weighted softballs

Lee

Lee

Member
I wanted to help increase my throwing distance/strength (being an outfielder) and was considering picking up a weighted softball to use in some throwing and warmup drills. Has anyone used these before?? i see there are a lot of different weights too, any weight suggested to start out at? 7oz or 8oz seemed to be the norm but wanted to check. Thanks
 
Athon08

Athon08

Addicted to Softballfans
put the weighted ball down..those are good only for warming up....the best thing you can do to improve distance/strength it doing shoulders, arms and forearm workouts in the gym, along with doing long toss..getting your muscles used to throwing longer distances
 
Guvna

Guvna

Buzzing towers
long toss helps the strength along with strong legs....you'll just hurt yourself with a weighted ball.
 
J

jlasserton

Banned User
Athon08 said:
put the weighted ball down..those are good only for warming up....the best thing you can do to improve distance/strength it doing shoulders, arms and forearm workouts in the gym, along with doing long toss..getting your muscles used to throwing longer distances
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If you don't already go to the gym, it might be a good idea to join or get a trainer. A trainer can show you the appropriate exercises and weights to use. If you want to try to use the weighted ball then I would only use it once a week for about 30 minutes. You do not want to over work your muscles.
 
DSNuts48

DSNuts48

Badass
jlasserton said:
If you don't already go to the gym, it might be a good idea to join or get a trainer. A trainer can show you the appropriate exercises and weights to use. If you want to try to use the weighted ball then I would only use it once a week for about 30 minutes. You do not want to over work your muscles.
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No you never want to throw a weighted ball, it even has a warning label that comes with said weighted balls. Long toss and flexibility would be the only way to go.
 
L

LngBallLvr

Addicted to Softballfans
Without a doubt the best way to get a better arm is throw. I go out 3-4 weeks before the season starts and throw as far as I can (long toss). Get some mush balls and you can throw at a back stop or even the side of a school where the ball will bounce back. Concentrate on using your entire body and do stretching to keep your shoulder limber. You will throw harder the farther if you bring the ball behind you when you throw and keep your elbow at shoulder height (do not let it drop lower). Pivot and learn to throw with your legs with good rotation. If you go out and throw 10 times for about 30-40 throws each session within the next 30 days, I guarantee you will notice a big difference in you arm in a month.
 
Lee

Lee

Member
LngBallLvr said:
Without a doubt the best way to get a better arm is throw. I go out 3-4 weeks before the season starts and throw as far as I can (long toss). Get some mush balls and you can throw at a back stop or even the side of a school where the ball will bounce back. Concentrate on using your entire body and do stretching to keep your shoulder limber. You will throw harder the farther if you bring the ball behind you when you throw and keep your elbow at shoulder height (do not let it drop lower). Pivot and learn to throw with your legs with good rotation. If you go out and throw 10 times for about 30-40 throws each session within the next 30 days, I guarantee you will notice a big difference in you arm in a month.
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Thanks for the tips man!

Would you suggest a weighted ball for just light warm up toss before games?
 
diet pepsi

diet pepsi

Addicted to Softballfans
Make certain that it is a very lightly weighted ball. You can drive finishing nails into the seams of a softball (move them around evenly), then weigh it on a postal scale. A softball weighs 6.8 ounces, so you could go up a small increment from there.

I asked this question of Allan Jaeger, www.JaegerSports.com and he called me and said that he doesn't use weighed balls at all to strengthen arms. He uses long toss and surgical band exercises.

Keep in mind that it is hard for someone to catch a weighed ball, too. I broke my finger doing that.

I have the complete set, that I would like to sell, but the shipping cost is high.
 
DSNuts48

DSNuts48

Badass
Lee said:
Thanks for the tips man!

Would you suggest a weighted ball for just light warm up toss before games?
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Yes, but light thrown within 10ft back and forth. Basically going through the motions slowly and lofting it back and forth.
 
VDubb

VDubb

Addicted to Softballfans
Guvna said:
yes, this x2
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x3.......I warm up before every game with a Cannonball........and have not had arm problems since my bro and I started doing this a few years ago........I play CF on a team that plays mostly 5-man, so there are games when I throw a lot......


westcoastwave20 said:
what the hell is long toss sorry boys never played baseball before
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Long toss is.......playing catch at a long distance. You slowly build distance as you warm up........great strength builder for the arm.........
 
G

Ghost

Addicted to Softballfans
there is nothing wrong with throwing a weighted ball as long as you are carefull. And if you think it is not safe then someone needs to tell the NFL that footballs are too heavy...Use your entire body to throw and avoid throwing it with strictly with your elbow or shoulder and you will be find. The big rubber ones allow you to practice without the need for another person or a bucket of balls.

My system consists

1 weighted ball.
1 sponge ball the weighs the same as a regular softball
1 tennis ball.

Warm up with the sponge ball progress to the weighted ball then back to sponge and finally the tennis ball.
do three sets and i am good for the day.
 
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W

WarningTrakPowr

amiright?
Ghost said:
there is nothing wrong with throwing a weighted ball as long as you are carefull. And if you think it is not safe then someone needs to tell the NFL that footballs are too heavy.
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Why is that relevant? The mechanics are different.

IMHO, the only comparison that can be made between the 2, would be using a slider pitch and a football throw. Throw a slider, using a weighted softball exclusively, for 10-15 throws and see how your arm feels.
 
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