pitching with weighted ball???

[bigboyk]

I've see some discussion about the pros and cons of pitching with weighted balls. DD(14yr old) has been seeing same pitching coach for almost 4 yrs, every winter we pitch with a weighted ball. The first 3 yrs we pitched with a 16oz ball, currently we are pitching with a 20oz ball(homemade, but weighed on postal scales). When I say pitching, I mean 43', all out pitching. We have seen a decent increase in speed each year, last spring she was consistently in the 56 to 58 mph range during games. We take longer to warm up and throw fewer pitches than a normal lesson, and usually only pitch 1, or maybe 2 other times per week. She has never experienced any soreness problems or injuries, I'm sure others have had different experiences but DD has had no problems. We start out throwing about 50 pitches(fastball only) per lesson and progress up to 90 to 100. The instructor is a former male fp pitcher and has several students that have played and are playing D1 and D2. He teaches 12-6 spin on fastball and really pushes girls to pitch as hard as possible. I'm thinking that next winter will be spent working on riseball, so no more weighted balls. I just wanted to hear from some others about their experience or thoughts on weighted ball pitching.

 

[splinterpicker]

My dd uses a weighted ball for flips. Mainly the the 9 oclock drill. I am not a fan of using full motion with a weighted ball. There are better ways to develope strength. For example long throwing. DD starts with a 3 step walkup and pitches from the mound. Does that 5 times then moves back 5 ft. This process is done until the ball starts bouncing in usuall a little behind 2nd base. Then reverse the process. It is important at the futher distances to maintain form and use the legs.

 

[starsnuffer]

Run, don't walk, away from this coach.

Sounds like your daughter has great talent, it's a shame her instructor hasn't taken the time or care to learn about physiology and how it relates to the sport he's chosen to teach. I'm sure he's had success, but I'm wondering how many girls have been left in the wake with injuries to get the few who made it to high level ball.

I know a few PC's use weighted balls as a warmup tool, the same way one might use a weighted bat (makes the real ball feel lighter, supposedly), but this isn't usually the full pitching motion, and certainly not repeatedly. Considering a normal softball weighs between 6-7oz, 20oz is a bit ridiculous.

As the poster above said, long toss is probably better for building strength. Some PC's suggest actually using a lighter ball then a normal softball as the lighter ball will not travel as quickly and requires more effort, but even this is used for just a few reps before going back to a normal ball.

-W

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I sold my weighted balls to a slow pitch guy. They were in the garage and I could never find a use for them.

I talked to Allan Jaeger Jaegersports.com and he said that very few people would be qualified to teach someone to pitch with a weighted ball and he didn't know of any MLB program that used them, due to how easily the shoulder can be injured.

Throwing a 1 pound ball would be a 100% increase in weight.

I know of know benefits from practicing with a weighted ball. Injuries might not show up for years.

Most girls will reach mid 50s, with good instruction, anyway.

 

[Ken Krause]

I use weighted balls as part of training pitchers, but nothing like that. I follow Marc Dagenais' program as far as the weight goes. Basically 1 oz. over a standard ball, followed by equal reps with a ball 1 oz. lighter than a standard ball. I've had good results, but not for the reasons you might think.

They're good for training the approach more than the muscles. For example, I always say that the heavy ball reveals all. If a pitcher isn't accelerating all the way through like she should, the ball will go into the ground. She then can feel the lack of acceleration, and will work harder on the next pitch to do it right.

With the light ball, it's like running down a hill to see how fast your legs can actually move. I use it to train pitchers to get their arm circles moving faster. It's also fun for them because if you do it right that ball really zips out of there. Everybody can be Monica Abbott with the light ball.

We only do 12 reps with each, so it's hardly a conditioning program. I would have them do more (to fully follow Marc's plan) but it would take too much time, and doing an exercise once a week isn't conditioning. It's pretending to condition.

I would never go heavier than 1 oz. over -- certainly not a 20 oz. ball. That can cause all kinds of stress to the shoulder complex, and probably the arm muscles and tendons as well.

So in my opinion there is value -- if you know how to use them.

 

[WiZ]

We "warm up" with a 8.5 oz ball (it was part of the 3 ball Worth training set). What I mean by "warm up" is that it's NEVER full circle. She does her snaps, her half Ks, and her full Ks. After that, everything is done with a regular ball. We have other drills where we use the weighted ball but NEVER full circle.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Thanks, wiz. I don't even go that heavy. A softball is 6.8 ounces. I have some that I drove a few finishing nails in, to increase their wt. to 7 ounces. The girls just didn't like them. It is surprising what a difference a miniscule amount of weight makes.

What they do like are 14 inch balls and 16 inch balls. The weight isn't that much greater, but the mass is. I use them for fun and to warm up the arm.

 

[joemcq51]

Question: When people here on the board say 9 o'clock is that the clock facing the pitcher? That is how I see it. I always wonder if that is how others use it?

(9 o'clock to me is the front of the circle and 3 is at the back)

I always viewed it from the open pitching position. So for a right handed pitcher, you would be standing at third base. 12 o'clock would be straight up, 9 o'clock would be the last quarter of the circle.

Right Handed view from 3rd base

12
/ \
9 3 --->>> Catcher
\ /
6

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I don't think that we ever agreed on the clock positions. I use 9 0'clock as being in front of me. (Like I am pointing out 9 o'clock in the sky, for you military.)

I've quit saying it on here, now I say "straight out in front" or "straight out behind."

 

[1fingeredknuckler]

I use weighted balls as part of training pitchers, but nothing like that. I follow Marc Dagenais' program as far as the weight goes. Basically 1 oz. over a standard ball, followed by equal reps with a ball 1 oz. lighter than a standard ball. I've had good results, but not for the reasons you might think.

They're good for training the approach more than the muscles. For example, I always say that the heavy ball reveals all. If a pitcher isn't accelerating all the way through like she should, the ball will go into the ground. She then can feel the lack of acceleration, and will work harder on the next pitch to do it right.

----------------------------------



With the light ball, it's like running down a hill to see how fast your legs can actually move. I use it to train pitchers to get their arm circles moving faster. It's also fun for them because if you do it right that ball really zips out of there. Everybody can be Monica Abbott with the light ball.

We only do 12 reps with each, so it's hardly a conditioning program. I would have them do more (to fully follow Marc's plan) but it would take too much time, and doing an exercise once a week isn't conditioning. It's pretending to condition.

I would never go heavier than 1 oz. over -- certainly not a 20 oz. ball. That can cause all kinds of stress to the shoulder complex, and probably the arm muscles and tendons as well.

So in my opinion there is value -- if you know how to use them.

---------------------------------------------------

So using the 8.5 , 5, and 4 oz, which i have on the way for DGD 16 yr old, , we do full motion with the 8.5 as well as the others , and 12 reps for each., is there an order in which they go?