The term that I am referring to is called Triple Extension (3X). 3X is defined as the extension of the ankle, knee and hip flexor. It comes from the Olympic Lifting world. In Olympic Lifting it is a key component to building power. This is also true for power pitchers but it is even more than just a power component for pitchers, it will enhance hip to shoulder separation which has been proven to be the component that holds 80% of a pitchers velocity potential.

3X and Hip to Shoulder Separation

When I discovered 3X during my career, which helped increase my velocity by 10 mph, I only thought it was doing this because it was enhancing my stride power but I never knew that it was also increasing my separation. Hip to shoulder separation was first discovered as a key component to pitching velocity by the National Pitching Association (NPA) in 2005 when they published their Velocity Study. In 2005, when I learned of hip to shoulder separation, I immediately tried it myself and experienced the benefits of it. I then wanted desperately to learn how to enhance it but this information was not documented with this new discovery. I then set out to discover the missing link.

During this same time in my career I was also experimenting with 3X. It like hip to shoulder separation was increasing my velocity but it seemed like it was having a bigger impact than separation. I was playing pro ball at the time and because 3X was having a bigger impact on my pitching velocity, I continued to push it over working on hip to shoulder separation. Not until my career was over, when I started to study what I was doing, did I notice the link between 3X, hip to shoulder separation and pitching velocity. This is when I developed 3X Pitching.

Just recently, I have discovered more science to prove the power of 3X Pitching. This study, performed by the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, which included the likes of Dr. Glen Fleisig of ASMI, documents the link between 3X, hip to shoulder separation and pitching velocity.

Sciences Proves the Link Between 3X, Separation and Pitching Velocity

The case study is called, the Passive ranges of motion of the hips and their relationship with pitching biomechanics and ball velocity in professional baseball pitchers. It defines the correlations of the angles of the lower limbs to key components in high velocity pitchers. Let’s first look at the background of the study which gives its purpose as listed here:

Pelvis and trunk motions during baseball pitching are associated with ball velocity. Thus, limits in hip flexibility may adversely affect pitching biomechanics and the ability to generate ball velocity.

This means that this institution understood the links between the pelvis and trunk motions to high and low velocity pitching. They performed this study to prove if limited hip flexibility was the culprit. Here is what they discovered:

Total arc of adduction (ADD) + abduction (ABD) of the dominant hip (Drive Leg hip) (r = .44) were correlated with trunk separation. Total arc of ADD + ABD of the nondominant hip (Lead hip) (r = -.52) and total arc of rotation of the dominant hip (r = -.44) were correlated with pelvic orientation.

To understand if this institute found their answers, let’s first look at the conclusion of the study as listed here:

Passive range of motion is smaller in the nondominant hip than the dominant hip among professional pitchers. The measured disparity between the hips is significantly correlated with various pitching biomechanical parameters of the trunk and pelvis. Future research is required to investigate a causal relationship between less hip passive range of motion and both ball velocity and pitching biomechanics.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20807860

It seems as though that the study did not give them their answers of the relationship between less hip passive range of motion and ball velocity but what this study did do was define some revolutionary information of how the lower extremity effects pelvis and trunk motions and orientations during the pitching delivery.

It is safe to conclude that the two sentences from the results listed above is the proof that 3X has a direct correlation to hip to shoulder separation. To understand this correlation let’s first define the 3X approach of how 3X enhances hip to shoulder separation.

For 3X to enhance hip to shoulder separation a pitcher must first lower his Force Vector (Ankle and Knee) of the drive leg into a linear position before the opening of the front hip and before front foot strike. Once the Force Vector is linear and before the front foot lands the pitcher must then start hip rotation by opening the front foot and knee as the drive leg ankle and hip flexor kick into full triple extension. In return this will fire hips or pelvis to rotate completely open as the front leg stabilizes just at or just after front foot strike. This action will cause the hips to pull away from the shoulders which in return is enhancing hip to shoulder separation.

Now that we have both the results of the case study and the 3X approach defining the effects of pelvis (hip) orientation and trunk (shoulder) separation let’s dissect the two sentences above from the results of the case study and see how they correlate with the 3X approach.

The study proves that the range of abduction in the drive leg correlates with trunk separation. For a pitcher to increase drive leg abduction he must stride out as he extends the drive leg. To do this the pitcher must use the 3X approach of aligning the Force Vector as he moves into 3X. The last sentence of the results of the case study above states that abduction of the stride leg and the internal rotation of the drive leg were correlated with pelvic orientation. This means the pitcher must use the 3X approach as he opens and abducts the stride leg while fully extending or triple extending the drive leg which will internally rotate during the process.

In conclusion, we have a study and an approach to pitching that proves how high velocity pitchers use their lower extremity to enhance the movements and speeds of the upper kinetic chain. As the conventional wisdom of the game begins to educate itself on the 3X approach to increase pitching velocity we should see more and more pitchers move into the high velocity category. We should also see less arm injuries as young pitchers, with “Good Arms,” learn to distribute more work into the lower extremity which will help reduce the stress on the throwing arm.

To learn more than just the 3X approach but also how to train and implement these power pitching mechanics into your delivery, checkout the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity program.

In the case study performed by the Biomechanics Laboratory, Dept of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, the above statement was found to be true. This study used eleven elite male and female baseball pitchers and the female baseball pitchers had lower velocities than the males. The purpose of the study was not to prove that these elite female baseball pitchers threw slower than there male counterparts but the purpose was to show the differences in their baseball pitching mechanics. These mechanical differences listed in the study holds the secrets to pitching velocity.

The Difference Between the Male and Female Athlete

Before we dive into these pitching velocity secrets let’s look at the difference between the male and female athlete. Here is a listing of the world record holders for both the squat and bench press for men and women. These numbers show that men have far superior strength in both the upper and lower extremity. Based on these numbers it is safe to say that males are proven to be stronger athletes than females.

Let’s also look at the world record holders in the 100 meter sprint for both men and women as listed below. Based on these numbers the male athlete is almost 1 second faster than the female athlete. It is also safe to say that this proves that male athletes are faster than their female counterparts.

Male World Records for the Squat

• 123 639 Andrzej Stanaszek Poland 05/09/02 EP
• 132 551 Mike Booker USA 2002 AAU
• 148 556 Mike Kuhns USA 2006 ADAU
• 165 600 George Crawford USA 1973 AAU*
• 181 650 Bob Mckee USA 1973 AAU*
• 198 688 Tony Fratto USA 1974 AAU*

Female World Records for the Squat

• 97 214 Naomi Kutin 01/22/12 RUPC USA
• 105 242 Tatyana Koroleva 02/17/11 RPF Russia
• 114 319 Suzie Hartwig-Gary 08/19/11 USAPL USA
• 123 308 Suzie Hartwig-Gary 03/04/11 IPF USA
• 132 330 Anastasiya Amelina 04/08/11 WPC Russia
• 148 380 Amy Weisberger 04/30/11 SPF USA
• 165 440 Taylar Stallings 11/12/11 PRPA USA
• 181 473 Jill Brown- Mills 1998 APF USA
• 198 405 Vicky Hembree 1999 AAU USA

Male World Records for the Bench Press

• 123 391 Andrej Stanaszek Poland 1994 IPF
• 132 397 Joe Bradley USA 1980 USPF
• 148 424 Joe Bradley USA 1981 USPF
• 165 485 Rick Weil USA 1983 USPF
• 181 556 Rick Weil USA 1986 APF
• 198 565 Larry Danaher USA 1986 USPF/APF

Female World Records for the Bench Press

• 97 176 Ann Leverett 1991 USPF USA
• 105 206 April Schumaker 04/10/11 USPA USA
• 114 231 Mary Jeffery 1991 USPF USA
• 123 248 Vicky Steenrod 1984 USPF USA
• 132 300 Jennifer Thompson 03/02/12 USAPL USA
• 148 275 Vicky Steenrod 1989 USPF USA
• 165 314 Liz Odendaal 1989 IPF Netherlands
• 181 330 Beverly Francis 1981 IPF Australia
• 198 360 Shannon Nash 11/12/11 SPF USA

Male World Records for the 100 Meter Sprint

1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) – 9.58 seconds
2. Tyson Gay (United States) – 9.69 seconds
3. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) – 9.72 seconds
4. Maurice Greene (United States) – 9.79 seconds
5. Donovan Bailey (Canada) – 9.84 seconds
6. Bruny Surin (Canada) – 9.84 seconds
7. Leroy Burrell (United States) – 9.85 seconds
8. Justin Gatlin (United States) – 9.85 seconds
9. Olusoji Fasuba (Nigeria) – 9.85 seconds
10. Carl Lewis (United States) – 9.86 seconds

Female World Records for the 100 Meter Sprint

1. Florence Griffith-Joyner (United States) – 10.49 seconds
2. Carmelita Jeter (United States) – 10.64 seconds
3. Marion Jones (United States) – 10.65 seconds
4. Shelly-Ann Fraser (Jamaica) – 10.73 seconds
5. Christine Arron (France) – 10.73 seconds
6. Merlene Ottey (Jamaica) – 10.74 seconds
7. Kerron Stewart (Jamaica) – 10.75 seconds
8. Evelyn Ashford (United States) – 10.76 seconds
9. Irina Privalova (Russia) – 10.77 seconds
10. Ivet Lalova (Bulgaria) – 10.77 seconds

The Difference Between High and Low Velocity Pitchers

Based on the study listed below and the evidence listed above of the differences between male and female athletes, I will put the elite female baseball pitcher in the low velocity category and the elite male baseball pitcher in the high velocity category. This way the study below will define what separates these two categories which will be beneficial to both the male and female baseball pitcher.

The case study performed by the Biomechanics Laboratory, Dept of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, was called the Biomechanical comparison between elite female and male baseball pitchers. Here are the results from the study:

Specifically, at the instant of stride foot contact, a female pitcher had a shorter and more open stride and less separation between pelvis orientation and upper torso orientation. From foot contact to ball release, a female pitcher produced lower peak angular velocity for throwing elbow extension and stride knee extension. Ball velocity was lower for the female. Foot contact to ball release took more time for a female pitcher. Maximal proximal forces at the shoulder and elbow joints were less for a female pitcher.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19299827

These results from the study listed these mechanics as Low Velocity Mechanics.

1. Short stride at stride foot contact.
2. More Open Stride at stride foot contact.
3. Less separation between pelvis orientation and upper torso orientation at stride foot contact.
4. Lower peak angular velocity for throwing elbow extension.
5. Less stride knee extension.
6. Foot contact to ball release took more time.
7. Maximal proximal forces at the shoulder and elbow joints were less.

The 3X Pitching Mechanics

I am in complete agreement with this list of Low Velocity Mechanics because I see it everyday in my 3X Pitching Analysis that I post on the forums. Everyone of these low velocity pitchers, who are mainly male, have all or most of these issues. It is important to note that all of these components are speed and strength related. This was why I made the point that the difference between these two categories of elite athletes, is that of both speed and strength. The elite athlete, which makes up most elite pitchers, have both superior speed and strength. This is reflective in their High Velocity Mechanics. These High Velocity Mechanics or the 3X Pitching Mechanics would be listed as the opposite of the Low Velocity Mechanics above.

For a program that trains the pitcher in both speed and strength along with drills to develop the motor coordination around these High Velocity Mechanics, purchase the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program NOW!

Many conventional coaches would coach a soft landing at front foot strike and many of these coaches would be reducing a pitchers ability to build torque and increase pitching velocity. The science today now proves that high velocity pitchers apply more force into the ground at front foot strike than low velocity pitchers. Let’s look at this science along with some “Big” League high velocity pitchers, so we can learn how to benefit from this cutting edge information.

The Scientific Proof that Hard Throwers Land Hard

The first case study listed here was also referenced in my previous article on the effects of the lower extremity on pronation speeds. The study was performed at the Department of Orthopedic Biomechanics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland and is called, Characteristic ground-reaction forces in baseball pitching. Here are the results of the study:

Pitchers were found to generate shear forces of 0.35 body weight in the direction of the pitch with the push-off leg and to resist forces of 0.72 body weight with the landing leg. Wrist velocity was found to correlate highly with increased leg drive. This study validates the clinical impression that the lower extremity is an important contributor to the throwing motion. Based on this study, strengthening of the lower extremities could be inferred to be important both to enhance performance and to avoid injury.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9474404

This study used college and high school level pitchers. It is stating that the forces on the landing leg where much greater than the forces on the drive leg; 0.72 body weight to be exact. It also implies that as the forces increased on the legs, so did the velocities of the wrist. This means that more ground reaction forces, specifically at front foot strike, increased wrist velocities.

Here is another piece of data from Popular Science which is an American magazine founded in 1872 which covers topics related to technology and science. This is from their article called, The biomechanics behind throwing 100 mph without ripping your elbow apart. The article states:

175% of Body Weight – Average force with which the front leg comes down. For a 220 pound pitcher like Joel Zumaya, that’s 394 pounds.

Read article here: http://www.popsci.com/how-it-works/article/2008-07/how-it-works-fastball

This article does not explain where it gets its data from but the numbers are very similar to the study above. I believe it is fair to say pitchers with good linear drive power are landing with around 175% of their body weight. This would be like performing a power clean at 175% of your body weight and driving the weight up and catching it on your upper chest, with one leg, as you stabilize the weight and drive it up to finish. This is more proof that high velocity pitchers need to have incredible leg strength to stabilize their linear power at front foot and convert into elastic energy.

This last study supports the argument by proving that the muscle activity in the legs during the stride phase can reach over 172% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The study was performed by the Biomechanics/Motor Behavior Laboratory School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. The study is called, Lower extremity muscle activation during baseball pitching. Here are the results from the study:

The pitching motion was divided into 4 distinct phases: phase 1, initiation of pitching motion to maximum stride leg knee height; phase 2, maximum stride leg knee height to stride foot contact (SFC); phase 3, SFC to ball release; and phase 4, ball release to 0.5 seconds after ball release (follow-through). Results indicated that trail leg musculature elicited moderate to high activity levels during phases 2 and 3 (38-172% of MVIC). Muscle activity levels of the stride leg were moderate to high during phases 2-4 (23-170% of MVIC). These data indicate a high demand for lower extremity strength and endurance. Specifically, coaches should incorporate unilateral and bilateral lower extremity exercises for strength improvement or maintenance and to facilitate dynamic stabilization of the lower extremities during the pitching motion.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300031

With all this data, it is safe to say that high velocity pitchers land with more force than low velocity pitchers. It even promotes a stronger leg drive to increase this force production which in turn will speed up wrist velocities. To take this one step further let’s take a look at an elite group of high velocity pitchers who are known to generate a lot of force at front foot strike.

Hard Throwing “Big” League Pitchers

Let’s just say these MLB pitchers below put the “Big” in Big League. Yes, these group of elite pitchers are known to carry extra baggage to the field and I don’t mean equipment. Ok, enough with the bad jokes! What all these pitchers below have in common is they all weight more than 250 lbs and they throw harder than 90 mph. Most of them have been very successful pitchers. This extra weight is what makes them so important to this argument that hard throwers do not land soft but hard. If this was not true then physics would say that there would be no way that these guys could throw so hard. I mean if landing softer meant throwing harder then these guys shouldn’t be able to break glass but this is obviously not the case here. These “Big” Big League pitchers are proof that more force at front foot strike means the potential for more speed.

So before you head out to the closest fast food joint and stuff a few to many double beef patty supremes with extra cheese BIGGY sized down your face there is a better alternative. How about stop listing to the conventional wisdom of the game and start bringing some force to your front leg? How about learning the stride phase and how to enhance power production through it to increase more front foot ground reaction forces instead of playing long toss all day or using weighted ball training?

Maybe the reason an incredibly small percentage of pitchers throw in the 90′s and an incredibly large percentage of pitchers train the same way is because the conventional wisdom of the game is not helping pitchers get better. Did you ever think that the information you are being feed in your career is what is preventing you from living the dream? If not then I hope this article helps you question how you are being coached to play this game!

TopVelocity.net has been at the forefront of this cutting edge information. What we have done here is interpret this new scientific data into laymen’s terms to help the young pitcher benefit from it. One of the latest studies to come out, which shows the relationship of pronation speeds to vertical ball movements, is some of this cutting edge science that has been right under our noses but now that it is documented, it will begin to impact the game.

The Science Behind Pitching and the RPM

The case study, a Biomechanical analysis of forearm pronation and its relationship to ball movement for the two-seam and four-seam fastball pitches was recently mentioned in my previous article called the Research Proving Pronation Supports Pitching Velocity While Preventing Injury. This study, along with the case study from the Department of Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland called the Characteristic ground-reaction forces in baseball pitching and the new data coming from the Trackman’s 3D Doppler Radar, defines the link between the lower body movements of the pitcher and their vertical ball movements or RPM’s (Repetitions Per Minute). The chain that is made up of this link is called the kinetic chain. This is an old term that is the foundation of pitching velocity and a term that most conventional pitching coaches seem to ignore.

First understanding the make-up of the kinetic chain is critical to understanding how to increase pitching velocity. If you have never heard of the terminology then here is the definition:

Kinetic Chain – The body and its extremities consist of bony segments linked by a series of joints.

The reason this term is so important to pitching velocity is because pitching velocity is the result of power generating, multiplying and transferring into pitch velocity up the kinetic chain. If a coach does not understand the sequence of events that high velocity pitchers use to generate, multiply and then transfer power into pitching velocity up the kinetic chain, then what help are they to the young pitcher?

This link between lower body movements and vertical ball movements is also illustrated here in this film strip of the top RPM or ball spin rate pitchers in Major League Baseball. Out of all these pitchers listed in the RPM chart of the top RPM’s of MLB pitchers, from the Sports Illustrated Article by Tom Verducci called How a Danish tech company is revolutionizing pitching data, the pitcher’s with the highest RPM’s had more front leg extension. As the RPM’s decreased, so did front leg extension as seen in the film strip here. Notice Justin Verlander with the highest RPM’s and the most front leg extension at pitch release and then notice how when the RPM’s decrease the front leg begins to flex like with Brian Matusz.

To understand in detail why front leg extension is effecting the spin rates or the RPM’s of the baseball, let’s dive into these case studies above to understand this pitching velocity component known as 2X from the 3X Pitching mechanics. First the results of the case study called, a Biomechanical analysis of forearm pronation and its relationship to ball movement for the two-seam and four-seam fastball pitches:

A significant positive correlation (r = 0.583, p < 0.01) was identified between forearm pronation acceleration at ball release and the magnitude of vertical ball movement regardless of pitch type.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093973

This study is proof that vertical ball movement or a high spin rate is the result of pronation speeds. Now let’s look into the case study called the Characteristic ground-reaction forces in baseball pitching. This was the final results of the study:

Pitchers were found to generate shear forces of 0.35 body weight in the direction of the pitch with the push-off leg and to resist forces of 0.72 body weight with the landing leg. Wrist velocity was found to correlate highly with increased leg drive. This study validates the clinical impression that the lower extremity is an important contributor to the throwing motion. Based on this study, strengthening of the lower extremities could be inferred to be important both to enhance performance and to avoid injury.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9474404

This study is proof that the drive forces of the lower extremity correlate with wrist velocities, or also referred to as pronation speeds, therefore it can be understood that the increased forces from the legs will increase the RPM’s of the ball. Based on the data from the Trackman’s 3D Doppler Radar from the Sports Illustrated article below, pitchers with higher spin rates have a higher strikeout (K) to “at bats” ratio.

Pitchers who don’t throw hard but have high spin rates on their fastball — such as Shaun Marcum of the Brewers and Koji Uehara of the Orioles — post higher strikeout rates than their modest velocity would otherwise suggest.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/tom_verducci/04/12/fastballs.trackman/index.html#ixzz1uDpMuTQN

These increased forces from the legs that is effecting spin rate or RPM’s may just be more in the front leg as illustrated in the film strip. The last case study also listed that the group of pitchers studied produced more force from the front leg than drive leg. It is important to understand that the resisting forces of the front leg or dependent on the drive forces of the drive leg. This means to enhance drive leg forces the pitcher must use both legs to do this but the front leg may just have more of an impact on pronation speeds and RPM’s. Read this article to learn more about these 2X to 3X Factors to Pitching Velocity.

Don’t Forget the Power Pitchers Kinetic Chain

Before running off to work on front leg extension to increase your pronation speeds, don’t forget about the old kinetic chain. For these drive leg forces to effect pronation speeds the links in between these two pitching velocity components must be implemented correctly or power isn’t multiplied or transferred into pitching velocity. To learn more about this sequence of mechanical components that are occurring between the drive leg forces and pronation, purchase the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.

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The reason the rise in arm surgery is causing this terminology to surface is because institutes like the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at The University of Auckland, New Zealand have discovered the importance of this mechanical component to protecting the elbow joint of the arm when throwing as evident in the article called the Evolution of the treatment options of ulnar collateral ligament injuries of the elbow hosted at the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The article describes the issues of the throwing movement on the elbow joint and lists some new discoveries and solutions to these problems. Here is an excerpt from the article stating the importance of pronation to reducing loads on the arm which can lead to injury.

Recent biomechanical analysis has found that coupling of shoulder internal rotation and forearm pronation forms the physiological basis of varus acceleration to minimise valgus elbow load.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2465120/

Pronation is a critical pitching component because it not only reduces arm injury as stated above but it also supports pitching velocity. It supports pitching velocity by increasing vertical ball movements which is covered in detail below. Now that this information is becoming more conventional and the evidence has proven the importance of pronation as it relates to injury and pitching velocity, the question now becomes do we coach pronation or is it just a result of efficient total body pitching mechanics? Before answering this question here is more evidence covering the important benefits of forearm pronation at pitch release.

Pronation Increases Pitching Velocity

Most pitchers and pitching coaches do not know the importance of vertical ball movement. It is characteristic of most high velocity pitchers especially those who have high strikeouts to “at bat” ratios. This vertical ball movement is the result of optimal pronation speeds at pitch release. The reason high pronation speeds will effect vertical ball movement is because it increases the spin rate of the baseball. This is no different than the effect of spin rate on the spiral of a football. Here is a study performed by the Department of Health Science, Kinesiology, Recreation and Dance at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, which proves the relationship of forearm pronation speeds to ball movements. The study is called the Biomechanical analysis of forearm pronation and its relationship to ball movement for the two-seam and four-seam fastball pitches. Here are the results of the case study:

These results suggest that pitchers may be able to manipulate the magnitude of vertical ball movement by altering pronation accelerations at ball release. In addition, it appears that pitchers should alter their current training techniques so as to increase the endurance capabilities of the primary pronator muscles of the forearm. In doing so, they may be able to limit the effects of fatigue on these muscles during pitching, thus preventing a decrease in the magnitude of vertical ball movement that typically occurs late in a pitching performance.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093973

This study does not only claim the importance of pronation speeds to vertical ball movements but it also suggests the training of the pronator muscles in the forearm to prevent fatigue late in a game which would reduce the vertical ball movements as it slows forearm pronation speeds. This case study does not define the reason for the vertical ball movements but only the cause. There is new technology that has explained these vertical ball movements as being the result of high spin rates. This new technology is currently moving into the MLB as they install the new 3D Doppler Radars into MLB parks around the country. The data coming from these radars have proven that high spin rates lead to high strikeout rates. Sports Illustrated documented this data in an article called How a Danish tech company is revolutionizing pitching data by Tom Verducci. He writes:

What also is interesting is that some preliminary data suggests high spin rates also make fastballs harder to hit. Pitchers who don’t throw hard but have high spin rates on their fastball — such as Shaun Marcum of the Brewers and Koji Uehara of the Orioles — post higher strikeout rates than their modest velocity would otherwise suggest.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/tom_verducci/04/12/fastballs.trackman/index.html#ixzz1smUMex7h

The more popular this 3D Doppler Radar becomes and the more often this data is made public, it should eventually become conventional wisdom to stress the importance of forearm pronation speeds as much as internal rotation speeds of the throwing arm. The traditional velocity readings on the chart here are the results of internal rotation speeds of the arm and the RPM readings are the result of pronation speeds. These speeds along with a pitchers stride distance measure what is called “Effective Velocity,” which is a better and more comprehensive way to asses a pitchers effectiveness than only with ball velocity readings.

Pronation Reduces Pitching Arm Injuries

Here are some more studies claiming the importance of pronation to reducing elbow loads which can eventually lead to injury. Before reading these studies it is important to understand the difference between valgus and varus torque. Valgus is the loads put on the elbow joint when the arm is externally rotated and accelerating . Varus is the loads put on the elbow joint when it is internally rotated and decelerating. If you notice the clip of Tim Lincecum above, you will see that as his arm accelerates forward when externally rotated, his elbow moves into extension. Once the arm fully extends, pronation begins. This extension and pronation is releasing the tension on the elbow because valgus loads are increased with more flexion as stated in the case study by the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at the University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque called Elbow ligament strain under valgus load: a biomechanical study. Here are the results of the study:

Strain in the anterior bundle was significantly greater than in the posterior bundle and increased with more flexion.

These results indicate that the anterior bundle is important in resisting a valgus load, particularly in mid-flexion, while the importance of the posterior bundle increases as the elbow approaches full flexion.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10386803

More proof that elbow tension is released during extension and pronation of the throwing arm is stated in the case study below. This study by the Department of Orthopedics at the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN called The effect of forearm rotation on laxity and stability of the elbow states that forearm pronation will reduce valgus and varus loads. In the context of the study this laxity can have a negative effect if the elbow is not in full extension. Here is the results of this study:

The observation that forearm pronation increases valgus/varus laxity, particularly in medial collateral ligament deficient elbows, implies a possible additional factor in throwing kinematics that might put professional baseball pitchers at risk of medial collateral ligament injury due to chronic valgus overload. Our data indicate that forearm rotation should be considered during the clinical examination of elbow instability.

Read the entire study here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11390047

The lesson here is pronation must begin during full elbow extension to reduce the loads on the elbow joint during acceleration. If pronation begins before elbow extension it will make the elbow joint more vulnerable to torque which can cause injury.

Should we Coach Pitchers to Pronate?

Yes, we should coach this critical pitching component as evident in all of these valuable case studies but the key is how do we coach it. The best and only way to coach this component is through total body mechanics. Pronation just like early internal rotation, which is a key component of high velocity pitchers, is the result of optimal hip to shoulder separation. If you can not train a pitcher to convert 3X into optimal hip to shoulder separation, which is the foundation of the 3X Pitching Velocity program, then trying to coach optimal pronation will be a constant up hill battle. The reason optimal hip to shoulder separation leads to optimal pronation is because the throwing arm moves into elbow extension early and above the head. If elbow extension happens late and in front of the face then pronation is limited.

Just watch the clip of Lincecum above. The clips starts with him in optimal hip to shoulder separation as a reaction to his 3X into hip rotation. This separation is allowing him to keep his elbow behind his face during external rotation and also building optimal shoulder and elbow torque. As his arm accelerates forward, he is able to move into elbow extension early to help reduce these loads on his arm while his arm is reaching its peak speed when the loads are the greatest. He is able to continue to move into internal rotation while his elbow is still at ear height. If he did not start with optimal hip to shoulder separation, elbow extension would have happened later in his throwing phase, limiting the amount of pronation which would result in a lower spin rate and increased valgus and varus loads on the elbow. Tim Lincecum’s amazing separation into optimal pronation is the reason he is a high velocity pitcher who has rarely been on the disabled list (DL).

To learn some basic drills to help support the motor coordination around optimal hip to shoulder separation and pronation check out the 3X Pitching Velocity program.

The Department of Physical Education, University of Illinois, Chicago put together a study to prove the Potential for strength and endurance training to amplify endurance performance. Here are the results from the study:

These data do not demonstrate any negative performance effects of adding heavy-resistance training to ongoing endurance-training regimens. They indicate that certain types of endurance performance, particularly those requiring fast-twitch fiber recruitment, can be improved by strength-training supplementation.

Not only does this study prove the performance benefits of heavy resistance strength training with endurance athletes but it specifically states that it is even more beneficial for those performances that require fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment. I couldn’t think of any better performance than power pitching when it comes to endurance and fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment. The shoulder rotation speeds of the hardest pitchers in the game is proven to be the fastest body movements of all sports in the world.

This study also indicates that some type of strength-training supplementation should be occurring in-season to improve performance. This is the case because the study used a group of trained endurance athletes who were already at a steady-state level of performance when they instituted a heavy-resistance training program that was 3 days a week while endurance training remained constant.

How to Amplify Endurance Pitching Performance

The case study does not describe the heavy-resistance training program the athletes used for the study. It does state that the program was 3 days a week for 10 weeks straight and that the training routine was focused in the legs as the case study states that “leg strength was increased by an average of 30%.” A predominantly leg focused heavy-resistance training program would make sense for the study because the endurance athletes they were testing were cyclists.

This roughly means the athletes where using some type of heavy-resistance training on the legs which was close to or more than their body weight, 3 days a week. This should tell all pitchers, who want to amplify their endurance so they can throw 7 innings of shutout baseball instead of 5, that they need to add some heavy-resistance training mainly on the legs when in-season. It is important to understand that heavy-resistance training is important during all seasons of training but this study is proof that in-season should be no exception. Not only will the added heavy-resistance training amplify endurance in-season but it will also help maintain the strength gains made from the off-season which will both help prevent velocity inconsistencies and loss.

If you are looking for a program that implements heavy-resistance training to amplify endurance in-season then checkout the 3X Pre and In-Season programs. These programs also include in-season throwing drills to support the 3X mechanics along with flexibility, core, joint integrity routines and much more.

They say a picture tells a thousand words and this animated clip of the leg drive of low velocity pitchers to high velocity pitchers says it all. You can obviously see the ankle extending through in the high velocity clips and the ankle just popping up in the low velocity clips.

The Mechanics of Triple Extension and the Ankle Kick

You should know by now from reading only a few articles on this site that triple extension is the extension of the ankle, knee and hip flexor and it is the foundation of 3X Pitching. The question I get asked a lot is, “Is this the order of extension as well?”  The is a good question and the answer is the order of extension with high velocity pitchers is first the knee extension, followed by the ankle extension or ankle kick and then the hip flexor extension. This article will only cover the ankle extension.

The reason the ankle kick is so important is because it has a big effect on pushing the hip flexor forward as the front hip opens. If the hip flexor does not push forward at front foot strike then hip rotation is limited. The goal here is optimal hip to shoulder separation because of its major impact on pitching velocity as proved in the NPA 2005-2006 Velocity case study. The key to this optimal hip to shoulder separation, as proven in 3X Pitching, is creating explosive hip rotation at front foot strike. The pitcher will have the biggest impact on hip rotation at front foot strike if the hip flexor of the drive leg is pushed open at front foot strike and the ankle kick is the power component that will make this happen.

The only way the ankle kick is going push the hip flexor forward into extension is if the Force Vector is linear enough to allow this to happen. This is where most low velocity pitchers struggle with synchronizing the two joints together. The Force Vector is the angle of the ankle to knee, which is the angle of force. The reason it is so critical to converting the power of the ankle kick into hip rotation is because just like a gun, if this power isn’t directed precisely towards the target then it could blow up in your face. To convert this ankle kick power into hip rotation which will then continue to multiple force towards the target, everything most be in-line towards the target. This means all of the power components are linear. For this to happen the pitcher must move the hips far enough away from the drive leg foot to allow for the Force Vector to be in line with the hips and the target at the same time. If the pitcher’s hips are not moving early and or fast enough during the stride then this alignment of the Force Vector and the hips may never happen.

The Mechanics Behind the Linear Force Vector

If you look at the pictures again of the low velocity to high velocity pitchers you will see that the high velocity pitchers Force Vectors are a lot more linear during the ankle kick. The key to getting into this linear position before the ankle kick is first taking the hips as far as possible forward without causing extension in the drive leg and at the same time lowering your center of gravity. Second, once you are ready to start building power, you will then extend the knee with an explosive leg drive movement. At the same time you will drive the back leg shin into the ground allowing the weight of the foot to shift onto the inside part of the foot. The weight should be balanced on the power pads to heel. This will finally put the pitcher’s drive leg into the perfect linear position to allow the power of the ankle kick to push the hips forward finishing triple extension with the extension of the hip flexor.

The challenge now becomes does the pitcher have the flexibility and strength of the joints to put the drive leg into this linear alignment and does the pitcher have the power to generate force from it. Most low velocity pitchers do not posses this athleticism. This is why this critical power position must be developed through both a strength and conditioning program and a throwing program if the low velocity pitcher is going to move up a level into the high velocity category.

I highly recommend, that to avoid beating your head against the wall, a low velocity pitcher should first focus on developing himself into a power athlete before ever trying to develop himself into a power pitcher. This is the approach of the 3X Pitching Velocity Program and it is a great place to start this transformation!

The article talks about the importance of accelerating speed through the pitching delivery to increase pitching velocity. If speed is accelerated through the kinetic chain first as momentum and then converted into rotational forces, there is a strong possibility that a pitcher has reached his top velocity. The article talks about the theory of Speed Mechanics as extremely effective when used with the mechanics of 3X Pitching.

The Speed Mechanics theory is also illustrated in the 3X Pitching Profiles of the 3X Pitchers listed on the forums which is shown in the chart below. These profiles and the chart show that most hard throwing power pitchers have extremely fast deliveries. You will also find on the forums, with the analysis of low velocity pitchers, that they suffer from slow delivery speeds.

3X Pitching Profile Chart

Definitions:
L = Leg Lift = When foot comes off of ground into leg lift.
FFS = Front Foot Strike = When the lift leg lands.
FM = First Move = The moment the hips start moving towards target.
PR = Pitch Release = The moment the ball leaves the hand.
SL = Stride Length = Distance of stride.
RP = Release point = The point of release of pitch.
Sep = Hip to shoulder separation.
FF = Front foot
BF = Back Foot

Important Component of Pitching Speed Mechanics Revealed

A study from the US National Library of Medicine called, Biomechanics of walking, running, and sprinting, reveals an important component of speed mechanics which is also reflective in high velocity pitchers. This component is in the height of an athletes center of gravity when at certain speeds. The center of gravity of an athlete is roughly the hips and core area. Here are the results from the study which measured the difference of mechanics between a group of walkers, runners and sprinter.

As the speed of gait increased, the length of stance phase progressively decreased from 62% for walking to 31% for running and to 22% for sprinting….

Generally speaking, the body lowers its center of gravity with the increased speed by increasing flexion of the hips and knees and magnifying dorsiflexion at the ankle joint. Electromyographic activity about the knee demonstrated increased activity in the quadricep muscle group and hamstring group with increased speed. Muscle function about the ankle joint demonstrated that the posterior calf musculature which normally functions during the midstance phase in walking became a late swing phase muscle and was active through the first 80% of stance phase, as compared to 15% in walking.

This study should be seen as a gold mine to a low velocity pitcher who is looking to increase the speed of his delivery. The reason is that this study has proven that to move quickly, like most hard throwing pitchers do, the athlete most lower his center of gravity. This lowering of the center of gravity will increase the stride length while also activating more muscle function in the legs. This mechanical improvement combined with developing the pitcher into a more explosive athlete, is the 3X approach to pitching velocity and is more proof why this program is so effective.

This study also states that the ankle joint and the muscles of the joint were active through the first 80% of the stride which magnified dorsiflexion in the ankle joint. This would support the importance of an explosive triple extension finishing with the ankle kick to increasing delivery speed which is the foundation of 3X Pitching.

It is important to note that this study is not saying that if you only have a lower center of gravity then you are moving faster, it is only proving that faster movers have lower centers of gravity. This means lowering the center of gravity of the moving athlete will only benefit an explosive athlete who can take advantage of the added muscle function.

A common reaction of a conventional pitching coach who sees a pitcher with a long stride and a lower center of gravity but with poor velocity, is to instruct the pitcher to shorten the stride length. This study would prove this adjustment will only raise the pitchers center of gravity, reducing the pitchers potential to generate speed and velocity and have little or no effect at all on pitching velocity. The better approach for a pitcher who has a low center of gravity and a long stride but poor velocity is to develop more muscle power in a strength and conditioning program that was created for this purpose. This is why pitchers like Tim Lincecum, who have had the same mechanics which included a low center of gravity and a long stride sense he was 8 years old, continued to throw harder the older and more explosive they become.

How to Lower Your Center of Gravity and Increase Pitching Speed

It is great to discover a study like this one which uses science to prove to the pitcher the mechanics of fast athletes but the better discovery is the program that trains the pitcher to implement the motor coordination around this discovery. The 3X Pitching Velocity program is this program. It uses med ball throws and target throws within specific drills of the throwing program to force the pitcher into lowering his center of gravity. It also develops the leg power to allow the pitcher the mobility to move explosively through the pitcher delivery with a lower center of gravity.

This study also proves the importance of looking outside of the sport of baseball for more answers to the questions from inside the game!

This article will help educate those low velocity pitchers on these reactive movements that are so critical to producing high pitching velocity.

Newton Teaches Pitchers Action to Reaction

You thought your Physics class was a waste of your time when your teacher was educating you on the work of Sir Isaac Newton. You more than likely had no idea your teacher was also giving you a lesson in pitching velocity. Newton’s third law of motion defines these action to reaction movements in the pitching delivery.

Newton’s third law of motion states:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction

I am sure you have heard of this Newtonian law before or you actually remember the class you learned it in. If you are a low velocity pitcher working to learn the mechanics of the high velocity pitchers then this is a good place to start. This law proves that along with the elastic properties of the body, the body is capably of generating multiplying forces.The definition of Force multiplication is:

In military usage, refers to an attribute or a combination of attributes which make a given force more effective than that same force would be without it.

If you are going to learn how to generate these force multipliers in your body then you need to know how and when they must occur. Here is a list of these moments in the pitching delivery, along with the timing of them to support this force multiplication.

The 3 Force Multipliers of the Pitching Delivery

The 3 force multipliers in the pitching delivery include:

1. Hip Rotation – This is when triple extension of the drive leg is pushing the back hip forward, as the front foot lands and the leg stabilizes, this force multiplied with the driving force of triple extension slams the hips open.
2. Hip to Shoulder Separation – If the hips slam open just at or after front foot strike this pulls the back hip forward away from the back shoulder multiplying the force of the shoulder rotation.
3. External Rotation – This is the point in the delivery when the shoulders have rotated open with forward trunk tilt causes the arm to externally rotation back behind the head multiplying the force of internal rotation and pitch release.

The Catch 22 of High Pitching Velocity

A Catch 22 as defined at Wikipedia:

Is a paradoxical situation in which an individual cannot avoid a problem because of contradictory constraints or rules.

In the case of pitching velocity, the catch 22 is that you must have the ability to generate enough power to create an explosive reactive movement to have an understanding of how it works to increase pitching velocity. This is why most pitching coaches can make a good living coaching the skill of pitching. It is a never ending battle for some pitchers who struggle with developing the power needed to generate optimal hip rotation into hip to shoulders separation and beyond. I like to call it beating your head against the wall. Most young pitchers experience this feeling too many times in their career. This is when they know what they need to do, but no matter how hard they try, they can not accomplish it. The answer I always give to these pitchers is, high velocity pitchers are made in the off-season. This is when you have the time to not only work on your power pitching mechanics but develop yourself into a power pitcher in a strength training program built around high intensity power movements like with the 3X Pitching Velocity program.