Over the last 10 years our game has evolved tremendously. We’re not too far removed from a time where simply lifting weights was believed to be “bad” for a pitcher. Now we’re seeing velocities continue to climb, workout strategies have evolved and there’s no signs of slowing down.
My journey, dating back 15-plus years ago, revolved around playing extreme long toss and working out with the football team. These strategies were the norm of the time we lived in but yielded some personal success that I'm thankful for. Looking back, my process was far from perfect and there are many things I would do differently, if given the chance.
If I was a pitcher in todays game I would have a few key checkpoints I would look to accomplish in a very step-by-step order. These things, in my opinion, help support growth for pitchers while setting them up for sustained and long term success. That’s probably the most important factor within this entire article; sustained success. A type of success that isn't just about the 'here and now', but about building habits that will produce success at the next level.
The long toss and "football-lifting" route I mentioned before will certainly provide gains and at certain points in a pitcher’s career that may be a viable option. However, eventually training pitchers becomes a little more niche specific. From my experience, the best pitchers are rarely the strongest pitchers in the weight room at the highest levels. All of these things are in consideration when I look back on my experience.
Everyone is unique, but the larger building blocks are usually identical from pitcher to pitcher. This desired, sustained success comes from a disciplined and intentional development plan with a discipline to execute it day-in and day-out.
The checkpoints I would look to execute would be in this exact order:
The foundation is extremely important and can never be overlooked. These bullet points are most applicable to players age 10-16 years old OR reaching the mid 80's with their fastball velocity, whichever comes first.
Especially as a young athlete matures and experiences puberty, their body will change dramatically. It's important to not rush through this and to not get bored dominating the basics. However, once you feel its appropriate, getting a high level assessment to get an understanding of how your body is working to deliver the pitch can give you insights into the best and most efficient ways to train.
The data age we live in typically uses this data as an evaluation tool. Scouts and recruiters view the data and use it as a decision making tool to evaluate the player. Our goal at PPP, is to help athletes collect this data and use it as a development tool. To do this, it takes a knowledgable and experienced eye to not only read the data but decipher what it means for you and what kind of direction it would have you take.
This is one of those things I look at and think, “Man, I wish I had this when I was younger.”
Our assessment process at Premier Pitching involves an evaluation of every area that is critical for producing velocity, improving command and minimizing the risk of injury. To view this process visit premierpitching.com. There, you can also schedule a call to learn more with one of our player development staff members or go ahead and book your assessment.
Once you've gained your basic understand of mechanics and the weight room, it's time to dial it in using the technology we have at our disposal. Access to this information has been distributed much wider across the game and if you're not doing it, your competition probably is.
Hope this helps.
- Brett graves. Owner/President of Premier Pitching