does more muscle make you throw better??

Question

i play softball in highschool, usually outfield, if i have more musclue in my throwing arm will i throw better/faster/harder etc..or will it slow me down?

Answer 1

More muscle in your arm will not help that much. In fact may result in you trying to overthrow and hurting your shoulder.
Throwing, and all movement, starts in your core muscle group.
Your ab, back and pelvis are the center of all motion and your platform for balance. Start strengthening with this core group and extend to exercises that also work your legs - every throw starts from your legs, they need to strong and flexible. Proper throwing motion and range of motion are also extremely important, throwing comes from elastic energy not contraction energy.
Work on the 29 muscles in your core group first. Before I tell you to practice long toss - this is very important to your health, so do not listen to some moron telling you to practice throwing the ball as far as you can. The intent of your long toss is to stretch your throwing muscles not to throw a ball as far as you can. Practice from center field picking up a ground ball in front of you on the run with your momentum going toward home, and make your throws at about 90% velocity. The ball should never go above 8 or 9 feet in the air and should land somewhere around the mound. You are not trying to learn to throw the ball to home plate, you are stretching using a full range of motion. This will cause your core to stretch as you pull the ball further back to throw and choosing a lower target gives you a longer throwing motion or release point. This is not to prove how hard you can throw so resist the temptation to test it. Doing the wrong training will inury your rotator. If you really want to improve and do it healthy, find a physical therapist who specializes in sports medicine or sports injuries. Take him a copy of what I just wrote and tell him you want to throw harder and he will design a workout regimine based on your body and strength.

I have included a link to some core exercises.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/core-strength/SM00047

Answer 2

There is actually two basic types of muscle. Red and white. Red is the power muscle, white is the "twitch fiber" reaction muscle. Developing the twitch fibers will actually increase pitching velocity over developing powerful red muscle. A body builder for example, if he had enough white muscle developement would be capable of throwing fast. True that "lean muscle" is the ideal since red muscle is bulky, would tend toward faster pitching speeds. It doesn't however, rule out that a bulk muscle person can throw fast.
The reason great fastball pitchers are primarily leaner, is they have developed training regiments toward developement of the twitch fibers for faster speed. So why bother with bulk muscles.

A good exercise to develope the twitch fibers is to find a flat surface about waist high. Then begin tapping the fore and middle fingers on the surface as fast as possible. Keep the muscles of the arm taunt and do so for about 30 seconds at first. Continue to add 15 seconds on each set that you do.

Answer 3

Muscle mass will not make you throw harder; that will simply impede your flexibility. It's like Kevin Brown as opposed to Mark McGuire; McGuire would be a failure as a pitcher because he is too big. Softball and baseball players should strive for muscle density; while this makes you stronger, it will not hurt flexibility. So, use very light dumbbells (2-3 pounds) and use low-resistance rubber tubing. And, more than anything else, throw and throw and throw. So, muscle mass will slow you down, muscle density will speed you up and improve stamina.

Answer 4

Actually, muscle is not the answer. For example, look at the NY Mets closer Billy Wagner. He has little muscle, but still throws at 100+ MPH. It basically has to do with how well you handle the velocity of each pitch and the tendons in your elbow. Once your tendons wear down, you need reconstructive surgery (Tommy John Surgery its called.)

Answer 5

The key to throwing a baseball is the motion of your arm, not the strength. I used to play, and this guy about half my size could throw twice as fast and hard as me. Muscle is handy to have and I don't see how it could possibly slow you down. But it won't do you any good if you don't throw properly.

Answer 6

It will obviously make you throw harder. What you want to work on though is strengthening your wrist. SO when you throw that soft ball and snap your wrist before you release it, that ball will go pretty damn fast.

Oh and only bulky muscle slows you down. If you have lean muscle it makes you signifiantly quicker. Not all muscle is going to make you slow.....that's retarded.

Answer 7

Muscle Mass will help you hit - it will give you more muscle. It may help your velocity a little, but not significantly when throwing.

Answer 8

you want plenty of muscle, the added strength will help, but you dont want mass. If you have too much mass it will affect the mecanics of your throwing and hitting.

Answer 9

yes, increase in muscle is directly propotional to the distance and faster you through. If you have muscle then you can through faster and huge distances

Answer 10

no ull throw slower how dumb the person who said that he was serious when i said it i was joking u throw faster and harder boxers have muscle look at them look at reps.