Photo by Dani Christensen

In the case of all power pitchers or athletes, to prevent wasting precious time when learning a power movement like pitching at high velocities, it is important to understand that strength or power development must come before the power motor skills of the power pitching mechanics. Attempting to train the power motor skills before the pitcher has the strength or power to move through them efficiently and effectively, is not just a total waste of time but it also can end ones pitching career.

The Detrimental Effects of Motor Skill Training Over Power Training in Pitching

There are many coaches, parents and athletes in the pitching world that believe pitching mechanics are more important than strength and power development. The truth of the matter is that this perspective may work for the elite athlete but NOT for the young pitcher. If a young pitcher is coached with this perspective, it could possible end his career. The reason for this claim can best be supported with the analogy of the crawling baby.

Why the Baby Crawls Before it Walks

The baby must first learn to crawl before it walks because it does not have the core and leg strength to push off of the ground when standing upright so it can practice the motor coordination of walking. Until it develops this core and leg strength all it is capable of doing is moving itself over the floor by pushing and pulling at the ground with what strength it has in its core, legs and arms. An act of moving on one’s hands and knees or dragging one’s body along the ground is defined as the Crawl. Even if the baby was able to understand and train the movements of walking upright on two feet, it still could not perform the skill because it lacks the core and leg strength to hold itself up during the movement. Crawling or standing up right overtime develops the babies core and leg strength which gives it the strength to train the motor coordination around the skill of walking.

This analogy is the reason behind the old expression, “Crawl before you walk!” The problem is most young pitchers want to “Run before they Walk” and some even want to “Sprint before they Crawl.” The reason this could end a pitchers career is because trying to walk before you crawl could frustrate the young pitcher to the point of giving up. Think of the baby taking his first steps without any help. The baby starts by using the furniture to pick itself up and then attempts take its first steps alone. This is the day that the baby will learn about real pain. Not only the pain of their face hitting the floor but the emotional pain of not accomplishing the goal of walking. If the baby continued to try and walk this way, without any support, the consistent beating of their face on the floor and the consistent emotional feeling of failure could force them to regress back to the crawl. This regression is the human spirit giving up in the face of failure and in the case of the pitcher this could be enough to change ones career.

If the coach, parent or pitcher could understand that it is easier and even possible to develop the motor coordination around power pitching mechanics, like the 3X Pitching mechanics, if strength and power development comes first then the game of baseball today would have less injury, more competition and better pitching education in all levels of the game. The problem is until this understanding of “Crawl before you Walk,” when it comes to developing the power pitcher, makes its way into the conventional wisdom of the game, there is going to be a lot of young pitchers, those even on this site, who are going to continue to beat their heads against the floor.

When revolutionary information is uncovered and it begins to move into the realm of conventional wisdom, it will make both a positive and a negative impact. In the case of stride length, the positive impact is that pitchers will start to think more with their lower kinetic chain and start to pitch from the ground up. Done correctly, with optimal leg strength, this could potentially lower the high ratio of arm injuries to young pitchers. The negative aspects could be increased stride length without increased leg strength. This could cause pitchers to just reach out with the lead leg and open up early in their deliveries which will put more stress on the shoulder and elbow when pitching. To prevent this we must understand that the reason these hard throwers have long strides is not because they made this mechanical adjustment to reach out farther but because they are focusing on generating power through the stride phase which is launching them way away from the pitching rubber and creating these long strides. They also understand, cognitively or inherently, that this power is a product of leg strength. Optimal leg strength would allow the pitcher the ability to move through a full range of motion while accelerating the speed of their body. This would not only create long strides but quick stride speeds which is another valuable piece of data coming from the analysis of these explosive pitchers.

What this all means is that to avoid falling into the negatives of this revolutionary scientific information you must equate stride length to leg strength. The inability to understand the importance of this relationship could do more harm than good to your pitching delivery.

Stride length, stride speed and leg strength is the foundation of 3X Pitching. 3X or triple extension is why these hard throwers are ably to mechanically create these incredible stride distances and speeds. This single component, 3X, along with hip to shoulder separation is the only way you will mechanically increase your stride and increase velocity. To effectively implement 3X into your pitching delivery you must first train your body how to generate power with it through a strength and conditioning program that is built around triple extension. By far the best program to do this is called the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.

Instructions:

Start with your basic leg lift. A slight bend in your back knee and shift your weight more over your back leg.

As you start your hips to the target, squat hard on your back leg. Hold this position as you lower your front leg to the ground with your hips moving towards the target.

The goal is to land in this position. This is a difficult drill so it will take time to be able to land the drill in the position in the picture. Notice that the back leg is turned over and the hip is pointing towards the target. Also notice that the front knee is not bending over the front toes. The upper body is in full “Separation.” Glove arm pointing towards target and throwing arm is relax with a pinch of the shoulder blade to hold it back.

* Do not allow yourself to fall into the final position. Control the stride and focus on holding the load position in picture 2. This is the only way you will be able to match the final position of the drill.

The picture here of Roy Oswalt illustrates this optimal “Triple Extension” and “Separation.” Good separation from back hip to back shoulder builds torque in the core. An indication that a pitcher is developing that torque is noticeable in the twisting of the front of the jersey which is obvious in the picture of Oswalt. This is the most difficult position to master in the pitching delivery. It is a challenge to learn the muscle memory that allows the shoulders to stay back while the hips drive forward. The reason for the difficulty is that this requires a lot of core and leg strength. This is why I promote a very intense lifting program for pitchers that develops fast twitch muscle fibers and optimal core and leg strength. You will not master this position or this core torque until you are strong enough to achieve it.

Watch this video here or read my article on, “Olympic Lifting Increases Pitching Velocity” to learn more and purchase the “Ace Pitcher Handbook” to start the lifting program.

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.