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Does Increasing Arm Strength Increase Velocity?

March 25, 2011

Arm StrengthBasic physics teaches us that to throw a ball at your top velocity you must use more than just your arm. You must use the entire kinetic chain, along with every muscle group that will help you reach your top velocity. There are countless articles on this site on how to use more of your body to increase velocity and there is also the revolutionary pitching velocity program called 3X Pitching to coach and train you how to pitch with your total body and increase velocity from 5-10 mph. Outside of this information lets go into more detail on arm strength and velocity.

Arm Strength and Velocity

To answer the question, YES, more arm strength will increase velocity but it could prevent you from reaching your potential top velocity. The arm muscles that are responsible for generating arm velocity is the Pectoralis major, Subscapularis, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor and Latissimus dorsi. Technically these are not arm muscles because they are more apart of the shoulder, but these muscles are responsible for moving the arm. This is one of the problems with using the phrase “arm strength” when talking about throwing velocity. Read more

Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles | 6 Comments 

Elastic Energy = Pitch Velocity

August 26, 2009

NomoI have already made the argument that the body generates the velocity of the pitch and not the arm. This article will continue to prove this point and give the pitcher a better understanding of how velocity is generated.

Dr. Jobe FW, Dr. Tibone JE, Dr. Perry J, Dr. Moynes D performed a case study called An EMG Analysis Of The Pitching Shoulder. This study is the proof that the accelerator muscles in the arm do not fire when the arm is moving forward. Which means the arm muscles do not activate to generate the velocity of the pitch. Here is a summary of the study. Read more

Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles | 9 Comments