Expert: Willie Ansley Jr. - 7/16/2009

Question
Hi Willie,

I have searched this message board about the "Lomg Toss".
The problem is that i have read to many different explanations on how to play the long toss.

In our little organisation we only play throw and catch just to warm up. From the little kids to the adults no one plays long toss. As i see it this way we will never strengthen our arms and we will never be able to rise out of the level of play we have played for years.

I want that every team (even the youngest ones) trade in the throw and catch sessions (5 minutes) for the Long Toss session (10 - 12 minues).
Most teams train once a week and some train twice a week, and in the weekend we play one game (some playes play doubles). This way every player can play long toss twice every week, some will do it three times and a few even four times.

Long Toss helps to strenghten our arms.

Like i said, i have read to many explanations, some say to start at 90 feet and make big jumps of 90 feet to go to your maximum. Others talk about starting at 60 feet and they will never exceed 120 feet.
In my ears the 90 feet and working up to your maximum sounds the most logic one, because than you force yourself to screw up your boundaries.

Anyway i have cum up with a schedule and i hope you can give me your thoughts on this.

Long Toss
Begin at 90 feet, first 3 a 4 throws with an arch just working on mechanics and getting adjusted to the distance, after that 6 or 7 more throws with more and more power chest high, wright on target.

Now we move back 50 feet (distance is now 140 feet) and we repeat the same steps as the first distance.

Again we move another 50 feet back (distance is now 190 feet) and again we repeat the same steps, first 3 a 4 throws with an arch just working on mechanics and getting adjusted to the distance, after that 6 or 7 more throws with more and more power chest high, wright on target.

Again we move back 50 feet (distance is now 240 feet), we are approaching our maximum distance now to make firm throws on target.
Also this time we make 3 or 4 throws with an arch just working on mechanics and getting adjusted to the distance. However this we don't do 6 or 7 firm powerfull throws, this time we do 16 or 17 firm hard throws, making a total of 20 throws at this long(est) distance.

Now we have reached our maximum (240 feet) we start moving in 50 feet (distance is 190 feet now) and we repeat the steps as we started, 3 or 4 relaxed throws followed by 6 or 7 firm powerfull throws chest high.

Again we move 50 feet in (we are now at 140 feet) and again we repeat the same steps.

Now the final step we move again 50 feet in and we are back at our starting distance of 90 feet. We make 3 or 4 relaxed throws, only this time we finish with making 10 firm hard throws chest high.

In this session we would have thrown some 85 throws (25 relaxed and 60 hard)

I would like to add that in this session the hardest throws would be like 85 to 90 percent. By trying going for 100 percent is waiting for an injury.

Can you please comment on this.


Many thanks,

Tino

Answer
I think you need to worry more about time than the distance. They need to throw at least 20 minutes.Make it a habit to have them throw this every practice. I am not going to say what distance they should start at but if you have all the age groups move back 5 or 10 ft every 3 minutes and work there way back in I beleive you will strengthen thier arms and help avoid injury. I dont think there should be throws made where they lob the ball.They should try to throw the ball on a line at all times. Even if that means one hoping the ball.I have done this with my teams and we have reduced arm injuries to almost zero.The more your guys throw the stronger there arms will get.