Bad Mechanics is a Sign of Muscular Weakness
February 10, 2009
Above average coordination is a sign of fast twitch muscle strength. Fast twitch motor neurons recruit more muscle fibers. This means more control of the body and also more explosive power. The biggest problem for a pitching coach, when working with a pitcher who does not have good hip rotation or who does not load and build a full body stride, is that this is the result of poor core and leg strength and no mechanical drill will fix this problem. Drills only help pitchers who are having a hard time changing flawed muscle memory. It doesn’t help pitchers who have good muscle memory but poor muscle strength. This is why we have weight rooms. This is why any coach who tells you that weight lifting will NOT help you as a pitcher is clueless and is wasting your time and maybe even your money. A good strength and conditioning program that incorporates Olympic lifts, plyometric training and an intense speed training program is estiental to developing good pitching mechanics. Good athletes make good pitchers.
The two greatest pitchers of our time is Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. Their success came from their genetic make up and also their work ethics. Both of these pitchers had intense training programs. Roger Clemens was even using illegal drugs to enhance his work ethic and increase his improvements. Both of these pitchers grew bigger, stronger, faster in their careers and they both threw harder the older they got. This is because their work ethics improved their overall strength, which helped keep their flawless mechanics consistent and efficient. If they had slacked on their off-season training programs then you would have noticed a decline in their careers. This wasn’t the case and it is known today that they both where extremely hard workers.
Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens careers are proof that proper weight training and plyometric training will lead to a successful career. So why do coaches ignore this fact? Because they usually do not have first hand experience. If you want to be a high performance machine then you must train your body to become one.
Why should pitchers use a good strength and conditioning program?
1. To enhance pitching mechanical efficiency, which will lead to more consistency and increased longevity.
2. Help the body heal faster.
3. Develop fast twitch muscle fibers which have a higher capacity for explosive energy.
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Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles
Tagged: athlete, bigger, coach, conditioning, conditioning program, doe, Drills, explosive, explosive power, faster, fiber, genetics, harding, hip rotation, hips, illegal drugs, improvements, intense training, leg strength, legs, load, mechanics, muscle fibers, muscle memory, muscle strength, muscles, Nolan Ryan, off-season, olympic lifts, pitch, pitcher, pitchers, pitches, pitching, pitching coach, pitching mechanics, program, roger clemens, s, speed, speed training, strength, strength and conditioning, stride, stronger, sucess, timing, training, wasting your time, weight, work ethic
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This is the perfect article that coaches in high schools need to read and abide by to Keep there star players healthy and the increase the talent on there teams. Balance and Strength training is a key part of team performance and the building a team chemistry a team that works out together builds a brotherhood between the players and a stronger and healthier competitive spirit. So Coaches you need to find a work out program that works for your age range of players
Nolan Ryan is not he greatest of our time…just no. Greg Maddux is the best of our time, better than Clemens.
@Rodney
That, of course, is debatable.