Long Toss has been used by many coaches and teams as a means to increase arm strength and endurance. There has never been any statistical justification or evidence based research study to support this anecdotal method of training.
Long toss does more damage than good.
Avoid hurting your arm. Don’t change your angles. Stop long toss now!
Changing the angle of release for an overhead thrower alters the neurological and mechanical recruitment pattern that effectively disrupts the learning curve for accuracy. It also exposes the ligaments of the shoulder to anterior displacement which can have a direct correlation to injury. Specificity of training requires approximation of not only muscle recruitment, but also the environment in which the task is performed. Disrupting the environment confuses the athletes’ movement pattern and muscle memory.
The only thing long toss makes you good at is long toss.
Long toss programs have been advocated for decades with no research or randomized clinical trials to prove that a group of throwers will in any way increase their velocity or endurance participating in such a program. Lengthening the distance an athlete is expected to throw absolutely does not translate to more strength or speed. What it can do is lead to inaccuracy and potentially injury. Baseball is the only sport that retains its ties to outdated training. Elite athletes in other sports do not practice their techniques by training in altered environments. We have never heard of a professional basketball player perfecting their three-point shot by practicing on a twenty foot basket. This makes no sense!
The only way to advance your endurance or speed is to practice as closely as you can to the environment you are expected to perform in.
Every single throw should have a purpose and intent. Practicing accuracy and speed that leads to success can only happen by perfecting your technique. Technique can be improved but it requires repetition and timing. At the OAI, you will understand why you are doing what you’re doing and exactly how to do it!