How Improved Mechanics And Video Analysis Helps College Pitcher Boost Velocity

by Dick Mills on January 08, 2010

Nearly all high school and college pitchers want to improve their pitching velocity.  This college pitcher, a 6'5" 205 lb. lefty was sitting at 80 mph for some time.  His problem was been poor pitching mechanics...especially poor lower body mechanics which caused him to rotate early and thus to try to throw too early by getting his arm involved before his body has enough time to build power. 

But with a video analysis and some one-on-one instruction at our facility in Scottsdale, AZ, we were able to show him what to change and how to do it.

Most high school and college pitchers do not understand how to use their body to produce velocity since most have been taught that velocity is about arm strength or overall body strength. They believe that the arm is the source of power so they try to get to ball release as soon as possible. This actually reduces their velocity.

Velocity is the result of how long the pitcher holds on to the ball so that his body creates energy that transfers to his arm as late as possible. The studies have proven that velocity is not a strength issue at all.

SEE PHOTOS: The attached photo sequences reveal this same problem.  You can see from the top photo comparison that because his arm is getting up too early he wants to throw too early and thus his trunk begins to rotate much too soon. This prevents the arm from moving through a normal but much longer range of motion thus reducing force and arm speed. 

The bottom photo simply reveals that he is not letting his throwing arm drop out of the glove going down, back and up as the high school lefty in the right photo demonstrates.

Here is my commentary to this college pitcher that appears on our Member's Forums in response to his posting a recent video to help him continue to improve his velocity and maybe get him finally to 90 mph plus...which I believe he is capable of.  

Brantley,

First of all congratulations on getting to 87 mph from low 80's...more like 82 mph.

But you have 90 mph plus in you if you will exhibit more natural throwing and less stiff robotic actions.

You are thinking too much about small parts instead of the whole.

Your lower body compared to before is now like night and day. Your hard work and persistency have paid off big.

You are still very stiff in your actions...especially your throwing arm which is your big problem right now...wanting to throw too early.

What would happen if you removed all tension from your throwing arm and let it drop out of your glove going down, back and up in a nice circle...like Bard and trusted that your arm knows what to do if you let it.

Your arm action is stiff because you have over-coached it. You take it up too soon. You have long arms being 6'5". Don't try to be 5'10" with shorter arms.

Relax...have fun. Let your arm do what it wants to do naturally. It has been crying out now for a long time.

Because your arm gets involved too early...you want to throw too early and thus start your trunk rotation too soon. This prevents your arm from being pulled through a longer range of motion...where arm speed is created.

Get to where Bard is and you will see 90 mph plus with ease. (That is Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard who is a RH pitcher. Our video analysis software allow us to make him a lefty. Bard throws 96- 100 mph very effortlessly and we like his mechanics very much.)

Look at the attached comparison of you and Bard...who we have made a lefty for this illustration.  You are at the same point when your front leg and hip brace.

He throws late...you throw early.

Now you are moving sideways so much better...improved weight shift (still trying to get to landing too early), but much better back leg action and bracing of your front leg and hip.  

The other photo is of a student from Mississippi that we had out here for one-on-one lessons about two months ago. He is a 5'11" 145 lb. high school junior who has already hit 86 mph. He will throw 90 mph plus...possibly before his senior year. D1 schools are drooling for this kid right now.

Notice the position of his arm after he drops it out of his glove. Also notice how his lead leg is still back closer to his support leg because his focus is on back leg drive letting the back leg and hip drive the front hip while the lead leg is along for the ride.

Brantley. You can greatly simplify this by looking at the entire motion and how it all works together instead of in parts.

Create the movie and then produce it.

Great improvement over all. You should be proud.

But you have much more to go by just relaxing your body and letting your natural style emerge leaving the robotics in the dust.

Pat yourself on the back. You are getting closer and closer. Your mind can be your ally or your adversary. Let it work for you.

Ryan and I know what you are really capable of.

Cheers,
Dick

P.S. By he way, Brantley has been here twice for lessons with his 17 year old brother who is already throwing 86 mph and he too has the capability of throwing 90 mph plus. We have also done several follow-up video analysis with both. Good instruction pays dividends. His brother Jason went from 82-86 mph after 4-5 weeks after a follow-up analysis.

This is what Ryan and I are doing being the scenes all the time with several clients of all ages and levels of baseball.

This can only be accomplished by videotaping...which all parents can learn how to do.

Remember..."pitchers are made in the off-season."   What are you doing right now to improve your pitching skills?

These are some of the important aspects I have been focusing on in our Explosively Pitching DVD program since 2004.  We teach parents how to help their sons use their bodies to pitch instead of just their arms. Not only does this improve velocity but reduces the risk of arm injuries.

See our Holiday Discounts on our instructional DVD's:  http://www.pitching.com/products/

"I had spent several hundred dollars on a pitching coach who was leading my son down the path to ruin. He embraced every failed philosophy and technique you've identified - long toss, towel drills and more drills ad nauseum. My son's skills were deteriorating. When I found your website and read your report, I sense intuitively your words had merit and deserved further study."    Mark Smith, Downers Grove,IL  e are currently doing a video analysis right now of one of Brantely's brother Jason's teammates who has hit a wall with his instructor.