Throwing a fastball 90 mph is what every pitcher wants but only a rare few can do it. Some who can do it also want the ability to do every pitch. The problem is most pitchers have very little understanding of the requirements for throwing a fastball 90 mph. This article will cover the top 10 requirements for throwing a fastball 90 mph.
This information is based on my own experience accomplishing this feat in my career after rotator cuff surgery when Doctors said I would never play again, coaching many pitchers to reach the 90 mph mark, case study after case study proving the science behind the 90 mph fastball and countless hours of studying high-velocity pitchers in slow motion video analysis. The Pitching Articles on this site reference these resources.
10 Prerequisites to Throwing a Fastball 90 MPH
- Power to Weight Ratio - This is the most important requirement for a 90 mph fastball. The power weight ratio means how much power you can produce based on your own body weight. If you are going to have the ability to throw a 90 mph fastball which is 60% of the fastballs thrown in Major League Baseball then you must have the ability to at least move more weight than you weigh. This is just common sense the more you look at it. For example, here are two high-velocity pitchers with impressive power-to-weight ratios. The first is the legendary closer for the New York, Yankees, Mariano Rivera has a vertical jump of 32 inches and the second is Tim Lincecum who can do a back flip which is the product of a high vertical jump. The vertical jump is a power movement because it takes both speed and strength to move the body into the air against gravity. Athletes who can jump higher have the ability to produce more power which can be converted into pitching velocity. A 32-inch vertical equals a power-to-weight ratio of close to or over 1.5. This means the athlete can produce power that can push about 150% of his own body weight or more. A 1.5 power-to-weight ratio would be an accurate requirement for a pitcher to have the power to produce a 90+ mph fastball. I have seen pitchers with at least a 28-inch vertical who can do the same. I have never seen a pitcher with a vertical jump under 25 inches who can throw 90 mph. Another effective measurement of power is the power clean.
- Pure Desire - I am a big believer in the human body. I believe it can adapt to anything. Therefore I am not like most coaches and specifically pitching coaches who say if you do not have the genetics to throw 90 mph then you can't. I believe you can do anything if the pure desire to accomplish the goal exists. The problem is most people have no idea what pure desire is. Pure desire is a passion that is tainted by nothing. You live, breathe, eat, drink and sleep the goal. You will also stop at nothing to obtain it. The majority of people do not make this kind of commitment in life but it is essential to accomplish the goal of throwing 90 mph especially if you are not genetically set up to do so.
- Faith in Something Greater - The difference between faith and pure desire is that faith in something greater than yourself gives you the impenetrable confidence that you were born to do this. Most athletes who overcome genetics or serious injury to find success have a strong faith in something greater than themselves, God being the most common example. In my interview with Jim "The Rookie" Morris, which is a part of the Bonus material that comes with the 3X Pitching Velocity Program, Jim credits all of his success to his faith in God but at the same time, he tells us what daily routines were supporting his faith. During my 10 mph pitching velocity jump, post rotator cuff surgery, and the Doctor telling me I would never play again, I also developed a very powerful faith in God. I constantly looked to him for support and what this faith gave me was a sense that this was my fate. Just like with Jim "The Rookie" Morris when I look back to that time in my life, I credit my faith to most of what was happening to my body, but I was also supporting this with an insane work ethic.
- 3X Pitching Mechanics - This may sound arrogant but the series of mechanical components that I discovered and put in 3X Pitching has been proven to be high-velocity pitching mechanics. Once you learn them you will understand, I promise! The reason this is a requirement for all pitchers to reach 90 mph is that these machines will allow you to get everything out of your body. They are a series of power-pitching mechanics that will enable the power to athlete to use everything he has without overworking or causing injury. If this requirement was not genuine then Olympic Lifters who have more power production than any athlete could throw way above 90 mph. The reason 99.9% of them cannot is that they do not have the motor coordination to convert their power production into ball velocity. The velocity drills in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program will train the pitcher to develop motor coordination around the 3X Pitching Mechanics.
- Majority Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber - If you are going to have a power-to-weight ratio of 1.5 then it will take a good amount of fast twitch muscle fiber to accomplish it. Once again many coaches in the world of baseball will tell you that if you do not have much fast twitch muscle fiber then you are out of luck but this just isn't true. It is proven that Olympic Lifters and Power Lifts have more fast twitch muscle fiber than the average athlete. Using heavy load training can and will remodel more of your slow twitch fiber into fast twitch.
- Elite Lifestyle - Unless you are a genetic freak, you will never become an elite athlete with a crappy lifestyle. Your lifestyle defines everything you do outside of your training. If you have a great work ethic in your training but you stay up all night and eat junk food then you are working against yourself. Lifestyle at the elite level can make or break a career. Most pitchers do not learn this lesson until they reach the elite levels of the game. The problem is this is when it is almost too late. The lesson here is what you do with your body, mind, and spirit every day is critical to your performance. Here is a great video on how this all works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJl1cdxsNTM. The guru is Kelly Starrett who has his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He is an expert when it comes to mobility and health.
- Mobility - Along with fast twitch muscle fibers to accelerate the body, the pitcher must also have the range of motion within the joints to support a 90 mph fastball. Not only do high-velocity pitchers move faster than low-velocity pitchers but they also cover more distances between joints and down the mound. Enhancing the mobility of the joints through soft tissue training is critical to reducing the range of motion through training. Any coach today who believes that weight training makes a pitcher tight and limits range of motion is uneducated in the world of strength and conditioning. If a pitcher is taught how to lift correctly, with the most effective type of lifts, along with mobility training, then a pitcher should grow more flexible as they grow bigger, stronger, and faster. There is a soft tissue program to support mobility in the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program. I also recommend checking out an expert on Mobility, Dr. Kelly Starrett at his website called www.mobilitywod.com. This is a great source for mobility education and exercises.
- Time - Time is what breaks down most pitchers who never reach the 90 mph mark. They set their expectations to reach their goals on the amount of time it should take them. When they exceed the time limit and do not reach their goals everything begins to break down rapidly. The problem with time is that it eventually corruptions your thinking. Over time you begin to believe that time is the determining factor and everything else is just busy work. This is a program of failure. You must lose track of time if you are going to reach your goals. The only measurement for your success should be a set of performance movements that you can test to illustrate your progression. This measurement should be the determining factor. Here are the 3X Goals that all pitchers set before moving into the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.
- Environment - This includes your training facility or field. This also includes your company. The ideal training facility would include a place that holds everything you need to follow the velocity program. If your facility is inadequate in any way it could be limiting your performance gains. For example, in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program, you are required to use a 2 lb med ball the size of a volleyball within a space of at least 45 feet for the velocity drills. If you are working with 25 feet and the ball is the size of a basketball then it could easily prevent you from benefiting from the original intentions of the drills. The same is true with your company. If you are training through the programs with a group of hard-working pitchers as opposed to on your own, you will experience better results at a faster rate because the group is pushing you to work harder. The point is a group of hard-working pitchers will challenge you more than working alone. Group training is always more effective and may be the determining factor in reaching the 90 mph mark.
- The Program - Once you have all the requirements above in line the last most important part is the program. Now there are tons of pitching velocity programs out there. It is up to you to decide what is best. But once you decide you need to commit to the entire program. DO NOT PURCHASE SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND PUT THEM TOGETHER TO MAKE YOUR OWN. This would be like purchasing a McDonald's as a business venture and also purchasing a Wendy's and Burger King and calling it McWendy's King. The chances of this becoming a successful fast food joint is slim to none because it hasn't been proven to work. Now Mcdonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King separately have been proven successful. This doesn't mean in combination the results will multiply. It is a better business decision to purchase one of the successful brands and then commit to it to find your own success then if it doesn't work, try the next one. If the next one does work then maybe you are not fully committed or you have not met all of the requirements above.
If you would like to learn more about the success of the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program then watch and listen to all of the testimonials on the home page of the site or give me a call. My number is also on the home page of the site on the sidebar.
The #1 90+mph Fastball Training Program
This program has helped many pitchers live the dream of throwing 90+mph and signing with a D1 University, getting drafted by a Major League Organization, and making it back to Major League Baseball. Many scouts in all organizations of baseball have recommended this program to help young pitchers get to the 90+mph range to improve their value at the next level. The reason the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program works is that it is based on science and it has been proven to develop the 90+mph fastball on thousands of pitchers. It isn't rocket science or voodoo, it is the real deal! The program comes with a high-level workload of drills, lifts, and exercises scientifically programmed to enhance throwing speed on the mound while developing an efficient pitching delivery. The format of the 3X Pitching Velocity Program is similar to the same approach Olympic throwers have been using for decades to increase throwing velocity. This approach isn't new to the sports world but it is new to baseball. If you are serious about your career and are insanely driven to put yourself into an extremely small percentage of pitchers who are potential D1 prospects, top level draft picks or you just want to reach your potential on the mound then this program is the best chance you have to make your dreams come true. Learn more about the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program or get started TODAY by adding 5-10+mph!
Hey I’m just wondering are these verticals your talking about standing or max verticals
They are standing
I have a 27 standing vertical and a 41 inch max vertical I’m also 6’4 175 I throw mid 80’s how come I can’t throw 90mph if those are the requirements. I have also been reading all your articles and trying to implement your 3x approach.
27 inch vertical jump at 175 pounds is not enough. For example, one of my mid 90’s guys is 6’6 225 with a 36 inch vertical jump. The average guy I analyzed for the top 5 rounds of the 2014 draft had a body height of 6’2-6’4 and a body weight of 195-210 lbs and great leg drives.
I have seen 11 year olds throw 63 mph, don’t know if they even have a 12 inch vertical
I’m 5 foot 10 and 175 pounds and my virticle is 28 inches and I can deadlift 450 Reverse lunge 2u5 and bench lress 225 and I throw i2 mph how can I increase this how much would I need to get my vertical up
You want to focus on doing Olympic lifting to increase your vertical jump. I have several articles dedicated to this subject. While you may be good at strength lifts, if you are not explosive all your strength will not transition well to your velocity. Pitching is a quick and explosive movement. Therefore you want to use lifts and exercises that train your body to be more explosive. If you stayed at your current body weight, you would need increase your vertical well over the average of 35 inches. https://www.topvelocity.net/2018/06/27/olympic-lifting-for-baseball-players/
Well I just turned 16 and I recently started doing leg workouts
Well how high would my vertical have to be for me to throw 90?
Vertical jump isn’t the only component to throwing hard. It is just an indication of leg power. You still need to know how to use this leg power biomechanically for it to convert into ball speed. If you are 6’4 175 then your vertical jump may need to be 34+ inches or you could increase your weight closer to 200lbs and keep your current vertical jump and that may get you over 90 with some good mechanics.
Thanks appreciate it I have been trying to get my mom to buy your program because I have recently experienced a drop in velocity down from 82-85mph as a freshman last summer down to high 70s low 80s at times and I have been working hard to fix with my mechanics and my strength I just don’t know what happened I mean it’s not like I’ve stayed the same size I’ve gained 10lbs and grew 3 inches since then. If you have any advice could you help me.
Sounds like with your growth you have lost speed of movement which has changed your mechanics as well. You just need to get on the program and it will improve these issues. I would highly recommend that you first try to make a 3X VCamp before going for the online 3X Pitching Velocity Program.
Bartolo Colon, for example, probably doesn’t have anywhere near a 28 inch vertical leap, and my instict tells me there are likely a number of pitchers with low verticals that can throw 90+ http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=375&position=P&pitch=FA
Not a great argument when you have zero data to support your claims. Post some data on your examples of high velocity pitchers who have poor leg power and I will be glad to take you seriously.
This is a terrible article that uses zero evidence to support it’s claims. The author just wants to sell his silly pitching program
The evidence to support the claims is in the testimonals here http://www.topvelocity.net/3x-90plus-members/ and at the top of the site. You can also listen to MLB Pitcher David Aardsma back these claims here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj_snq8jasU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d38KwZ_-IAc
I am 5’10 and 130 Ibs. I’m also 16 years old and throw mid 70s. How much weight would I need to gain to be able to throw 90 mph? My vertical is also 23.
You need to get your power to weight ratio to 1.5 times your body weight.
Hi,
I’m a college sophomore who used to hit 80 in high school (on a good day). I’ve always thought of trying out for my college team but nobody cares unless you can throw 90 mph+. I can hit any spot in the zone but I need velocity and don’t have much time to practice because of studying. I also hit home runs in high school but coaches never let me play because of school politics. What’s your advice for training to try to make the college team?
Thanks,
-J.D.
I would highly recommend you attend a 3X Velocity Camp and get your velocity 90+!
Number 1 was interesting with the power/weight ration and certainly makes sense. Can this be applied to outfielders as well?
Yes checkout the 2X Velocity Program for position players.
http://www.topvelocity.net/2x-velocity
I am interested in how I could specifically train my body to throw harder. I am 6-2 190 with an 82 mph fastball currently. Is there a specific strength training, flexibility and mechanics programs that I could use to improve my performance over time.
Yes it is the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program here http://www.topvelocity.net
Hi my name is Jacob Golovan and I am a prospective pitcher at Miami University. I am 6-2 190 pound LHP currently throwing 82 mph. I was wondering what specific training and drills I could to improve my velocity.
I would highly recommend you get the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program. It has all the training you will need from drills to the lifting.
I’m 22, 6ft 170 pounds. At age 13 I was a left handed pitcher throwing 80-83mph. I quit sports shortly after but now I’ve changed my life a lot and spent the last year working out and living healthy. I’m still very athletic (even more so than when I was a child), is it plausible that I could dedicate 100% to retraining myself to pitch and make it to a 90+mpg fastball? As a lefty, isn’t that desirable for teams?
Yes, but you will need a few good pitches to complement your fastball.
I am 15 years old, 5’9″ tall and weigh 142 pounds with a 24″ vertical. What is my calculated maximum pitching velocity?
I need more variables than this like lateral broad jump, total body strength, and joint mobility ranges. I would also need to see your mechanics.
I’m really wanting to send my son to your camp, we have purchased the $197.00 program, and the pitching harness. He is a lefty with mlb ball spin, but top velocity of 86. He is playing for a jr college in Illinois. What is the guarantee of velocity, my son is a hard worker?
What’s the best way to increase my vertical
Olympic Lifting, has the highest correlation to an increase in your vertical jump. Here is a link to another of Brent Pourciau’s articles that goes more in-depth with studies on that topic. https://www.topvelocity.net/2018/06/27/olympic-lifting-for-baseball-players/