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Question
I'm a 5'11"; 126 lbs. 14 year old. I throw 70 mph, but I feel I can throw
)
harder. I had 69 k's in 7 games this year. But our season is shorter than usual
in Alaska. I have good control and can hit corners. My curveball is not too fast
but I have been working on it. I'm curious about my arm, because kids that
are bigger than me by about 40 lbs. throw slower than me. I am also
wondering how I can get my velocity up year-by-year during the winter.
Thank you for reading my story.
Brad
Hi Brad,
Sounds like you had a pretty good season. I also read the description on your picture about being hit by a line drive. Hope you are ok? It is not to fun to get a line drive right back at you, but it is part of the game.
Now, to your questions. First, you were surprised that you threw harder than some other kids that are bigger than you. This can happen for a number of reasons so I would not be too surprised by it. Think about a player like Pedro Martinez who is 5 ft 11 inches and weights 190 pounds, but he can throw in the upper 90s. The point I am making here is that although bigger and taller kids do normally tend to throw harder, this is not always the case. Sometimes speed does come in smaller packages.
For your second question on how to increase your pitching speed, I have a few suggestions.
1. Start a weight training program specifically for pitchers. Tom House has a number of books that have programs in them. I personally used one and saw my own fastball increase 5 to 10 mph.
2. Implement plyometric training into your routine.
In this area, I would suggest using weighted baseballs. These baseballs are slightly lighter and heavier than a regular baseball and when they are used, you will create a faster reaction time in your fast twitch muscles which will give you more velocity. However, recognize that all plyometric exercises must be done with care as there is a higher risk of injury than regular weight training because of more stress on your muscles.
3. Get some pitching lessons from a professional baseball instructor.
A good instructor can help remove rough spots in your pitching motion which can help add speed, better balance, and control to your pitching. Try to get one with experience teaching high school, college and professional kids and has a good reputation, this will make it far more likely you will get a lot of the lessons.
4. Implement a jogging routine.
This will be more helpful in giving your more stamina during your pitching, but can help you keep a good fastball late into games without seeing any serious drop off. I suggest trying to jog about 2-3 miles, 3-5 times a week.
5. Start doing long toss routines.
Throwing long toss can help you strengthen your arm and allow you get some velocity gains. This may or may not be a challenge in Alaska during the winter because of the potential for more rains. One way you can get around this is to use dimple baseballs or other balls that can stand get wet.
This should be more than enough to get your started. I would also suggest you starting soaking up all the baseball pitching knowledge you can find. Buy videos, rent baseball training books from the library, join select baseball teams, visit baseball training websites like my own, etc. Access to this information can help improve your baseball iq and give you additional tips you can use to make your game even better.
Best,
Jack Elliott
http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com
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Baseball Instruction
Answers by Expert:
Jack Elliott
Expertise
I can answer all baseball training related questions. In particular, questions on hitting, pitching, instruction, strategy, and choosing the right equipment.
Experience
I am former baseball player and fan of the game of baseball. I have played in high school and college and participated in MLB tryouts. My total years of baseball experience covers some 20 years.
Publications
www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com
Education/Credentials
BBA and JD
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