Experiences with speed cords

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Apr 17, 2019
194
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Does anyone have experience with speed cords? I am trying to honk of ways to get my dd to explode off the mound faster to help increase her speed as well as pitching speed. I was thinking of using these while she is pitching to give her some resistance while driving off the mound.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Does anyone have experience with speed cords? I am trying to honk of ways to get my dd to explode off the mound faster to help increase her speed as well as pitching speed. I was thinking of using these while she is pitching to give her some resistance while driving off the mound.

I haven't seen anything recently about this. Poking around quickly on Austin Wasserman's HLT ( www.highlevelthrowing.com ) site and https://www.jaegersports.com/ nothing about speed cords jumps out at me. Maybe send Austin or Jaeger an email to see if they recommend speed cords. A lot of Austin's material is on youtube or vimeo if you poke around.

For pitching stuff in particular, I would look at:

Rick Pauly: https://www.paulygirlfastpitch.com/
Fastpitch Foundations: https://fastpitchfoundations.com/ - but looks like site is down for maintenance.
Amanda Scarborough; https://www.pitching-angel.com/
 
Last edited:
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
Thanks, I was thinking more about putting the cords around her waist like you would when sprinting with a parachute or a pulling a sled.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Does anyone have experience with speed cords? I am trying to honk of ways to get my dd to explode off the mound faster to help increase her speed as well as pitching speed. I was thinking of using these while she is pitching to give her some resistance while driving off the mound.

The two things that I have found that actually work are long toss and over/underload training with weighted balls. If you have to choose one focus on the long toss.
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
Do you do long toss at the end of every session? There a few different versions I’ve seen if it, we don’t nearly do it enough, but when we do, we do the version where you gradually go back and you get 3 chances to get the ball there.

I’ve seen the version where once you reach max distance you start moving back in, which do you find works better?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Do you do long toss at the end of every session? There a few different versions I’ve seen if it, we don’t nearly do it enough, but when we do, we do the version where you gradually go back and you get 3 chances to get the ball there.

I’ve seen the version where once you reach max distance you start moving back in, which do you find works better?

I would not long toss on days where I practiced pitching or on days after a game...also I would encourage them not to overthrow during long toss.

Some good information here included a (rough) chart that equates distance to pitching speed: https://www.discussfastpitch.com/threads/long-toss.39385/post-578002

Pretty sure I used information from here as well: https://www.jaegersports.com/2-phases-of-jaeger-sports-long-toss/
 

LEsoftballdad

DFP Vendor
Jun 29, 2021
2,838
113
NY
I agree that long toss is great. We do it earlier in the workout, not at the end. My daughter attended the Mizzou top prospect camp back in January, and Larissa made all the pitchers throw long toss. She started them at about 75 feet and gradually moved them back to the full width of their indoor field, which was also a football field, so I guess it was about 50 yards wide. I was amazed at how many girls had no concept of how to do long toss and couldn't come close to reaching the far side of the field.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Thanks, I was thinking more about putting the cords around her waist like you would when sprinting with a parachute or a pulling a sled.
Speed kills. It also wins. Study good sprinting form (or get with your local track coach, if they are any good coaching the short stuff). Exploding out of the blocks and maintaining that form will help in many aspects of the game. Practice good form and sprinter starts...run 20 yard sprints as a regular part of your workouts. Lunges and skip jumps. Teach her what it means to "get into your legs". Fire those fast twitch muscles. (I know this is the pitching forum but all of this will help her in other parts of the game. It always amazes me that so many girls (and I'm talking 16U and above here) have no idea how to run! Wasted energy, arms and shoulders all over the place, etc...ugh.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
80% to 90% of the speed comes from the arm, not the legs. Make sure she has good arm motion with plenty of whip before getting consumed with her push off.

Parents sometimes get fixated on lower body mechanics before the DD's arms circle is perfected.
 
Last edited:
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Thanks, I was thinking more about putting the cords around her waist like you would when sprinting with a parachute or a pulling a sled.

I would think you would get the same result from training with a parachute:


Proper posture and arm circle mechanics provides 80 to 90pct of the speed.

There is some information on strength and conditioning Rick Pauly has at:

Austin Wasserman has some overhand throwing training, including long toss at www.highlevelthrowing. Don't remember if some of it is free, or you need to pay for it. An article with an overview of it is at:

I'd prefer to support Rick Pauly, www.fastpitchfoundations.com, or Amanda Scarborough for pitching instruction, but Austin Wasserman has a pitching program at:
 

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