In my previous blog I talked about how pitching with your body will help you increase your velocity, control and take stress off of your arm. You look and feel so much more effortless whether pitching or in the field when you use your body to generate the energy when throwing a baseball or softball. The problem is each student that comes in for lessons throws mainly with their arm because of what they have been taught. When I start a new lesson with each student I ask what they have learned from coaches, other instructors and on the Internet. Most everyone tells me the same bad pitching cues they have been taught which are:
When your stride leg goes up balance on your back leg
When front foot hits ground throwing arm elbow should be above the shoulder
When front foot hits ground have baseball looking at second base and the glove to home plate
To throw take your chest to your glove
Keep elbow above shoulder when throwing
Twist or rotate hips
Snap wrist at release
Finish down, pick up dirt
Any one of these will make you throw mainly with your arm. Almost all instructors from Little League to the Major Leagues teach these. They will decrease your velocity and take away the control you need to be more successful. These are also what causes pitchers to get sore arms because of too much stress put on the shoulder and elbow. Too many pitchers in baseball and fastpitch softball are having arm problems because of bad pitching cues. There are so many misconceptions about the proper mechanics of a pitcher. When pitchers start using their arm more they look tighter, more jerky and they start having problems getting hitters out.
Depending on the statistics you read when a batter in the Major Leagues hits a fly ball 79% of the time it is an out. When they hit a ground ball 72% of the time it is an out. When they hit a line drive they are out only 20 to 26% of the time. This means at any level if a pitcher gets hitters to hit fly balls and grounders they can be very successful. This means they need the control to be able to hit spots consistently with their pitches to keep hitters from hitting line drives. If a pitcher loses their control and leaves pitches out over the plate it gives a hitter a better chance to hit a line drive. Then they won't be as successful.
I video each new student that comes in for a pitching lesson because 99% of them have been taught one or more of these pitching cues. Because of this every pitcher that come in for lessons throws mainly with their arm. With video they are able to see step by step where and why they are losing velocity and control. They see how much effort they are having to put into their arm to try and throw the ball hard. I then put them beside a top Major League pitcher so they can see how they actually use their body. They see how effortless they look especially with their arm. When they learn how to use their body they are amazed how much harder they throw, their control is so much better and they barely feel their arm. They are especially excited when they become much more successful.
If anyone would like more information about pitching mechanics and how they can help make you more successful call me at 304-722-6393.
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