I have been pretty tough on Alan Jaeger's approach to pitching on this site. Just recently, another well know pitching coach Paul Reddick reached out to me,with the suggestion that I should have a man to man talk with Alan Jaeger in hopes that we could get on better terms. I decided to take Paul's advice because Paul has been in this business for a while and he is a good person. What I learned was that Alan Jaeger is also a good person and after our conversation we have agreed to disagree when it comes to the best approach to pitching. I have decided to dedicate this article to Alan Jaeger for being such a good sport with my competitive nature.
In the rest of this article, I am going to post Alan Jaeger's approach to pitching and the Top Velocity approach. I hope that you will read them both. This is a great opportunity for you to learn both perspectives. What you will learn is that these are two totally different approaches to pitching and this will ultimately help you develop your own.
Alan Jaeger's Long Toss Approach to Pitching
Alan sent me this article which summarizes his approach regarding arm development, including his emphasis on Long Toss. The Article contrasts what he believes to be the benefits of Long Toss, and the detriments of a restricting a pitchers distance (ie 120 feet) and arc. The article is from 2007 and in the meantime Alan Jaeger’s bio has grown considerably. Here is his up to date bio with his phone number and a link to his site. Read the article here
Alan Jaeger has worked with over 300 professional baseball players (including All Stars Barry Zito, Dan Haren, Mike Lieberthal and Andrew Bailey), several Collegiate Programs (including 2004 National Champions, Cal State Fullerton) and three Major League Organizations, including the Texas Rangers. Alan founded Jaeger Sports in response to the growing need to address the two most neglected areas of baseball: The Arm and The Mind. For more information please call 310-665-0746 or visit us at www.jaegersports.com.
Top Velocity Approach to 3X Pitching
The 3X Pitching approach is cutting edge but simple. It was inspired by the National Pitching Association's Velocity Study conducted in 2005-2006. This study proved these revolutionary results. You can read the entire study here.
- 80% of a pitcher’s real velocity comes from rotational momentum if his kinematic sequencing and energy translation are efficient.
- 20% of a pitcher’s real velocity comes from directional momentum if his kinematic sequencing and energy translation are efficient.
These results may not hit you hard at first but if you think about it more, they will open your eyes to something revolutionary. What this studied has proven is that 100% of your velocity comes before your arm has even started throwing the ball. This isn't the only study proving this. A study performed by the famous Dr. Jobe called, An EMG analysis of the shoulder in throwing and pitching, produced these revolutionary results. You can read the entire study here.
Five male subjects' throwing and pitching motions were analyzed by dynamic electromyography and high speed photography. Electrodes inserted into the deltoid and rotator cuff muscles attempted to define muscle activation patterns during the throwing and pitching cycle.....
The Acceleration (Stage III) had a lack of muscle activity, even though the arm was accelerating forward in space
After learning these studies prior to my rotator cuff surgery in 1995, the first question that popped into my mind was, "So what is arm strength, if your arm has very little to do with velocity?" This question, along with these case studies and many more, helped create a revolutionary approach to pitching that is growing more popular everyday called 3X Pitching.
The 3X Pitching will teach and train you that to throw harder, all you need to do is enhance your bodies ability to produce power and then convert that power into hip to shoulder separation. This stratgey is not only supported by these scientific studies but it has produced some amazing results. To learn more about the results read the testimonials on the home page here.
To learn more about 3X Pitching, here are some links and articles on this site to educate you on the details.
- 3X Mechanics Instructional Video - This video gives away all of the 3X Mechanics. You can count the schools of pitching on your hand, who have actually contributed a list of pitching mechanics or components to the baseball world. Not only has Top Velocity developed its own pitching mechanics but two of these components are changing the way we see the power pitcher.
- Pitching Velocity Specificity - This article references countless studies that prove the most effective way to enhance velocity through training. This is a must read to learn more about why the 3X approach uses heavy load training to enhance velocity.
- Scientific Proof that 3X will Increase Velocity and Prevent Injury - This article proves why increasing stride power, through triple extension (3X) and heavy load training, converts to higher velocities.
- Why Some Pitchers Throw Harder than Others? - This article, along with a case study, illustrates the major use of the throwing arm in most hard throwing pitchers.
- Pattern Overload a Major Cause of Pitching Injuries - This is a must read article. It proves why overuse, along with the loss of joint integrity, is a major cause of most pitching injuries.
- More 3X Pitching Articles - There are many more articles on this site which will educate you even more on the entire 3X approach to pitching. Please read on...
I hope you can read both Alan Jaeger's approach to pitching and the 3x approach to pitching and feel that you have a pretty solid understand of the skill of pitching. What I also hope you learn from all of this is insanity, is that your success will come from more than just an approach or a workout. It will come from a strong work ethic. So educate yourself as much as you can on pitching but more importantly feed your souls passion to play this game at the best of your ability. Alan Jaeger and I wish you the best in your career!