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.
SavulescuJFoddyBClaytonM.Why we should allow performance enhancing drugs in sport. Br J Sports Med2004;
38: 666–670.
3.
NoakesTD.Should we allow performance-enhancing drugs in sport? A rebuttal to the article by Savulescu and colleagues. Int J Sports Sci Coach2006;
1: 289–316.
4.
LippiGGuidiGCNevillA, et al.
The growing trend of scientific interest in sports science research. J Sports Sci2008;
26: 1–2.
5.
RossumJvGagnéF.Rankings of predictors of athletic performance by top level coaches. Eur J High Abil1994;
5: 68–78.
6.
FerragutCVilaHAbraldesJA, et al.
Influence of physical aspects and throwing velocity in opposition situations in top-elite and elite female handball players. J Hum Kinet2018;
63: 23–32.
7.
García-CervantesLRuiz-LaraEIturriagaFMA, et al.
Throwing velocity in water polo elite competition: Analysis of associated variables. J Hum Sport Exerc2017;
12: 1144–1152.
8.
WhitesideDMartiniDNZernickeRF, et al.
Ball speed and release consistency predict pitching success in major league baseball. J Strength Cond Res2016;
30: 1787–1795.
9.
YoungRW.The ontogeny of throwing and striking. Hum Ontogenet2009;
3: 19–31.
10.
SgroiTChalmersPNRiffAJ, et al.
Predictors of throwing velocity in youth and adolescent pitchers. J Shoulder Elbow Surg2015;
24: 1339–1345.
11.
CohenADGaribayEJSolomitoMJ.The association among trunk rotation, ball velocity, and the elbow varus moment in collegiate-level baseball pitchers. Am J Sports Med2019;
47: 2816–2820.
12.
CaldwellJ-MEAlexanderFJAhmadCS.Weighted-ball velocity enhancement programs for baseball pitchers: a systematic review. Orthop J Sports Med2019;
7: 1–9.
13.
EricksonBJAtleeTRChalmersPN, et al.
Training with lighter baseballs increases velocity without increasing the injury risk. Orthop J Sports Med2020;
8: 1–11.
14.
MyersNLSciasciaADWestgatePM, et al.
Increasing ball velocity in the overhead athlete: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Strength Cond Res2015;
29: 2964–2979.
15.
ReinoldMMMacrinaLCFleisigGS, et al.
Effect of a 6-Week weighted baseball throwing program on pitch velocity, pitching arm biomechanics, passive range of motion, and injury rates. Sports Health2018;
10: 327–333.
16.
OyamaSWaldhelmAGSosaAR, et al.
Trunk muscle function deficit in youth baseball pitchers with excessive contralateral trunk tilt during pitching. Clin J Sport Med2017;
27: 475–480.
17.
ChenH-HLiuCYangW-W.Coordination pattern of baseball pitching among young pitchers of various ages and velocity levels. J Sports Sci2016;
34: 1682–1690.
18.
SilfiesSPEbaughDPontilloM, et al.
Critical review of the impact of core stability on upper extremity athletic injury and performance. Braz J Phys Ther2015;
19: 360–368.
19.
ChaudhariAMWMcKenzieCSPanX, et al.
Lumbopelvic control and days missed due to injury in professional baseball pitchers. Am J Sports Med2014;
42: 2734–2740.
20.
ChaudhariAMWMcKenzieCSBorchersJR, et al.
Lumbopelvic control and pitching performance of professional baseball pitchers. J Strength Cond Res2011;
25: 2127–2132.
21.
ShimamuraKKCheathamSChungW, et al.
Regional interdependence of the hip and lumbo-pelvic region in division II collegiate level baseball pitchers: a preliminary study. Int J Sports Phys Ther2015;
10: 1–12.
22.
De BlaiserCDe RidderRWillemsT, et al.
Impaired core stability as a risk factor for the development of lower extremity overuse injuries: a prospective cohort study. Am J Sports Med2019;
47: 1713–1721.
23.
ReidMGiblinGWhitesideD.A kinematic comparison of the overhand throw and tennis serve in tennis players: how similar are they really?J Sports Sci2015;
33: 713–723.
24.
CallisonERBergKESlivkaDR.Grunting in tennis increases ball velocity but not oxygen cost. J Strength Cond Res2014;
28: 1915–1919.
25.
O'ConnellDGHinmanMRHearneKF, et al.
The effects of “grunting” on serve and forehand velocities in collegiate tennis players. J Strength Cond Res2014;
28: 3469–3475.
26.
O'ConnellDGBrewerJFManTH, et al.
The effects of forced exhalation and inhalation, grunting, and valsalva maneuver on forehand force in collegiate tennis players. J Strength Cond Res2016;
30: 430–437.
27.
KimLJKimN.Difference in lateral abdominal muscle thickness during forceful exhalation in healthy smokers and non-smokers. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil2012;
25: 239–246.
28.
KimC-YKimH-D.Comparison between the ki-hap technique and verbal encouragement on activation of abdominal muscles in healthy participants. J Bodyw Mov Ther2018;
22: 566–571.
29.
IkedaERBorgABrownD, et al.
The valsalva maneuver revisited: the influence of voluntary breathing on isometric muscle strength. J Strength Cond Res2009;
23: 127–132.
30.
LiSLaskinJJ.Influences of ventilation on maximal isometric force of the finger flexors. Muscle Nerve2006;
34: 651–655.
RodolicoCOberholzerRSmithS.Effect of vocalization on static handgrip force output. Int J Exerc Sci Conf Proc2014;
9: 67.
33.
SeroyerSTNhoSJBachBR, et al.
The kinetic chain in overhand pitching: its potential role for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sports Health2010;
2: 135–146.
34.
HirashimaMKadotaHSakuraiS, et al.
Sequential muscle activity and its functional role in the upper extremity and trunk during overarm throwing. J Sports Sci2002;
20: 301–310.
35.
HitchcockDRSherwoodDE.Effects of changing the focus of attention on accuracy, acceleration, and electromyography in dart throwing. Int J Exerc Sci2018;
11: 1120–1135.
36.
FaulFErdfelderELangA-G, et al.
G*power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods2007;
39: 175–191.
37.
LiljequistDElfvingBRoaldsenKS.Intraclass correlation – a discussion and demonstration of basic features. Plos One2019;
14: e0219854–35.
38.
Mesquita MontesAGouveiaSCrastoC, et al.
Abdominal muscle activity during breathing in different postural sets in healthy subjects. J Bodyw Mov Ther2017;
21: 354–361.
39.
WeberAEKontaxisAO'BrienSJ, et al.
The biomechanics of throwing: simplified and cogent. Sports Med Arthrosc Rev2014;
22: 72–79.
40.
TalukdarKCroninJZoisJ, et al.
The role of rotational mobility and power on throwing velocity. J Strength Cond Res2015;
29: 905–911.
41.
LyndersC.The critical role of development of the transversus abdominis in the prevention and treatment of low back pain. Hss J®2019;
15: 214–220.
42.
MüllerFJauernigLCañal-BrulandR.The sound of speed: how grunting affects opponents’ anticipation in tennis. Plos One2019;
14: e0214819–10.
43.
FarheadNPuntTD.Silencing sharapova’s grunt improves the perception of her serve speed. Percept Mot Skills2015;
120: 722–730.
