Throwing Velocity Benchmark: 1mph per Kg

More and more parents and athletes ask: how hard is that compared to other kids? Well, benchmarks for age vary, and it got me thinking if we couldn’t establish one across ages. My hypothesis: 1 mph per kilogram of bodyweight is the benchmark everyone should strive for.

1 mph or more per kilogram

Recently, one of our tiniest athletes, a 73lb girl, put up a 54mph throw with a regulation 9″ softball; it was astonishing. I did the math in my head: she throws 74% per pound of her body weight. Most athletes are nowhere close to this. Think about it:

Aroldis Chapman: 205lbs, tops at 105 or 106. This is 105/205 = 51% of his bodyweight in pounds.

So, if the world’s hardest throwing human throws at a 51% clip, is this a good benchmark? Probably close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngubly4hpHw

Considering 95mph is elite by Major League standards, let’s take that. I don’t have the average MLB pitchers’ size, but I’m going to guess that it’s about 6’3″ and 210lbs. 95mph / 210 = 45.2%

So, it looks like a kilogram, which is 2.2lbs, will be a good benchmark. One pound divided by 2.2lbs (weight of a kg) equals .454.  This brings us to 95mph – a good tipping point that represents a line between average MLB velocity (90-94) and above average (95+) in our theoretical 210lb man. Average 1mph per kilogram, and you’re above average among the highest throwers in the world. BUT – you have to continue to match your weight as you age, which is not necessarily an easy task.

Corroborating Examples:

Here’s a table I made that shows MLB starters, relievers, and some of our Warbird Academy pitchers and softball players (their speed throwing overhand) from 2013 and 2014:

 

Trends

Yes – I cherry-picked the above athletes. There are hard-throwers in both MLB categories with one outlier – Lincecum and Collins – that represent a much higher mph/kg ratio. Steven is below – our 1.17 ratio Freshman:

Steven Harroun Pitching February 2014 from Warbird on Vimeo.

 

As you’ll see, most of the young athletes (ranging above from age 12-19) outperform the big leaguers. Yet, we know that velocity tends to be asymptotic in regards to added bodyweight – growth spurts pile the MPHs on, but after a certain point, more weight doesn’t mean more velocity.

If Jason, our small 12 year old who throws very well, adds 20 pounds next year, but only adds 3mph because of it, his ratio will drop from 1.2 to 1.06, and put him much closer to the pack. Keeping his high 1.20 ratio will be difficult, considering how few human beings can throw that hard – you have to throw very hard and be very (relatively) light. No one will be throwing up even a 1.10 ratio at 220 pounds – this would be a 110mph average.

Hypotheticals:

The average varsity high school pitcher is likely between 160 and 180lbs. Let’s take 80kg as a good high school average. In my area, I’ve found that average varsity velocity is 74-78 (I know, not great).

An 80kg (176lb) pitcher:

• 0.80 ratio = 64 mph
• 0.85 ratio = 68 mph
• 0.90 ratio = 72 mph
• 0.95 ratio = 76 mph (representing average for HS Varsity)
• 1.00 ratio = 80 mph
• 1.05 ratio = 84 mph
• 1.10 ratio = 88 mph
• 1.15 ratio = 92 mph
• 1.20 ratio = 96 mph
• 1.25 ratio = 100mph

Hopefully this chart helps us see how the norm looks: people like Tim Collins (1.24 ratio) rarely exist in nature at even a weight as light as 176 pounds. After all, since we’re using average velocity, NO ONE averages 100…even Aroldis Chapman. Ratios as high as Collins’ only exist at lighter body weights.

Is this Relevant?

It may or may not be; I’m not sure yet.

Problem is, we have to use a different ratio for different ages to establish norms. And if the benchmark changes, we may just be better off reverting back to using velocity itself – 80 is above average for high school freshman, 85 for high school seniors, 90 for collegiate pitchers, and 95 for pro pitchers. But, none of this takes into account power produced per pound of bodyweight.

This same debate is present in the powerlifting world – benchmarks are set based on bodyweight multiples. 3x bodyweight deadlift is a big one, for example – a 150lb man deadlifting 450 is triple bodyweight, and VERY strong.

But, is deadlifting 450 at 150lbs the same amount of difficult as deadlifting 900 at a 300lb bodyweight? I’d say no. One obvious reason is that the first man is lifting 300 pounds more than his weight, whereas the latter is pushing 600 pounds above his own weight. Sure, the math is simple and you knew that, but 900lbs being supported by the body is likely to cause exponentially more bodily stress than 450lbs on a relatively lighter frame. One reason is that most skeletal structures are roughly the same size – the 300lb man’s spine isn’t that much bigger than the 150lb man’s, for example. The 300lb man’s femurs are likely not that much thicker than the 150lb man’s (denser, sure, but likely not that much thicker or bigger).

So, it’s great for a 50kg kid to throw 60mph. But, is it as impressive, or as difficult as a 100kg man throwing 97mph? Likely not. Based on the data above, it’s easier for younger, lighter athletes to achieve velocities above a 1.00 ratio than their heavier, older counterparts. But, as their age wears on, what “elite” means will decrease as weight increases. I guess I’m saying that I’m not quite sure if there’s relevance to this measure; maybe there is, maybe there isn’t.

Olivia Haas Throwing Velocity – February 2014 from Warbird on Vimeo.

What we probably can say is that there are less adult pitchers who can throw with a 1.00 ratio. Collins and Lincecum are outliers, as are other pitchers of less than 200lbs who can average in the 90s. My first season in pro ball I was 185lbs and averaged around 90 for most of the year, but I’ve since gotten bigger while only gaining maybe a mile per hour or two, on average (though I’m not sure what I’ll be as a reliever). 1-2 extra miles per hour on 7 kg of extra bodyweight isn’t a great ratio – it surely didn’t hold that I gained 7 miles per hour by putting on an additional 7 kilos (today I’m 198-204 depending on how hungry I am).

And, like myself, it’s very unlikely that established adult pitchers will gain 1 mph for each kilo in weight that they gain. If this was true, I’d be throwing Batman-style fuzz on the mound…

Lastly, things like arm length, leg length, laxity and ligament elasticity – all genetic factors – play a role in throwing hard that are somewhat independent of bodyweight. Clearly weight isn’t the only factor.

What do you think? Is this benchmark relevant? Why or why not?