A throwing road map is difficult to design. We've spent almost a decade training in certain programs and environments then implementing what we know in a practical setting. Too many times we see athletes try to blend together multiple programs. As an athlete in college I know I was guilty of it. All that resulted in trying to accomplish combining two programs at once was injury and heartbreak. This is one of the reasons we created Connected Performance. To design easy to follow, calculated, long term training programs for athletes. It is simple but not easy. You do the training and we will do the thinking.
We design specific programs based on our video analysis and the athlete's movement patterns. The goal of our throwing program is not purely to ‘increase arm strength’; our aim is to improve throwing mechanics and efficiency in order to eliminate pain, minimize stress on the arm, increase velocity, and improve command.
Soreness/Pain
When adding volume and intensity with the throwing program, soreness can be normal. We are stressing the body and the arm, likely very different than how an athlete had trained in the past, so some soreness can be expected. We never want to be throwing through pain and if it’s not a minor ache or sore muscle or fatigue, please look to readjust the athlete's program based upon their current state.
If an athlete is on a rehabbing throwing protocol, pain free throwing is the goal. It is important to celebrate and emotionally attach to the pain free throws—teaching the nervous system that throwing is ok and a healthy thing for to do. When rehabbing, there might be throws that hurt. That’s ok, we want to emotionally detach from those throws and forget about them. We’re going to find pain free throws, then build on those.
If the athlete is on a velocity phase, listen to their arm. It’s ok if they need to push back a max-effort throwing day because their arm is fatigued. That is why we've partnered with ArmCare.com to create the most transparent/data driven throwing program available. Every time we go out and test long toss distance or velocity, the goal is to PR is some way. Whether it’s a new PR with a specific weighted ball, or with a specific drill, average velocity in pull downs, or long toss distance, we want to continually be climbing in some type of way. We want to be sure we are being smart and making intelligent decisions for training, therefore, a monitored program is needed/encouraged.
Weighted Balls
While weighted balls are finally becoming generally accepted, some people might still have hesitations related to using them. We like to program them for a few different reasons, however, we need to understand and accept that they are not for everyone.
There’s nothing inherently important about the baseball compared to other implements. The baseball weighs 5 oz. The football is 16 oz. The softball is 7 oz. The tennis racket is 11 oz. The javelin is 28 oz. All of these implements are used and thrown in overhead sports, and the one that has led to the most arm issues is the baseball. Weighted balls are neither good nor bad; they are simply tools that can be used for both positive and negative effects.
The first way we use weighted balls is by using them to help us make mechanical changes. Heavier weighted baseballs or plyo balls can help athletes feel out their arm actions better, and by changing small variances in the weight of the ball, the body is learning the proper movements under many conditions—meaning the movement changes are more likely to stick and become the new ‘muscle memory’.
The second way we use them is with some maximal effort velocity testing. We’re going to be performing pull downs, shuffles, or a few constraint drills with a few weighted balls. We likely will only be using a 4oz and a 7oz ball for velocity work, so nothing too far from the 5oz.
Here are a few good resources for information on weighted ball:
· https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2018/07/look-long-term-weighted-ball-research/
· https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2014/12/hacking-arm-action-hidden-power-overload-training/
· https://www.prpbaseball.com/blog/why-plyocare
Throwing Phases
Connection Phase—The connection phase is our first phase of throwing when they begin training. Our goal is to gradually build up the stress on the arm where it is ready to tolerate full velocity work and more intense throwing. The second goal with this phase is to really clean up their movement patterns and begin maximizing their mechanical efficiency. We want to get the athlete connected here to eliminate their arm pain and minimize the stress on their elbow and shoulder. While it might seem too light or not exciting enough at first, it is vital they athlete follow this month as it will set them up to attack their long term throwing development.
Velocity Building Phase—During this phase, our focus is to build velocity by increasing their arm strength, arm speed, and improving their mechanical efficiency. We will be using a combination of long toss, pulldowns, and drill work to accomplish this task. This is an offseason phase where they're focused on gaining velocity. This phase will consist of two maximal-effort throwing days, two hybrid days working at about 60-80% intensity, and two recovery days at about 30-50% intensity.
Blending Phase—This phase is where we take the velocity and movement pattern changes we made during the connection and velocity phases, and we take them to the mound. This phase consists of many different parts: mound velocity work, command work, pitch design, and bullpens.
In Season Phase—The goal of this phase is to go out and dominate with what they have trained so hard to achieve. We’re going to decrease our throwing volume throughout the week and design a plan specifically tailored for them so they’re ready to carve every time their name is called. The athlete will still be doing drill work and different long toss variations in order to keep them connected, pain free, and to keep their arm in shape.
Connection Drills
Why do we use them?
We are performing these drills in order to put the body in better positions in order to efficiently transfer energy into the baseball. Rather than just listening to a coach tell them, “Get your arm up on time” or “Use your legs”, we’re going to use specific drills and implements in order to put their body in better positions to throw. All they are going to have to think about is performing the drill correctly, athletically, and hitting the target.
How hard should I be throwing during them?
We want to be making changes with these drills, especially during the connection phase of throwing; therefore we need to be applying enough intent to create these changes. They will see the different intensities programmed for the different days during the other phases, but they will want to listen to their arm. If they have a hybrid day where they should be throwing at 70-80%, and they’re feeling a bit fatigued, it’s perfectly ok to throw at 50%. They have the freedom to regulate this based on how they’re feeling.
Long Toss
Why?
We use long toss to help improve mechanical efficiency and build the arm to throw with greater velocities as we get immediate feedback with the distance. Instead of having to deal with internal thoughts, they will have the feedback of the distance.
How?
When long tossing, we’re either going to be using specific constraints or our goal is to be as loose and fluid and possible. Just focusing on back-spinning the ball to their partner’s chest, as easy, loose, and fluid as possible.
The extension phase is when we’re gradually working back in distance. The goal is to make about 3-5 throws every 10-15 feet. Again, just listen to the arm. Every throw we make should be as easy as possible on the way out—for example, if they’re at 90 feet, they should imagine trying to throw it where the ball is dropping right to their partner at 90 feet, it shouldn’t be able to go 91 feet. They’ll be shocked as they back and up and realize how little effort they’ve had to apply. On recovery days, our goal is really to just get blood flow to the arm. If they want to go out for some extension catch, try to keep it to 30-40 throws max, and no pull-downs over 50-60% intensity. Catch on hybrid days is going to be up to them, if they’d like to keep it lighter for some recovery extension toss or if they’re feeling good and want to back it up to70-80%, either is good. Listen to their arm.
Max long tossing is going to be where we push the envelope. As they scoot further and further back, they’ll learn the proper timing of applying intent with their arm in the throw. Once they get to about 80%, begin making 2-3throws every 10 feet. Once we get to max distance, make 2-6 throws there, the begin bringing it in with pull downs.
Pulldowns?
After they get to max distance, they’re going to backspin the ball on a line to their catch partner, aiming to throw the ball on a line, and as low to the ground as they can, and hitting him in the chest. It’s best to do 1 throw every 30 feet or so. We want to be as athletic as possible with these, so they can imagine being an outfielder throwing out a base runner, or an infielder making a cutoff throw to home plate. Once the athlete gets to 60-90 feet, their goal is to throw it through their partner as hard as possible. Total, we’re going to want to make 10-15 total pulldown throws—we like to usually go 6-8 on the way in, and 6-8 at 60-90 feet.
If we choose to do some weighted ball pulldown work, they’ll warm up exactly like they would for max effort long toss, or a bullpen. The only thing that will change here is once they are hot and ready to perform; we’ll do a series of shuffle throws with a specific sequence of weighted baseballs (usually into a net with a radar gun).
Command
Command is a vital skill to pitching and competing. If they cannot throw the ball over the plate, they’re going to be limited in their chances to go out and pitch. If we spend a lot of time and energy developing velocity and improving mechanics, yet they don’t go out and command the baseball, then they’re not going to be able to use that new velocity in games. Command work is not extremely tricky, and if command issues have haunted them in the past, we have a few specific cues, ideas, and routines to vastly improve it.
The most important aspect of commanding the baseball is the intent to command the baseball. During their daily throwing sessions, they’re going to make anywhere from 30 to 100+ throws at varying intensities and sometimes with different weighted implements. That means they’re getting plenty of repetitions and chances to build and improve their command. In their connection drills, stay present in the drill and set a target to hit. If the athlete is doing their drills into a net, set up a target. If they're throwing their plyos into a plyo wall, draw a few x’s and try to drill them. During long toss, stay focused on hitting their partner in the chest with every single throw. They'll be shocked at how greatly their command will improve by just pure focus and intentionality during their daily throwing, no matter what the drill or intensity.
For a true 1 on 1 experience, contact Training@connected-performance.com today.