Video summary

How I Went From Throwing 78mph to 95mph in 16 Months [FULL COURSE]

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons (what the video is trying to teach)

  • Pitch velocity improves through two broad buckets:

    1. Develop the “frame/engine” (your body’s ability to produce force quickly): strength base, body composition, rate of force development (RFD), tendon/elasticity, ATPCP, mobility.
    2. Improve mechanics/energy transfer so you can actually deliver that force to the ball efficiently (mechanical efficiency is “king” once you’re strong enough).

  • Strength is the foundation, but after a strength base threshold, further strength gains alone don’t keep increasing velocity because pitching delivers force in milliseconds, not seconds.

  • Rate of Force Development (RFD) matters because it determines how quickly you can produce force. In pitching, different segments correspond to different RFD metrics:

    • Back leg: correlated via impulse (force × time) during a short force-application window.
    • Lead leg: correlated via knee extension velocity (how quickly the knee locks/braces).
    • Upper body: rotation/pec activation/rapid force for both acceleration and deceleration (arm safety).

  • ATPCP is framed as the energy + nervous system capacity for peak power output from 0–10 seconds (sprints, jumps, explosive throws).

  • Training intention + max effort is repeatedly emphasized: if you do velocity-based work but don’t move at true maximal intent, you may not get the RFD/ATPCP stimulus.

  • Training economy / allocation: don’t waste time and energy doing advanced or unnecessary work if you’re weak; match training emphasis to your bottlenecks.

  • Program structure & recovery: stack high-intent work on days with recovery built in; don’t do high-intent throwing and high-intent lifting back-to-back without recovery.

Methodology / instruction breakdown

Step 1 — Build an elite strength foundation

  • Core concept: Strength is the “engine” that provides potential; without it you can’t reach high velocity potential.

  • How to get strong: use progressive overload.

    • Definition: add weight or reps each time you lift.
    • Examples given:
      • Squat example: if you struggle at 135, progress weekly (120 → 125 → 130 → …).
      • Rep-based example: if you hit 135 for 5 reps, then next week exceed 5 reps (or keep weight and increase reps).

  • Why progressive overload works:

    • Uses Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands (body/brain adapt to higher demands).
    • Builds muscle, tendons, and neural pathways.
    • Long consistency is required (example: years of 3–4 days/week lifting to reach much higher numbers).

  • If you stall or fail:

    • Option 1: try again next week
    • Option 2: deload/back off weight (example: go from 250 down to 240 and build back up)

What “strength base” means (when strength stops being the limiter)

  • Goal: reach a level where you’re strong enough that strength isn’t your primary constraint.
  • Suggested strength-base targets (bodyweight dependent):
    • Squat: ~2× bodyweight (any squatting pattern; back squat not preferred but acceptable)
    • Deadlift: ~2.5× bodyweight
    • Bench: 1–1.5× bodyweight (less emphasized)
    • Pull-ups: 10+ clean reps
    • Optional row target: ~100 lb dumbbell row
  • Key idea: gaining weight only helps if the weight is lean mass and strength improves with it.

Step 2 — Develop Rate of Force Development (RFD)

  • Purpose: increase the ability to produce force fast enough to match pitching’s milliseconds.

  • Why some strong pitchers don’t throw harder:

    • They have strength, but can’t access/tap it quickly enough in the delivery.

  • What to train (by body segment):

    • Back leg: maximize impulse in the back-leg force window
      • Impulse = force × time
      • Pitch velocity correlates to higher impulse, not just peak strength.
    • Lead leg block: emphasize knee extension velocity (fast bracing/locking).
    • Upper body: rotation + pec/shoulder/accelerators for fast activation + fast deceleration for safety.

  • How to train RFD (4 preferred methods):

    1. Velocity-Based Training (VBT / bar speed)
      • Use ~50–60% 1RM and move as quickly as possible.
      • Measure success by bar speed, not weight.
      • Common mistake: people go “quick” but not truly max intent; must be max effort.
      • Without a speed machine: use ballistic/jump training where intent is constrained by physics.
    2. Overcoming Isometrics (max force against something that won’t move)
      • Push/pull maximally for ~3–7 seconds (split stance version emphasized).
      • Claimed benefits:
        • improves neural recruitment / brain-muscle connection
        • improves vertical jump without muscle growth (neural change focus)
        • position-specific strengthening (front-leg block similarity)
    3. Plyometrics
      • Jumps/medicine-ball style elastic work (emphasize intent).
      • Used across a spectrum: absorption → elasticity → explosive output.
    4. Ballistic / explosive power work
      • Examples: belt squat jumps, jump/trap-bar jump variants, sprint-style explosiveness.

  • Training rule-of-thumb: work at max effort / correct intent so you’re actually training the intended system.

Higher level concept — Train ATPCP for peak output (0–10s)

  • Claim: RFD is important, but ATPCP is the “fuel” for peak power and high-output explosive tasks.
  • How to train ATPCP (practical methods listed):
    1. Sprints
      • Highest neural output activity for humans.
      • Keep it within sprint range (0–10s concept); don’t exceed “conditioning” durations.
      • Example structure:
        • Acceleration sprints: from stance, hard for ~10m
        • Flying/max-speed sprints: build up, then ~20m, often ~80% for ~10m then max
      • Recommended frequency in the video: ~3–4 times/week (as “main lift” for him).
    2. Plyometrics
      • Broad jumps (benchmark: ~9 ft+; ~10 ft+ for elite force production claims)
      • Repeated jumps (e.g., triple broad jump: absorb → produce → absorb → produce)
      • Use moderation due to CNS/joint stress.
    3. VBT + Overcoming ISOs
      • VBT: keep weight the same; try to increase speed each session.
      • Overcoming ISOs: transition quickly from relaxed to max intent.

Weight-room exercise list (10 exercises emphasized)

The video later gives a concrete set of exercises (presented as “10 exercises to increase pitching velocity”). Key items include:

  1. Trap bar deadlift (VBT-measured)
    • Variation emphasized: measure bar speed with a VBT machine.
  2. Trap bar jumps (deadlift + jump at the end)
  3. Split stance overcoming ISO
    • Bar against an immovable object; relaxed → max intent quickly (holding for ~6s mentioned).
  4. VBT bench press (explosive/power-focused)
    • “Bounce” on chest slightly for explosiveness; focus on intent.
  5. Belt squat
  6. Yielding ISO
    • Hold for long durations (roughly 20s to 10 minutes range).
    • Claimed tendon stiffness/strength focus.
  7. Jefferson curl (spinal flexion strength/range)
  8. Spine circuit extensions & mobilizations
    • Barbell side bends
    • Dumbbell/barbell pullover (thoracic extension / spinal extension)
    • (Cobra hang / back bridge variations also appear in the spine mobility section.)
  9. Dumbbell external rotation (arm care via structural balance)
  10. Jumps selection + medicine ball throws
    • Jump variations (vertical, broad, skater/relevant reactive)
    • Medicine ball throws for lower-body patterning (example: ~2-lb ball for reps)

Additional specific mobility exercises are described later, especially ATG-style routines.

Program scheduling & recovery framework (how to structure a week)

  • Main warning: do not stack high-intent stress with no recovery—especially high-intent lifting after high-intent throwing on consecutive days.
  • Conceptual week shape: a “W” pattern of workload with recovery between peaks.

  • Example weekly structure described:

    • Monday: high CNS / high intent throwing + high CNS lifting
    • Tuesday: recovery (soft tissue, low-intensity throwing ~30–40% effort, easy active recovery)
    • Wednesday: medium effort day (~60–70%) with relaxed long toss or lighter mound work + medium CNS lift
    • Thursday: recovery/mobility/soft tissue focus
    • Friday: another high CNS / near-maximum day (aiming to “PR”)
    • Weekend: chill (mobility/soft tissue; possibly sub-50% throwing)

  • High CNS stacking rule: separate high-intent days with enough recovery; the video cites ~72 hours between peak days as ideal.

Throwing progression concepts (how velocity phases evolve)

Phase 1 (78 → ~85 mph)

  • Long toss as the main tool (Allen Jagger long toss style).
  • Emphasis:
    • start with big arc, build out until you can’t hit partner
    • then move toward “on-a-line” throws with similar effort
  • Long toss is framed as athleticism/range opener, not perfect mechanics.

Phase 2 (85 → ~95 mph)

  • Add high CNS type throwing and weighted balls
    • Pull downs with pliable balls using different weights (4oz / 5oz / 6oz examples)
    • Use radar to track velocity and aim to beat prior best weekly
  • Alternate with plyo velocity days using plyo/rubber balls and drills to adjust mechanics without conscious overthinking.
  • Cycle: ~4 weeks then a deload/rest week.

Phase 3 (95 → 100+ mph)

  • Shift toward mechanical patterning + autonomous throwing
    • Identify and fix specific mechanical deficiencies (e.g., back leg impulse depth/explosion)
    • Throw at high effort only as recovery/intent allows
    • Don’t do rigid “100% every day”; use readiness signals

Mechanical patterning principles for efficient throwing (5 main mechanics/transfer principles)

  1. Leg lift + shift center of mass (horizontal + toward target)
  2. Back leg load (create force drop/load)
  3. Separation
    • pelvis opens (halfway) before front foot hits
    • upper body stays closed until front foot hits
    • hip-to-shoulder separation timing/explosiveness emphasized over max separation range
  4. Lead leg block: “crash” momentum into force transfer for upper body catapult
  5. Upper body/arm quiet until front foot strike, then aggressive arm action

Key sources / speakers featured (and how they’re referenced)

Main speaker

  • The video creator / narrator (primary person throughout; claims personal journey from ~78 mph to ~98 mph and later coaching work).
    • No name is explicitly provided in the subtitles.

Individuals referenced as athletes/case studies or influences

  • Tom House (broad jump correlation study reference)
  • Yoshino Yamamoto (Japanese player; referenced for ATPCP training ideas and mobility/bases)
  • Shota Sasaki (Japanese player; referenced similarly)
  • Shohei Otani (quick runner/athletic comparison)
  • Trevor Bower (long toss/velocity mechanics concepts and “drift drop” style)
  • Roki Sasaki (sprints/ATPCP nervous system comparison; study referenced)
  • Allen Jagger (referenced via long toss programming)
  • Kase, Jake, Kaden, Kieron, Taranon, Toby, Wade (six athlete examples; names given in subtitles)
  • Ben Patrick / “ATG” (mobility influence and related context like QL raise)
  • Knee Over Toes (referenced indirectly via “ATG / knees over toes guy”)
  • DriveLine (research/studies referenced)

Organizations/companies referenced

  • The Pitch Lab (co-founded; coaching/program delivery referenced)
  • DriveLine (research/studies referenced)
  • WHOOP band (recovery signal used in the narrative)
  • ATG / ATG mobility (mobility program concept associated with Ben Patrick)

Original video