All About Pitching

Tips For Improved Pitching Mechanics…Tempo, And Rhythm To Boost Velocity

Tips On Pitching Mechanics...Tempo, Rhythm and Timing For Improved Pitching Velocity

I am seeing so many high school and college pitchers whose pitching mechanics are too slow and mechanical. It seems that many are working with professional instructors who simply don't understand how pitching velocity is created.

Here are a couple of pitching tips.  Work on a faster tempo with better rhythm. Tempo is pace and rhythm is flow. The following pitching tips can quickly improve not only pitching mechanics but also pitching velocity.

Shift the weight sooner

But in order to have the quicker tempo work for the pitcher he must focus on shifting his weight so that you see the front hip driving at the target just as the lead leg and hands start to move down out of the wind-up. We now know he needs back leg drive to get him going.

The pitcher's head remains over the bellybutton so that upon landing his head is between his two feet and his nose is over his belt buckle. How do you do this? You must focus on leading with the hip. Then you try it and then make adjustments. Then you try it again. And you must do this while being videotaped. Otherwise how will you know you are making the needed adjustment? 

Don't look for some magic drill. Find what is needed by trial and error knowing what the goal is and by understanding simple pitching mechanics. The goal is to get the body into the correct landing position by using maximum momentum into a long stride...at least 100% of the pitcher's height. This is why you must videotape sessions regularly. I prefer to videotape every session. http://pitching.nexcess.net/product/complete-pitching-instruction-program/

Why the pitching arm has no whip

If a pitcher is moving too slowly you will see that his arm has no whip to it. Why? Two reasons. There is not enough energy to transfer from the legs to power hip and trunk rotation which is the cause of whipping the arm through fast. And maybe his sequencing is off - his timing. So he doesn't look smooth. He may be breaking his hands too early. Break them later.

Or maybe the pitcher is simply not using the bracing action of his front leg and hip to stop the lower body from continuing to move forward so the upper body can move faster.  Without bracing action a pitcher can never maximize his velocity.

With major league pitchers who have proper timing it tends to look slow and effortless and not explosive. But you are being deceived. It only looks slow because it is smooth which is an indication of good timing of the body with a nice quick tempo.

Remember a smooth delivery is a delivery with good timing...even if it is explosive and fast.

Don't get me wrong here. Most major league pitchers also move too slowly. Most do not move the way Nolan Ryan moved...which was very fast and explosive away from the rubber as he drove his body out low toward the plate.

You need both tempo and rhythm and of course smoothness or good timing to have optimum pitching mechanics.

Boost tempo...boost velocity

Most pitchers with good mechanics all have similar rhythm because their timing is good. But if their tempo is too slow they can boost velocity by simply increasing tempo from the moment they start their delivery. The added energy will provide more energy to transfer once the lead foot lands.

Many rhythm problems are because the pitcher keeps his hands stationary in the center of his body. There is no hand movement. I solve that problem two ways.

1. I make sure the hands are moving up toward the head as the lead leg is lifting. Hands can be lifted to just under the chin.
2. Or I have the pitcher go over his head with his hands like Nolan Ryan, Maddux or what Roger Clemens used to do when he pitched for Boston.

It is the movement of the hands that helps get the rhythm of the body moving so better weight shift can be accomplished. Stationary hands create slow movement and hesitation problems.

If you wondering what to work on over this summer or over the winter then now you have it. Make sure your pitching delivery is not slow and mechanical and has some rhythm to it. Get the hands moving with the legs.

And also remember you should never sacrifice speed of movement of the delivery in order to have better control. You must always work at maximum effort so you build in good tempo and explosiveness.

But also keep this in mind. When you are teaching a beginner, they will move slowly in the beginning as they start to feel their body getting the movement. This takes time. So be patient. It will obviously take them longer to work at full speed.

This is one of the true secrets to more velocity.

Get moving. Pick up the pace. Try it.

Remember you are not trying to get to ball release quicker but rather to landing quicker while getting the body stretched out from a long stride equal to at least the pitcher's height...as long as you are in a good power position.

Videotaping regularly is of course a must.

Dick

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