Before I remedy you and save your pitching career, we need to understand first why this is a problem. Unfortunately, there has been zero studies to date on this so called, “Red Flag.” This means it is all in just theory that your pitching career is over, so you really should not loss much sleep over this but it is an important subject so let’s fix the problem.

Why the Inverted W is a Red Flag in the Pitching Delivery?

To prove this all you need to do is stand up and throw your elbows way up above your shoulders, like you are trying to scratch your ears with your elbows. Do you feel the pain? If not, do this a hundred times a day until you do!

This should easliy prove to you why this is not good for the shoulders and elbows. This simple exercise to understand the threat of this mechanical flaw here is enough to take this subject personally for you from theory into reality. If you are a pitcher with this issue then you do need to drop everything and correct it, before moving on. If this isn’t enough proof that this problem can make you prone to injury then just study the careers of Mark Prior, Kerry Woods, Anthony Reyes and many more with this mechanical flaw.

You can also learn from the medical field that throwing the arm above the shoulder or even behind the back, puts the shoulders and elbows in a vulnerable positions. Some physical therapist call this the “Red Zone.” This is the area that the shoulders and elbows are most at risk. This “Red Zone” would be the inverted W or L position.

The Pitchers Cure to the Inverted W and L

I discovered this cure after I had developed the 3X Drive Drills in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. These drills train the pitcher to move quickly and effectively through a series of pitching drives. What I found was that slow pitchers who struggled with moving quick enough through the series of drives, would throw their elbows high above their shoulders to help assist their poor leg power. I call it “Flapping.” They look like chickens trying to take flight. I then noticed the more they improved their drive power or speed through the drill, the lower they threw their elbows up. This is when I determined that the inverted W or L is a power or speed issue. It will cause a timing issue but it is the main result of poor drive power.

If you study the pitchers mechanics who have evidence of the inverted W or L you will also find that their strides are slow. This means the pitchers cure for this serious mechanical problem is increasing stride speed or power. The 3X Drive Drills in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program have proven to be the perfect remedy!

It isn’t enough to only increase stride speed or power in your pitching delivery to cure the inverted W or L. The pitcher must have developed good stride mechanics like in the 3X Pitching program for the increased stride speed to effect the arm motion. To learn more about this revolutionary approach to pitching velocity checkout this video called, “Pitching 101.”

When body tissues are cooled, nerve cells in the chilled area initially force adjacent blood vessels to constrict, leading to a marked reduction in blood flow to that part of the body. However, if the temperature of the affected area continues to drop, nerve activity is depressed and the blood vessels begin to open up, flooding the injured tissues with blood, even though cold is still being applied. This flood-of-blood (Hunting effect) is the human body’s reflex reaction to thwart severe cold injury in a body part subjected to chilling stress.

Dr. Meeusen’s studies showed that icing initially stops the swelling and blood flow of the damaged blood vessels into the local muscle tissue but after a period of 10 minutes it can begin to have an opposite effect to the area. His documentation continues to state this damage continues on to another important system of healing.

Lymphatic Vessels: Prolonged ice application can cause lymphatic vessels (which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fluids back into the cardiovascular system) to increase in permeability. This causes large amounts of fluid to pour from the lymphatics “the wrong way” into the injured area, increasing local swelling and pressure, potentially contributing to greater pain. If icing goes on too long, the lymphatic vessels can actually be nearly obliterated, losing all of their fluid to surrounding tissues.

The lesson here is NOT that icing is bad. What we have learned is that icing is effective initially but begins to cause problems after about 10 minutes. Read the description below for the proper way to ice the arm after a game to help aid the healing process.

Ice the elbow or shoulder region for 10 minutes immediately after pitching (DO NOT PUT ICE ON ULNAR NEVER), remove the ice for about 30 minutes, and then reapply it for 10 additional minutes. Repeat this cycle of about two 10-minute icings per hour as often as desired, based on how many pitches thrown, during the first 24 to 48 hours after pitching.

I also recommend that you use a heavy bag of icing. A little bag of ice will not cool off the area enough. You can put a towel on your arm to prevent freezer burn but try to use a bag of ice that almost hurts it is so cold. I also recommend taking a cold shower instead of a warm or hot shower post game for the same healing benefits of icing.