Pitching Mechanics - Why Proper Posture Affects Pitching Velocity And Control

by Dick Mills on November 24, 2009

The posture of a baseball pitcher can have a big impact on his pitching velocity, his control as well as his ability to reduce stress to his throwing arm.

The video freeze-frame photos are of a high school pitcher we had visit us from Mississippi for a two day lesson.  The photo on the left is before we helped him make the changes while the photo on the right is after. Can you see the big difference?  Can you see why the change would produce better control and more velocity?  

This pitcher is 5'11" 145 lbs., a high school junior who was throwing 83-84 mph topping out at 86 mph. We think after making some changes he will eventually be throwing upper 80's and possibly eventually 90 mph plus.

Videotaping a pitcher from the front and back will easily reveal any problems with posture. 

Here are some simple aspects to watch for at landing: 

• Does he appear to be leaning off toward his glove side?
• Is he head not close to being level?
• Does he have too much trunk lean which positions he throwing arm too high?

If the body is leaning off to one side that means that forces are moving away from the target and thus the throwing arm will have to do more work to apply force to the ball. This can adversely effect the stress on the arm.

You should also watch how he begins.

Does His Nose Stay Over His Bellybutton?

Notice when his body starts to move toward the plate the position of his nose in relation to his belly button.  As soon as his nose moves back toward his butt rather than remaining positioned over his bellybutton is the point at which he is starting to lean.

The solution is to have the pitcher simply understand how to remain balanced in a good athletic position.  A good athletic position where the body is balanced and ready to perform any good movement has the body bent just slightly forward with the nose sitting over the bellybutton. 

Where the head goes...the body is going to follow. In the case of a pitcher, when the head starts to move back toward the pitcher's backside this is the point at which he will start to lean.

So have him start with his body positioned with a slight forward lean so the nose is over the bellybutton.  This should occur all the way until landing.

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. 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