I'm doing a lot of searches regarding increasing pitching velocity. A number of sources site "long toss" as a key. That is why I found the article below so interesting. It deals with baseball but basically argues (using plenty of source notes) that only repeating the entire pitching motion from the mound is beneficial because the body is not using the same muscles and firing sequence in other isolated drills or drills not specifically related to pitching from the mound. I hate to waste my DD's time and confuse her with needless drills like a mad pitching scientist if it is actually useless. How do those who have helped measurably increase speed over say a 3 month period feel about the article and could you share actual cases where you could measure the improvement-
"Don't waste your time long-tossing either. Luttgens and Hamilton (1997), in their book on kinseiology about The Specificity of Neuromuscular Patterns: "Skillful and efficent performance in a particular technique can be developed only by practice of that technique. Only in this way can the necessary adjustments in the neuromuscular mechanism be made to ensure a well-coordinated movement. (p. 507).
That supports that if you want to get better at pitching, you do it from 100% intensity while being videotaped on the mound so you can see what you're doing wrong and make the necessary corrections. You do not go out and do long-toss, which doesn't replicate the pitching motion 100% intensity off the mound.
From 8.2 of The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching: "Total actions (e.g., those to be used in a competitive setting [ie. pitching]) need to be practiced. The partial or isolated training of movement segments (e.g., long-toss, resistance training) would not replicate the unit function in the total action [it's not the same as pitching from the mound]. Thus, once techniques (total response patterns) are being refined, partial practices will serve no purpose other than to learn another movement. There should be no intergration of the partial practice movement into the total response movement once an individual-determined level of skill competency is reached. The only way a highly skilled pitcher can improve his pitching, is to practice pitching. No axuiliary training activities will contribute to skill enhancement once the skill has achieved a resonable level of proficiency."
The specificity of movement patterns and control is a scientifically established principle of human exercise. There has been no wavering on this scientifically validated phenomenon over the past century, although minor theoretical incursions have been attempted. The training of the pitching skill and its variants has to be specific and hole.
The key is that baseball pitching is overwhelmingly a skilled acitivty. Every long-toss throw replaces a throw that could be made from the mound while working on perfecting better mechanics, stimulating game conditions, and mentally focusing and rehearsing the very refined and difficult skill of hitting the glove with all pitches.
Strength in the throwing shoulder is equal with the strength in the non-throwing shoulder (Sirota, Malanga, Eischen, & Laskowski, 1997). Ellenbecker and Mattalino (1997) also showed there were no differences between both shoulders in isokinetic work in professional pitchers. Strength did not differentiate the throwing arm and non-throwing arm and therefore, is an element that is irrelevant for pitching. It shows that strength in the throwing shoulder is not that important (for velocity) because it is no different to the non-throwing shoulder.
Long-toss is a different skill than pitching, the neuromuscular patterns are different, it will not transfer anything positive over to the pitching motion for anyone who has a decent level (or above) of skill at pitching.
Arthurt Salter-Hammel, personal communication, October, 1967 = When an arm was extended vertically downward and the index finger slowly traced a 12-inch circle, a pattern of sequential firing of the shoulder muscles was displayed with most muscles assuming a propulsive (agonistic) function at one time and a control (antagonistic) function at another. HOWEVER, when the same circle-tracing was sped-up, the sequence and functions of all the muscles were totally changed despite an observer seeing the "same action" done at a faster velocity.
Do you see why specificity matters? Not only in exercise, but in pitching from the mound at game-type intensity."
Best of luck!
7 months ago
Source(s):
The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching
The coach's complete handbook to scientific pitching by Dick Mills and Dr. Brent S. Rushall, Ph.D., R. Psy
"Don't waste your time long-tossing either. Luttgens and Hamilton (1997), in their book on kinseiology about The Specificity of Neuromuscular Patterns: "Skillful and efficent performance in a particular technique can be developed only by practice of that technique. Only in this way can the necessary adjustments in the neuromuscular mechanism be made to ensure a well-coordinated movement. (p. 507).
That supports that if you want to get better at pitching, you do it from 100% intensity while being videotaped on the mound so you can see what you're doing wrong and make the necessary corrections. You do not go out and do long-toss, which doesn't replicate the pitching motion 100% intensity off the mound.
From 8.2 of The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching: "Total actions (e.g., those to be used in a competitive setting [ie. pitching]) need to be practiced. The partial or isolated training of movement segments (e.g., long-toss, resistance training) would not replicate the unit function in the total action [it's not the same as pitching from the mound]. Thus, once techniques (total response patterns) are being refined, partial practices will serve no purpose other than to learn another movement. There should be no intergration of the partial practice movement into the total response movement once an individual-determined level of skill competency is reached. The only way a highly skilled pitcher can improve his pitching, is to practice pitching. No axuiliary training activities will contribute to skill enhancement once the skill has achieved a resonable level of proficiency."
The specificity of movement patterns and control is a scientifically established principle of human exercise. There has been no wavering on this scientifically validated phenomenon over the past century, although minor theoretical incursions have been attempted. The training of the pitching skill and its variants has to be specific and hole.
The key is that baseball pitching is overwhelmingly a skilled acitivty. Every long-toss throw replaces a throw that could be made from the mound while working on perfecting better mechanics, stimulating game conditions, and mentally focusing and rehearsing the very refined and difficult skill of hitting the glove with all pitches.
Strength in the throwing shoulder is equal with the strength in the non-throwing shoulder (Sirota, Malanga, Eischen, & Laskowski, 1997). Ellenbecker and Mattalino (1997) also showed there were no differences between both shoulders in isokinetic work in professional pitchers. Strength did not differentiate the throwing arm and non-throwing arm and therefore, is an element that is irrelevant for pitching. It shows that strength in the throwing shoulder is not that important (for velocity) because it is no different to the non-throwing shoulder.
Long-toss is a different skill than pitching, the neuromuscular patterns are different, it will not transfer anything positive over to the pitching motion for anyone who has a decent level (or above) of skill at pitching.
Arthurt Salter-Hammel, personal communication, October, 1967 = When an arm was extended vertically downward and the index finger slowly traced a 12-inch circle, a pattern of sequential firing of the shoulder muscles was displayed with most muscles assuming a propulsive (agonistic) function at one time and a control (antagonistic) function at another. HOWEVER, when the same circle-tracing was sped-up, the sequence and functions of all the muscles were totally changed despite an observer seeing the "same action" done at a faster velocity.
Do you see why specificity matters? Not only in exercise, but in pitching from the mound at game-type intensity."
Best of luck!
7 months ago
Source(s):
The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching
The coach's complete handbook to scientific pitching by Dick Mills and Dr. Brent S. Rushall, Ph.D., R. Psy