Baseball Pitching Mechanics—Should You Just Let Stride Length Happen?

by Dick Mills on November 15, 2004

Here is an email I got about stride length. This apparently was taken from an online discussion forum. I do not agree with this. I do however agree that stride length should be long.

This is what is being taught out there at clinics and then of course by many high school and college coaches who go to seminars, listen and then don't think for themselves because they only get mechanics in bits and pieces.

I hear of a lot of high school and college coaches ( and some pro) who are shortening strides without understanding the overall effect.

As I have said, I cannot remember having suggested to any pitcher over the years to shorten his stride.

And I do not agree that we should just "let stride happen."

Hopefully you understand why a stride is too short or too long.

THE PITCHER'S STRIDE

Ah, the elusive magical mystical stride. "Shorten up that stride son. You’re overstriding.” "How do I do that, Coach?” Telling a pitcher he is overstriding is treating the symptom of a disease instead of treating the cause. It’s giving aspirin for Strep Throat to treat the fever instead of an antibiotic to kill those nasty little streptococci, the cause.

How long should your pitcher’s stride be? From the front of the rubber to the end of the toe of the landing foot it should be somewhere between 80-90% of the pitcher’s height.

Maybe what we call overstriding is really the result of poor balance and posture. If a pitcher has good dynamic balance, efficient body movement toward the plate and good direction he will not over stride.

Let’s treat the disease and as some pitching guru has said, "Let stride happen.”

The result of overstriding is:

• The pitcher cannot get his head out over his lead knee at ball release.
• It prevents proper trunk flexion during acceleration and release.
• It prevents proper trunk rotation
• Causes control problems, usually high.
• Decreases velocity.

If you have questions on any phase of pitching—mechanics, strength and conditioning, mental training, strategy send those questions to dickmills@gmail.com and I will answer them here.

If you want an explosive body and explosive mechanics you need to get my Free Report at www.pitching.nexcess.net. We won't waste your time. We show you what works and what has been proven to work. I show you a comparison between two high school pitchers and a major league pitcher who throws mid to upper nineties. Find out why you do not have powerful mechanics.