Speed Improvement..

[Red_White_Catcher15]

now i was the one who started the Arm Strength thread..
but wat about foot Speed.

any ideas?

[Mustangs24]

You wouldn't believe how many pitchers in this area lose speed because of not knowing how to pitch, there's a lot of throwers out there with poor mechanics.

Adding to speed don't forget movement, you can throw 90's and without movement it's useless. Sure you might fair well in high school but the next level a flat pitch is a flat pitch no matter how fast it's going.

Now, as a catcher and speed - the exchange and footwork is HUGE! You need to work on that a ton, and then the speed comes over time of developing arm strength and proper mechanics. Some people were meant to throw 99mph, others were destined to throw 70.


Sorry to anyone who read this as it submitted before I was done as this site always freezes up.

[Red_White_Catcher15]

Thank you very much for the tip..
but i was talkin about Foot Speed..i forgot to put that...sry for the misleading info.

but thank you for the tip

[Snowboarder32]

Thank you very much for the tip..
but i was talkin about Foot Speed..i forgot to put that...sry for the misleading info.

but thank you for the tip

Speed and Quickness exercises will increase foot speed
get about a 15ft straight away and go down and back 3 times which each exercise
-Sprinting down back peddle back
-tappiokee (kareoke but really quick feet)
-regular kareoke
-2 inch hops
-2 inch hops but go in a diagonal pattern
-frog jumps for distance then height


those should help if you do them a few times i'd say maybe 2 or 3 times a week.

[Mustangs24]

thats the best thing for speed.

squat actually increases power, not speed - it's a power excercise and working for speed and power is two different areas...it's slow twitch vs. fast twitch muscle fibers.

[Mustangs24]

Speed and Quickness exercises will increase foot speed
get about a 15ft straight away and go down and back 3 times which each exercise
-Sprinting down back peddle back
-tappiokee (kareoke but really quick feet)
-regular kareoke
-2 inch hops
-2 inch hops but go in a diagonal pattern
-frog jumps for distance then height


those should help if you do them a few times i'd say maybe 2 or 3 times a week.


That's pretty good - but will add...

4 corner hop (short hops/jumps using corners in the gym - X kinda - you go across - over - accross - over accross over - etc)

pickups - yea it's good for anyone in baseball but really builds up the "calf" muscles which is great for foot work.

jump rope - noone likes it, but it helps! It's still one of the most used techniques in pro baseball and football.

shuttle runs - oldie but goodie

as a catcher, here's the easiest tip ever - get out of your stance. Look at the red sox and why their catchers have been so efficient. They are NOT in the "down" position with runners on giving them a head start. Catchers like to sit down and relax with runners on base - but if you get up (you know the pitch coming I'd hope) then you know how far to get up and ready to gun.

[Red_White_Catcher15]

i am actually one of the only catchers i know that doesnt like to use those knee savers..i feel they make someone lazy..wat do u guys think?

[Red_White_Catcher15]

i feel its helped me be quicker behind the plate..it makes it so im always up and not sittin..

[Mustangs24]

i feel its helped me be quicker behind the plate..it makes it so im always up and not sittin..

You're using them wrong if they make you feel lazy, it means they're not set up right or you're relying on them too much. They should just take the stress off the knees and not allow so much sitting back durign the entire pitch sequence. Use them, but know how to...

Think of it this way - how many seconds of each pitch is a catcher actually catching the pitch? 2-3 seconds? OK, now include calling for the pitch, checking the batter, checking the runners, checking for the call from the dugout, etc. That's the time you use the knee savers, when there's no action coming - you can adjust once the pitch is coming to be more upright.

There's a stud catcher going into 9th grade this year that has that problem, I won't even mention who he is (dont ask) but he has what a lot of scouts look for, but he sits back too much relying on those knee savers. When he's up and ready to go the kid is nasty behind the plate...problem is he sits back on those knee savers too much when he shouldnt....use them, but know when and how too, they are well worth using. Make sense?

[HillTopper43]

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They're building is up in Charlotte....They work with professional athletes and olympic jumpers.
If you are serious and want the best trainers locally.

[Red_White_Catcher15]

You're using them wrong if they make you feel lazy, it means they're not set up right or you're relying on them too much. They should just take the stress off the knees and not allow so much sitting back durign the entire pitch sequence. Use them, but know how to...

Think of it this way - how many seconds of each pitch is a catcher actually catching the pitch? 2-3 seconds? OK, now include calling for the pitch, checking the batter, checking the runners, checking for the call from the dugout, etc. That's the time you use the knee savers, when there's no action coming - you can adjust once the pitch is coming to be more upright.

There's a stud catcher going into 9th grade this year that has that problem, I won't even mention who he is (dont ask) but he has what a lot of scouts look for, but he sits back too much relying on those knee savers. When he's up and ready to go the kid is nasty behind the plate...problem is he sits back on those knee savers too much when he shouldnt....use them, but know when and how too, they are well worth using. Make sense?

yea dude that does make sense..but wat i was sayin was that i used those when i was younger and just felt they were not helpin me..so i took them off..and im actually a lot better than when i had them..

[Mustangs24]

yea dude that does make sense..but wat i was sayin was that i used those when i was younger and just felt they were not helpin me..so i took them off..and im actually a lot better than when i had them..

Some people just have their "thing" that makes them feel comfortable, nothing out of the ordinary there. I had about as many quirks as Turk Wendell and Mitch Williams personally - just less entertaining.

Another catcher I worked with last year started the season saying he didn't like them, after observing quick I saw why - they were too far down and not actually doing anything, they just got in the way. After an adjustment he realized what they're for. Not saying that's the case here, but why I wrote that before. Some people just dont like using some equipment, like catchers who like the old masks instead of the hockey style. Pure preference.

[Red_White_Catcher15]

ahh ok i gotcha now..but yea i see that makes sense..
but back to the original topic..
anything i could do to boost speed (as in running)