Best pitching books/Programs?

Conditioning
#1

So I realize I’ve been posting alot of different posts on this site lately so please bare with me!

When I get back to canada for a visit with my friends and family I plan on buying a couple new baseball books or programs… I have had a couple suggestions already some of which include Starting strength by Mark rippletoe, Tuff cuff, and a couple other books. Im planning on buying the tuff cuff program since I have heard that its very good for gaining velocity and preventing injury to the arm. I also heard something about a jeager program?

In your opinions what would be the best 3 books/programs that you know of to help develop my pitching. (6 foot 6,215 lbs and only throwing about 80) Im thinking a mechanics book would be very beneficial as well! (Please rank the three books or programs you would suggest to me in order most important to the least) Thanks Alot guys!

#2

Pertaining to the “jaeger program”, do you mean jaeger long-toss or an actual full program?

Jaeger long-toss just involves stretching it out (routine throwing with a crow hop focusing on smoothness and mechanics) until you are at a distance where you can’t reach your throwing partner on the fly. Move back 10 feet after every throw or as long as your arm feels is necessary. Then, you air it out (max effort crow hop focusing on velocity) moving in 10 feet after every throw. It’s going to be hard to crow hop max effort and still keep the ball from flying over your partner’s head, so focus on extension and throwing through your partner. Once you reach 60 ft, do multiple crow hop throws as long as your arm wants to.

#3

Thanks benFA, What is the difference between the full program and just longtoss. It sounds like the longtoss isnt really by jaeger but just something that people have been doing for many years!

#4

I actually don’t know of any comprehensive program by Jaeger, I just wasn’t sure what you were asking about Jaeger.

I own Tuff Cuff and its definitely recommended. A good strength/conditioning book is also recommended. I don’t know of any books on pitching mechanics, though. Honestly, getting a video up on here of your mechanics should be better than trying to self-correct yourself through a book.

#5

Jaeger’s program is relatively simple, but he isn’t just doing the basic long toss stuff that everyone was doing awhile ago. It’s also worth noting that Alan has been preaching long toss for plenty of time - over 20 years!

Alan’s major change to a throwing program involved a “going out” phase which was undefined and had throwers listen to their arms, rather than put them on a schedule. The second big change he introduced was the idea of “compressing” or “pulling down” the baseball when coming back in with your partner - trying to throw the baseball on a line through your partner’s shins on a downwards plane. The “going out” phase is the stretching/warm-up phase while the “coming in” phase is where velocity is gained (so he says).

Overall, it’s a great program, and he deserves much credit for revolutionizing long toss / throwing.

As for mechanics, there aren’t any singular good books out there, and most of what’s available is pretty bad. The NPA’s books are okay.

#6

The NPA book, The Art and Science of Pitching, presents the NPA’s mechanics model.

The NPA book, Fastball Fitness, contains a section in the beginning of the book that presents the best description of how different parts of the body contribute to velocity that I’ve read. (The rest of the book simply presents different training protocols.)

The NPA book, Arm Action, Arm Path and the Perfect Pitch: Building the Million Dollar Arm, addresses many of the conventional wisdom “teaches” and applies science to debunk them. It’s an interesting read and valuable if you tend to have coaches that preach a lot of conventional wisdom.

Of course, TuffCuff was written by Steven Ellis - former Cubs pitcher and owner of this site. :smiley:

#7

Thanks Kyleb for a short history of the longtoss! Usually I do longtoss about 3 or 4 times a week! And the book doesnt nessesarily have to be about mechanics, Im just looking for something that will either help my mechanics (Which im still trying to find a cheap camera for taking a video of my pitching so I can have you guys take a look at it) Or a book or program about getting stronger with specific exercises and such!

#8

Thoughts on the pitching 365 program on http://www.pitchingprograms.com/pitching365.html

#9

Since long toss came up here…

Some people like it. Some people hate it! But, most do it without knowing how it actually works…scientifically I mean. Most will say it stretches out the arm, or strengthens the arm because you throw with more effort the father you move away, or harder you throw the closer you get.

It strengthens the arm for sure, and it does so eccentrically. But Long toss alone is actually limited. This is the forgotten training method of overload for baseball pitchers.

I’m actually putting on free live webinar this Thursday Dec 6th that shows how proper eccentric training at the shoulder is 3x better than Long Toss. You can do it more often, and never get sore after throwing. You can register here if you’d like: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/226565712729148160

#10
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#11

just recently heard about the Velocity program developed by Tom House. Helped a minor league pitcher steve delabar reach the majors and i guess there’s been some outrageous results on it. there was a video on hbo real sports or something. can be found on youtube as steve delabar with bryant gumbal. they sell a package which i’m still skeptical about as all those things tend to end up under your bed or discarded in some way. but the thinking they use to develop the program makes sense and the results are quite stunning. i suggest at least looking it up. i’m still trying to figure out if its a real deal or not, but just a thought here.

#12

re: “they sell a package which i’m still skeptical about as all those things tend to end up under your bed or discarded in some way. but the thinking they use to develop the program makes sense and the results are quite stunning. i suggest at least looking it up. i’m still trying to figure out if its a real deal or not, but just a thought here.”

—Yes, Tom House’s (NPA) velocity program is certainly real, my son trained with it w/ House right along side of Delabar and some other guys last year. You don’t need to buy gear from the NPA, there are other sources and ways to improvise if you want to; however, if you abandon the gear in your closet or under the bed and/or you fail to work out diligently and consistently…surprise, surprise…neither House’s program nor anyone else’s program is going to help you.

If you let concerns like: “Will all that work really pay off?” you may never get started.

The common ingredient in all conditioning programs meant to increase your velocity is: Dedicated and consistent implementation of the work. Depending on your age…natural growth and development might increase your velocity in small increments for awhile. Beyond what you get for free from your genes, you’ll need to work on your conditioning like a monster to squeeze out everything you can.

If in doubt, just read some of Lanky Lefty’s posts…his contributions to this forum provide a great road-map, IMO.

#13

There have been posts in this forum about the NPA Velocity program. Additionally, LTP poster Fred Corral (University of Memphis pitching coach) may weigh in on what he presented at Ron Wolforth’s Bootcamp this past weekend about the holds and his alternative to them.

Fred and I are working together on his alternative, but I told him I’d let him do the talking about it. You can find him on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/FCorral34

Since he doesn’t seem to post here all that much anymore. (Busy guy, I’m sure.)