Just did a quick analysis of height and weights of current MLB pitchers and then compared to the top 10 or so Javelin throwers in past few years. Interestingly, both groups had similar heights and weights (about 6’2"", 215 lbs).
Of the baseball pitchers on the list, only one was not over 200 lbs (Linncecum). I would be curious to know what the pitchers weight room numbers are.
where was this list? because billy wagner used to be able to hit 100 and he is 5’10 180. and ichiro just won the survey on which outfielder has the best arm in SI and he’s listed at 5’9-5’11 160-175. juan cruz used to hit 95 and weighed 140
i remember reading bobby jenks avoids the weight room altogether but pettite has an intense weight program. tom seaver did conditioning over weights, id bet the weight room numbers are extremely varied and their programs very individual
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC3gczLJLuE and check this, two indian jav throwers turned into pro baseball pitchers (both could throw mid high 80s off a whim just with jav training)
Possibly. Since finding this list, I have spent about 8 hours studying javelin strength training programs from various european coaches. The common thread was they all could lift heavy numbers. Many also mentioned medicine ball work but nothing specific was mentioned, maybe because of translation issues??
i wouldnt be surprised if baseball pitchers were much weaker than world class jav throwers because a baseball weighs 5 oz and a jav weighs six times that
Al Vermeil has some good stories about maximum strength/power and long drive champions in golf. All of the top long drivers have good scores in vertical jump, broad jump and med-ball max distance throws. And, they also do power cleans.
I believe the involvement of “rotational” training is overplayed by the lay trainers out there. Maximal strength and lower body power are critical in throwing events.
A few javelin weight training videos I have saved.
The technical execution of the lifts is a separate discussion; however, the strength of these men is incredible considering their long levers and lack of cross-section
I find it interesting in US, it’s nearly a sin to have baseball players bench, or do any overhead lifting. And here we see two current top throwers lifting heavy.
Javelin Throwers throw after a long run up…pitchers throw from a stand.
So…not entirely comparable…plus…the strength and power of top javelin guys is amazing…top of the crop world class athletes.
a decade ago, MIck Hill, british javelin thrower ( 86 m)…at the end of his career, in a sporting festival threw a cricket ball 125m…
Agreed, the bench press has turned taboo for many throwing athletes in CONUS and I find it amusing.
The problem has nothing to do with the bench press and everything do to with inadequate training, therapy, stretching, etcetera to ensure that:
the shoulder internal rotators and pectoral minor do not become tight and short
shoulder external rotators and lateral abductors do not become lengthened and weak
seratus anterior is properly strengthened
overhead mobility and dynamic stability is addressed
scapular depression and downward rotation is regularly trained
overall mobility and dynamic stabilization of shoulder girdle is addressed
hip mobility is sufficient
training program as a whole is sound
I have integrated various drills that Thorkildsen performs as general preparatory training into the training of my quarterbacks. I met a throws coach in 2007 who had acquired these videos of Thorkildsen and I noticed that they have more recently been posted on Youtube:
Another great find. I can see the benefit of these, but i think the issue is how to progress to this point. With your quarterbacks, what type of progression do you have in place?
I’ve formulated a progression/introduction series that has been in place since 2007.
It’s more holistic, versus rigid, in terms of which drills and how much.
In short, my suggestion to you is to take the drills that are closest to what you already have your athletes performing, in addition to those which you know they can safely perform, and graduate their introduction in terms of volume and intensity.
They are placed at an auxiliary capacity in my programming and I should note that many of them are appropriate for nearly all American football playing positions due to the structural shoulder traumas that are common amongst everyone on the field except kickers/punters.
The key is to regulate the performance of the drills that require/generate more than needed mobility about the shoulder.
It is nearly as contraindicated to develop hyper mobility in non-throwing positions (for protection reasons) than it is indicated for throwing athletes to develop the necessary mobility for obvious reasons.