All throws were from the mound, and the athletes were instructed to alternate each weighted-ball throw between sub-max and max execution. Effects of Overload Training on Velocity and Accuracy of Throwing. For the first two-week period, a 7-oz ball was used; for the second, a 9-oz ball was used. Heavy Baseball Training Balls do not come with a throwing program. to 24 oz. The pitchers were instructed to not do any other weight-training exercises during this time period. CleanFuego Regulation was engineered to replicate the exact dimensions of a regulation baseball (5¼oz). Once assigned to their groups, each pitcher trained three days a week for six weeks. Statistically significant velocity improvements were seen between the weighted-ball groups and the control group. baseball. There is a longer write up on this study that you can find here. They were allowed to warm-up on an individual basis with regulation baseballs. High Performance Assessment: Strength Testing Using Force Plates. The pitchers used one heavy ball for two weeks and then moved on to the next heaviest baseball. Schedule a 30-minute  call with Driveline staff to discuss your individual needs. In total, the weighted-ball group threw 4 times a week, twice under the supervision of a training complex and twice under their own supervision. The Effects of a Baseball Throwing Velocity Improvement Program on Shoulder Range of Motion (Thesis). There were also athletes that dropped out of the study, but they were not required to state why they dropped out of the training. If you are looking to read further on results of using weighted balls in controlled settings, this study is a great resource. After, they would throw at half to three-quarter speed to a catcher for 10-15 minutes. Every player threw 3 times a week. They were split into two groups of five, with half in a group of overload exercises only and the other half in what was considered variable speed training (VST). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training with weighted baseballs on pitch velocity, passive range of motion (PROM), muscle strength, elbow torque, and injury rates. This paper does an excellent job of breaking down the variety of training protocols that have been experimented with using weighted baseballs. Broadly, they are used for lower-volume work that mirrors game-like conditions. You should never throw a weighted baseball off a mound (arm stress is higher when elevated) or with long-toss. This is important to note that if the players are going to play catch with weighted balls, it’s a good idea to get a pack of different weights. This suggests that they might have reduced their throwing speed in an attempt to gain accuracy. These joints most likely obtain these high speeds by making use of slower movements in other joints in a kinetic chain of movement. First, let me make two things abundantly clear: 1. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. The entire program lasted 10 weeks, with each pitcher performing exercises three times a week. Throw Clean. Athletes + Coaches, sign up for TRAQ and get our starter templates free. You don't play catch with weighted baseballs. The researchers also mention possible bonus of increased conditioning and decreased drudgery of training. Finally, weighted baseballs aren’t the only mechanism with which to increase pitching velocity. For athletes and coaches affected by COVID-19, The exact mechanism on how weighted baseballs increase velocity is unknown. Vitos Anti Burst Exercise Yoga Ball | Extra Thick Non Slip Supports 2200LB for Fitness Stability Birth Balance Pilates Workout Guide Quick Pump Included Professional Quality Design, SKLZ Weighted Throwing Baseballs, 2-Pack (10 Ounce and 12 Ounce), Precision Impact Weighted Baseballs: Weighted Baseball Set for Throwing/Pitching Training (Includes Durable Drawstring Bag), GoSports 2.8" Weighted Training Baseballs - Hitting & Pitching Training for All Skill Levels - Improve Power and Mechanics, Champro Basic Weighted Training Baseball (Red/Maroon/Green, 9-Inch), Champro Training Softballs, Set of 4 (Green/Yellow/Black/Blue, 12-Inch), ProNine Weighted Softball for Pitching Practice 12 Inch (10 Oz.) This study took 45 high schoolers and 180 university pitchers and randomly assigned them to two experimental groups and one control group. The weighted-ball sequence did not vary, and the pitch totals for the weighted baseballs in sequence were a 2:1 ratio (non-standard to standard weight). The average gains were almost twice as great in the underload treatment than the overload group (3 mph – 1.5 mph). There's a problem loading this menu right now. It’s unknown how the results would change under a different set of athletes or how the results would change with minor adjustments of programming on a per-athlete basis. For both the pre and post test, each pitcher threw at maximal ability for 20 throws at a target located 35 feet away. The training protocol was completed as follows: 5 moderate effort throws (10 oz. Both maximal internal-rotation velocity of the shoulder and maximal elbow-extension velocity significantly changed when throwing the weighted balls. difference between throwing a baseball versus and over- and underweight balls. The Official Site of the Velocity Plus program used by Steve Delabar, created by Tom House NPA, Velocity Plus Arm Care is a weighted ball throwing program. One group threw weighted balls; another used a pulley device to resist the mechanics of throwing. Strength. Warming-up with heavier baseballs was not found to increase velocity for that training day. They then performed 15 throws with the weighted ball, 20 with the regulation ball, 10 with same weighted ball, and 10 with the regular ball. Similar to the above group, once pea week the pitchers threw a hard underload bullpen for 10-15 minutes followed by hard throwing of 1-10 mins with a regulation baseball. Statistically significant – the likelihood that a relationship is caused by something other than mere random chance. However, USING weighted balls is a different story. One ounce was added to the overload after that, which means that during the last two-week period, a 12-oz ball was used. Following the overload, 20 maximal throws with regulation baseballs were made at a target 35 feet away. After the 10-week training period, the only significant difference between the groups was that the weighted-ball group showed a significant decrease in dominant-arm total arc of motion (16.4 +/- 11 degrees). The program lasted 10 weeks. (d) general resistance training according to the overload of force. Power training by definition conditions the neuromuscular system to develop the greatest amount of force in the least amount of time. Whether its in catch play, command work, or pulldowns, a leather weighted baseball set that more closely mimics the feel of a competition ball elevates your training. Previous studies by van den Tillaar and Ettema (2004, 2007) showed that the internal rotation of the shoulder and elbow extension were the main contributors for the maximal ball-velocity at release. Keep the same ratio when using light weighted balls(2:1). So does that mean I am encouraging every throwing athlete to go out today, purchase as set of weighted balls, find a football field and start chucking? Although the increases in testing velocity were constant throughout the study, the final test was conducted after a 24-day quarter break. If players desire to try weighted ball throwing, caution should be taken, especially by youth baseball players, before using weighted balls. A warm-up was provided with a regulation baseball; five repetitions were thrown with their respective overload at moderate speed, followed by 20 reps at max. Programs covering the basics of: All with complementary strength programming. On baseball's biggest stage, one of its best pitchers broke out one of its most controversial training methods. Authors: C, DeRenne; R, Tracy; P Dunn-Rankin 1985. For physically mature athletes, weighted ball training has several benefits including improved mechanics, velocity and command but improved arm fitness is the most obvious.. The timing of the maximal elbow-extension velocity changed significantly as well as the timing of the maximal external-rotation angle of the shoulder. to improve your pitching velocity. Ten of the eleven studies showed an increase in velocity using both over- and underweight balls. An examination of the data found a significant, negative relationship between force and maximal-ball velocity, as well as between ball weight and maximal-ball velocity. ), 20 max effort throws (10 oz. Van den Tillaar, Roland; Ettema, Gertjan 2011. specific resistance training with an overload of force. The underload and overload baseballs in this study only changed in weight by one-quarter of an ounce, from 4-6 ounces. Weighted & Specialty Balls for your Baseball & Softball Training Needs from Markwort Sporting Goods Company. Biomechanical Analysis of Weighted Ball Exercises for Baseball Pitchers Fleisig (unpublished) • 25 High School and Collegiate Pitchers • Used 4,5,6,7 oz balls from mound and flat ground. The wall-pulley group had a resistance tension of 10 lbs, whereas the control group followed the same procedure, but threw regulation baseballs instead of overload ones. Aroldis Chapman, he of the 105-mph fastball, was seen throwing off the mound in the Cubs' bullpen prior to each of his World Series appearances with -- insert audible gasp here -- a 10-ounce weighted ball. For more details on the research of weighted baseballs, click here. This collection's weighted baseball weights range from 8 oz. However, Soviet-science research on over/underweight implements provides a great hypothesis: With underweight training the arm will move at higher speeds with less muscle force generated. It's not a new thing for Chapman. Yet, there are people in the baseball training industry selling weighted baseball programs (with balls heavier than 5oz) to coach/parents of middle school and youth pitchers. Effects of Throwing Overweight and Underweight Baseballs on Throwing Velocity and Accuracy, Authors: Escamillia, RF; Speer, KP; Flesig, GS; Barrentine, SW; Andrews, JR 2000. Internal rotation of the shoulder (63%) and elbow extension (32%) were found to be the main contributors to total ball velocity at release. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Price and other details may vary based on size and color. Alternative workouts may have also been conducted, either lifting or other baseball work, which may have affected the results. The VST group warmed up with a regulation baseball,played catch for 5-10 minutes, and long tossed, up to 150 feet, with the specific underload ball for 5-10 minutes. GoSports 2.8" Weighted Training Baseballs | Hitting & Pitching Training for All Skill Levels | Improve P… How are weighted baseballs incorporated? Group 1 pitched with a heavy, light and standard baseball 3 days a week for 10 weeks. According to the research, the best results come from using BOTH light weighted and heavy weighted balls. in combination with underload baseballs (4 ounces, 3 ounces, etc.) Higher weighted balls may lead to injury when attempting to make the catch. They then performed 15 throws with the weighted ball, 20 with the regulation ball, 10 with same weighted ball, and 10 with the regular ball. While these are not always higher or more dangerous than throwing a normal 5 oz. This means that the heavier the ball weight, the lower velocities that were seen. However, little is known about the physical effects or safety of these programs. The Weighted Training Balls make sure that you are performing the proper follow through on your batting and throwing technique. A Force-Velocity Relationship and Coordination Patterns in Overarm Throwing, Authors: van Den Tillaar, Roland; Ettema, Gertjan 2004. Weighted baseballs are 9" circumference with varying … All participants were instructed to make each throw for each drill at maximum effort. Fitness can be described with a variety of words – strength, endurance, or conditioning. We do all our weighted ball drills into a tarp/net from about 6-8 feet away. Training studies with overweight balls gave conflicting results. Motor-learning research shows training small variations of a movement results in faster learning rather than repeating the same skill. The pitchers then threw a 15-minute bullpen at half to three-quarter speed. What is the Countermovement Jump (CMJ) Test? In short, here are the facts on what they can be used for: – Using baseballs from 4-7 ounces can show an increase in velocity. (b) specific resistance training with an overload of force. As many “studies” within the baseball industry have already claimed/alluded/stated. This study had 32 individuals complete either a control (20 athletes) or weighted-ball (12) throwing program. You get an 8-week weighted ball eBook and one email each Sunday with the best of our research. Overload training causes the arm to move at a slower speed but with greater muscle force. This is a large review of how different training studies affect velocity. This resulted in 25 weighted-ball throws and 30 regulation throws. What is the Squat Jump Test and why use it? After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. How Weighted Ball Training Affects the Body. They also noted that the athletes were verbally told to emphasize throwing velocity, but the athletes also knew that their accuracy was being tracked. We don’t start throwing weighted baseballs until we’ve built guys up on their long tossing and the arm is 100% ready. The programming was done individually, but the researchers did not have a role in how athletes were programmed. Throwing Partner Baseball quantity Add to cart SKU: TPB - WB Category: Baseball Training Aids Tags: Baseball , Pitching Aid , Rope , Throwing Aid , Throwing Partner , Training Aid Authors: DeRenne, Coop; Szymanski, David 2009. The overall injury rate was 24% in the weighted ball group (4/17, as two members were removed for non-throwing injuries). Four out of five studies found that training or warming-up with an overweight baseball produced an increase in the velocity of the baseball. Dr. Fleisig examined the biomechanical effect of throwing weighted baseballs in a group of high school and college pitchers. Absolutely not! The researchers found that both the overload and underload groups made significant gains in velocity. The overload group began each day by warming up for 15 minutes with a heavy ball, playing catch, and long tossing (to 150 feet) for a 15-minute period. The weighted baseball group performed a 6-week weighted ball throwing program in January and February of the baseball offseason. It was also seen that the heavier the ball weight, the more time it took before release. Ten high-school pitchers took part in this study, all between ages of 16 and 18. Starting with the light ball and increasing weight and resistance to the heavy ball. 2. Maximal external rotation of the shoulder occurred closer to ball release when throwing the light ball when specifically compared to the other balls. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Weighted balls will improve your throwing velocity. The subjects in the weighted-ball group used balls weighting 2-, 4-, 5-, 16-,and 32-ounces, and they performed Half-Kneeling Throws, Rocker Throws, and Run and Guns. Whether you are a pitcher, infielder, or outfielder, having an extra mph behind each throw will improve your game. Weighted training baseballs come in singles and multipacks. Selected from the varsity and junior-varsity teams at Michigan state, 5 pitchers were assessed as needing gains in throwing velocity. ). This study reviewed a number of weighted-ball studies and how different training protocols affected velocity and accuracy. A CleanFuego Overweight (8oz), which also replicates the dimensions of a baseball, was created so players could easily work it into their weighted ball training programs. This supports the notion that weighted baseballs improve velocity by training internal rotation and elbow extension. Maximal internal-rotation of the shoulder occurred at ball release and maximal extension of the elbow occurred on average 0.01 seconds before ball release. Fleisig concluded that throwing slightly underweight and overweight baseballs is not only a reasonable exercise for baseball pitchers, but also that the variation from the normal routine of throwing a 5-ounce ball serves to increase awareness in the nerves and muscles and can make a pitcher more effective when he returns to the standard baseball. Both groups saw significant in-group increases in throwing velocity as a result of the training, with no significant change in accuracy. The velocities of both groups were low for high-school athletes (69.1 ->69.8 / 66.9 ->69.1), and although the programming started off lighter compared to the final week, it still consisted of three high-intent days a week. However, Soviet-science research on over/underweight implements provides a great hypothesis: With underweight training the arm will move at higher speeds with less muscle force generated. It was also found that there were no changes in the relative timing of the different joints, suggesting that the overall coordination pattern of throwing is independent of ball weight. Throw … The findings also have low statistical power, in part because of the small sample size. This is the study to start with if you are interested in learning about weighted baseballs and weighted-bat training. This study randomly placed 21 baseball pitchers into three equal-sized groups. Oversize training balls from Diamond, Mirage and the SKLZ Heavy Hitting trainer ball. The 6-week program was developed to be similar, if not more conservative, than commonly marketed weighted baseball velocity programs available programs for baseball pitchers. A general conditioning program was offered to improve the athletes’ motor fitness before the experiment started. This study examined different joint movements during a throw in experienced female handball players. The training program consisted of increasingly longer bullpens. Maximal angles, angles at ball release, and maximal angular velocities of the joint and their timings were analyzed during the throw. Weighted baseball throwing has become a major component of many elite high school, college and professional pitchers' throwing programs. This is a great complement to the decades of research in support of weighted-implement training in Track and Field. Research suggests to throw 2 heavy weighted ball pitches for every 1 regular weighted ball pitch. Total Control Balls available in regular, pro, hole, and mini hole balls. When a pitcher has poor arm-related “fitness,” it generally means his tissue has a low injury threshold. Over- and under-weighted-ball training can be seen as a form of “speed-strength” or “power” training for the arm. A great way to improve throwing velocity is through the use of over and underweight balls. HEAVY BASEBALL TRAINING BALLS – WEIGHTED BASEBALLS FOR THROWING. Kinematic – branch of mechanics that describes the motion of points using math and geometry to figure the velocity or acceleration of various points of the body, in this case of a pitcher, Authors: DeRenne, Coop; Buxton, Barton P; Hetzler, Ronald K; Ho, Kwok W 1994. The participants had three days of throwing for six weeks. Overload balls … Ankle Weights – Ankle weights can effectively isolate the lower leg work in the throwing/pitching … Markwort Weighted Baseball Throw Strength Accuracy Training 9" Ball New MARKWWTS $12.99 Champro Control Flight Baseball / Softball Training Ball 10" (NEW) Lists @ $10 Training With Weighted Balls to Improve Throwing Velocity. We performed a 6-week weighted ball training program with high school baseball pitchers. The exact mechanism on how weighted baseballs increase velocity is unknown. This suggests that both a combined or blocked approach to programming may be effective in increasing velocity, which means athletes could potentially choose the programming they wish. Our selection includes 9″ weighted baseballs, 11″ and 12″ individual weighted softballs, also available in light or heavy weighted softball sets. Throwing velocity was measured using Dekan Performance Analyzer, and the mean throwing velocity increased from 112.3 feet per second to 128.7 feet per second. Elbow extension preceded the onset of the internal shoulder rotation. There is a longer write up on this study that you can find, Effect of Baseball Weighted Implement Training: a Brief Review, Effects of Under- and Overweighted implement training on pitching velocity, The Effects of a Baseball Throwing Velocity Improvement Program on Shoulder Range of Motion, Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) Strength Testing. The idea is to use overload baseballs (6 ounces, 7 ounces, etc.) No study found that accuracy was improved by using heavier baseballs in training.