In the Forum Review, there is a graph that outlines the volumes of specific componants throughout a season. However, it does not provide guidelines as to volumes of explosive med ball throws. Am I correct to assume that explosive med ball throws would be lumped together with plyos, such that volumes would be kept low during Max Strength phases, but would be increased breifly during accumulation, recovery, and Maintenance phases?
Yes, explosive medball throws are High Intensity and the volume should be kept low much like ployos. We usually stay around 40-60 throws. You will see after a certain number that you are drained and not explosive with the ball as you were when you first started. At that point it is time to stop. As I said that usually happens at 40-60 depending if we are doing Medball acells or not.
As far as the volumes being kept low during Max Strength phases I do not see what you would want that. My thinking was that high intensity medball throws convert your max strength gains to power much like plyos/sprinting does and the low intensity medball throws builds eleastic strength qualities as well as aiding in recovery.
Because while one componant is emphasized, others must be maintained. So you can’t emphasize every componant at the same time. THis is why, on the graph in the Forum Review, plyo volume is increased when weight training volume goes down (during accum, recovery, and maintenance phases).
That being said, would the volume of High intensity med ball throws peak during these phases, or would they peak during the MaxS phase, or would their volume remain somewhat constant like sprinting volume?
Somewhat constant like sprinting volumes however when lifting is done 3-4 x per week early on they shoudl be kept lower and as the season goes on and lifting is only done 2x per week the numbers can rise a bit.
Not sure if this is exactly what you are talkin about but I found an older article by Dr. Yessis he says…" When the athlete is ready, after doing total body workouts to develop all the muscles and joints of the body, he can then begin doing plyometrics and at the same time intensify the strength training." He says in the article that when deciding when to do plyos in your program, “when training, speed quickness and technique work is always done first. Second in order is strength work, and last is endurance. Thus if plyometrics are planned for a particular day, they should be done before strength training.” When discussing med ball passes in this article he says " in each set there should be no more than 10 to 15 catch passes." Maybe this sparks some thoughts but I am not sure if it helps you at all 
Quik,
Can you provide an example of the volumes of the other components in a session where you do 40-60 explosive med ball throws? (sprint volume, plyo/bounds volume, # of lifts in squat, bench, clean)
That post was written over 2 years ago. I now would not go beyond about 20-30 throws. I personally do not use them but I do use them with some of my lower level athletes.
A 20 throw circuit would be something like…
Between Legs Forward x 5
Overhead Backwards x 5
Hammer Hip Left x 5
Hammer Hip Right x 5
That would be just one example. I have a few others as well involving hops, boxes, etc.
i thought you didnt want to perform explosive throws in circuit style?
Ok. I had just thought that 40-60 throws might be a little high of volume and maybe this was done on a day with no access to the track or something i.e. in a gymnasium.
Maybe he chooses to do this since with explosive med ball the reps themselves have a relatively high rest in between?
I don’t do them in a circuit. Perhaps I should of called my example a “Module”.
what about regards in progession to that volume?
What volume would you start at?