Foot Sync Supports High Pitching Velocity

December 22, 2011

Foot Sync Supports High Pitching VelocityBased on thousands of hours of video analysis there is many common patterns of high velocity pitchers that low velocity pitchers do not have. One of the most overlooked component in the delivery is the synchronization of both feet into front foot strike. Low velocity pitchers tend to open the front foot way before the drive leg foot has extended. This doesn’t mean that synchronizing the opening of the front foot with the drive of the back foot will increase pitching velocity but it will definitely support it! Read more

Pitching Velocity Before Ball Movement

November 3, 2011

Pitching Velocity Before Ball MovementI have worked with a lot of “Side Arm” Pitchers who are worried about losing movement when I am training and coaching them to increase velocity, with 3X Pitching. I am not talking about pitchers who throw upper 80′s, because most of the pitchers I work with are more like upper 70′s. It just blows my mind that an upper 70′s pitcher would rather have ball movement than more velocity.

The reality is, not until you get to professional baseball will ball movement start to become an important factor and at this level you will actually have coaches who will coach this with pitch grips. I really believe that changing mechanics to enhance ball movement is not a healthy approach for a pitcher. A great example was John Smoltz, at the end of his career the Atlanta, Braves made him a closer and also dropped his arm angle to a side arm position, so he could get a more natural run on the ball. This was effective at first, then he was put on the DL with bone spurs in his elbow. I believe he cut his career short when he made this mechanical adjustment for ball movement. Read more

The Perfect Pitching Placement of Front Foot Strike

November 1, 2011

The Perfect Pitching Placement of Front Foot StrikeFront foot strike is the single most important moment in the pitching delivery because this is the moment that stride power is converted into hip and shoulder separation and is guided to its pitching location. Therefore perfect placement at front foot strike is necessary to not only support pitch location but to also support high velocity.

The problem with over coaching front foot strike is that all of the power production that must occur before front foot strike is forgotten. This will develop an accurate pitcher but if the pitcher struggles with power issues then he will be a low velocity accurate pitcher with a higher chance of having arm problems. Unfortunately, this is not going to get him to the next level.

The key to coaching front foot strike is to first coach the power stride before you move into front foot strike. If the pitcher has done his job and conquered his power issues and has developed an explosive stride then front foot strike becomes critical in converting this power into torque. Read more

Force Vector Pitching

July 9, 2011

Force Vector Pitching, Pitching Force VectorIs your pitching coach teaching the force vector?

More than likely your Pitching Coach has no idea what Force Vector Pitching is and why it is so critical for velocity. I would love to see the look on his face when you ask him what force vector pitching is and why is it so important.

I have talked about the Pitching Force Vector many times on this site and in my analysis. It is also in the 3X Pitching Velocity program and the fact is, I really can’t talk about this critical component enough. Read more

3X Force Production is the Driving Force Behind Velocity

March 30, 2011

Chapman Force ProductionIf you have not purchased the 3X Pitching Velocity Program, then let me tell you what you are missing out on. High velocity pitchers generate more force production through triple extension during the stride phase of the delivery. Pitchers like Tim Lincecum and Aroldis Chapman have stride lengths around 7.5 feet and stride speeds that are the top in the league. Chapman is considered the hardest thrower in the league because of out of 25 pitches in a last session game, he threw everyone over 100 MPH.

To understand how to implement this into your pitching delivery we must first define these terms. Read more