of being a good athlete, I'm not sure how much credit I would give a conditioning program for speed improvements over the course of a year for a 15 year-old girl.
 
T

Tango

Jan 28, 2017
1,664
83
schwabach said:
If a pitcher does nothing but practice pitching and pitch in games from 9th grade to 12th grade, she is going to get faster simply because she is still growing and gaining strength. So, while there is no question that good conditioning is part of being a good athlete, I'm not sure how much credit I would give a conditioning program for speed improvements over the course of a year for a 15 year-old girl.[/QUOTE

When you see people say they increased 2 mph over 4 weeks it's hard to know if it's the training or maturing or even a more interested student during the 4 weeks.
Click to expand...
 
JAD

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
STRIKE3 said:
Seriously, genetics may be part of the equation but not sold on the fact that genetics is the reason the tall girl can't do 1 push-up and the short girl can do 20. Not being able to do one push-up is strength related IMHO and the question is.....which I think others have answered well, is that getting the girl stronger could or should help with her velocity.
Click to expand...

Long limbs are great for "whip" during an IR pitch, but they are no so good for push ups or bench presses....that would be physics, not genetics.
 
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