A Tim Lincecum Technique Any Pitcher Can Use For Boosting Pitching Velocity

It is pitching velocity that prevents most pitchers from playing at a higher level. However, most pitchers are taught that the throwing arm is the source of velocity rather than the pitcher’s body.

The key to improving pitching velocity is to keep the throwing arm and shoulder back as long as possible before getting involved in the pitch.

Tim Lincecum uses a technique to keep his throwing arm and shoulder delayed so that he does not throw too early. Lincecum himself has stated that he keeps his throwing arm back as long as possible so that he does not “muscle the ball” or get his arm involved too early.

What Lincecum does, that is quite different than most pitchers, is he takes the ball out of his glove and then drops or dangles his arm down so that it sits next to and slightly behind his support leg. This technique, although unusual, allows his body to create exceptional momentum because he uses a stride of nearly 120% of his height and thus his throwing arm gets those body forces very late.

Studies have proven that the difference between youth or high school and professional pitchers is that professional pitchers get their trunk involved much later. Little League and high school pitchers on the other hand believe that getting to ball release quickly is the key to velocity when it is the exact opposite.

Throwing late is the key to improved velocity

Throwing as late as possible while forces are built up by the body is the key to not only more velocity but less risk of injury.

The other interesting thing about Lincecum’s arm action is how long he delays getting the ball into the cocked position. He does not start his hand moving up to the “cocked position” until just before the instant of lead foot contact.

Many youth and high school pitchers can learn from Lincecum’s delivery. The key is to get the throwing arm involved as late as possible. This can be accomplished by making sure the pitcher shifts his weight toward the target before he takes the ball out of the glove. In other words…most pitchers should break their hands much later and take the ball out of the glove after they have started to shift their hips toward the plate.

Our instructional DVD’s emphasize this important aspect of pitching mechanics where pitchers are taught how to use their bodies to produce force while the throwing arm is along for the ride. Thus there is less stress to the pitcher’s arm. http://www.pitching.com/products/