Velocity/Ballistic Practice - "ballistic noise"

[Doug Romrell]

Rather than "bump" Boardmember's original thread on this, I thought I'd start a new one.

Posted in 2013...

Whether you guys/gals realize this or not.......The FASTPITCH delivery is a BALLISTIC ACTION/MOTION......

Simply put, velocity practice is a portion of a lesson or workout dedicated to speed, usually toward the end of a session because the physicality/exertion of this portion of the training pretty much drains the student to the point that further technical training is all but impossible to accomplish due to muscular and mental exhaustion.........

Velocity training does NOT involve rapid successive/repetitive motions/deliveries. Velocity training is a series of BALLISTICLY MOTIVATED FULL PITCHES that focus on FULL EXERTION of the windup/load, leg drive, arm circle speed and I/R wrist snap..........WITHOUT interjection/distraction of mechanical correction BY THE INSTRUCTOR........It is also done WITHOUT the distraction of a radar gun..........

During velocity practice, the student is simply required to take his/her position on the rubber.........Take a deep relaxation breath in and out........And then perform the fastpitch motion with TOTAL EXERTION OF ALL PARTS of the delivery........This should INCLUDE an EXERTION BREATH at the moment of snap that can be anything from a small focused grunt, to a louder more ballistic noise that helps the student focus in on the last bit of kinetic transfer/action at the MOMENT OF TRUTH..........

After completing the delivery of EACH pitch.........There is NO interjection by the instructor/dad/mom/otherwise........Except "MOTIVATIONAL SPEAK" that CHALLENGES the pitchers aggressiveness and encourages her to "LET IT GO"........This includes praise for a job well done during this session.........

The student returns to the rubber.........And repeats the BALLISTIC PITCHING MOTION..........STARTING WITH a relaxation breath, and focusing on the "ALL IN MOTION"..........Followed by another "MOTIVATION SPEAK" from someone who the PITCHER TRUSTS........

Spots/Spins are totally disregarded, except to attempt to throw to the CENTER OF THE CATCHER'S STERNUM.........During this practice.......THERE IS NO GLOVE TARGET from the catcher........The catcher/coach/dad simply holds the glove close to the target area ready to receive the pitch, while trying to MINIMIZE the distraction of the "glove target"........

After performing velocity practice, finish with a cool-down series of easy tosses from closer range.........You will know when the pitcher is "done" with velocity practice. The key is to DISREGARD the importance of distractions of targets, mechanics, etc., and tap into the BALLISTIC NATURE of pitching.........By encouraging the ALL IN MOTION........

Velocity practice IS NOT ABOUT actual MPH..........It is about training the student to TAP INTO HIS/HER INSTINCTS for aggressiveness as a pitcher in charge of her own athleticism........

IMO.........This is as IMPORTANT to the pitchers development as ANYTHING ELSE you can offer to your student......

There are those days that YOUNG pitchers just do not have the focus required for intense or repetitive technical training.........On those days........VELOCITY PRACTICE is a great short term workout that is motivational to the student without all the other stuff............And is limited to 15-20 minutes including warm up and cool down.......

After all.........Name me a pitcher who's goals do NOT INCLUDE being the fastest pitcher on the team/league.......

This practice is NOT a substitute for spins and spots..........It is how the two are melded into "The TOTAL PITCHER"..........

There are a lot of things that really stand out to me here, but I'm particularly interested in the part I bolded, italicized, and enlarged. I'd like to hear more about this.

 

[sluggers]

This should INCLUDE an EXERTION BREATH at the moment of snap that can be anything from a small focused grunt, to a louder more ballistic noise that helps the student focus in on the last bit of kinetic transfer/action at the MOMENT OF TRUTH

Since we are talking about Boardmember, we should use the correct terms: FE is "Forced exhalation"; FI is "forced inspiration"; GR is "grunt"; and VM is "Valsava Maneuver". (VM is where you hold your breath during an exertion...in fact, generically speaking, VM is primarily associated with BM.)

Dr. Dennis O'Connell, a professor at Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, has studied FE, FI, GR and VM as to tennis player forehand serves. He found that the forehand serve speed in professionals increased by 4.5 MPH with GR over FI or VM.

His most recent findings found increased muscular activity with FE and GR. He said that his findings suggest that either "GR or FE can be used to enhance force production." Surprisingly, FE air volume was greater than GR or VM. Possibly, FE may be better than GR, but more study is needed.

SO: BM's advice was correct. I'm not sure what he meant by "focus". The benefits of FE and GR are physiological, not psychological.

 

[1bucketmom]

It's the Kiai of fastpitch. http://youtu.be/WoZQD4djwW0

 

[mann]

wierd, today we were doing the 12 oclock/K i was using a japanese Karate scream to fire the ball. AHHH YAAAAAA i tryed to get one girl to try it she was looking at me funny, and said naa. a little later another girl yelled AHHHH YAAAAAAA and really popped the ball at me.

 

[Doug Romrell]

"...a by-product of forceful expiration (the medullary respiratory neurons part) causes more muscles in the core (thoracic trunk) to be stimulated."

See...

https://lehmansbaseball.wordpress.com/2015/04/22/grunting-increases-velocity-by-5/

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Since we are talking about Boardmember, we should use the correct terms: FE is "Forced exhalation"; FI is "forced inspiration"; GR is "grunt"; and VM is "Valsava Maneuver". (VM is where you hold your breath during an exertion...in fact, generically speaking, VM is primarily associated with BM.)

Dr. Dennis O'Connell, a professor at Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, has studied FE, FI, GR and VM as to tennis player forehand serves. He found that the forehand serve speed in professionals increased by 4.5 MPH with GR over FI or VM.

His most recent findings found increased muscular activity with FE and GR. He said that his findings suggest that either "GR or FE can be used to enhance force production." Surprisingly, FE air volume was greater than GR or VM. Possibly, FE may be better than GR, but more study is needed.

SO: BM's advice was correct. I'm not sure what he meant by "focus". The benefits of FE and GR are physiological, not psychological.

Some consider the timing of the exhale to be important in terms of performance. For example, for a golfer, there is a belief that the start of the backswing should begin at approximately 2/3 through the exhale.

The notion is that the backswing should begin after 2/3 exhale to 4/5 exhale.

 

[Tatonka]

Very interesting and thanks for resurrecting this thread topic! One of DD's past pitching coaches tried to eliminate the grunt from her sequence telling her that it was a useless waste of energy that would do more harm than good essentially wearing her out and making her more tired during a game. Even did the math, typical number of pitches thrown during a game/tourney times the number of grunts = a lot of excess energy being wasted. I told DD to keep grunting. ;-)

 

[STRIKE3]

Thanks for posting (re-posting) this Doug! Really, really good stuff and the timing is well, EERIE!! My DD was pitching in a tournament game last weekend after she had just watched a 3rd K for go by (for the second time in the day). She was far from happy with herself and down right mad (although only wife and I knew it) . She hit the rubber at the turn and GRunted on every pitch that inning for a quick 3 up 3 down. She has NEVER done that before (GRunted) and my wife and I were whispering to ourselves about the fact she has never pitched with more fire/velocity.

After the game, the coach came over and said he saw my DD hit a new gear that he had not seen before either. He liked it as much as we did.

GR has its place and I thank you for the post as we will add "ballistic noise" to our practice routine!! Oh and finally, the J-Train is probably the best at this and of course she brings some serious heat in the 70's.

Thanks again!
S3

 

[Tom]

Thanks for posting. I have been researching the same thing after watching my sons Taekwondo instructor work with proper breathing techniques for focusing and striking. I have found there are multiple names for the technique in different languages/martial arts, but they all loosely translate to "center of energy". Added benefit in addition to hitting/pitching in softball is to be able to calm the mind and relax muscles in preparation for strike (swing/pitch). Here are a couple links to some interesting breathing techniques and applications used in Taekwondo. Interesting statement in the first one that most people don't breathe correctly.

Taekwondo Breathing Control :: Taekwondo

Dan-Jun Breathing | Than Phong Martial Arts