Rear delts?

[sagittal chest]

I read an article recently and it explained that one of the reasons pitchers keep breaking records is not do to steroids - but rather a new emphasis on working out the rear delts.
Apparently pitchers have improved their throwing speed dramatically.

I don't play baseball, however I am working to compete in the nadir of my career as an mma heavyweight and want to make sure I have extra power to bang with the big boys.
Rear delts are something I have neglected. Can anyone share their exercises for these important muscle groups or ways it has improved your striking game Etc?

[funk51]

 

[Rascal full]

Bent over dumbell raises work pretty well provided you choose the right weight and let the rear delts do the work.

Interesting theory about how this might improve punching power and perhaps there is something to it. I have always felt explosive punch power comes from leverage gained mostly through the legs.

[oldtimer1]

I played baseball at a fairly high level and in my experience, the ability to throw a ball at a high rate of speed is completely genetic. Same w/ punching power. I'd really like to see how training the rear delt could improve pitch speed by more than 2-3 miles per hour, at most. I knew plenty of 5'10", 150 pound guys, who could throw a baseball in the low-90s (or faster). I also knew plenty of huge, weight trained guys who couldn't break a pane of glass from 60'6". Any benefit to pitch speed or punching power from some type of weight or other routine would be marginal at best, IMHO. Like a lot of things, either you're born w/ it, or not.

Of course genetics is a major role in athletics. You are confusing though two different athletic attributes. Namely the difference between power and strength. Punching and throwing a pitch fast is an illustration of power. Vertical leap is power. You can squat 700lbs and not have the power in your legs to dunk a basketball. Sprinting is power. Power is how fast you can release strength.

[Rascal full]

Of course genetics is a major role in athletics. You are confusing though two different athletic attributes. Namely the difference between power and strength. Punching and throwing a pitch fast is an illustration of power. Vertical leap is power. You can squat 700lbs and not have the power in your legs to dunk a basketball. Sprinting is power. Power is how fast you can release strength.

This is a perfect way to put it.

I'm not confusing them. U are missing the point. Using your terms, "power" cannot be trained IMO. Either u can throw a ball hard, sprint fast, etc., or u cant. While overheating and taking a lot of gear may get u to a 700 pound squat, no amount of gear will give u a major league fastball if u weren't born with it.

Getting back to the OP's question, building up your rear delts, strengthening them, to use your terminology, is not going to result in u adding much in the way of pitch speed or punching power. Like brains, either u  have them or u don't. 

I agree a lot of this is genetic. I think all big punchers in boxing would agree this was something that came naturally to them and then it was all down to refinment, honing timing, fitness, etc...

[Pray_4_War]

Bent over dumbell raises work pretty well provided you choose the right weight and let the rear delts do the work.

Interesting theory about how this might improve punching power and perhaps there is something to it. I have always felt explosive punch power comes from leverage gained mostly through the legs.

You are correct but I believe "shoulder snap" is very important as well and training all three heads of the deltoid should help with that.  I wish I could better describe what I'm talking about but "shoulder snap" is the best I could come up with.  I hope it makes sense.

[sagittal chest]

Ill dig up some articles when I have a chance. The difference is subtle but 2-3 added miles to a fast ball due to increased delt strength, at higher levels of baseball, is significant.

Also, in terms of punching power - a 150 pound boxer might be born with 'snap' however power is mass multiplied by speed in physics terms. Increasing the strength of the muscles will increase the mass delivered and potentially the speed as well. So while it might be true that a 150 pound boxer can punch with the same speed as a heavyweight, he will still generate less power because he is lacking the mass part of the equation.

It is true that most of the power comes from the core, however because rear delts are often neglected in training, they are a hidden attribute that though small - can add something to the whole.

[Palpatine Q]

I'm not confusing them. U are missing the point. Using your terms, "power" cannot be trained IMO. Either u can throw a ball hard, sprint fast, etc., or u cant. While overheating and taking a lot of gear may get u to a 700 pound squat, no amount of gear will give u a major league fastball if u weren't born with it.

Getting back to the OP's question, building up your rear delts, strengthening them, to use your terminology, is not going to result in u adding much in the way of pitch speed or punching power. Like brains, either u  have them or u don't.  

Steroids dont give you power ?

Tell that to all the nobodies in the 90s who were jacking 50 homers a year

[polychronopolous]

I read an article recently and it explained that one of the reasons pitchers keep breaking records is not do to steroids - but rather a new emphasis on working out the rear delts.
Apparently pitchers have improved their throwing speed dramatically.

I don't play baseball, however I am working to compete in the nadir of my career as an mma heavyweight and want to make sure I have extra power to bang with the big boys.
Rear delts are something I have neglected. Can anyone share their exercises for these important muscle groups or ways it has improved your striking game Etc?

The best advice I can give to an up and coming cage fighter is avoid Big "Steve" at all costs and always leave one bullet left in your pistol chamber to shoot yourself in the head if he ever gets within striking distance.

[ESFitness]

I dunno about throwing hard being largely genetic.

I was very average throwing when growing up.. i went from struggling to make a deep throw from shortstop to 1st, to throwing in the low 90's from age 13 till 18.. hell, age 16-18 even, just due to strength training. (low -mid 90s isn't that great when you can only sustain it for 6-9 batters.. i ended my 'career' as a closer).

some have a natural 'whip' to their throws, but you can absolutely get into the mid 90's with sub-par throwing genetics.


to the op... i dunno about the rear delt having much effect on throwing mechanics. it's been years since I've trained either myself or someone else for baseball/throwing, and years since I've even had to think about the mechanics. possibibly something with the rear delt effecting internal/external rotation on the shoulder joint.. i dunno. if i sat down and thought about it i could probably give an answer, or maybe just a bunch of bro-science lol

[Palpatine Q]

I dunno about throwing hard being largely genetic.

I was very average throwing when growing up.. i went from struggling to make a deep throw from shortstop to 1st, to throwing in the low 90's from age 13 till 18.. hell, age 16-18 even, just due to strength training. (low -mid 90s isn't that great when you can only sustain it for 6-9 batters.. i ended my 'career' as a closer).

some have a natural 'whip' to their throws, but you can absolutely get into the mid 90's with sub-par throwing genetics.


to the op... i dunno about the rear delt having much effect on throwing mechanics. it's been years since I've trained either myself or someone else for baseball/throwing, and years since I've even had to think about the mechanics. possibibly something with the rear delt effecting internal/external rotation on the shoulder joint.. i dunno. if i sat down and thought about it i could probably give an answer, or maybe just a bunch of bro-science lol

And a 95 mph fastball as a teenager too....LOLOLOLOL.

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