Training With Plyoballs: A Brief History

Sand-filled pvc-coated training balls have been used for years in various sports for strength and stability workouts. They were used under the radar for recovery exercises by some college and professional baseball teams in the 2000s. The sand-filled balls used then were not exclusively built for baseball but mostly manufactured for pilates, yoga, or other general fitness purposes. Coaches and teams bought them at fitness stores and repurposed them for baseball training. This all changed around 2013-2015 when the explosive and sport-altering company Driveline Baseball offered weighted plyoballs specifically for baseball training. With the powerful use of social media, plyoballs became a staple in the training, recovery, and gameday preparation of dedicated baseball players. Originally made for pitchers, players of all positions have come to use plyoballs and see the arm strength and health benefits.