How Hard Should You Throw a PlyoCare Ball?

In the world of baseball player development, few topics generate as much discussion as the relationship between weighted ball training and throwing velocity. At Driveline Baseball, we’ve consistently emphasized the importance of data-driven approaches to training prescription. Today, we’re excited to share updated insights from our extensive database of athlete results – specifically geared around the relationships between how hard you throw PlyoCare balls against how hard you throw off a mound!

Understanding the Velocity-Weight Relationship

Our latest analysis examined thousands of throws across multiple implement weights, from lightweight 100-gram balls to heavier 450-gram training balls. The relationship between ball weight and throwing velocity follows a clear pattern, but with some surprising nuances across different drill types.

The Drop Step Revelation

One of the most interesting findings challenges our previous understanding of Drop Step throws. While we historically estimated a modest half-mile-per-hour increase in velocity compared to baseball throws, our comprehensive data analysis reveals a more complex picture. Drop Step velocities actually show similar patterns to other plyo drills, suggesting that drill and ball weight prescription could be changed – potentially adding in the newer incremental PlyoCare balls (orange, purple, dark green) into the standard set of throws!

Weight-Specific Patterns

The data reveals distinct patterns across different ball weights:

Lightweight Plyo Balls (100g)

Expected Velocity Relationships: 100g Ball Weight

These implements allow athletes to maintain velocities closest to their mound velocities, with minimal drop-off across all drill types. This makes them particularly valuable for high-intent training sessions focused on movement patterns.

Medium Weight Implements (150-225g)

Expected Velocity Relationships: 150g Ball Weight

Expected Velocity Relationships: 225g Ball Weight

We see a predictable decline in velocity as weight increases, but the relationship remains remarkably consistent across different drill types. This consistency gives us confidence in prescribing these implements for specific training adaptations.

Heavy Ball Training (450g)

Expected Velocity Relationships: 450g Ball Weight

The velocity differential becomes much more pronounced with 450g implements, though the sample size is notably smaller. This suggests coaches should be particularly thoughtful about prescribing these heavier implements, especially in higher-velocity athletes.

Implications for Training

These findings have significant implications for how we approach weighted ball training. The consistent patterns across drill types suggest that the body adapts to additional weight in predictable ways, regardless of the movement pattern. This helps validate our systematic approach to training progression while highlighting the importance of careful implement selection.

Individual Response Matters

While these group averages provide valuable insights, individual response to different implements varies. This reinforces our commitment to comprehensive athlete monitoring and individualized training prescription. The substantial dataset behind these findings enables us to make more informed decisions about implement progression while respecting individual athlete characteristics.

Moving Forward

While this research is a great example of Driveline’s commitment to continuous learning and evidence-based training methods, we have other ideas to augment this work! Particularly utilizing our automated Launchpad to generate kinematic and kinetic data from these drills and throws – and in doing so, running biomechanical analyses on more than just simple mound pitching and weighted ball throwing from the mound!

By combining large-scale data analysis with practical application, we continue to refine our understanding of how different training implements affect throwing performance. Stay tuned for more research published by our team!