How We Helped 14-Year-Old Antoine Belanger Make a Huge Velocity Jump

Every athlete’s development path is unique, and 14-year-old Antoine Belanger’s offseason transformation is a testament to what focused training can accomplish. Over the course of the offseason, Antoine’s velocity jumped from 70-74 mph to 80-82 mph. Antoine's velocity increase was driven by a focus on strength development, arm health, and movement variability.

Maximizing the Offseason

One of the key factors in Antoine’s progress was taking off the fall from playing. This allowed us to take full advantage of the offseason, focusing on building his physical foundation without the added stress of high-volume in game throwing. Since Antoine was relatively inexperienced in the weight room, our first priority was to establish a strong base of strength and power.

Strength Gains That Made the Difference

To track Antoine’s strength progress, we used iso mid-thigh pull testing, a reliable indicator of force production. Over the course of the offseason, he improved his strength output by 26.6%, a significant gain for an athlete at his stage of development. In addition, Antoine’s body weight increased from 148 to 166 pounds, demonstrating his ability to add mass while continuing to build strength and power.

Prioritizing Arm Health & Strength

As velocity increases, monitoring arm health and strength becomes crucial, which we monitored using ArmCare.com. Antoine’s arm score improved from 78 to 115, and his total arm strength increased from 128 to 183. These improvements played a major role in supporting his velocity gains while ensuring his arm stayed healthy throughout the training process.

Refining Throwing Mechanics with Athleticism

From a throwing perspective, Antoine already threw fairly hard for his age and still was figuring out his movement patterns. Instead of overanalyzing his mechanics, our focus was on keeping him as athletic as possible. We introduced a variety of drills designed to challenge his movement and adaptability:

• Multi-directional movement drills to improve body control and organization.
• Momentum-based drills that alternated between feeding him energy and forcing him to regain control.

Looking Ahead

Antoine’s progress this offseason has been remarkable, yet he’s only scratching the surface of his potential. As he continues to develop his strength and athleticism, the future looks incredibly bright. With his dedication, we anticipate even greater gains in the seasons ahead. His journey is just beginning, and it's exciting to imagine where his hard work will take him next.