Effect of Overload Training Procedures upon Velocity and Accuracy of the Overarm Throw

Abstract

The study had two aspects: To determine the effect of warm-up throwing drills (employing “systematic overload”) upon subsequent speed and accuracy of the overarm throw in subjects with widely differing maximum velocities, and to determine the effect of a 6-week overload training (in which the speed and accuracy emphases were systematically varied) upon the speed and accuracy of the overarm throw.

The 60 subjects in the short-range phase of the study, examining the immediate effect of overload warm-up, received experimental treatments consisting of 10-oz., 15-oz., and regulation ball warm-up. The 48 subjects who participated in the long-range or training phase of the study received progressive overload in conjunction with various speed and/or accuracy emphases.

Computer services for this study were granted by the University of Wisconsin Research Committee through funds provided by the National Science Foundation and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

The results of the study indicated that performance differences in throwing speed and accuracy, of high and low velocity performers that take place immediately following overload warm-up were statistically not significant. The initial speed and/or accuracy emphasis that was given appeared to have little effect on subsequent performance. The results provided no evidence that the use of a weighted ball resulted in immediate or long-range improvements in throwing speed or in throwing accuracy.