"Can Throwing Cords or Arm Ergometry Enhance Throwing Velocity in Colle" by Dean Alan Stulz

The Repository @ St. Cloud State

Open Access Knowledge and Scholarship

Date of Award

5-1997

Culminating Project Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Exercise Science: M.S.

Department

Kinesiology

College

School of Health and Human Services

First Advisor

David Bacharach

Second Advisor

Glenn Street

Third Advisor

Charles Moore

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Keywords and Subject Headings

throwing cords or arm ergometry velocity collegiate baseball

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing a traditional baseball throwing program with Throwing Cords (TC) or arm ergometry (AE) on throwing velocity, internal rotator (IR) strength, and shoulder external rotation (ER) ROM. Twenty-three Division II Varsity baseball players (mean age= 19.5) were tested on throwing velocity, IR strength of the throwing arm, and shoulder ER ROM of the throwing arm. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: traditional (T), traditional plus Throwing Cord (TC), and traditional plus arm ergometry (AE). Training consisted of throwing five times per week for the first two weeks, then four times per week for the remainder of the five week training period. Subjects in the T group followed the team program while the TC and AE groups substituted the traditional training two sessions per week with either the TC or AE. Training sessions with the TC and AE involved performing the throwing motion for six sets of 10 repetitions while overcoming the added resistance. Statistical analysis using a single factor ANOVA revealed a significant difference (P <.05) between groups prior to training. For this reason, an ANCOVA using the pre study values as the covariate was used to analyze the data. No significant differences (P < .05) were found either within or between groups for the three dependent variables (average ball velocity, shoulder ER ROM, and IR peak torque). A moderate correlation was found when post-test values for ER ROM and IR peak torque were compared with post-test ball velocity (p = .01, r = .60, R2 = .36, RMS= 3.2) Ball velocity was correlated with ER ROM (r = .35, p > ,10) and IR peak torque (r = .47, p < .02). Although a statistically significant correlation was found for IR peak torque, only 22% of the total variability of ball velocity can be explained by IR peak torque. This added to the SEM of± 3.4 mph, makes IR peak torque of little practical use in predicting ball velocity with any accuracy. To learn more about the relationships between IR strength, shoulder ER ROM and ball velocity, additional research with a longer training period, greater control of the amount of throwing being done and more subjects per group is needed.

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