Velocity Plus Program (Weighted balls program)

Also another question, does the 2 oz ball have any significance at all? I was really excited that I was able to throw it 86 mph but does that have any potential for me to throw an actual baseball that speed?

The 2 oz. ball shows the potential in your arm.  According to their program, as I understand it, you build up your scap muscles to provide the "brakes" for your arm in the deceleration phase (among other things).  (Consider your arm a Ferrari.  If it can reach 200mph, you need to have brakes that can stop you after going 200mph)

 

Therefore, the 2 oz. ball represents the max velocity your arm is capable of throwing at that moment.  With further training, that number can increase but that is the potential in your arm right now.

You have hit on one of the reasons why it is so hard to gauge the efficacy of these programs.  You started at a Baseline that, by your own admission,  was clearly inaccurate because you had not thrown in two months.  Does that mean that you have already gained 10 mph due to the program?  Not IMHO, but others may disagree.

 

At any rate, there is no way anybody can give you a reliable prediction as to whether this program is really going to work for you.  Before I would even hazard a GUESS I would want to know a lot more about what you have done in the past to try to gain velocity.  If you've never put much effort into it in the past, then your chances are probably a bit higher, IF you really commit to the program.  

 

You just need to bust your butt and see what happens.  Is it POSSIBLE that you could end up throwing 85?  Yeah, it's possible.

That's very exciting actually, thank you! I would've never thought I had 86 in me at all. Goal by the end of this program is that I will be able to throw that with an actual baseball. 

Looking back on your prior posts I see that you have thrown "low to mid 80's" in the past.  I take mid 80's to mean at least 83-84.  If you've thrown that before, then yeah, 85 or a little more is certainly possible, be it from a weighted ball program or a good long toss and core strength program. 

 

 

Honestly, the only things I have done to try to increase velocity are strength/core training, and extreme long toss (3 or 4 days a week). I felt that core training definitely helps out a lot, and I am on a good strength/conditioning program right now. I will say that the long toss only maybe put one or two mph on my fastball in the past, I saw no significant gains with longtoss. Honestly, it's hard to put everyone in a box and say that a certain method works for all. Longtoss for me, it helped my shoulder get exercise, and I was certainly able to throw the ball a lot further, but it didn't really translate to much velocity like a lot of people profess it does. I'm pretty sure longtoss works for a lot of people, but once again, you can't just throw everyone in the same box and say a particular method works. So at the moment, I'm experimenting a little bit, as this weighted ball program is definitely new to me. I have confidence that this is helping a little bit, as I'm feeling stronger and getting better results on a weekly basis. 

I hope it works for you.  Be sure and keep us posted.

 

How long before they move you into the heavier weighted balls? 

The heavy balls (2 lb and 1 lb) have also been implemented during the duration of this program as well. I'm not quite sure, but I don't think we go any heavier than the 2 lbs. And I'll be sure to post my weekly test results every week! Just to give people an idea. 

DwightMillard33 are you doing any weight lifting or conditioning while you are doing your throwing program. 

Yes I am. I go to a baseball specific training facility 3-4 days a week. However, the training I get is completely independent of the throwing program.

I have a few players start the same program and just measured results for the second time (6 weeks) here is a sample of results. Keep in mind, there is nobody in our area "certified" to run this program so we are doing it based on information we got off this board:

 

Baseline

2lb-40 

1lb -54

6oz-77

5oz-80

4oz - 81

2oz - 86

 

After 6 weeks

2lb - 45

1lb- 61

6oz- 79

5oz - 84

4oz - 85

2oz- 95

 

Apparently there is some changes you should make after each test but we don't have that black box so we are not changing anything.. If anyone knows what you are suppose to change and why would love a PM of your experience. Hope that helps..Will post results again in 3 weeks..

My Son did the program last winter, I don't remember what his numbers were. He is currently doing it again. They did a baseline only with the 5oz ball which was 78. He has been tested twice so far  with 2 weeks between tests. The test results figures are an average of three throws per bal. His results so far are as follow:.

 

Test 1

2lb- 

1lb -62

6oz-77.5

5oz-81.5

4oz - 84.5

2oz - 90

 

After 2 weeks

2lb - 49.5

1lb - 65.5

6oz - 79.5

5oz - 82.5

4oz - 84.5

2oz - 93

My 13 just started this 2 weeks ago..

 

2lb - 36

1lb - 51

6oz - 65

5oz - 68

4oz - 69

2oz - 73

 

i will let you know after we retest in 3 weeks.

Another question for those who may know:

 

So apparently, we are NOT supposed to throw at all during the duration of this program (like play catch on the side, longtoss, etc.) Curious if anyone knows why that is? Or would a little catch on the side hurt at all? What will happen if we do indeed throw or something during this program? Not that I'm going to do it, I was just curious as to why.

 

 

Apparently, you are retraining the body to throw with intensity. If you throw during this program the body will revert to old ways of throwing. So for 10-12 weeks don't do it to let the body adjust. At least that is what I heard. Has anybody got info on how they have adjusted the program after second test?

2015 did this program last year.  Gained some velocity but hard to tell if it was from this program versus just natural progression.  A big plus that we did see from this program was that his arm felt great all through HS, Summer and Fall Travel Ball.  Getting underway with it again this year!

OP, I hope this helps. My son just completed his second round of Velocity training. His first time in Jan of 2013. He just finished his second time in Jan of 2014. Here is his change over the year.

 

01/03/13

2lb- 

1lb -

6oz - 73

5oz - 75

4oz - 76

2oz - 81

 

01/07/14

2lb -

1lb - 65

6oz - 82

5oz - 84

4oz - 86

2oz - 93

Hello everyone, sorry I haven't posted in a while, but here were my results today:

 

6 oz = 77

5 oz = 83

4 oz = 84

2 oz = 89

 

I have 4 weeks remaining in this program. Hope to be able to throw 85-87 by the end of this!!

Would you mind sharing what you know about this program with me?  I would love to get a few of my players onto a program like this, but do not have $455 to pay for each athlete that is interested.  My email address is jsteve1084@yahoo.com.  I would appreciate anything that anyone is willing to send that they know about this program in terms of days of the week, number of reps and so forth.  Thanks!

13u son just finished 2nd test..

 

1st week

 

2lb - 36

1lb - 51

6oz - 65

5oz - 68

4oz - 69

2oz - 73

 

Week 5

 

2lb - 43

1lb - 53

6oz - 70

5oz - 74

4oz - 74

2oz - 78

 

 

 

We're on hold as there aren't enough weighted balls for sale by Velocity. Anyone know of a different weighted ball seller? We want to get started. Also, was wondering if anyone knows of a good radar gun? I was told that the program lasts a year, but my son will only be timed at the start, and then after 3 weeks and 8 weeks.

There are others, but Oates has weighted balls. These are sand balls, which are typically thrown against a wall. 

 

http://oatesspecialties.com/ve...treme-duty-p-48.html

 

 

To the folks posting their speeds - are these weighted balls being thrown off a mound, 60.6 ft., or are they being throw shorter into a net?

 

Thanks.

Go to amazon they sell several packs of weighted ball sets of 4-13oz plus individual 1lb and 2lb balls. I would also share that the increases we say ranged from 5%-13% the difference being the strength and development range of the players.  HS age kids that were a lot weaker going in saw the big increases versus the more developed players seeing smaller. No surprise here but you never hear that called out in the websites pushing the program just "Increases up to xxx from players who have gone through program" that make all the players think they could all see those kinds of gains but if you are 16 throwing 85 you are not going to jump to 96 but getting to 87 is a big win in 9 weeks.  As you might expect, kids struggle accepting that..

To answer above question, it is NOT recommended to throw off a mound as the extreme weights of these balls is stress enough and the throw technique is off both knees, run and gun and rocker..none of which could be done right off a mound.

 

I agree with you completely. Even me getting it up to 83 two weeks ago was a huge victory for me, as I've struggled in the past even getting it to 80. I don't expect to throw 96 at the end of this, but very happy with what I've accomplished so far, and really going all out these last 4 weeks of the program and hope to be 85-86! 

Hey guys, I finished the program, hooray!

 

I would proudly like to share that I got it up to a max 85 mph (5 oz ball). Yes, not joking! I wasn't even able to throw 80 before this program as you guys saw my initial post! For the 2 oz ball, I got it up to 91! Meaning I got my overall arm speed to 91 mph! I'm really excited about this and cannot wait to do this program again! Consistently, now I'm around 81-84; but I hit a max of 85 a few times! Know that isn't a lot, but this is a really long way for me, as I couldn't throw 80 before! 

 

Really really recommend this program. But you get as much out of it as you put into it! Meaning, I NEVER skipped a day, and I was on a separate off-season training program and went extra hard in that as well! Definitely going to do this program again after our spring season; hope to be able to get it to upper 80s by summer ball!

Great job. Just don't be disappointed if your increase isn't as big next round.

I was hoping someone could help me with a couple of questions. I have recently started this program, and my initial test results are: 6oz-79, 5oz-82, 4oz-90. Those are the averages. Can someone help me understand the meaning of those results, and what my future potential could be at the end of this program. I am taking this program very seriously, and have high expectations for myself. I will retest in week 6, which is 4 weeks from now, and repost with my results that will include the 2lb, 1lb, and 2oz ball with the 6oz, 5oz, and 4oz ball. Thank you, and I appreciate any and all replies.