How to increase pitching speed

[leftypitcher934]

Im 15 and lefty, and I throw high 60's sometimes i get it to 70 or 71 but i have kids who throw faster than I do what can i do to increase velocity

[Go Cardinals]

don't worry about speed, speed will come. right now focus on throwing strikes. if you could do that, you'll be much better than trying to over throw it all the time.

[AcidLake]

1. The first thing is to learn and know how to repeat a good mechanic. Here are some 'boosters' that works.

+Long stride. Tim Lincecum and Nolan Ryan are good example of this
+Fast, explosive action toward landing. I vision myself as a 'basketball shooter' that shoots the ball into one direction. That works for control too
+Good timing

I actually made changes like those and my velocity jumped from 69~72mph range to 77mph range (without any arm strength training or long toss). I'm still working on some aspects of mechinics to make it consistent.

2. Growth and develpment. This differs to individuals. There are some pitchers in Latin America who already throw 90~92mph range when they are 16, but there are some pitchers who stay at 80~ 82mph range in their senior year in high school. Roger Clemens threw only 82~83mph out of high school, Mark Wohlers threw in 81mph range out of high school and later went on to hit 100+mph in MLB. Remember, you cannot speed up mother nature.

3. Practice, practice, practice. If you are really commited to it, you should sacrifice a lot of your time to practice.

[leftypitcher934]

k thankyou for the advice

[Go Cardinals]

1. The first thing is to learn and know how to repeat a good mechanic. Here are some 'boosters' that works.

+Long stride. Tim Lincecum and Nolan Ryan are good example of this
+Fast, explosive action toward landing. I vision myself as a 'basketball shooter' that shoots the ball into one direction. That works for control too
+Good timing

I actually made changes like those and my velocity jumped from 69~72mph range to 77mph range (without any arm strength training or long toss). I'm still working on some aspects of mechinics to make it consistent.

2. Growth and develpment. This differs to individuals. There are some pitchers in Latin America who already throw 90~92mph range when they are 16, but there are some pitchers who stay at 80~ 82mph range in their senior year in high school. Roger Clemens threw only 82~83mph out of high school, Mark Wohlers threw in 81mph range out of high school and later went on to hit 100+mph in MLB. Remember, you cannot speed up mother nature.

3. Practice, practice, practice. If you are really commited to it, you should sacrifice a lot of your time to practice.

don't you also want to play alot of long toss too?

[J-MAC]

don't worry about speed, speed will come. right now focus on throwing strikes. if you could do that, you'll be much better than trying to over throw it all the time.


short and sweet, and really really good advice. u aint got nothing if u can't throw strikes. and long toss like cardinal said also helps to build arm strength. i wouldn't worry about speed at this point in your career.

[AcidLake]

don't you also want to play alot of long toss too?
I just do long toss when I'm warming up in the outfield when I'm not pitching. It's technically warming up for outfield throw, not pitching. I don't do it often either

I personally think long toss stresses my arm since it's an act of using my whole arm to send a ball to long distance. I actually got my arm tired out doing long toss about a year ago.

[leftypitcher934]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.

[AcidLake]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.
Do you think that has improved your speed? Just curious

[Jake Patterson]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.


How old are you?

[Postblank]

How old are you?

Not old enough to accurately measure distances from a glance.

[leftypitcher934]

it helps arm strength

[Jake Patterson]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.


This would mean you throw a fastball 88-93 MPH. Pretty fast.....
Here's Jaeger - http://www.baseballtips.com/longtoss.html

[J-MAC]

when people say the throw long toss what is there idea of it. you might be able to throw 300ft, be it will probally be 50ft in the air which vertually does nothing to for your arm. now if you can throw 300 feet on a line maby 10-20ft in the air your arm is really really strong. I can't stand throwing lollypops to a person who's 200 ft away. it has to be on a line or else it's useless.

[Jake Patterson]

when people say the throw long toss what is there idea of it. you might be able to throw 300ft, be it will probally be 50ft in the air which vertually does nothing to for your arm. now if you can throw 300 feet on a line maby 10-20ft in the air your arm is really really strong. I can't stand throwing lollypops to a person who's 200 ft away. it has to be on a line or else it's useless.
Distance in the situation is a result of applied force and angle. Once you go above the optimum angle -given a constant force - you have diminishing returns.

[Jesse]

leftypitcher934 didn't mention any control problems.

Work on velocity now. Control will continue to improve as you get older, but if you don't learn to throw hard now you will find it more difficult to incorporate that later. You don't just wake up one morning at 17 and decide to start throwing hard. By then it's too late.

Here's another thought: If you're the average 15 year old hitter, who would you rather face? A guy with medium volocity who throws strikes, or a guy who throws gas but has a reputation as being a little wild? Nothing wrong with inspiring a little fear in the opposition...

[born2catch]

Not old enough to accurately measure distances from a glance.

lol, agreed

edit: just realized this thread is several months ago., sorry.

[tisting9]

This would mean you throw a fastball 88-93 MPH. Pretty fast.....
Here's Jaeger - http://www.baseballtips.com/longtoss.html

Where is that information? Just curious so I can see how fast I should throw.

[CanadianKid]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.

wow, I'm 17 and I get a 275ft+ throw to home on a hop or 2...

[Go Cardinals]

I just do long toss when I'm warming up in the outfield when I'm not pitching. It's technically warming up for outfield throw, not pitching. I don't do it often either

I personally think long toss stresses my arm since it's an act of using my whole arm to send a ball to long distance. I actually got my arm tired out doing long toss about a year ago.

Then you did too much or threw too hard or did it wrong (sorry for run-on). Long toss helps your arm.

[CanadianKid]

Probably weren't using your whole body.

[Jake Patterson]

I longtoss usually 300 ft.

Most HS players do NOT throw this far. This is taking a baseball at one goal line and throwing it and hitting the other goal line on a football field or throwing 50' further than twice the distance from home to second base.
Jake

[jamesh23]

Most HS players do throw this far. This is taking a baseball at one goal line and throwing it and hitting the other goal line on a football field or throwing 50' further than twice the distance from home to second base.
Jake

I call bs on that sorry jake but Most highschool kids do not throw 300ft unless its a rainbow and I gurantee not many throw that far on a line, no one on my team does and we had a kid throwing high 80's who also played centerfield and he couldnt even do that.

[Jake Patterson]

I call bs on that sorry jake but Most highschool kids do not throw 300ft unless its a rainbow and I gurantee not many throw that far on a line, no one on my team does and we had a kid throwing high 80's who also played centerfield and he couldnt even do that.

Sorry I meant DO NOT throw this far. I changed my original post...

[EdmondsFan#1]

I'm 14 and can throw 250 ft. not a line at all though. Is that any good?

[CanadianKid]

It's prefered the throw be on a line. Your better served getting it there on line with a hop or 2 than no hop but a rainbow toss.

[Jake Patterson]

I'm 14 and can throw 250 ft. not a line at all though. Is that any good?

Pace off home to second base. Then do it again to straight center field. Make a mark in the ground and see if you can reach the plate. If you can that's 250' and that in HS is very good!

[Jake Patterson]

It's prefered the throw be on a line. Your better served getting it there on line with a hop or 2 than no hop but a rainbow toss.
Agree. The same applies with throws from C-2B.

[EdmondsFan#1]

It's prefered the throw be on a line. Your better served getting it there on line with a hop or 2 than no hop but a rainbow toss.

Yeah, but it's just long toss it's not like im trying to throw a guy out at home. I don't even play the outfield.


Pace off home to second base. Then do it again to straight center field. Make a mark in the ground and see if you can reach the plate. If you can that's 250' and that in HS is very good!

I know i can throw 250' because my pitching coach and I stand 250' away when playing long toss, and he paces it out.

[jamesh23]

yea its good and if your stats are true you average more than 2 strikeouts per inning? wow good job, and again sorry jake It happens to us all we'll forget a word or too lol.

[EdmondsFan#1]

yea its good and if your stats are true you average more than 2 strikeouts per inning? wow good job, and again sorry jake It happens to us all we'll forget a word or too lol.

Yea, don't mean to brag but it was about 2.3, and all I throw is a fastball. Most kids would swing when the ball hit the mitt lol.

[jamesh23]

Yea, don't mean to brag but it was about 2.3, and all I throw is a fastball. Most kids would swing when the ball hit the mitt lol.

lol how hard do you throw I though I read you throw about 75 or something? pretty good for 14 but what league do you play in highschool?

[EdmondsFan#1]

lol how hard do you throw I though I read you throw about 75 or something? pretty good for 14 but what league do you play in highschool?

I played in AJB this year its pretty much the only league we have around here besides pony which is awful competetion. And i'm a freshman this year and the highschool tryouts don't start until the spring. In my fall league this year im playing with varsity players though.

My guess is that I throw 70-75, a few umpires told me im throwing around 80 but I don't think so, and my step dad guesses on a good day i hit 80 a few times. Again, don't mean to brag. But I think its having good movement and me being a lefty that gets most of my strikeouts though. Since most kids this age don't hit very well off of leftys.

[CanadianKid]

Yeah, but it's just long toss it's not like im trying to throw a guy out at home. I don't even play the outfield.

You still want to get it on a line

[closer28]

i'm 13 and throw about 200 feet is that any good either

[EdmondsFan#1]

i'm 13 and throw about 200 feet is that any good either

Yes.



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[MadDog31]

Right now, focus on throwing strikes. Throw everything you can.

[brady4491]

ok i was playing long toss today and was throwing between 90 and 95 yards so about 270 and 285ft. if some of these distance to speed charts are right than i could throw 80 to 84mph. but last time i was clocked i could barley reach 75mph. so is there really any credibility to these carts?