The effect of grunting on overhead throwing velocity in collegiate baseball pitchers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of grunting on overhead throwing velocity in collegiate baseball pitchers. A repeated-measures experimental design was used. Twenty-four division III collegiate baseball pitchers with a mean age of 20.3 ± 1.6 years voluntarily participated in the study. Subjects were shown a video demonstration of a pitcher grunting during the acceleration phase of pitching and asked to replicate the technique during three practice throws. Corrective verbal feedback from researchers was given regarding the timing of the grunt during practice throws. Subjects then performed randomized sets (3 grunting and 3 non-grunting trials) of overhead throws from a standard pitching mound in the stretch position with maximum effort. Throwing velocities were measured with a calibrated radar gun. Paired-samples t-tests were used to compare average throwing velocities between the grunting and non-grunting trials at the 0.05 alpha level. Mean overhead throwing velocity was significantly higher during the grunting trials than the non-grunting trials. Age, height, weight, and handedness had no impact on the effect of grunting on overhead throwing velocity. Grunting offers a simple, immediate means of enhancing overhead throwing velocity in the collegiate baseball pitching population. Additional research is needed to determine the effects in populations of greater or lesser skill.