Tips for Pitchers to Throw Harder

Utilize these tips for pitchers to throw harder.

 

When the four absolutes - balance point, launch, throwing position, and finish - are executed without flaws in throwing position there are several "tricks" to add to the pitching motion to throw harder. Followthrough, sticking the chest out at finish, hip-fall, and shoulder-to-hip separation are the "tricks."

 

In the followthrough, you must get weight over the front side.  This means you must at some point in the followthrough, your chest has to face the ground, and the back foot comes off the ground. We call this the "Superman."

 

Hip-fall is the toughest trick to master. At the highest point of the leg-kick, you can fall or tip (like a statue) letting your hip fall toward the catcher.  Only fall an inch or two.  This slight fall, or tip, does three great things- 1. Starts your body motion in the correct direction, 2. Increases stride by at least a foot! 3. Increases our ability to get leg drive.  The great thing about this trick is that you don't have to think about anything besides (hip-fall)!  This trick is hard to master because if you fall too much, you risk your elbows being under the shoulders at foot-down.

 

Sticking the chest out as you throw the ball is the easiest trick to do in the pitching motion.  When you are in the process of throwing chest-to-glove, sticking out your chest to the catcher a bit creates more whip in the pitching motion which in turn, created more arm speed. Thus, more velocity.

 

Finally, shoulder-to-hip separation. It's strongly recommended that this trick is taught to only high school pitchers.  At extension/foot-down, the hip is always pointed at the catcher, this is absolute!  However, the shoulder can slightly be more closed.  Golfers call this "x-factor."  Looking from a Birdseye view, the hip and shoulder lines cross, almost at 90-degree angles.  We can do the same as pitchers . However, the 90-degree turn is too dramatic, we need to be closer to 45 degrees. Meaning, our shoulders are slightly more closed than our hips at foot-down.  This creates more hip rotation, giving you more power and velocity.  Doing this trick makes it difficult to replicate the same release point, this can lead to control problems.