Before I list these top 10 pitching velocity workouts, I am going to first tell you why these workouts will work. To understand why these workouts are so effective and has been the secrets to helping many top level college and professional pitchers make it in their careers, I need to first give you a quick summary of how pitching velocity is enhanced.

How Pitching Velocity is Enhanced

Like I said this is a quick summary, so if you need more information and science to back all of this up then checkout the pitching velocity articles below which have all the research.

“100% of velocity is generated from the linear movement of the stride, into the rotation torque of the hips to shoulders at front foot strike. If we can enhance linear power through the stride and convert that into elastic rotational energy at front foot strike then the arm is fully cocked and fully loaded to release a fireball.”

If you need more than this to understand velocity then please stop reading and learn more from the articles listed below.

Now that you understand the secrets behind improving pitching velocity, here is the list. These velocity workouts are individual exercises, drills and routines that will enhance velocity separately but combined together make up a program that will help you reach your top velocity. The only secret that has been left out here and is available in the 3X Pitching Velocity program is the training cycle of reps and sets and the order of the exercises, drills and routines. I recommend that you give these workouts a try and if you experience the velocity gains you then check out the 3X Pitching Velocity program to get the full power pitching package.

Top 10 Pitching Velocity Workouts

(Do not share this with anyone but yourself.)

1. 3 Position Cleans – This is the entire series of the Olympic Cleans. This includes the Power Clean, Below the Knee Clean and the Hang Clean. You must have a Certified Trainer coach you the techniques behind these Olympic lifts before you dive into them. There are no better lifts to develop power in the athlete.
2. Plyometrics – Explosive jump series. These explosive movements coupled with the Olympic Lifts will create optimal leg power which can be converted into linear stride power.
3. The Sled – This resistance exercise will not only train explosive ankle extension into triple extension but it will also train the motor coordination around the linear Force Vector. This is how to convert your new leg power into linear stride power.
4. Med Ball Pitch Simulation Throws – There is no better way to train the motor coordination around power pitching mechanics than with a light weight medicine ball. This is with two hands and is the secret behind the 3X Velocity System which is the throwing program in the 3X Pitching Velocity program.
5. Med Ball Rotational Throws – This will enhance the stretch shortening cycle of the core which will enhance the bodies ability to generate and store elastic energy.
6. Strength Shoes Training – Training with the famous Strength Shoes will enhance the power production of any workout, especially using the strength shoes with the 3X Velocity System. It will force the ankle to kick faster, promoting more explosive triple extension which will create more hip rotation at front foot strike, during the pitching delivery. This has been one of my little secrets that I offer to all my pitchers who come down to my 3X Velocity Camps. It is a velocity gem!
7. Heavy Load Russian Twists – Add the heaviest weight you can to your Russian Twists. Remember velocity can be enhanced more by the intent to move faster than by actually moving faster.
8. Baseball to Football External to Internal Speed Throws – This is using the light weight baseball and the heavier football to train the external rotation of the rotator cuff. Remember to finish with optimal pronation of the throwing arm.
9. Pavel Squats – These squats should be performed after your Cleans. This will promote optimal hip rotation as you squat low while training leg extension as you extend up. This will support a strong extended front leg at pitch release like Justin Verlander.
   
10. Mind Over Matter Visualization – This is not a physical exercise but a mental exercise. We are bound by nothing. We are what we think we are. If you can visualize yourself throwing hard and you can program this into your brain repeatedly then you will throw harder. I promise!

More Articles to Help you Increase Pitching Velocity

Pitching Velocity Specificity

Pitching Velocity and the First Move

Conquer the Force Vector and Increase Pitching Velocity

The Sweet Spot to More Pitching Velocity

A Major Pitching Velocity Headache

Foot Sync Supports High Pitching Velocity

The 3X to 2X Factor to Pitching Velocity

Strength and Speed Training Improves Pitching Velocity

Pitcher Power Curve

How to Throw Hard and even Harder

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.”

Head Position Through 3X Mechanics

This is the full list of the 3X Mechanics which is included in the 3X Pitching Programs. The 3X Pitching Programs include a full detailed description of every one of these components. These descriptions will only include the head positioning.

1. Lift Leg Momentum – This component begins the delivery and the head position should be over the belt buckle. When what we call the “First Move” occurs, the head must stay tucked and behind the belt buckle.
2. The “Load” Position – This is the component of the 3X Mechanics which is just before the launch phase of the delivery when power production occurs. The head again must be behind the belt buckle in this position. It also must be balanced over the shoulders. This means it is not hanging over the chest. Pitchers like Tim Lincecum like to even “Tilt” their heads back over their butt in this position.
3. 3X and Separation – This is the foundation of 3X Pitching and it is the toughest component to implement effectively into your delivery. Every single power pitcher uses it and the 3X Pitching Velocity program will train you to master it. The head during this position must be tucked hard behind the belt buckle and balanced again over the shoulders. If the head flies out of this position during this launch phase then power production is limited. If the chin begins to push forward past the belt buckle during this component this is fine unless it reduces the implementation of the following component.
4. Chest Thrust External Rotation – This is the first component in the 3X mechanics that is almost eliminated completely from the delivery when the head has been out of position most of the delivery. This means the easiest way to implement this 3X component more effectively is by working on the head position through the entire delivery.  When I see my pitchers not implementing this component, I always start with the head position from the previous components. The head position for this component is tucked  but this is the first time that the head can push out with the torso in front of the belt buckle. The key is to continue to tuck the chin like you are trying to keep it behind the belt buckle but the force of the upper kinetic chain is to great.
5. Elbow Extension – This component emphasizes the importance of NOT pulling down your arm to release. The head position does not change from the previous component.
6. Stabilization – This may be shocking to those who are not familiar with the revolutionary pitching mechanics called 3X Pitching but yes the head never moves out of the tucked position. As you continue to stabilize your front leg, you must continue to stabilize your head position and not let it relax until ball release.

The head position is so critical through all of the 3X mechanics because once the head throws itself forward, it will always bring the arm with it. I suggest you try this to fully understand the effect. Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart. Tuck your glove arm and lift your throwing elbow above the shoulder. Now let your arm externally rotate behind your head while tucking your chin into your throat. From this position quickly and aggressively throw your head forward out over your toes and down. Notice how your arm follows your head.

The reason this head movement will kill pitching velocity is because velocity comes when the body has built power before the arm begins to throw the pitch. The earlier the arm throws the ball in the delivery then less power has been produced and converted into the velocity of the ball.

The 3X Pitching Mechanics are proven power pitching mechanics that will increase pitching velocity and prevent injury. To learn more, check out this revolutionary program here that has been sweeping the country.

If we compared the pitching delivery of a power pitcher to a high powered riffle then the force vector would be the barrel and triple extension would be the trigger. Without either one, your high powered riffle is junk. It also doesn’t matter how much gun powder is in the gun, without the barrel or the trigger, it is useless.

Most young pitchers have very poor stride power because they do not achieve triple extension in their strides. This component along with the gun powder, which is our muscles, produce power in our strides. Without this component and poor leg and core strength, our power production is limited.

What is the Force Vector?

This is the angle of the ankle to knee. Starting in the drive leg, this is the direction that force is being produce. If the ankle to knee is vertical then the force will be produced in a vertical direction. Because the stride moves in a linear direction, towards the target, a pitcher can not produce force or power in the stride until the force vector is linear. The force vector is also important in the landing leg. When the landing leg stabilizes and produces force back into the hips, the force vector must also be angled in a linear direction instead of a vertical direction.

Why is the Force Vector so important to increase velocity?

The National Pitching Association in their 2005-2006 Velocity Study here, proved that 80% of a pitchers velocity is based on the degrees of separation between the hips and shoulders at front foot strike. The 3X pitching approach has proven that triple extension before front foot strike, along with triple flexion of the landing leg at front foot strike, is what enhances this hip to shoulder separation. Therefore the force vector must be in a linear direction for triple extension to occur in the drive leg and optimal stabilization to occur in the landing leg.

How to Implement the Force Vector into the Pitching Delivery?

Most young pitchers struggle with this critical component. Their force vector stays too vertical through their strides. The reason for this is the lack of power and mobility. Power and mobility is pretty much a catch 22. You cannot have mobility without power but you can have power without mobility and to have a linear force vector in your drive leg during your stride, takes both power and mobility to implement.

The best way to improving your force vector you must first start with building a base level of strength through the entire body and then start enhancing power production by introducing speed and power movements. Once you have developed some explosive power which can be measured in a vertical jump then you want to start training this power through full range of motion to enhance mobility. This must be done with both a throwing program and a strength and conditioning program. This is the foundation of the 3X Pitching Velocity program. This is why this off-season program is so effective in increasing velocity. If you are serious about your pitching career and you want to develop an explosive stride to help increase velocity and prevent arm injury then you must start this 16 week program today.

For more information of the 3X Pitching Velocity program continue visit the home page.

The problem with the traditional Long Toss was discovered in the latest case study performed by the famous ASMI which was backed by the famous Dr. Andrews. You can learn more about this study here. The final results proved that the traditional long toss, along with the popular extreme long toss, not only is destructive to your pitching mechanics but it puts a tremendous amount of stress in the elbow. The 3X Power Throws were developed to eliminate this stress in the elbow while also promoting the 3X pitching mechanics. The results have been revolutionary.

The Benefits of the 3X Power Throws

1. Increase your volume of throws, without abusing your arm.
2. Use distance to challenge your power production without effecting your mechanics.
3. Help maintain total body strength while in-season.

The Difference Between 3X Power Throws and Long Toss

Long Toss is an approach to conditioning the athlete using distance throws. The problem is most practices of Long Toss do not focus on pitching mechanics. This means the athlete is developing throwing mechanics that are different than pitching on the mound. This is the case because when Long Tossing the athlete usually starts with a light toss mainly only using the arm to throw the ball and then as the athlete increases the distance, he may close the shoulders more and develop more hip to shoulder separation. The problem is when the athlete starts to use a “Crow Hop,” or a run, or step into the throw. This will take the power production away from the drive leg during the delivery because momentum or power is being produced through the steps before the throwing delivery begins. This can force the athlete to wipe the arm around the body to power the throw or force the athlete to develop the power before the throw even begins, by using the traditional “Crow Hop.”

The 3X Power Throws start in a position that promotes optimal pitching mechanics and then builds the power demands on the entire body by increasing the distance without changing the mechanics. The distance used is based on the pitchers power production. Once he can no longer keep the ball on a line during the throw and/or he struggles to keep his pitching mechanics working together then this is his max distance. Just like weight training you must not sacrifice technique for weight. This means you must not sacrifice pitching mechanics for more distance when 3X Power Throwing.

 Why You Should Use the 3X Power Throw over Long Toss

3X Power Throwing is not only better for your arm than Long Tossing but it will help you take your off-season power gains and velocity gains on the mound while in-season. It will also help you keep your velocity and pitching mechanics more consistent through a long season. 3X Power Throwing is the upgrade to the “Old School” approach of Long Tossing. It is like using the bat technology of today as opposed to using the bat technology from 40 years ago. It is a no brain-er! The challenge is learning the 3X Mechanics behind 3X Power Throwing. To learn these mechanics it does require that you complete the off-season 3X Pitching Velocity program but you will discover that there is no better way to transform yourself into the dominate 3X Power Pitcher.

Important Notice: 3X Power Throws or the “Old School” Long toss should not be used in an off-season velocity development program. You do not want to use a high volume of throws off-season when trying to increase velocity. You must take stress off of your rotator cuff and elbow while in your off-season and focus on mechanics and power development during your off-season to effectively increase velocity and build a strong base before your season. To learn more about the ultimate off-season Velocity program check out the 3X Pitching Velocity program.

The key to discovering this loss in velocity is through video analysis, it is a critical tool to identifying what is killing pitching velocity. If you are experiencing similar issue or you are dealing with some of the issue listed below then post your video here in the forums for a FREE pitching velocity analysis and we together, will discover the number one issue that is killing your pitching velocity.

I have discovered many reasons why these pitchers, who have contacted me over the years, are losing their velocity. I have listed the top 10 reasons here outside of strength and conditioning. I will address training issues that kill velocity in another article. These mechanical issues are usually the result of a pitching coach who has made some big changes or a pitcher who has learned some misguided information. Read this list and if you feel any of these issues deal with your delivery then I highly recommend that you send in your video for analysis.

10 Ways to Kill your Pitching Velocity

1. Changing your arm path – This has to be the most common mistake made for pitchers. Your arm path has very little to do with your velocity. What changing your arm path does is force you to slow down your stride speed to adjust to your new arm path. Because stride length to stride speed is such a big factor to pitching velocity this adjustment in arm path can be detrimental to pitching velocity.
2. Pulling glove side – Trying to pull with your glove side or even trying to reach out with your glove side will have a similar effect of changing your arm path. It will force you to slow down your lower half to allow your glove side to take over. It can also force you to open your shoulders early which will decrease your hip to shoulder separation at front foot strike which is the component that is responsible for 80% of your velocity.
3. Pull down throwing arm to release – It is a big misconception that pulling down your throwing arm generates more velocity. The opposite is true. Look at all hard throwers at release. They are releasing the ball above their heads over the tip of their hat and the arm is full extended. Pulling down the throwing arm during release will prevent early internal rotation of the throwing arm. Early internal rotation of the throwing arm after external rotation is listed as a high velocity component in the ASMI case study of a Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity deliveries.
4. Reach out to the plate with your lift leg – This mechanical adjustment causes a pitcher to open the hips early which prevents optimal force production. Most coaches who take this approach are trying to increase stride length but what they are forgetting is the most important part to having a long stride which is stride speed. A long slow stride will do nothing for a pitcher but decrease velocity. A long stride is only beneficial if the pitcher is accelerating his speed through the stride.
5. Feet closed power position – Most inexperienced pitching coaches will coach pitchers from the so called “Power Position,” this is the position at front foot strike. When the pitcher is in a full stride with glove elbow in line with target and throwing arm cocked. The mistake these coaches make is that they coach the pitcher in this position with the feet closed to the target. This means for a pitcher who throws right his feet are facing third base and for a pitcher who throws left his feet are facing first base. All hard throwers land with both feet facing the target. This is how they are capable of generating hip rotation immediately after front foot strike. If you have been coached to land with your feet closed and then to rotate your hips open after front foot strike, then this will destroy velocity because it does not support good hip to shoulder separation.
6. The Balance point – Balance is another big misunderstanding in conventional pitcher mechanics. Balance is more a component of strength and conditioning the pitcher instead of the mechanics of the pitching delivery. There is no mechanical component in the pitching delivery that will help the central nervous system balance the body. It is already programed to do this and through strength and conditioning we can enhance the pitchers ability to balance itself through high velocities. This being said the conventional approach to pitching which says the pitcher should be balanced at leg lift, is absurd. The pitcher should be balanced at all points in the delivery. Coaching the pitcher to stop at leg lift to find his “Balance Point” will only decrease velocity because all hard throwers are moving forward during the lift leg position. Stopping to find your balance at leg lift will make it harder to build your optimal speed through your stride.
7. Cocking arm high and back to second base – Having a high cocked arm angle through the stride and into front foot strike will not only hurt velocity but can hurt your arm. How it hurts velocity is it reduces hip to shoulder separation. When your front foot hits, the rotational forces begin to build torque in the body so by keeping your arms closer to your body allow for more rotation similar to an ice skater spinning around. The more the skater pulls their body into their core, the faster they spin.
8. Drive leg rotation instead of extension – The 3X approach to pitching believes that triple extension of the drive leg is not only the best way to build stride power but it is the best way to create optimal hip to shoulder separation. Coaching the drive leg to internally rotate into front foot instead of drive and triple extend into front foot will reduce stride speed and not coil the body as well at front foot strike which will reduce velocity.
9. Lean into your stride – Some pitching coaches will coach a pitcher to lean over their belt buckle during the stride. Some will even coach the pitcher to crouch inward at leg lift. This can hurt velocity if at front foot strike the pitcher is not tilted over the butt. It is easier and more effective to start in a tilt position. Tim Lincecum is a great example of this tilt and it is a big reason for his ability to create so much torque at front foot strike. To learn more about the tilt read this article called, The Pitching Key to Torque is in the “Tilt”.
10. Droping your lift leg down before you begin your stride – I have seen tons of low velocity pitchers come to me with video of them lifting their leg to start their delivery and then immediately putting it back down before they start their stride. What is the point of the lift leg if you put it down before even moving forward? I have heard coaches teach this to prevent the lift leg from opening early in the stride. Slowing down the pitcher will never fix any mechanical issues. You are always better speeding up the lower half when trying to fix a mechanical flaw.

Pitching Velocity Information and Articles

If you have found yourself a victim of some of these velocity killers or maybe even all of these velocity killers, then you need to STOP pitching now and take a step back. You are wasting your time even pitching with these pitching velocity killers. I highly recommend that you schedule an off-season ASAP and use a program like the 3X Pitching Velocity program to re-program and re-develop your central nervous system and muscular system to that of an efficient, explosive athlete/pitcher.

What you will learn from this site and through the 3X program, is that no mechanical adjustment can help you develop the speed and power issues that are killing your pitching velocity. The one thing that all of these 10 issues that kill pitching velocity have in common, is that they all are the effects and problems that arise when a pitcher has speed or power issues. This is why you need a program that will train you, as much as coach you, to become an elite, explosive, high velocity pitcher. Post your video today to see if you have any of these issues that are responsible for killing your pitching velocity.

Here are some articles to help you increase your pitching velocity:

Pitching Mechanics Video Analysis

Improve Pitching Velocity Tips

Pitching Velocity Tips

The Problems with Changing your Arm Path

If you define the pitching delivery in the two phases as labeled here in this article called, How to Throw Hard and even Harder, you will learn that when the arm is starting to apply the force to the ball which happens after external rotation of the throwing arm, the arm path is moving in a straight line towards the target. This means that when conventional wisdom says you should have a short arm path in the beginning of the delivery and a long arm path at the end, this changing of the arm path actually has no effect on the velocity of the ball. What this is doing is making a mechanical change to your delivery which is the why your velocity is changing.

If you look in Professional Baseball you find all different styles of arm path and no relationship with velocity. This is because velocity is based around stride speed or power and the relationship between the rotational pivots which are the hips and shoulders. Being that the arm is connected to the shoulders, it does have some control of the shoulder pivot but ultimately the shoulders are in control. Based on the 3X Mechanics velocity is mainly influenced by the relationship of the hips to shoulders at front foot strike. The arm path can go almost anywhere it wants, as long as the shoulders are closed while the hips are open at front foot strike. You could pitch like Tim Lincecum and put the arm down behind your back during your stride, or like Zach Outman who looks like he is stretching his throwing arm while he is striding, either arm path will have an effect on velocity if their other mechanics do not change.

The lesson learned here is never focus on arm path, it does not control the legs, core or shoulders and it will more than likely have a negative effect on your pitching velocity. If you want to learn good mechanics to increase pitching velocity then stay away from conventional wisdom and learn to implement the 3X mechanics which you can see here in this pitching 101 video.

What is the best way to use the glove side to increase shoulder and pitch speed?

Before I go into answering this question please understand that there is several critical mechanical components that occur before the glove side even comes into play during the pitching delivery. It is essential when learning velocity focused pitching mechanics that you master all of these critical components before front foot strike which is when the glove side takes action. You can learn all of these mechanical components in the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.

When the glove side is ready to serve its purpose, it must immediately spring into action and become an effective fulcrum for the shoulders to launch. This means it must tuck tightly under the glove arm and shoulder. The tuck should be enough for the chest to push forward while the glove arm bicep is fully contracted like when curling weight. Do not let the glove drop or the elbow to swing out towards the dugout. The elbow must stick into the obliques of the core. By tucking the glove side up and under the arm and keeping it tight with the chest pushing forward this will set a strong fulcrum for the shoulders to efficiently accelerate around. Remember the purpose of the tuck is to create a stable fulcrum or pivot, NOT to assist the throwing arm during the launch. Using the glove side to assist the throwing arm during the throw will cause instability in the pivot point, slowing down the speed of the shoulders and could also cause arm drag which can lead to elbow and shoulder injury.

The best way to learn the glove side is to watch the glove side of hard throwers in slow motion.

3X Timing Factor

The component before 3X occurs is the “Load” position. This is when your lift leg is coming down and your squatting on your drive leg as your hips begin to build momentum towards the target. The speed of your lower body at this position is moving at a slow pace. You are mainly working to get everything in position for triple extension. Most pitchers who do not understand the timing of triple extension would try to triple extend quickly while still in the “Load” position. This would prevent good hip to shoulder separation at front foot strike and the pitcher would leap towards his front foot landing instead of hover. To prevent premature triple extension, you must wait for your hips to be as far away from the rubber as possible with you drive leg still bent and ready to fire and your lift leg is just about to land. Notice the photo of Joba Chamberlain in this position. Now that you know when to fire your drive leg into 3X you must now understand the speed of the movement.

Remember momentum must continue to accelerate to ball release. Therefore if you accelerate two early in your delivery it will cause you to decelerate before ball release. You want the climax of your speed to hit when the ball is launching out of your hand. As for the speed of triple extension, you must start your leg drive after the “Load” position at a slow pace to make sure your drive leg and hip are moving before your back shoulder. Once you feel the separation of back hip to back shoulder begin and your core is starting to tighten then this is when you explode into full triple extension. If you do not feel the separation of hips to shoulders before you triple extend then you could easily triple extend your drive leg and your back shoulder would move along with it killing your chance of creating optimal separation. So once you feel your core tightening then it is time to fire that drive leg and push your hips to your target. Notice in the video clip of Joba here he does not accelerate his lower half and triple extend until he is coming out of the load position and his lift leg is starting to open and land. You will notice that it looks like his knee is driving down into the ground. This is the effect of the extension of the drive leg as the body is moving down hill.

Another indicator that you created good core torque is if you can hear your drive foot dragging before your shoulders and chest start towards the target. This dragging sound should happen just as your chest is thrusting forward. Notice in the video clip of Joba that his shoulders begin following the hips towards the target just after his drive foot is dragging. Most young pitchers will see in video analysis that their drive foot drag happens after their shoulders commit towards the target.

Speed Mechanics:

Speed Mechanics is the act of accelerating the body, through the delivery, to produce more speed or velocity.

The reason I do not call it Velocity Mechanics is because when we think of Velocity, we think of throwing and when we think of throwing, we think of rotational forces. Speed Mechanics makes us think of momentum which is the point of the term.

To better understand Speed Mechanics you must understand momentum. The definition of Momentum, by Google, is the product of a body’s mass and its velocity. It is essential that to generate more speed or velocity you must continue accelerating your bodies momentum. This is where most young pitchers fail. Check your own delivery to see if your bodies momentum is accelerating. The most important time to check for acceleration is after your front foot lands. This is when low velocity pitchers slow down their bodies momentum and rotational forces take over. If both momentum and rotational torque do not meet at this point and continue increasing force to the ball, then velocity suffers.

Notice in the animated sequence of Tim Lincecum that when his front foot lands his head stays up above his shoulders and his momentum transfers from his legs into his chest. You can tell his bodies momentum is continuing to accelerate because his weight is still moving forward after front foot strike. There are no forces rotating down or across his body at this point. We can also tell his weight is moving forward because when he releases the pitch his back leg is flying forward over his head. This doesn’t mean after you release the ball to kick your leg over your head. This would be like using your hands to spin the wheels faster to speed up the car, just hit the gas and use the engine. Your engine when pitching is the muscles in your legs.

I originally brought the term Triple Extension from the Olympic lifting world into the pitching world to explain the mechanics of pitchers legs. Triple extension is the extension of the ankle joint, knee joint and hip flexor. This is anytime we push off of the ground. Like when we pitch or sprint. The reason for the picture above of Tim Lincecum and Jeremy Wariner, the USA Olympic sprinter, is to help illustrate Speed Mechanics. If it is the act of accelerating your bodies momentum to increase your speed or velocity, then this means as pitchers we should move like sprinters. Consider your stride as no different than a sprinters stride when he is up and running for the finish line. Both the pitcher and the sprinter are using the same tools to produce a similar outcome. The only difference is the pitcher is transferring his bodies speed into the ball. This is why after the pitcher’s stride he stops and the ball continues but after a sprinters stride, he continues and strides again. So just like the sprinter, if a pitcher wants to accelerate his bodies momentum to increase his speed, he must triple extend his back leg harder and faster.

The negative behind Speed Mechanics is that it is an advanced level of pitching and trying to learn this as a beginner could cause serious problems to your delivery. This is not for young pitchers or even older pitchers, it is for experienced pitchers who have been sitting at a plateau on their pitch velocity for a few years.  The reason for this is because learning Speed Mechanics before learning momentum transfer and hip to shoulder separation, is like learning how to pull the trigger on a double barreled shotgun before being taught how to hold and aim it. This means your delivery will be a train wreck if you do not learn momentum transfer before Speed Mechanics. So if you are still learning how to transfer your momentum into the ball efficiently and effectively then bookmark this article and come back to it later. It might not be valuable to you now but when you are ready for it, learning Speed Mechanics may give you those few miles per hour to get you over the 90mph mark. In the meantime, you should always train to develop more explosive power in your body.