16 mph in 16 Months

I recently saw a video online of a former MLB pitcher talking about when he was young

He said that as a 14 year old he started a throwing program that gained him a full 16 mph in 16 months, rocketing him from 78 mph to 94 mph

He noted that in this time frame he didn’t have any growth spurt or large size gain, he simply threw

He went on to have an MLB career, and averaged 93.8 mph, just shy of the MLB average

What was uncanny to me is that when he described his throwing plan that got him such amazing results, it was almost IDENTICAL to what I did throwing in high school

The difference for me is that when I got done, I was 80

Not exactly 94 and big league velocity.

This is the fundamental problem with the ridiculous “oh just throw and it’ll just happen” and “your velocity will just happen”: if that was true, EVERY kid would throw 95. Because EVERY kid is throwing. Yet so so few: high school varsity players to MLB is 0.01%: reach anything remotely close to the necessary velocity to pitch at the high levels of the sport

The reason a small small percent get incredible results and MOST don’t, is genetics.

If you have extreme ROM in the glenohumeral joint, especially extreme external rotation, as well as a positive sulcus sign, high on the Beighton scale, etc, then it WILL “just happen” for you. Essentially throwing will unveil the genetic giftings you’ve always had. That’s what’s called talent

But if you’re the 99.99%, it’s NOT going to “just happen”. You are going to have to generate velocity from much more than just asking more and more out of your shoulder, namely: adding size and strength; building plane specific force; and significantly raising your explosive strength and overall athleticism

Otherwise, like me, you’ll end up confused why it didn’t “just happen” as you fall far short of your dreams
 

-Fenske