Optimizing Baseball Pitching Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Strength Training and Weighted Ball Training on Velocity and Accuracy

This paper looks at how two different training programs, weighted ball training and strength training, affect the pitching speed and accuracy of female baseball players. The study evaluates the outcomes of each technique and contrasts their effectiveness to determine the best one for enhancing pitching performance. Eight healthy baseball pitchers were evenly split into two groups for the eight-week trial. While the Weighted Ball Training group at Kinnaird College for Women University followed a program focused on weighted balls ranging from 5 to 9 ounces, the Strength Training Group at The University of Lahore participated in a biweekly systematic strength training program. While accuracy was assessed by examining strikes from 20 pitches at each phase, the pitching speed was calculated by averaging the three highest pitches. A sports radar gun was used to evaluate pitching speed. Following the end of the 8-week intervention, pre-measurements were carried out. From pre-test to post-test following training interventions, the weighted ball training group showed a marked increase in velocity (Cohen's d = 2.217, p-value = .043), whereas the strength training group indicated a notable improvement in accuracy (Cohen's d = 2.373, p-value = .019). The study results showed, therefore, that while strength training demonstrated more significant improvements in accuracy, weighted ball training had a more noticeable impact on speed.