The game of baseball has been immensely popular in the Americas for many years. As any fan can tell you, quality pitching is a major key to fielding a successful team. While some of this is dependent upon pure natural ability, pitching mechanics play a major role as well. Improving the technique of throwing the ball can enhance one's natural abilities while poor mechanics can limit the upside of even the most talented pitchers.
The first thing to understand is why pitching mechanics are even important. There are two main answers to this: performance and durability. Those with solid, efficient mechanics are likely to have better velocity and command of their pitches than those with poorer technique. This latter group will also be more likely to suffer injuries to the shoulder and elbow due to excess stress on these joints that is created by flawed techniques.
Evaluating a pitcher's mechanics takes a good bit of training as this is a complex task with many details that need to be taken into consideration. Professional pitching coaches have trained for years to be able to do this, but just about anyone can learn a few basics to get started in the right direction.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
As with many movements in sports, throwing a ball begins with the legs. If the majority of the effort is made with the shoulder and arm, the result will be decreased speed and a greatly increased risk of injury. A strong leg drive will allow one to generate more force in the motion. This obviously leads to pitches with greater velocity. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of work that needs to be done with the upper extremities, reducing the risk of getting hurt.
Closely related to this point is the need for balance. A balanced, controlled delivery will lessen strain on the shoulder and elbow, two main locations of major injuries for pitchers. Lateral movement should be minimized with nearly all the motion being in the direction of home plate. When starting the windup and when landing the front foot, the body should be in as balanced a position as possible.
The ability to repeat one's delivery time after time is essential as well. A pitcher whose delivery is consistent with every pitch is much more likely to have good control than one whose motion varies considerably. Of course, it's important that the motion that is consistently repeated consists of proper mechanics as repetition of poor technique is asking for arm problems.
Watching video of successful major league pitchers will make it apparent that there is no one right way when it comes to pitching mechanics. The details of this depend on each individual player but the basics are the same for everyone.
The first thing to understand is why pitching mechanics are even important. There are two main answers to this: performance and durability. Those with solid, efficient mechanics are likely to have better velocity and command of their pitches than those with poorer technique. This latter group will also be more likely to suffer injuries to the shoulder and elbow due to excess stress on these joints that is created by flawed techniques.
Evaluating a pitcher's mechanics takes a good bit of training as this is a complex task with many details that need to be taken into consideration. Professional pitching coaches have trained for years to be able to do this, but just about anyone can learn a few basics to get started in the right direction.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
As with many movements in sports, throwing a ball begins with the legs. If the majority of the effort is made with the shoulder and arm, the result will be decreased speed and a greatly increased risk of injury. A strong leg drive will allow one to generate more force in the motion. This obviously leads to pitches with greater velocity. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of work that needs to be done with the upper extremities, reducing the risk of getting hurt.
Closely related to this point is the need for balance. A balanced, controlled delivery will lessen strain on the shoulder and elbow, two main locations of major injuries for pitchers. Lateral movement should be minimized with nearly all the motion being in the direction of home plate. When starting the windup and when landing the front foot, the body should be in as balanced a position as possible.
The ability to repeat one's delivery time after time is essential as well. A pitcher whose delivery is consistent with every pitch is much more likely to have good control than one whose motion varies considerably. Of course, it's important that the motion that is consistently repeated consists of proper mechanics as repetition of poor technique is asking for arm problems.
Watching video of successful major league pitchers will make it apparent that there is no one right way when it comes to pitching mechanics. The details of this depend on each individual player but the basics are the same for everyone.
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