Video summary

How I went from throwing 78mph to 95mph in 16 months [FULL GUIDE]

Main summary

Key takeaways

Sport

Velocity-Driven Pitching

The speaker argues that modern baseball pitching is increasingly driven by velocity—where “90 mph is no longer enough” and 95 mph is the new benchmark. They claim many pitchers don’t even reach 90 after years of training.

To support this, they describe their own transformation:

  • 78 mph at age 16
  • ~96 mph about 16 months later
  • eventually reaching ~98 mph in a professional setting

They then present a step-by-step system built on what they call the “five exact underlying principles” for developing a high-velocity pitcher.

The Five-Step High-Velocity System

Step 1: High CNS (Central Nervous System) Throwing (High-Intensity Throws)

They say high-intent throwing trains the CNS and helps muscles/tendons fire faster—necessary for velocity.

Their example routine uses two high-intensity throwing days per week, including:

  • Pull-downs

    • Allowed “the highest possible throw effort,” often above mound velocity.
    • They claim the extra intensity creates an adaptation that transfers back to mound throws.
    • They also credit pull-downs with improving high-velocity mechanics, especially the lead-leg block via strong linear momentum and lead-leg stopping action.

  • Plyovos / pliable balls (referred to as “pio vo” / “pliovos”)

    • They argue the unfamiliar stimulus makes mechanical change easier.
    • They frame progress as measurable over time.

Tracking & progression mindset

  • Compare weekly best throws using pull-downs, plyovos, and mound throws.
  • Adopt a “try to PR every week” approach.
  • Progress may be “stagnant” and then jump.

Work/recovery cycle (safety-focused)

  • Stack heavy high-intent work on one day
  • Recover the next day (no lifting)
  • Repeat the cycle to manage stress and reduce risk

Step 2: Lifting for Force Production (Strength Base)

They argue pitching velocity requires “real strength” before prioritizing other training.

Example strength targets

  • 2x bodyweight squat
  • 2x bodyweight deadlift (or 2.5x with a trap bar)
  • bench press bodyweight
  • chin-ups for 10+ reps

After building the base

  • They claim strength reaches a “point of diminishing returns.”
  • At that point, the priority becomes learning how to apply force quickly.

Beginner lifting structure

  • A simple program emphasizing compound lifts using a 5x5 framework:
    • squat / bench / deadlift / pull-ups or rows
  • Use progressive overload (increase load from session to session)

Step 3: Rate of Force Development + Elasticity (“Make Strength Usable Fast”)

Because pitching happens in milliseconds, they emphasize training fast force application, not only heavy lifting.

They recommend three main methods:

  • Velocity-Based Training (VBT)

    • Use lighter loads moved quickly to train fast activation, firing, and fast-twitch response.

  • Overcoming isometrics

    • Push/pull against an immovable resistance to improve rate of force development and tendon stiffness (“snapback speed”).

  • Plyometric / impulse-style work

    • Sometimes with bands for tension/assistance
    • Intended to train elasticity and neuromuscular responsiveness

They call this building the “engine,” but warn:

Force won’t transfer if you can’t access and control deep ranges of motion.

Step 4: Deep Ranges of Motion (Mobility with Strength)

They argue flexibility alone isn’t enough—you must be:

  • strong in end ranges
  • able to generate power from them

Examples

  • Weighted stretching / stretch-strength
    • e.g., dumbbell bench with a deep stretch, then exploding out
  • ATG split squats
    • strengthening while exiting a deep hip flexor stretch

They claim this can improve tendon quality (e.g., thickness) and support safer, stronger throwing.

Step 5: Body Composition (Optimal Mass)

They stress that reaching maximum velocity often requires more lean muscle mass.

They use their own example:

  • 155 lbs at 16 (78 mph)
  • ~215 lbs when throwing 96 mph
  • gaining roughly 50–60 lbs in 16 months

They argue “mass equals gas” only when it’s lean mass, and progress depends mainly on:

  • a caloric surplus
  • enough protein

Nutrition guidance

  • Use calorie-dense foods/shakes for hard gainers (e.g., calorie-dense shakes, frequent peanut butter sandwiches)
  • They discourage macro overcomplication:
    • keep calories up
    • keep protein consistent

Transfer to Mechanics: “Five Underlying Principles” of High-Velocity Delivery

They conclude that strength and training must transfer through pitching mechanics and sequencing. They list five mechanics principles:

  1. Leg lift / weight shift toward the target

    • They claim force-plate data shows elite throwers produce both vertical and horizontal force, not just “down.”

  2. Back-leg load

    • Whether using external or internal rotation styles, the load should become force down-and-forward, not purely down.

  3. Separation

    • Rotate/open the pelvis halfway before the front foot lands
    • Fully open as the front foot hits
    • Keep the upper body relatively closed
    • They argue hip-to-shoulder separation contributes to velocity, but timing and explosiveness matter more than maximal separation.

  4. Lead-leg block

    • Analogized to a car-crash: the front leg “crashes” the drive so energy transfers into the upper body and arm.

  5. Upper-half control/relaxation and timing

    • Keep the upper half efficient and “relaxed”
    • Avoid glove-side actions that pull the body open too early
    • Stay closed until front foot contact (implied within sequencing discussion)

They emphasize coaching helps match principles to an athlete’s body and style, and they say working with a coach improved their mechanics. They also contrast their “fit” with pitchers who are more naturally quick/elastic.

Program / Offer (Pitcher Lab)

They argue doing it alone is possible but often too slow/expensive given limited time to reach higher levels.

They promote their company, Pitcher Lab, where athletes receive:

  • Full week of assessments
  • A customized full-stack program including:
    • throwing
    • lifting
    • mobility
    • medicine / “playable” work
    • mechanical drills
  • Mechanical specialists and one-on-one coaching focused on improving mechanics daily

They claim:

  • 97% success rate
  • typically 3–5 mph average increases
  • some athletes reach 10+ mph
  • 2–3 educational classroom sessions per week

Presenters / Sources

At the end of the video, the subtitles do not provide a clearly named presenter or external organization as a “presenter/source” list.

Original video