Triple Extension – 3X Pitching
January 27, 2010
The topic of Triple Extension in the Pitching delivery is growing more attention. I first brought the teachings of triple extension from Olympic Lifting into the Pitching world when I launched TopVelocity.net. I continue to believe that Triple Extension, or the acronym 3X, is a major component of velocity. Triple Extension is the extension of the ankle joint, the knee joint and the hip flexors. The best way to understand and visualize 3X is when jumping. When you jump, you triple extend these 3 joints as your body drives itself off the ground. The problem with learning 3x and pitching, is that it must come after learning good hip to shoulder separation. The reason most coaches do not coach driving off the mound is because they do not know how to teach hip to shoulder separation before teaching driving the back leg. Teaching 3X without teaching good separation is like putting the cart before the horse. It doesn’t work and therefore most coaches totally avoid the entire 3X approach.
3X Pitching
To learn the 3X pitching approach you must first understand the timing behind the science. Timing is everything when you are trying to develop more efficient and explosive mechanics. If your timing is off, everything can go wrong. This will not only effect velocity but accuracy and most important it could cause injury because this approach is using big muscle groups to drive little muscle groups. So when learning 3X pitching start at a low intensity until you develop sound mechanics.
With 3X pitching we are not focused as much on the lift leg as the drive leg. The reason for this is because the drive leg is more important in generating momentum than the lift leg. A good example is a pitcher like Dontrelle Willis who has an enormous leg lift in the windup and a normal leg lift in the stretch but keeps his same velocity between both deliveries. This is because of the power in his drive leg and most important the timing of his drive leg.
Before we go over 3X timing we need to cover hip to shoulder separation. Notice in the picture of Tim Lincecum that his shoulders are completely closed and his hips are almost facing home plate. This is creating core torque in his delivery which you can see in the front of his jersey. His jersey looks like it is being rung out to dry. The key to creating this much hip to shoulder separation is by making sure that the lower half starts before the upper half. This means that the arm is the last projectile to launch in this ballistic movement. This degree of separation will allow for optimal torque to be generated in the big muscle groups of the core while holding the arm and shoulders back so the body can accelerate to its maximum speed. If this degree of separation is not created and the back hip and shoulder are in sync then the arm will throw the ball before momentum and torque can be generated. This means that 3X will have very little effect on the velocity of the ball.
To allow 3X to have a big impact on your velocity the timing must come just before front foot strike. It must work with the stability of the landing leg to generate torque while accelerating momentum. If 3X occurs to early or too late then momentum will slow down into front foot strike which will decrease both torque and momentum. Therefore, 3X must occur just before front foot strike if optimal torque and momentum are to be generated which will produce top velocity in return.
3X Pitching is very difficult to learn because of these types of body movements that must occur at the correct time, along with the ability to generate extreme amounts of power when performing the movement. To learn this approach to pitching, so it can help increase your velocity, you must not only use drills that will help you develop the muscle memory but you will also need to increase your bodies ability to develop power from the back leg.
The Ace Pitcher Handbook has drills and a training program that focuses on the 3X approach to pitching.
Related Articles:
Separation and Triple Extension
This videos covers the importance of "Separation" which builds core torque, increases velocity and takes stress off of the arm. Brent Pourciau also talks about how "Triple Extension" and the "Load" position is the key to generating optimal "Separation. ...
“Triple Extension” 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 triple extension of the drive leg. "Triple Extension" is 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 you perform"Triple...
Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles
Tagged: 3x, accuracy, acronym, cart before the horse, deliveries, dontrelle willis, hip flexors, intensity, joints, knee joint, little muscle, major component, mechanics, momentum, muscle groups, olympic, pitching from the stretch, pitching technique, pitching velocity, putting the cart before the horse, shoulder separation, teaching pitching, Velocity, windup
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Topvelocity.net is a Baseball Pitching and velocity improvement training program. Our main offerings include: a Pitching Velocity Program along with tips and articles to increase a pitchers velocity and online Pitching Video Analysis for players.
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The thing I find most difficult to do is rotate the back leg with the hips closed. When I land my hips have already opened because I have roteted my back leg. My shoulders stay closed but I loose a lot of power that way. I guess my question would be how do you rotate the back leg while keeping the hips closed at game speed?
Patrick,
You are leading with the butt and your front foot must stay closed as your hips build momentum. Look at Dontrelle Willis in the second picture above. Don't think rotate with the back leg. Think extension and momentum.
Are their any drills or tips to get the front leg flexed and then straighten out because when I pitch my video shows my front leg is flexed until way after the ball is released when I know it should be extended.
Patrick,
The extension of the front leg happens when your chest gets out over your front foot during release while your front leg is stabilizing. This has to do with having good momentum so when at front foot strike you are continuing to accelerate your momentum into your chest. Do not try to extend your front knee until your chest is over your front foot and your arm is externally rotated.
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