Strength in Numbers – 251
When most people think about jumping, they picture going straight up. But when it comes to throwing velocity, the real separator is how well you produce force forward.
Research I’ve been working on with our team at Louisiana Tech, alongside Dr. Ryan Lis, uncovered something worth paying attention to.
For high-level college pitchers and older high school athletes, roughly 30% of fastball velocity is explained by broad jump performance. If that number drops, velocity usually follows.
Why Horizontal Force Matters
Pitching is largely projecting force forward.
The ability to move your body aggressively toward home plate and transfer that energy into rotation is what separates average arms from high-velocity arms.
That’s exactly what the broad jump measures.
What the Broad Jump Tells You
The broad jump captures:
- Horizontal power output
- Force application direction
- Lower body explosiveness into space
In the NFL Combine, the broad jump is one of the most valued tests because it reflects an athlete’s ability to produce and project force forward, not just vertically.
Athletes with elite broad jumps consistently show:
- Better acceleration
- Greater force transfer
- Higher overall power output
What This Means for Pitching
Improving your broad jump can translate to:
- More momentum down the mound
- Better hip-to-torso energy transfer
- Increased ball velocity
If you can’t project force forward, you’re leaving velocity behind.
Broad Jump vs Vertical Jump
Both matter, but they tell different stories…
The vertical jump measures force straight up (reactive power). Whereas the broad jump measures force forward (directional power for pitching).
Pitching is a linear-to-rotational movement, not a vertical one.
That makes horizontal force production far more specific.
The Takeaway
If you want to throw harder, do the following:
- Train for horizontal force, not just vertical power
- Measure it consistently and check our standards with our velocity enhancement checklist
- Align your lower body power with your delivery direction
Because velocity isn’t just about arm speed and weighted balls.
It starts from the ground—moving forward with intent.
Strength Matters Most, but no doubt, the direction of force matters.
Ryan
Ryan@armcare.com