Sam Briend - Driveline Baseball
Max Intent and Weighted Balls: What Should (or shouldn't) Your Son Be Using To Improve Velocity
Sam Briend is the Lead of Training at the renowned Driveline Baseball Academy in Kent, Washington. Through extensive research, testing and experimentation, Driveline has found the best methods to increase athletic performance. Never afraid to innovate, Driveline's training methods (and obsession with measuring everything) have been adopted by many of today's top players AND MLB organizations. Their data driven approach and irrefutable results have made Driveline Baseball one of the most important names in baseball training today.
Summary and Action Plan below
SESSION SUMMARY
Functional approach - if you cannot move optimally you’ll never reach full potential.
Movements > Mechanics
Lead Leg Block - where the majority of force and velocity production is produced.
Intent - teaching your body to move in explosive ways has proven to be the best way to grow.
(Pulldowns)
When a guy just tries to throw as hard as he can, the body usually “sequences” itself properly on it’s own.
When working on velocity and max effort, Driveline prefers to focus on external cues as opposed to internal (hand, elbow...any mechanics)
Youth hitters will move more powerfully when asked to swing harder or hit the heavy sand balls.
We’ve trained a generation of pitchers to be lower intent because we *need* to throw strikes (which admittedly is very important), but velocity is the floor. If you have velocity then doors will open for you.
Driveline’s youth athletes that look the best and move the best have spent the most time trying to throw as hard as they can.
Along with some arm care stuff, alll that youth pitchers really need is to go out and throw it as hard as they can.
If you train at 70%, you’ll be good at 70% (effort). That’s why some guys kill at on flat grounds (70%) and spray it on the mound.
Weighted balls - only used by guys who clear their screening.
Weighted balls also help with accuracy. Proprioception allows the body to be versatile and athletic. Randomizing helps train skill of throwing strikes with different feels.
(links to their weighted balls, large/small balls)
“Hacking the kinetic chain” for advanced and youth - include strength and throwing programs...not as focused on heavy ball throwing
No pulldowns for youth. Strength training much more important for younger athletes.
Increase your strength so body can access/ optimize range of motion (strength)
Increase that range of motion (mobility)
Go throw things hard.
Trunk stacking. Downward front shoulder means they’re trying to throw too hard too early instead of allowing the body to get things in order first.
If you’re throwing a lot you can’t be lifting as much...it absolutely decreases performance.
Not getting enough recovery...THAT’S what leads to injury.
Day after high intent throwing...no lifting, very little if any throwing.
Just come in and marc pro
Every 4th week is deload week- cut out intensity and volume
ACTION PLAN
As sophisticated as Driveline's protocols are, their training for youth athletes is pretty simple:
Intent, Strength and Mobility
Practice throwing hard. Most kids warm up simply throwing lob balls until they're "warm" and that's about it. Spend regular time throwing as hard as you can.
Strength and Mobility: A surprisingly common theme at the summit was how young pitchers should focus very little on mechanics, but rather on strength and mobility (and intent). If your son get's to 14, 15 years old and wants to visit a facility like Driveline's, the first thing they will do is to try to correct mobility issues. Usually, strength training and stretching can help these: overhead squats (with broomstick) for form, med ball exercises for core. Once they have even a small level of core and leg strength, THEN mechanical changes can be made. If the player doesn't have proper mobility they will NEVER be able to get into the positions to throw as hard as they can.