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pitch Pitching Articles

Here are some pitching articles on this important pitching velocity topic. This topic is currently open for discussion. You can either comment on the articles below or start a thread in the pitching forums.

10 Reasons Most Pitching Velocity Programs Fail

How many “Pitching Velocity Programs” have you purchased or used this year? How many of them have only had a small impact on your pitching velocity? How many of them do not give you all of the information? How many of them are a total waste of time and money? How many of them just confuse and frustrate you? In most cases pitching velocity programs fail and I have listed below the 10 reason I believe why.

Before we go over these 10 reason it is important to know that the reason high velocity, like 90 mph in high school, college or professional baseball is so attractive to scouts is because only a rare few can touch it or compete above it. If the “Perfect” pitching velocity program did exist, where everyone could touch 90 mph after using it, then 90 mph would eventually become the 85 mph of today.  The point is just because everyone doesn’t gain a 90 mph fastball from a pitching velocity program doesn’t make it a failure. These 10 reason below and their descriptions are the reason I believe most pitching velocity programs are failures. Read more

Study Proves Arm Path Most Effective For Increasing Pitching Speed

A popular and conventional topic of pitching mechanics is “Arm Path.” This means the path the arm takes out of the glove into pitch release. Do you break your hands early or late? Do you swing the arm up or down? Do you through your elbows high or low? Do you break your arms hard or soft? Does any of this even matter?

The major issue with just coaching the “Arm Path” to increase pitching velocity is like telling the passenger in the car to start pushing the car so we can go faster. It is a backwards approach to pitching velocity and like the passenger in the car, it is better to tell him to just hold on for the ride. Read more

Stretching Reduces Pitching Velocity

When most pitchers first learn high velocity pitching mechanics, like with the revolutionary approach called 3X Pitching, they quickly discover the importance of range of motion. Harder throwers can create more range of motion between the hips and shoulder and also in the throwing shoulder during external rotation or the late cocking phase.

The problem is these pitchers will jump to conclusions that the answer to increasing pitching velocity is to only increase range of motion. Well if you have a basic understand of the laws of physics you will know that if you increase range of motion but reduce force in return then you are working against yourself.

For an increase in a pitcher’s range of motion to enhance pitching velocity, the forces coming from this movement must remain the same or hopefully they will also increase with the added range of motion. The key to increasing pitching velocity through more range of motion is with speed and not just with flexibility. Most pitchers will try to take this approach to using flexibility training to increase range of motion. They will stretch and stretch and stretch the arm, through a full range of motion, in hopes this will increase pitching velocity. In many cases this flawed approach reduces pitching velocity. Read more

3X Pitching Mechanics Triggers To Benefit You Game Time

3X Pitching is an advanced approach to pitching velocity. It is extremely effective but requires an insane work ethic to implement the 3X mechanics. It is hard enough to perfect the 3X approach when in practice, when in a game, it can almost seem impossible until you have given it enough time and effort. What makes game time so difficult is the stress factor. Stress effects the brain by overloading it with excessive stimulation. This means all of the new motor coordination, that has just been programmed, is out the window when stress shows up. The only way to battle this is to learn how to reduce your stress levels by giving your brain some triggers to simplify the mechanics commands to help stimulate your central nervous system. Read more

Pitching Velocity Before Ball Movement

I 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

Pitching With Your Legs

I heard a story about Roger Clemens once about pitching with your legs. It went something like this.

Roger was in high school and Nolan Ryan was his favorite pitcher. He always wanted to see his rocket arm up close and personally, so one day he got a ticket to watch him pitch in Houston for the Astros. He showed up early to the game so he could watch him throw his bull pen. Roger went over to the pen and waited for Nolan to show up. He was expecting to see this long explosive arm rocketing the ball to the catcher. What he noticed immediately when Nolan started to throw was the size and power of his legs. He could not believe that he had not notice the essences of Nolan Ryan’s power, which was his legs. This convinced Roger that if he was going to have a rocket arm like Nolan, then he too would have to develop big and powerful legs. Read more

Pitchers Power Drive Position

Think power and drive! The pitchers first few movements in his delivery is critical to his overall velocity. Just like a sprinters first step is more significant to his overall time than any other step in his sprint. If a pitcher fails to hit some key components in the beginning of his delivery then his pitching velocity will suffer. These key components would put the pitcher into his Power Drive Position.

There currently is a gimmick that supposedly helps the pitcher to get into this position but the problem with these gimmicks is if you cannot pitch with this device in a game, what use does it have for the pitcher? If the pitcher can not put himself into this power drive position without the device then it is a total waste of money. I have never worked with the device, so this is not a review.

The 3X Pitching Velocity Program trains the pitcher through drills to achieve this Power Drive Position. I will cover some of these components here that are in full detail in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. Read more

Welcome To The 90 MPH Club!

“Welcome to the 90MPH club,” is the catch phrase that we all would love to hear in our careers. More than likely this is your ultimate goal as a pitcher, because if you make it to the 90MPH Club, then you have put yourself in the recruiting pool for Professional Baseball.

If you have ever been to a MLB tryout Camp then you will hear this phrase a lot, “Throw 90 or go home!” At most camps they are not as blunt but this is what they are thinking when they are holding that gun to your back when you throw your first pitch. Read more

Do Speed Chains Help Baseball Pitchers?

I get this question a lot because of the latest training gimmick that is showing up online called “Speed Chains.” When I search the web for these velocity training aids I feel like it is 3 in the morning and I am watching infomercials.

The first thing that always comes to my mind is, “Who buys this stuff?” It goes all the way back to the “Thighmaster” in the 90′s. These gimmicks are offering a simple and easier alternative to a complete training program but it hardly gives you the same results. The biggest problem is the gimmicks are using one tool to act as a universal training device. I can understand why a couch potato would buy a “Thighmaster” but I can not understand why a young pitcher who wants to become and elite athlete/pitching would use a gimmick like these “Speed Chains” as their alternative to a complete training program. I could see using “Speed Chains” as a small part of a complete training program but not as the entire thing. Read more

How To Throw Hard And Even Harder

You can search the web up and down for the answers to how to throw hard and you will find many different sites trying their best to answers this question but all you will get out of it is a lot of frustration. I am still shocked that TopVelocity.net is the only source today that believes pitching velocity comes from the stride phase of the delivery. Every site I have come across on the web tries to teach how to throw harder from the throwing phase of the delivery. If anyone can help me find another site out there that is coaching the stride phase to increase pitching velocity, please post the link here in the comments.

If you do not understand what I mean by the stride and throwing phase of the delivery, then let me tell you what I am talking about. Pitching mechanics can best be broken down into two phases. Yes, there are many different components or parts to pitching but it is easier to take a bigger perspective of pitching by dividing the entire delivery into two sections or phases. Read more

Pitches, Pitches, Pitches And More Pitches

Those who lack pitching velocity want to throw more pitches. The problem is this is a double edged sword. When your pitching velocity is poor, and you want to take the easy way out, you opt for ball movement. This involves trying, or successfully learning, offspeed pitches. Here is a list of these type of pitches.

Offspeed Pitches:

• Curveball
• Slurveball
• Circle Change
• Forkball
• Knuckleball
• Gyroball
• The “Volken”

I am not saying that these pitches are junk or a waste of time, because many great pitchers have used them. What I am saying is this is always last resort. Especially when you are young. You should expect your pitching velocity to improve all the way into your 20′s. If you have plateaued, then you need a pitching velocity enhancement program like the 3X Pitching Velocity Program before you need to learn another pitch. Also learning these offspeed pitches have proven to decrease pitching velocity, because if not thrown correctly,  it can add more wear and tear to the arm and it also can change your pitching mechanics. I have seen in my career guys loss a few miles per hour because they fell in love with a Forkball, or a Curveball. I am not saying this is the case for everyone but it is the case for most young pitchers. Read more

Band Separation Pitching Drill

The main purpose of a Drill, is to practice a component of the delivery that will help to correct a mechanical flaw. I also believe it is important to add resistance to a drill to help imprint the new muscle memory.

The drill below should be performed 2 – 3 days a week, for at least 3 – 4 months. The drill should also be performed after completing the “Flexibility Training” portion of the Fusion System which can be found in the Ace Pitcher Handbook. You can also find more drills in the handbook. Try to push each drill to muscle fatigue, if possible. Read more

Band Chest Thrust Pitching Drill

The main purpose of a Drill, is to practice a component of the delivery that will help to correct a mechanical flaw. I also believe it is important to add resistance to a drill to help imprint the new muscle memory.

The drill below should be performed 2 – 3 days a week, for at least 3 – 4 months. The drill should also be performed after completing the “Flexibility Training” portion of the Fusion System which can be found in the Ace Pitcher Handbook. You can also find more drills in the handbook. Try to push each drill to muscle fatigue, if possible. Read more

The Phenomenon Of Speed Mechanics!

We have all heard about the importance of momentum in pitching but do we really know what it means and how it works? Pitching velocity is a product of momentum and rotational torque. I believe that top velocity is achieved when both momentum and rotational torque meet. The problem is we all understand rotational forces when throwing but momentum seems to be a lot harder to truly understand and implement into our deliveries. To truly understand momentum, I have coined a new term, along with its description. Read more

Pitching Velocity Mechanics Aka Speed Mechanics

The definition of velocity from the University of Princeton’s website is, “speed: distance travelled per unit time.”

To a scientist this is a “Duh” moment, but to most pitching coaches this is a “What?” moment.

There are not many pitching coaches who would agree with you if you switched the word velocity with speed when talking about pitching mechanics. Read more

Comparison Of High Velocity And Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries

Stodden DF, Fleisig GS, McLean SP, Lyman SL, Andrews JR. Relationship of pelvis and upper torso kinematics to pitched baseball velocity. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(2):164-172, 2001.

Matsuo T, Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Barrentine SW, Andrews JF. Comparison of kinematic and temporal parameters between different pitch velocity groups. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(1): 1-13, 2001.

Stodden, DF, Fleisig, GS, McLean, SP, Andrews, JR. Relationship of Biomechanical Factors to Basebal Pitching Velocity: Within Pitcher Variation. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 21(1): 44-56, 2005 Read more

What It Takes To Gain Pitching Velocity

If you haven’t figured it out yet, pitching velocity doesn’t come in a pill. Sorry to bust your bubble but it takes a lot of hard and smart work to develop it. If you are looking to gain 4-5 mph on your fastball then you must work to improve in all facets of pitching. These facets include: Read more

Take This Pill And Throw 90mph!

Why waste your time and money on pitching coaches and strength and conditioning when you can get all the velocity you want in a pill?

Do you want to know what it is like to throw 90 plus mph?

Do you want to dominate every batter you face?

Do you want to get drafted in the top round and sign for millions?

Then you do not have to wait any longer? All your dreams will come true in this one pill. Velocity is the latest in medical advancements in the world of genetic therapy. This pill will genetically remodel your body to throw a baseball 90 plus miles per hour. Once you take this pill you will feel a burning sensation in your arm and after 33 seconds your next pitch will exceed 90 mph. Read more

What Is Momentum Pitching?

The online world of pitching experts have been throwing around the buzz word “Momentum pitching” recently. This isn’t anything new unless you are up to date on the breakthroughs of pitching science. Pitchers have been trying to find better ways to generate more momentum in their deliveries for years but what is changing is the science behind this matter.

During the prime of the likes of Nolan Ryan, the popular way of generating more momentum back then was the “Stand Tall and Fall” style developed by Nolan Ryan and his pitching coach Tom House, who may have coined the term. This proceeded the popular style of “Drop and Drive” used by the great Tom Seaver. These two styles of pitching are still used today. What is changing is pitching mechanics are evolving from an art form into the world of science. Read more

Triple Extension Pitching Creates Optimal Separation

For all of those pitchers who are trying to develop more separation in back hip to back shoulder, you will only achieve this with explosive triple extension of the drive leg. “Triple Extension” is the extension of the ankle joint, knee joint and the hip flexor. You must perform this in your drive leg so your back hip can open completely to the target. If you keep your shoulders and weight back while aligning your Force Vector and once your Force Vector is linear you perform”Triple Extension,” optimal “Separation” will occur. Read more