You want to start increasing pitching velocity and then start gaining weight. Yes, a study proves a high correlation between body weight and pitching velocity. The study states that larger athletes on average throw harder than smaller athletes. The case study also states that these larger athletes can generate more forces which can enhance pitching velocity.
This information shouldn't be shocking to anyone but those conventional pitching coaches who still coach the game the way it was played back when hot dogs were considered a good source of protein. Yes, that back won Babe Ruth was on the Yankees roster and not on the wall behind center field. These are those coaches who talk about the importance of long-distance running and throwing a lot, to building "Arm Strength."
The problem here is these old-school coaches support their beliefs on training the pitcher using their memories of yesterday's athletes and how they played the game. The latest research in this case study is using modern-day athletes and not athletes from The Babe's era. This means these larger athletes, in the group of 54 collegiate baseball players who were tested, are larger because they strength train, not because they eat a lot of hot dogs. This is why the case study makes the correlation of body mass to strength by stating that these larger athletes are stronger and proven in the case study to be harder throwers.
Body Weight Increases Pitching Velocity
The case study was called, Relationships between ball velocity and throwing mechanics in collegiate baseball pitchers. The case study was performed at the Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Performance, Grand Prairie, TX 75050, USA by Werner SL, Suri M, Guido JA Jr, Meister K, Jones DG. Here are the results from the study proving the link between body weight and pitching velocity.
Ball velocity was most affected by the pitcher’s body weight......
Ball velocity would be increased by: (1) larger body mass.....
Average body mass for the 54 baseball pitchers was 83+- 9 kg. Pitchers with larger body mass tended to throw the ball faster than those who weighed less. This is not surprising, as, on average, a larger athlete would be expected to create larger forces and a larger body mass may be indicative of more strength.
Read the a summary of the case study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707902
If you would like to read the entire case study please contact me.
Following this case study, I decided to do some of my own research to see if I could find my own evidence suggesting body weight is linked to pitching velocity. Here is what I found.
The chart below is a list of the average size of the Major League Baseball player from the 1960s until 2010. You can see an obvious increase in body weight of at least 20 lbs, that is a significant increase. So, the question now is has performance increased with this weight increase, specifically pitching velocity? Most people who have been watching the game for the past 20 years would say yes and if we look at the chart below listing the top 20 hardest recorded pitching velocities ever in Major League Baseball you see 17 out of 20 from the previous 20 years and 14 out of 20 from the 2000's alone. The average body weight of the pitchers listed on this pitching velocity chart is 216.1 lbs which is not a small man either. I believe it is completely accurate to say, based on the case study above and the evidence listed in these charts, that body weight is a good determinant of pitching velocity.
MLB | Averages | ||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Height | Weight | BMI |
1960 | 72.6 | 186.0 | 24.8 |
1965 | 72.8 | 185.5 | 24.6 |
1970 | 72.8 | 185.6 | 24.6 |
1975 | 72.9 | 185.0 | 24.5 |
1980 | 73.1 | 186.1 | 24.5 |
1985 | 73.3 | 187.1 | 24.5 |
1990 | 73.4 | 188.0 | 24.6 |
1995 | 73.4 | 190.4 | 24.9 |
2000 | 73.5 | 195.9 | 25.5 |
2005 | 73.5 | 203.4 | 26.5 |
2010 | 73.7 | 208.9 | 27.0 |
Source: Sports-Reference.com
Speed(mph) | Pitcher | Year | Ht/Wt |
108.1 FFE | Nolan Ryan | 1974 | 6-2/195 |
107.6 FFE | Bob Feller | 1946 | 6-0/185 |
105.1 | Aroldis Chapman | 2010 | 6-4/200 |
104.8 | Joel Zumaya | 2006 | 6-3/210 |
103.4(u3) | Neftali Feliz | 2010 | 6-3/215 |
103.2(u3) | Henry Rodriguez | 2010 | 6-1/215 |
103 *Spring Training | Mark Wohlers | 1995 | 6-4/207 |
102.8(u3) | Kelvin Herrera | 2012 | 5-10/190 |
102.6 | Jonathan Broxton | 2009 | 6-4/295 |
102.5(u3) | Bobby Parnell | 2010 (and 2011) | 6-4/200 |
102.5 FFE | Steve Dalkowski | 1958 | 5-11/175 |
102.2 | Brian Wilson | 2009 | 6-1/195 |
102.0(u3) | Andrew Cashner | 2012 | 6-6/200 |
102 | Bobby Jenks | 2005 | 6-3/275 |
102 | Randy Johnson | 2004 | 6-10/225 |
102 | Brad Lidge | 2006 | 6-5/215 |
102 | Matt Lindstrom | 2007 | 6-3/220 |
102 | Justin Verlander | 2007 | 6-5/225 |
102 | Armando Benitez | 2002 | 6-4/260 |
102 | Robb Nen | 1997 | 6-5/220 |
Source: http://www.efastball.com/baseball/stats/fastest-pitch-speed-in-major-leagues/
How to Increase Body Weight to Increase Pitching Velocity
Increasing body weight like increasing pitching velocity is a serious challenge. The most effective way to increase body weight is with diet and training. Here is a list of 30 tips to help get you started:
- Double or Triple Your Caloric Intake
- Eat Nutrient Rich Foods
- Add a Protein Supplement 1-2x Per Day
- Use Bigger Plates and Silverware To Help You Consume More
- Eat Raw Foods, Probiotics, and Fiber to Help Digestion
- Increase Your Frequency of Lifting
- Try Adding More Reps With Higher Weight
- Try Lifting Twice a Day
- Perform Mostly Leg Lifts
- No Long Distance Running or Low-Intensity Training
- Use Different Exercises Throughout the Week
- If You Are Old Enough Drink an Aperitif to Stimulate your Appetite
- Read Food Magazines
- Hang Out With Big Eaters
- Hang Out With Big Lifters
- Eat a Ton Post Workout
- Eat Less Pre Workout
- Challenge Yourself in Weight Room (Don't be Stupid Though)
- Activate More Motor Units When Lifting to Fatigue
- Focus Mainly on Big Muscle Groups
- Sleep 10-12 Hours
- Sleep in a Dark, Quiet, Cool Room
- Go To High Quality All You Can Eat Buffets
- Snack on Raw Foods
- Visualize Yourself Getting Bigger
- Set a Goal to Gain So Much Weight in So Much Time
- Buy Bigger Cloths
- Eat Fast
- Train Fast (Less Breaks)
- Eat Food High in Cholesterol at Night
Remember to become a Beast you must eat and train like one. You eat like a squirrel and train like a squirrel you with look like a squirrel.
The 3X Pitching Velocity Program [Level 2] was developed to help add body mass and strength to the pitcher. The training days are longer and the intensity and reps are higher. It along with the other levels to the 3X Pitching Velocity Program trains the pitcher how to convert this added strength and body mass into pitching velocity. It isn't enough to just get bigger, stronger, and faster when it comes to increasing pitching velocity. You must learn what it takes to convert this bigger athlete into a harder thrower. The 3X Pitching Velocity Program has just about perfected this conversion.
If you have purchased the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program and would like to learn about an all-natural online source that is very affordable when ordering all of these weight-gaining and muscle-mass support supplements, please contact me. I will give you my recommendations and a diet plan to help you get started.
So are you saying that gaining weight would be an effective substitution to increasing p/w ratio? Also it’s mentioned that we should “Train Fast (Less Breaks)”. I know the rest intervals for the anaerobic conditioning (because they’re in the ACE P.H.) but what are the rest intervals for the lifts. Sometimes I feel like I don’t wait long enough between exercises.
Thanks,
Quinn McHugh
Definitely not a substitute. This just promotes the Bigger, Stronger, Faster approach to enhance performance even when it comes to pitching velocity. The rest intervals should be around 30 secs to 1 min.
Please send me a copy of the entire case study that you are referring to in this article
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707902
I disagree whole heartedly with the idea that gaining weight improves velocity. I can’t tell you how many big 230-240 pound kids I have seen get on a mound only to be owned from a velocity stand point by kid’s weighing 150-180 pounds. Nolan Ryan weighed 150 pounds when he signed his first professional contract. The list of lean guy’s is many, and I am sure they were not used in the study.
Nolan Ryan is a great example of how weight can support velocity. He came into the league under 200lbs but retired at over 215lbs.
So fat cc sabathia body and jonathan broxton are good examples? Do i have to have a lot of body fat %?
No just don’t worry about body weight. Focus on explosive power.
i believe everyone is getting the wrong idea here. The concept of more weight is in addition to strength and explosive power. Everyone’s frame and muscle make up is different. some need more weight while others need to work on explosive training. Nonetheless both weight, strength, and speed (especially speed) are critical to baseball, actually to all sports.
its hard to explain, but adding weight to an already explosive athlete generates much needed inertia to help maintain direction and to help push threw the pitching and hitting barrier. Having said that, adding weight to proper areas must be addressed. 30 pounds around the gut is not the answer. The players like CC Sabathia and Prince Fielder do so well (despite their overweight) is because their deep core and legs are incredibly strong, because its constantly lugging around 30 pounds, and their legs are absolutely huge.
The trick here is to gain the weight while maintaining the speed and agility.
I don’t think anyone is suggesting that body weight alone is what a pitcher should be focusing on. But, all things being equal, bigger pitchers will throw harder than smaller pitchers.
so when you say lift twice a day do you mean same muscle group?
It depends on your programming model.
thats not a good practice unless your working power in the morning and speed at night