The quest for 60

[sutherlandfinch]

Interesting way to look at it. Would you mind putting up a video?

 

[SoAZDad]

Interesting way to look at it. Would you mind putting up a video?

Sent you a PM, didn't want to hijack this thread.

 

[JJsqueeze]

Sent you a PM, didn't want to hijack this thread.

Hijack away- it sounds like you are in the same boat.

 

[SoAZDad]

Hijack away- it sounds like you are in the same boat.

Okay, fine then. I'm technically challenged here, so I will ask my DW to post the video on her YouTube account (I think she has one), and then I can post the clip here. Bear with me a day or so.

 

[JJS]

60 is DDs next milestone speed. I was wondering what others have experienced while trying to get from that 55 plateau to the magic 60. DD is almost 13. 5'8" and cruises 53-54 and will hit 56 on occasion. Her walkthroughs get to 60 so my inclination is leg power and drive are the key but she also could use a little more lag in the downswing. Is it simply time to hit the gym and get more muscle and power in her scrawny legs?

Get her to really point that elbow at her target on finish. That and 100 wrist flips a day! (Tongue firmly planted in cheek)

 

[sutherlandfinch]

Sent you a PM, didn't want to hijack this thread.

Agreed. How much over/ under do you do? Do you use set # of pitches in each session? Are you using the same routine for more than 2 weeks at a time? Does DD rest at least twice a week? What movement pitches are you working on in conjunction with speed work?

K
I'll stop there
L

 

[slingnit]

My kid was throwing the 55-56 range in her Freshman year. She took off for the winter of her freshman year from Oct. to end of Feb. When we started back up it was almost like she miraculously gained 5-6 plus mph. Whether it was the rest, just her getting stronger over the winter, or whatever but that is the long and the short of it.

 

[SoAZDad]

Agreed. How much over/ under do you do? Do you use set # of pitches in each session? Are you using the same routine for more than 2 weeks at a time? Does DD rest at least twice a week? What movement pitches are you working on in conjunction with speed work?

K
I'll stop there
L

Lots of over/under. # pitches varies by session. Routine varies each session, but alternates depending on how soon next tourney is. DD rests about 2x per week, when they throw her a lot in tourneys and weekday friendlies, I rest her 3x per week.

There are chiefly 3 sessions. She does at least each one a week. When there's league or tourneys, I let her do the lighter workouts:

1. long toss workout.
25 over.
short Ks, about 20 at 32-ish feet.
Ks at 43 feet, 20 at 43 feet.
5 walk-throughs from about 53ish.
5 walk-throughs from about 64ish.
5 walk-throughs from about 75ish.
5 walk-throughs from about 86ish.
Then: she's learning riseball rotation. 5 short Ks from 32ish.
5 long K rises from 43.
5 windmill rises from 43.
5 fastball windmills from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
5 drops from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.5 CUs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
Finish with 5 fastballs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.

2. medium toss workout.
25 over.
short Ks, about 20 at 32-ish feet.
Ks at 43 feet, 20 at 43 feet.
15 to 20 walk-throughs from about 64ish.
Then riseball rotation. 5 short Ks from 32ish.
5 long K rises from 43.
5 windmill rises from 43.
5 fastball windmills from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
5 drops from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.5 CUs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
Finish with 5 fastballs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.

3. Hurry up and get warm, you're in (We do these night before a tourney)
25 over.
short Ks, about 20 at 32-ish feet.
Ks at 43 feet, 20 at 43 feet.
5 to 10 walk-throughs from about 43.
5 fastball windmills from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
5 drops from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.5 CUs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.
Finish with 5 fastballs from 43. Hit spots. Work on PC lesson tweaks.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I did a LOT of long toss with my DD. It was a regular part of her routine. I use it with the girls I work with too.

After a while pitchers get into a comfort zone where they like to operate. On a scale of 1 - 10 they may feel comfortable at a 7 when they are capable of much more. What I do with the girls is to raise the comfort zone to a 10, but it feels like it's a 7 from constantly working at 10 doing long toss. I will gradually back them up until they can not make it to the plate. Then work them there for several pitches and use some run-throughs from their max distance. Then I bring them back to the pitching rubber and have them pitch. When they throw a pitch that is much slower than they are capable of I will ask them if that pitch would have made it from their longest distance. They now have a mental measuring stick of their effort.

One of the examples I use with the parents and the kids is the rookie players who comes from college into the NFL. I know I've heard it many times where the player will say in an interview the game is slowing down for them. The game has not slowed down. They've raised their playing comfort level to match the game is all that's happening.

As for my DD's speed progression. I have no real idea what it was. I knew she threw harder then pretty much all the other girls in the area. I never had a gun on her until she was 13 going on 14. At that time she was hitting 60 regularly. The next time a gun was on her was almost 18 months later and she was hitting 62 at that time. By the time she finished college she was throwing 64 - 65. At that level speed is important, but combining it with movement is the key to success.

 

[jdavitsky]

Wow...I'd be happy to see my 11 year old figure out how to break 43mph. She is scrawny and all legs...we switched from HE to I/R. Her speed is up a little bit, but not the way I had hoped for the amount of time we put in.