The purpose of this study was to provide an effective training program for improving pitch speed to middle school baseball pitchers by dividing them into two groups (LB group and WB group) and applying light ball training and heavy ball training respe...
The purpose of this study was to provide an effective training program for improving pitch speed to middle school baseball pitchers by dividing them into two groups (LB group and WB group) and applying light ball training and heavy ball training respectively for 6 weeks and comparing and analyzing the effects on the increase in pitch speed and kinematics. Twenty middle school baseball pitchers were randomly divided into LB group (n=10) and WB group (n=10). Each training program was applied for 6 weeks, and the control, range of motion (shoulder joint flexion, abduction, lateral rotation, internal rotation, elbow flexion), muscle strength (shoulder joint flexion, abduction, lateral rotation, internal rotation), kinematics (arm swing speed, elbow inversion torque, arm slot), and angles at each time point (foot contact, maximum external rotation, ball release) were checked before and after the training program. The results are as follows: 1. As a result of confirming the restraint according to the application of the 6-week training program, the LB and WB groups showed a significant increase after the application of the training program compared to before. 2. As a result of examining the range of shoulder joint motion following the 6-week training program, in the WB group, shoulder joint lateral rotation significantly improved after the training program compared to before, and shoulder joint medial rotation significantly decreased after the training program compared to before. 3. As a result of examining shoulder joint muscle strength according to the application of a 6-week training program, the shoulder joint abduction muscle strength in the WB group significantly improved after the application of the training program compared to before. 4. As a result of examining the arm swing speed according to the application of the 6-week training program, the LB group showed a significant improvement after the application of the training program compared to before, and the WB group showed a significant decrease after the application of the training program compared to before, and there was a significant difference between the groups, and an interaction effect was shown. 5. After a six-week training program, elbow flexion torque was examined. The LB group showed significant improvement after the program compared to before, and an interaction effect was observed. After the program, the LB group showed a greater decrease than the WB group. 6. The angle at foot contact was examined after a six-week training program. The shoulder abduction angle in the WB group significantly decreased after the program compared to before, revealing differences between the groups. Furthermore, the hip flexion angle in the WB group significantly decreased after the program compared to before. 7. The angle at the point of maximum lateral rotation was examined after a 6-week training program. The shoulder abduction angle in the WB group significantly decreased after the program compared to before. Furthermore, the hip flexion angle in the LB group significantly decreased after the program compared to before, demonstrating a difference between the groups. 8. As a result of checking the angle at the time of ball release according to the application of the 6-week training program, the knee joint flexion angle of the WB group significantly increased after the application of the training program compared to before. The above research results confirmed the positive effects of a six-week LB and WB training program on increasing velocity in elite middle school baseball pitchers. However, considering that the adolescents were physically immature, there were no differences in upper limb kinematic changes. Therefore, LB training, which increases arm swing speed, reduces elbow flexion torque, and increases velocity, appears to be an effective training program for adolescent pitchers. Keywords: Ball speed, Light ball, Weight ball, Kinematic