Baseball pitching is often thought to be purely mechanics-driven. However, this misconception couldn't be further from the truth. The belief that a fast car is purely the result of a good driver is just as backward. In reality, the game of baseball requires a lot more than just mechanics. Pitchers who succeed at the highest levels are not only mechanically sound, but also athletic and powerful.
The problem with the game of baseball and life, in general, is that most people do not think before they act. They do not question the game enough. To reach their true potential, baseball players must ask themselves important questions such as, "Why do we run long distances in practice? Why do we throw long toss? Why do we not build our muscular strength and power as a team? Why does my coach continue to yell at me that I do not finish out front? Why do I not get better every year in this game? Why are other players better than me?"
Not asking these questions, or more importantly, not answering these questions is why most people who play this game never reach their true potential.
What does Athleticism Have to Do With Pitching?
This is an important question that must not go unanswered in a young pitcher's career. One of the most common questions I get on a daily basis is did Aroldis Chapman have to learn all of this stuff to become the high-velocity pitcher he is today? All this stuff is 3X Pitching. The answer is no and I usually follow this answer with, "Yeah, and screw that guy!"
The reason isn't that Chapman didn't work for what he has but that it came a lot easier and therefore a lot faster for him. When most young pitchers were trying to learn a second pitch, so they could have a better chance to compete at the youth level, Chapman was still pumping fastballs past hitters several years older than him. So why is he so lucky which makes me so jealous? His athleticism is off the charts. His vertical jump, broad jump, 60-yard dash, and any other way to measure the pure athlete are at an elite level.
So what gave Chapman this athleticism? Genetics and a less-than-comfortable lifestyle. It is obvious that Chapman has more fast twitch muscle fiber than most, it is obvious Chapman is taller than most and it is obvious Chapman has sharper motor control than most. He can thank God for these gifts. The less-than-comfortable lifestyle I mentioned is sugarcoating what it must be like to grow up poor in Cuba. This means Chapman was forced to live a young life that most American kids have no concept of. I am sure he was helping to feed his family when most American kids were just starting to learn how to play video games. This means Chapman conditioned his body to work hard at a young age which helped mature his athleticism. The lack of this work at a young age is what retards physical development with most American kids today.
So what does Chapman's elite athleticism have to do with his pitching? Being that the shoulder speeds of a high-velocity pitcher is the fastest body movement of all of the sports and that he can throw a 90+mph fastball to a small glove 60 feet away 20-30 times every 2-3 days, should tell you a lot about why his athleticism makes him one of the best pitchers in the game. Take away Chapman's athleticism and this is like taking away Jeff Gordon's million-dollar NASCAR. They are now powerless in their sport.
The Source of Perfect Pitching Mechanics
Just because you look like Chapman, you dress like Chapman and you lift your leg like him doesn't make you Chapman. Every young pitcher believes that if he can look like and act like an elite athlete then he will become one. This is not exactly true. There is a lot more to the equation than just looks. If you want to wear someone's shoes, so you can live their lifestyle then you need to understand everything about that person. Here is proof that there is more to throwing hard than just pitching mechanics.
There is a great story about Tim Lincecum and Lance Lampert. RedBull did a promotion where you could send in a video of yourself pitching like Tim Lincecum and the one who had his pitching mechanics would win a day with him. The winner was Lance. He was able to post a video of him pitching almost exactly like Tim Lincecum. Now, my question is if the fact that Lance can look like Tim Lincecum when he pitches is enough to win him a national contest then why is that not enough to win him a contract with the San Fransico Giants? This is the million dollar question and here is the million dollar answer, because he isn't the athlete that Tim Lincecum is! He can't move as explosively throw Tim Lincecum's mechanics as Tim.
Checkout the contest here. Pretty cool!
Now that we understand pitching mechanics are critical but you will never throw hard just trying to create them on looks, let's first look at what makes perfect pitching mechanics, so we can truly understand what it takes to have them.
Perfect pitching mechanics are the result of studying pitchers like Chapman, not the other way around. When the game of baseball was created Abner Doubleday didn't write the pitching mechanics book after he wrote the baseball rule book. Pitching mechanics are the result of a bunch of coaches or average players like myself, who studied the elite pitchers to try and find what made them throw harder. They did this so they could teach their average pitchers how to throw harder or so I could overcome major rotator cuff surgery and live my dreams of playing pro baseball.
However, the challenge that coaches and players face is how to incorporate these perfect pitching mechanics into their own game. The solution: comprehending the athleticism underpinning perfect pitching mechanics and creating or following an already existing training program like the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program to cultivate this athleticism in athletes. Once athletes have developed this athleticism, coaches or players can then focus on refining their mechanics.
This is why having a pitching instructor with a great resume, like Big League Ball Player or Minor League Ball Player is only important if you want an autograph. However, if you want to be taught how to develop yourself into a high velocity pitcher then you are better off going to someone, anyone, who has studied perfect pitching mechanics and the elite athlete.
Developing Elite Athleticism for Pitching Mechanics
Building athleticism requires more than just practicing pitching mechanics. Long-distance running and long toss are often used to build endurance, but they do little to build power and explosiveness. Strength training is important, but it must be done properly to avoid injury. Pitchers must also work on their mobility, flexibility, and agility, as these skills are critical to their success on the mound.
Pitchers who want to reach their true potential must look beyond just mechanics and focus on building their athleticism as well. Athleticism is the foundation that drives the mechanics and makes them effective. By understanding the importance of athleticism in baseball pitching, young pitchers can take the necessary steps to develop their full potential and achieve success on the mound. Following a program that takes a holistic approach to training for overall athletic ability rather than focusing solely on pitching specific skills will help players develop their full potential. Implementing this method of training as early as possible will promote better player development as the body has time to grow and adjust to the demands placed on the body. Anyone, at any age, who has the motivation and dedication to commit to this style of training should sign up for the 3X Extreme Pitching Velocity Program in order to fully develop the elite athleticism required to throw 95+ mph.
Becoming the High Velocity Pitcher
Yes, you need a program like the 3X Pitching Velocity Program because it has the research not only mapping out the perfect pitching mechanics of the high velocity pitcher but more important, it has all the information to define and train the athleticism of the high velocity pitcher. This is why the 3X Pitching Velocity Program has so many amazing testimonials and it is so young of a program.
If you really want to become a high velocity pitcher, stop playing this game in ignorance and spend time on a site like this one and really learn this stuff before you blow thousands of dollars with a pitching instructor who only played professional baseball but has never actually developed a high velocity pitcher.
3X Pitching Testimonials
- David Thompson -85-92mph
- Austin Easter – 85-93MPH
- Kevin Royer – 83-93mph
- Cameron Grimsley – 83-90mph
- Eric Mozeika – 84-90mph
- Jake McFarland – 81-88mph
- Evan Skinner – 15 years old – 71-81mph
More testimonials on the home page!