Topvelocity.net» workout

The Mental Game to Pitching Velocity

Brent Pourciau — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:53:45 +0000

Increasing pitching velocity is as much a mental game as it is a physical game. The mental approach to 3X pitching comes first with a high level of commitment to your success. There are only a few pitchers who are willing to make this commitment. This is why it is important that you get your mental game in order before your physical game begins.

Pitching in the big leagues is a dream. Preparing to pitch in the big leagues is a nightmare” – Nolan Ryan

This is a quote from one of the greatest pitchers of all time, telling you that to work towards your goals and dreams, in this game, is a nightmare. This means if you do not prepare for this nightmare then you will more than likely never meet your goals or dreams.

The Mental Bullets to Pitching Velocity

The 3X Pitching Velocity program is not the work ethic, it is the workout. This means, it is the nightmare, not the dream. It was developed to launch you towards your dreams.

PLEASE STOP HERE AND READ THIS TOP LINE AGAIN. Most pitchers, who find this site, get the 3X program and believe that somehow this program is going to be the dream. They then become disappointed when they learn it is actually the nightmare to the dream. I will be the first to tell you, you will never find the dream in a program or anything else you can purchase. So stop searching for it. It doesn’t exist! You have to earn it. This is what makes it a dream. If you could purchase the dream then it would cease to exist as a dream. You have to have the nightmare to get to the dream. This is called life! You need to accept this and then make the decision to either live your life chasing your dreams or actually capturing them. If you just want to chase them then keep surfing the web but if you want to actually capture your dreams then here are the bullets to prepare yourself for the nightmare or the 3X Pitching Velocity program.

If you can make a vow to live strictly by these bullet points here, for the next 16 weeks of the 3X program and then look back to this moment of your life, you will not even recognize the person you are today. This is what it takes to capture your dreams.

Let yourself out of your comfort zone!
Don’t be afraid to learn new things!
Push your limits!
Take the time necessary to achieve your goals!
Work on your weaknesses as much as your strengths!
Don’t go on vacations!
Don’t give yourself rewards until you reach your goals!
Never let yourself get comfortable!
Don’t cut corners, ever!
Do one more set or rep, always!
Let your body rest and recovery!
Do it, but don’t over do it!
Shoot for the stars!
See yourself living the dream!
Motivate yourself everyday!
Love the grind!
Never quit!
Listen to your body!
Have faith in something greater than you!
Battle yourself and win!
Live, breathe, eat, sleep, drink, think, do, baseball!

Now I want you to say these statement below out loud, if you can.

There are no free lunches, ever!

There are no short cuts to your dreams, ever!

There are no exceptions to the rules, ever!

Quiting is not and option!

I also want you to ask yourself, if this was a do or die situation then what would you do? This always reminds me of a great song by Tim McGraw called, “Live like you were dying.” This is ironic because the song is about his father Tug McGraw (see picture above), who was a Major League Pitcher, who died of a brain tumor. It is a great song, you need to read the lyics!

Just like in a marriage, you need to celebrate a very significant moment in your life, as a moment that is forever going to be looked on as a milestone. You need to state your vows like these bullet points above and never break them, or you will divorce yourself from your dreams, forever. If you are willing to take your pitching career as serious as your marriage to a life long relationship with a significant other, then just imagine what you could do with your career. You just actually might live the dream of a professional or Major League Pitcher, one day!

Baseball Workouts to Make You Bigger, Stronger, Faster

Brent Pourciau — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:46:38 +0000

In the game of baseball, all skills require small muscle groups moving big muscle groups. This means you must use a strength and conditioning program that not only develops you to become Bigger, Stronger, Faster but it builds joint integrity as well. Most training programs neglect either the effectiveness of training the big muscle groups and only isolates the small muscle groups and vice verse. A training program that is built around both muscle groups is far superior to the others.

It is important to also make sure that you are educated in the mechanics of the lifts. The Olympic lifts are some of the most powerful lifts in the weight room to training the athlete to grow Bigger, Stronger, Faster. These lifts though are as intricate as learn proper throwing or hitting mechanics. You must spend as much time learning these lifting mechanics as you spend learning your throwing or hitting mechanics. This would mean you need a program that comes with a trainer who is educated enough to coach these lifts or a training video that will replace the trainer. You will find some great training videos below along with the baseball training programs.

What to look for in a effective baseball workout?

Olympic Lifts
Plyometric training
Medicine Ball training
Joint Integrity training
Anaerobic training
8 Week Cycle which includes a: base week, volumn week, recovery week and performance week.
Repititions based on one rep max percentages per lift.
Days off per week for full recovery.

If you like what you are reading here then I highly recommend that you purchase the Baseball Training Manual below. It is made up of the popular Fusion System. This is a Bigger, Stronger, Faster approach to training the baseball player. This program is ideal for all position players including pitchers. If you are a pitcher, I highly recommend that you purchase the 3X Pitching Velocity Program because this includes everything you will need to implement the benefits of this superior training program into your pitching mechanics.

If you would like a taste of what this type of training is all about before you purchase the Baseball Workout then check out the Beginner Baseball Workout.

If you are ready for the real deal then step up to the plate and take your game to a whole new level with the Baseball Training Manual.

Pitching Supplements for Recovery

Brent Pourciau — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:34:39 +0000

Recovery can be a pitchers worst enemy or his best friend. If a pitcher is able to recovery faster than the average athlete then he has a significant advantage. The benefits to faster muscle recovery after a workout or game is reduced muscle fatigue which leads to higher velocity and more pitches thrown. Another big benefit is less chance of injury. Therefore the more quickly you can reach full recovery after a performance has a major effect on your success as a pitcher. This is why supplements have become a major part of sports today!

The remedies of today for muscle recovery are continuously improving. There are always new supplements coming out on the market that claim to improve recovery. The hard part is determining the ones that actually work without wasting a lot of time and money. I have put together a list of products and links to purchase these products at amazon.com. This way I will save you time and money. These are products that I used in my career which helped me not only overcome a career ending injury but to reach my velocity goals of 94mph. I am not claiming that these products will do this for you but they will definitely help.

Pitching Recovery Supplements

All of these products are remedies for muscle fatigue and more. The first two products help you remove the acid from your body post workout or game and the last two help you rebuild or replenish your system.

Apple Cider Vinegar – Poor this into a glass of water and drink it everyday. Especially after a workout or game. This will prevent muscle fatigue after exercise and support a health immune system. It also supports an alkaline diet.

Alka-Seltzer – Take this immediately after a workout or a game. This will help alkaline your body and speed the recovery process. This has aspirin so DO NOT exceed the recommended dosage.

Honey – Researches have proved that carbohydrates and proteins help to recover muscle after energetic weight training. The latest research proves that honey can generate the best effect among lots of carbohydrate.

Amino Acids – Amino Acids are the building blocks of your muscles. This means in recovery you need to provide your body with these blocks for it to rebuild.

FAQ MLB Tryout Camps

Brent Pourciau — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:18:36 +0000

Frequently Asked Questions About MLB Open Tryout Camps.

*Note: The information below comes from Major League Baseball at MLB.com. Please read the frequently asked questions below before posting a comment or sending us an email.

Q. “Who is in charge of your tryout camps?”

A. Territorial scouts from the Major League Scouting Bureau sponsor the tryouts. They work for Major League Baseball and all 30 major league organizations.

Q. “Are there any age requirements as to who can tryout?”

A. All players must be at least 16 years old to participate.

Q. “What should I bring to the camp?”

A. Bring gear that you would practice or play a game in. (Hat, cleats, glove, baseball pants). Bats and balls are provided at the workout. Catchers may want to use their own catching gear.

Q. “Is there any cost involved to tryout?”

A. The tryouts are free of charge. Transportation costs are those of the participant.

Q. “I’m a center fielder and a pitcher. Can I tryout at both positions?”

A. No, a participant will be asked to choose their best position.

Q. “Can I go to other MLSB Open Tryout Camps?”

A. Yes, participants can attend as many of the tryouts as they wish.

Q. “Do I have to register for the camps?”

A. Registration cards will be passed out prior to the beginning of each camp to identify each participant.

Q. “Who watches the players at these camps?”

A. All thirty major league baseball organizations are invited to the tryouts.

Q. “If a team is interested in me after seeing the tryout, can they sign me to a professional contract on the spot?”

A. No, the tryout camp must be finished and the participant cannot sign until he leaves the facility.

Q. “What are the chances of a baseball player signing a contract out of a MLSB Tryout?”

A. About 1 out of 1,000. This is a rough estimate made by TopVelocity.net

If you have any questions that you would like to add to this MLB FAQ, please post your questions below.

DO NOT GO TO THE CONTACT PAGE AND SEND AN EMAIL OF YOUR QUESTION.

If you would like more information on what to expect at a MLB Tryout then read this article on MLB Tryout 101. It is important to be prepared before attending the event. The MLSB runs every tryout the same and you will look stupid if you do not know what is going on.

Boost Your Testosterone and Growth Hormone Levels Naturally

Brent Pourciau — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:08:40 +0000

Using illegal steroids and growth hormone (GH) injections to increase your levels of testosterone and GH, has more bad side effects than positive returns. This is why I speak against these illegal drugs. Through proper strength and conditioning, an athlete can naturally stimulate their bodies testosterone and GH levels. The reason for athletes increasing these levels is to grow bigger, stronger, faster, which means your body is healing faster than it is breaking down. This is very beneficial for pitchers, because quicker recovery between appearances, will result in more velocity, better consistency and less chance of injury. This is why the Michell Report was full of professional pitchers using these illegal substances. These pro pitchers were looking for the hormonal edge but going at it in the wrong direction. Thank you to the strength and conditioning world, we have now learned that the hormonal edge can be obtained naturally, through a proper strength and conditioning program.

I am not talking about hormone levels like body builders talk about hormone levels. I am speaking for athletes who are always looking to grow more athletic. Your hormone levels are a major component to your athletic ability, so it is essential that you learn about your Endocrine System. The chart below comes from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. This chart describes how to manipulate your hormone levels naturally to gain athletic benefits.

How Can Athletes Manipulate the Endocrine System with Resistance Training?

General Concepts

The more muscle fibers recruited for an exercise, the greater the extent of potential remodeling process in the whole muscle.
Only muscle fibers activated by resistance training are subject to adaptation, including hormonal adaptations to stress.

To Increase Serum Testosterone Concentrations

Serum testosterone concentrations have been shown to increase by using these methods independently or in various combinations.

Large muscle group exercises (e.g., deadlift, power clean, squats)
Heavy resistance (85% to 95% of 1RM)
Moderate to high volume of exercise, achieved with multiple sets or multiple exercises
Short rest intervals (30-60 seconds)

To Increase Growth Hormone Levels

Growth hormone levels have been shown to increase by using either of these methods or both in combination.

Use workouts with higher lactate concentrations and associated acid-base disruptions; that is, use high intensity (10RM, or heavy resistance) with three sets of each exercise (high total work) and short (1-minute) rest periods.
Supplement diet with carbohydrate and protein before and after workouts.

To Optimize Responses of Adrenal Hormones

Use high volume, large muscle groups, and short rest periods, but vary the training protocol and the rest period length and volume to allow the adrenal gland to engage in recovery processes (secreting less cortisol) and to prevent chronic catabolic responses of cortisol. This way the stress of the exercises will not result in overuse or over training.

What this chart teaches us athletes is that performing lifts that recruit major muscle groups and as many muscle fibers as possible, will cause more muscle fiber damage overall. In return the body is forced to heal this massiveÃ‚Â event of controlled muscle damage as quickly as possible, to prevent damage from continuing. The body then sends out and army of natural occurring anabolic hormones to heal up the damaged muscle fibers.To make sure this event doesn’t continue, the body builds more muscle fibers for future events.

The difference in training muscles without recruiting as many groups of muscle fibers per repetition, like with aerobic conditioning or light weight training, is the body dumps only a small about of testosterone and GH to heal the small amount of damage. This is why body builders are bigger and more powerful than long distance runners.

To take advantage of this new information, it is important that you train smart. Training smart is not going one extreme to the other. So DO NOT take off with this new information and start throwing on weight that you can’t handle and perform 1-2 reps a set. That is unsafe. Just like pitching everything must be controlled and you must make small adjustments for a healthy career. This information should motivate you to start working for quality lifts instead of quantity. Another important piece of advice is not to take this mentality of bigger, stronger, faster into the weight room while in season. This is an off season mentality only.

Can Working Out Increase Pitching Velocity?

Brent Pourciau — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:57:41 +0000

I have heard many players and coaches say that working out will not increase pitching velocity. I have even heard them say that it will hurt the pitcher. I understand that this is many parents, coaches and players converns because it seems to be conventional wisdom but I will be the first to tell you that if you just do your research you will learn otherwise. It will also prove to you that those who are spreading these rumors about working out and pitching have not done their research.

When someone tells me that working out is bad for pitching I then ask them then why is about 70% of Major League Ball Players on Steroids or Human Growth Hormone? It isn’t because they just want to look good on TV. I then ask them why was the majority of the ball players listed on the Michell Report pitchers? I always get a few stutters followed by silence.

This does make a good point so I wanted to back up this claims with the list of pitchers who are on the Mitchell Report. It definitly does make a big statement. These pitchers where suspended for using steroids or HGH.

Agusten Montero
Juan Rincen
Rafael Betancourt
Ryan Franklin
Carlos Almanzar
Felix Heredia
Yusaku Iriki
Jason Grimsley
Guillermo Mota
Juan Salas
Clay Hensley
Grant Roberts
Matt Whiteside
Nerio Rodreguez
Henry Owens
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Kevin Brown
Jason Christiansen
Brendan Donnelly
Ryan Franklin
Eric Gagne
Matt Herges
Josias Manzanillo
Kent Mercker
Bart Miadich
Denny Neagle
Jim Parque
Stephen Randolph
Mike Stanton
Ron Villone
Jeff Williams
Todd Williams
Paul Byrd
Darren Holmes
John Rocker
Scott Schoeneweis
Ismael Valdez
Steve Woodard
Daniel Naulty
Ricky Bones
Paxton Crawford
Mike Judd
Ricky Stone

Believe me this is a short list. Think of all the Pitchers who didn’t make the list who are on these performance enhancers. If you need a reference to this information here are the links to the Mitchell report and all Pitchers suspended after the report came out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_named_in_the_Mitchell_Report

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_suspended_for_performance-enhancing_drugs

I mean honestly, how could someone truly believe that strength and conditioning will not improve your velocity or speed? This is the only reason athletes take performance enhancers like steroids and HGH. Those of us in pro sports who didn’t take them where definitely tempted. We all knew that if you took human growth hormone, Deca-Durabolin, Winstrol, Sustanon, and Anadrol separately or all together before a workout, without dying, after a few months you would be throwing a lot harder. Notice I said dying. Yes, we knew it was dangerous and that is why some of us didn’t take it. Also because the league wasn’t offering us “No Namers” millions of dollars to play better.

It is just absurd to say that strength and conditioning does not increase velocity. It is even more absurd to follow that with “Only pitching mechanics improvement can do that while using mental rehearsal prior to each pitch with the intention of moving the body faster.” If your body is growing stronger, will it not have more ability to move faster? If strength and conditioning didn’t increase pitching velocity, personally I would have never played ball again after my rotator cuff surgery.

I am in NO way promoting steroid or HGH use to increase velocity. I believe this to be more destructive than helpful in the long term. This is why I recommend the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. This is the same program I used to not only make it back to baseball after a career ending rotator cuff tear but also play pro ball and top out at 94mph.

Read my article on “Olympic Lifting Increases Pitching Velocity,” to learn more about this topic.

Baseball Pitching Workout – Beginner

Brent Pourciau — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:54:31 +0000

This is an excellent beginner workout. It focuses on training the body as a single unit. All these lifts support the development of Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers which will make you more explosive as an athlete. This workout was developed for pitchers but recommend for all positions. When starting this beginner program for the first time, make sure you keep your lifting weight down. Use the bar to start and once you gain confidence in your lifts, you can begin to add weight and use the percentages listed. Select the images below the workout of the lifts to view the instructional video. You can also view the Coach Gayle Hatch instructional videos here: Coach Hatch Videos to learn the lifts. Coach Gayle Hatch is a legend in the sports training world. He is most know as the 2004 USA Olympic Lifting Coach and was just named the World Coach for 2009. Some of the lifts do not have instructional videos. Search the web for exercises that would fill the role.

This is only a beginner training program. It does not included any joint integrity training, medicine ball training or anaerobic conditioning. To learn a more advanced training program, which includes everything you need to know to increase your athletic performance as a pitcher or position player, check out the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. It is highly recommended!

Monday
Dynamic Warm-up
Bar warm-up
Hang clean	5×60%	5×65%	5×65%	5×70%
Front Squat	10×60%	8×65%	6×70%
RDL	5×25%	5×25%	5×25%
Core Routine

Tuesday
Dynamic Warm-up
Shoulder Routine
3 board bench or Push Ups	10×60%	10×65%	8X70%	8×70%
Pull-up	10x	10x	10x	10x
Forearm Routine

Thursday
Dynamic Warm-up
Bar warm-up
Power Clean	5×60%	5×62%	5×65%	3×70%
Pavel Squat/Towel Ham Slide	8x	8x	8x	8x
Core Routine

Friday
Dynamic Warm-up
Shoulder Routine
Stability Ball Dumb Bell Bench	10×60%	10×65%	8×70%	8×70%
Low Row	10x	10x	10x	10x
Forearm Routine

Title: Hang Clean
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Title: Dynamic Warm Up
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Title: Pavel Squat/Towel Ham Slide
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Title: Barbell Warm-Up - Top Velocity Pitching Workouts
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Title: 3 Board Bench Press - Top Velocity Pitching Workouts
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Title: Front Squat - Top Velocity Pitching Workouts
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Title: RDL - Top Velocity Pitching Workouts
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Title: Fat Grip Pullup
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Title: Core Routine - TopVelocity.net
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Title: Stability Ball Dumb Bell Bench
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The Pitching Workout for the Athlete

Brent Pourciau — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:06:52 +0000

There are NOT many pitching workouts out there made for the athlete. This is why most of them or ineffective. The reason they are ineffective is because they do not train athletic performance. I am not a certified trainer but I have spent the past 15 years learning from some of the best in the business. I have also tried just about every workout available. The only time I every noticed an effect on my velocity was after training with the Olympic lifts.

Dick Mill’s says that science today has proven weight training does not increase your throwing velocity. I have yet to find any scientific information on this theory. I would like to ask Dick Mill’s, “Why, when I was a junior in college and training with the Olympic Lifts, after six months my velocity went from 82 to 90 MPH?” During that summer I played on a travel team, I would complete an intense workout and then rush to pitch a full game immediately after the workout. I may not recommend this to other pitchers but it sure did work for me. I then spent the last five or more years trying to figure out why this worked. This is when I wrote the article “Olympic Lifting Increases Pitching Velocity” and also this is when I coined the term “Triple Extension.”

The reason for my velocity improvements did come from the Olympic lifts. This is because, if these lifts are performed correctly, they will max out your core strength potential and promote fast twitch muscle fiber growth. There is no better way to train your core and fast twitch fiber, than with these lifts. If I go a week without performing these lifts, after my first day back I can feel the weakness first in my core. I even have serious soreness in my core the next few days. I also immediately feel more powerful on the field after the soreness goes away. I feel it when I sprint and throw. Just like when you do a lot of squats and your vertical leap goes up.

The biggest miss conception about these lifts are that they will turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is a fairy tale. The Olympic lifts build defined athletes. Just look at Matt Bruce here, a current Olympian. He is about 5’7 and 170 pounds. He can Power Clean and Jerk over 400 pounds and he looks like a boy in person.

If you are a pitcher and you are looking for these type of velocity improvements, then you need to drop everything you are doing and learn these lifts. You need to start a program like my “Fusion System.” This workout is the main part of the Ace Pitcher Handbook and was developed by my trainer Chad Engelhardt. It is called the “Fusion System” because it isn’t only about these lifts I have described. It is also about building joint integrity to handle more stress from the improved velocity and the sprint work to really define those fast twitch fibers.

So, if you currently have a program that involves you sitting in an air conditioned health club, on a cushioned seat, performing a chest press, then you better ask yourself, “How the Hell is this making me a better athlete?” It isn’t! Athletes are not made in health clubs. They are made in hot sweaty gyms and on dirty ball fields. Remember this, if you want to play with the “Big Guns,” you better train like one!

10 Legitimate Tips to Pitching Velocity

Brent Pourciau — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:16:50 +0000

There are hundreds of Pitching Tips for Baseball on the web titled something similar to this article, but most of them are worthless, because they focus mainly on upper body mechanics as the means to developing velocity. Any hard thrower will tell you, there is a lot more to pitching velocity than just your arm. If you want to see significant gains in pitching velocity then read all of these key Baseball Tips on Pitching and the articles linked to it. The only way you are going to see improvements, is if you develop a good understanding of how pitching velocity is generated in hard throwing pitchers.

Remember you are bound by nothing. You have the ability to throw 90+ mph. Doctors told me I would not be able to and I proved them wrong. These tips will help you do the same.

Tips for Improving Pitching Velocity

1. Change speeds.

This should always be your first step in developing velocity because there is no risk involved. This creates an illusion of velocity. By changing the speed of your pitches this will throw the hitter’s timing off and can make a 70 mph fastball look like a 90 mph fastball. Pitchers like Trevor Hoffman have made long major league careers off of this one tip. He is a master of the fastball change up combination. Use this tip for immediate effect while you work on the other velocity tips.

2. Pitch from the ground up.

We all make the mistake at a very young age, that to throw a baseball only takes the arm to perform the task. Then as we grow bigger and move up levels in the game, we find ourselves continuing to only use our shoulders and arms to throw the ball. This is a major problem. This is why we still have an incredible amount of shoulder injuries in the game. You must change your perspective. You must teach your body to recruit bigger muscle groups when you demand more velocity from your delivery. This begins in learning to pitch from the ground up. Velocity comes from forces added to the ball. These forces come from momentum in your lift leg and your push off the ground. You then must learn to transfer these forces into the ball. This can be learned through the Ace Pitcher 6 Components of Pitching. View the Handbook with these components at the bottom.

This video talks more about the throwing mistakes we make at a young age.

3. Loading your weight back until launch.

Timing and efficiency of weight transfer, during delivery, is the essence of velocity. This is where velocity lives. Most young pitchers do not load at all. Once they lift their leg they fall towards the target. This causes poor velocity and arm injury. Read my article “Lift for Show, Load for Doe” to understand “The Load” position.

4. Building Core Torque.

The most important component of velocity, is building majority torque in the core. The core is the area from just above the knees to just below the chest. This area contains the strongest muscles in your body. So it makes sense that you should use this part of the body to generate velocity. If the core is not mainly used to build torque, then the shoulder and elbow will be forced to hold the torque needed to generate velocity. To learn more about “Separation” or the importance of building core torque, read the article “Pitching Torque and the 3 pivots” and also watch this video.

5. Create more Elastic Energy.

Once you have built core torque and your weight is still back, rotate and thrust your chest forward while your arm externally rotates behind your head. This stretching of the stomach and shoulder is creating elastic energy in your body. The more relaxed you are, the more elastic energy can be created. To learn more about this read the article, “Pitch Velocity = Elastic energy.”

6. Momentum transfer.

What is the benefit of creating momentum when you can not control or transfer the momentum to the ball? The problem with coaching someone on how to generate more momentum when pitching is that they have no idea how to control it and they get worse before they get better. This is why proper momentum transfer is essential for good velocity. If you leave any momentum in your body, then you have left some velocity behind. The Ace Pitcher component of “Stabilization” describes how this momentum transfer must occur.

7. Early elbow extension and Internal Rotation.

Most throwers believe that if they pull their arms down at release then this will generate more velocity. The opposite is true. High velocity pitchers release the ball earlier than low velocity pitchers after external rotation of the throwing arm. Which happens after momentum transfer when their chest is out over their toes and their arms are externally rotated. This means after your body has done its job you must release the ball as quickly as possible by allowing your elbow to extend up and away from your head. You must also begin internally rotating your arm, as soon as your elbow extends, so you can release the pitch with your thumb pronated down. This will protect your arm during the deceleration phase. Read the article “Pulling down is slowing down” to learn more.

8. Refuel your ATP.

ATP is the main source of energy for all muscle contraction. There are several chemical reactions that take place to produce ATP. When a muscle is used, a chemical reaction breaks down ATP to produce energy. There is only enough ATP stored in the muscle cell for two or three slow twitch contractions, or one burst of power from a fast twitch contraction. More ATP must be created.

To understand rest between throwing a pitch, first you must understand what happens during the delivery of the pitch. Initially your muscles use ATP to power the contractions but the levels of ATP available are limited. The cells have a very limited ability to replenish ATP during the activity before having to switch to other methods to fuel the activity.

Fortunately, your body can replenish ATP when you are resting. About 50% or half of the depleted ATP is replaced after one minute of total rest. Almost all of the ATP that the body can replenish (just over 95%) is restored after about three minutes of rest. I know pitchers can not wait that long between pitches, but the longer you can wait, the better opportunity to develope more velocity.

9. Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber.

A proper strength and conditioning regime like the Ace Pitcher Handbook, is based around developing fast twitch muscle fiber. This is important for velocity, because when adding a little more velocity to a pitch, you must recruit more muscle fiber within your muscular system to make this happen. We have already talked about where that muscle fiber should come from, now you need to learn how to develop more muscle fiber in the correct places of your system. Spending most of your time in the weight room sitting on cushioned machines, isn’t the answer. Start with the “Beginner Pitching Workout” and then you can move to the “Fusion System” in the Ace Pitcher Handbook at the bottom.

10. Speed your recovery.

By speeding your recovery time between starts or appearances you are making sure you never enter a game at less than 100% recovery. If your system is completely rebuilt and replenished, this is a better chance you will have the ability to generate top velocity. This is why it is important to keep a strict routine of a good strength training and conditioning program, along with a balanced alkaline based diet. You need to learn about alkaline based foods. These are green vegetables and more, which help restore the PH levels in your system. When your system becomes very acidic, you do not recovery as quickly. Diet is extremely important to recovery. Read this article on “Pitching Nutrition and Supplements” and start eating more alkaline foods from this chart.

Bonus tip: Lay off your arm.

Stop wearing your arm out. It takes enough abuse on the mound. You need to make sure your strength training program isolates the core and legs more than the shoulders and arms. If your arm is constantly sore and tired, it is because you use it to much. Try changing habits, like brushing your teeth with your non-pitching arm and do not arm wrestle your roommates with your pitching arm. Take care of yourself and it will take care of you.

I understand each one of these pitching velocity tips did not go into much detail. The purpose of this article was to give you some guidance for developing efficient and effective velocity, without sacrificing the body in return. If you would like more detail on any one of these tips, then sign up for the FREE newsletter up top and start reading the articles. If you are really serious about pitching then purchase the Ace Pitcher Handbook to take control of your career. Best of luck!

Tips and Articles on Pitching in Baseball

3 Keys to Pitching Velocity

Triple Extension – 3X Pitching

The Phenomenon of Speed Mechanics!

The Pitching Key to Torque is in the “Tilt”

The Secrets behind throwing hard!

Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries

Bigger, Stronger, Faster!

Brent Pourciau — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:51:47 +0000

It is almost December, so this is your last chance for athletic improvement before the season begins. For all those college pitchers and ball players getting ready for the 2009 season, don’t be that guy who walks into spring with the Thanksgiving, Christmas belly. I am not saying, “Do not eat this holiday” but I am saying, “Do not sit on your ass!” You may think Coaches have their lineup and starters set pre-season but the truth of the matter is, this can change if someone drags their, out of shape butt, into spring training.

What should you be doing now and into the Christmas break? You should be doing everything in your power to make yourself Bigger, Stronger, Faster. I am not talking body building here. I am talking athletic performance. As much as some pitchers and critics do not want to believe, pitchers are athletes. The best pitchers in the game, are some of the best athletes in the game.

So how do you get Bigger, Stronger, Faster? With a smart program and a hard working attitude! Remember these three words come together in a package deal. They do not role separately. I didn’t say, Bigger, Stronger or just Bigger. I said Bigger, Stronger, Faster. So every workout, every sprint, every lift should be performed within a routine that is built around these three words. I recommend the Ace Pitcher Handbook, which has the Fusion system, for a great training program that focuses on these three words. I would not use the Ace Pitcher Handbook if you are looking for a quick fix before the season. This Handbook is serious stuff. For you to see the results that I had using this program, you must follow it exactly. This is because if you want to throw 90mph or speed your recovery time or overcome an injury, this will not happen overnight or by just picking up a few tips. It will only happen, if you devote yourself to this life changing event of defeating mediocrecy and embracing an extraordinary career. Look at it like you are 600 pounds and you know you need to go on a diet to lose the weight. You will not lose the weight if you decide to just eat rice cakes instead of bunny bread. You will only lose the weight, if you make a complete transformation.

I know I sound like Dr. Phil and this all sounds very dramatic but what it comes down to is the perspective of the baseball pyramid of success. Your career is based on this pyramid. If you are in high school or college, you are about in the middle of the pyramid. So if this pyramid had five floors within it, like the picture abpve, you would be on the second or third floor. Every time you make it to the next floor or next level, there is less room. This means, there is less opportunity. So if you see your career in this perspective, everything I am saying here doesn’t seem so dramatic as much as it seems like a good kick in the ass.

So ask yourself, “Have I been doing what it takes to grow Bigger, Stronger, Faster?” and if not, “What must I do with these last few months to improve my athletic performance before I start the season?” Because once the season starts, your body will not have the opportunity to grow. It will only have the ability to maintain. This is why pitchers have different training programs in-season as opposed to the off-season.

Take it from someone who has been in your position many times. If you haven’t started yet, find yourself a trainer or program that can get you what you need to improve your athletic performance in these last few months. Because when the games begin, you do not want to find yourself wishing you would have worked harder and smarter, this off-season.