by Dick Mills on August 11, 2009

For a pitcher to maximize his velocity his mechanics must be efficient. Pitching mechanics must not only produce force but also must transfer forces from the lower body to the trunk so that the arm is along for the ride.

This 16 year old pitcher came for a one-on-one lesson because he has had constant elbow pain for nearly a year and half.

After video analyzing his mechanics we identified four main faults that caused his elbow pain.

1. Early and high hand break
2. Poor landing alignment – throwing across his body
3. Lack of stable landing – knee continued to drift forward
4. Early external shoulder rotation – laying his arm back too soon

This pitcher’s mechanics not only did not produce maximum force but the forces that were produced did not help the pitcher’s body create velocity thus the pitcher’s arm had to do more work thus exposing his elbow to arm pain.

By fixing these faults the pitcher could easily gain 5-7 mph and have better control.

Without video analyzing his mechanics there is not way this 16 year old would not have ended up with a severe arm injury. Without video analysis parents and coaches can only guess what the problem is.

Video analysis is the key to pitching improvement. This is what 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/