Long Tossing/Throwing Workouts

why would you longtoss changeups

More control with them, why not?

long toss is to build up arm strength,not gain control.Do that in bullpens!

Actually, it is quite common for guys to throw changeups from long distances. The reason? It teaches you the feel of throwing hard with the grip. It is a good way to practice without taxing the arm by throwing from the mound.

I don't mean that I can't throw them and am working on throwing them for strikes, I mean throwing them like in a real game, getting used to them etc. at normal speed.

quote:

Originally posted by shermanreed:
Actually, it is quite common for guys to throw changeups from long distances. The reason? It teaches you the feel of throwing hard with the grip. It is a good way to practice without taxing the arm by throwing from the mound.

Exactly. Long toss using a changeup grip will teach players to not slow down or change their arm motion when throwing the changeup. During long toss is a great time to do this.

Not to get this thread off track, and unless asked I'll stay out of this (because it's obvious some people don't like it)

But, the whole "long toss for arm strength" is simply untrue.

Second, pitching from the mound isn't as stressful as long toss 180+ feet, or even flat ground throwing.

Why? Because when you throw from the mound (downhill, and hopefully you'll have a 100%+ stride), the trunk flexion helps the arm decelerate more so than it would be able to on flat ground, thus it's not as "stressful" as flat ground and long toss.

*Bows*

X, why do believe that long toss doesn't improve arm strength? If you begin a long toss program, and your max distance is 200', and after 1 month you increase that distance to 230', is that not increasing arm strength? What am I missing?
My son had an instructor who taught him to throw at least 1/3 change-ups during most any tossing session, including long toss. It helps greatly with the feel of the pitch.

What are you strengthening in your arm? Why do studies show hardly any difference between the throwing and non-throwing shoulder in terms of strength?

Going from 200 to 230 feet. Principle of Specificity, you became better at long toss. That doesn't correlate to pitching. They are two different activities.

XFactor - Correct me if I'm wrong but if I understand you correctly, you are indicating that the benefit of long toss is for stretching out and loosening the throwing muscles and arm which helps increase distance.

It's true that long-tossing does not really increase arm strength. But I feel the term "strength" has a wide range of meanings to different people.

When most people say long tossing increases strength, what they basically mean (even if it's not what they think they mean) is long tossing increases overall arm conditioning (endurance, recovery ability, etc). For this long toss is great and should be done. But for "strength", as determined by it's true meaning, long toss will do very little.

F long toss.

Throw as HARD as you can from 60'6". Get it going down hill.

If guys are too scared to play catch at that distance, go to 90'.

I remember wasting my time in HS long tossing looking for velo.

Jon and irogas44,

This is honestly the first time that I have heard that long-tossing does not increase velocity. Knowing what it has done for my arm, and many other player's arms, would you explain the increases in velocity just on the fact that they are throwing hard, no matter what the distance is?

quote:

Originally posted by thegame2003:
Jon and irogas44,

This is honestly the first time that I have heard that long-tossing does not increase velocity. Knowing what it has done for my arm, and many other player's arms, would you explain the increases in velocity just on the fact that they are throwing hard, no matter what the distance is?

Absolutely!

As I stated earlier I got my best development throwing hard from 60'6" and making my body more explosive/efficient in the gym.

I eventually ended up using long toss, in my 'day after' program.

In that context, X, I do agree with you. In the more real sense of the word, "strength" long toss probably does little to affect that.