How To Reduce Little League Pitching Arm Injuries Using Momentum Pitching

by Dick Mills on March 29, 2009

Most parents of Little League pitchers want their sons to stay injury free while maximizing their velocity and building good control of the ball.; The only way to accomplish this is to help the Little League pitcher develop solid pitching mechanics where the body does the work and not the arm.

How can parents, coaches and players best achieve this goal of staying injury free yet maximizing velocity and control?

The above video shows a 13 year old pitcher who demonstrates the advantages of Momentum Pitching…a new style of pitching developed by myself and Dr. Brent Rushall. This pitcher started using Momentum Pitching as a 12 year old.

Notice what’s different from a traditional pitching delivery. He steps back first toward second base instead of to the side. This is how many Hall of Fame pitchers from the past used to pitch.   He does not lift his leg to the balance position. Notice how explosive he is moving toward the target. The step back insures he will produce maximum momentum in a straight line toward the plate which improves velocity and control as well.  

This explosive and fast movement toward the plate is similar to how Giants and Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum is able to generate so much velocity from his small stature at 5’10″ 170 lbs.  This allows Lincecum to throw fastballs 95-100 mph.  He moves fast into a long stride well over 100% of his height. Actually his stride is 120% of his height…the longest height to stride ratio of any major league starting pitcher. 

Shoudn’t all coaches begin to look at speed of movement, momentum and a long stride as big factors for producing velocity. Lincecum himself says that velocity comes from his body and his arm is just along for the ride.

Because this 13 year old in the video does not lift his leg up it allows his body to move faster into a long stride instead of producing the slowing action that occurs when lifting the leg up.  The balance position in pitching limits a pitcher’s ability to generate maximum velocity which forces the pitcher to use more of his arm. Thus pitching becomes more stressful…not less.

Here are some of the many advantages to using Momentum Pitching… especially for the beginner or Little League pitcher:

1. It is a more natural way to pitch
2. It is simple to teach since the pitcher just steps back, pushes into the pivot and then drives his front shoulder and hip at the target using back leg drive
3. It creates a longer stride which increases the amount of elastic energy that whips the arm through almost effortlessly…so there is less stress to the arm
4. More velocity can be created much more quickly because the pitcher will naturally and more easily use his body instead of just his arm
5. It can be taught by inexperienced parents in just one 1 hour session. ( I personally have taught it to many pitchers who easily get it within 10-15 minutes as if they have been pitching this way forever
6. There is far less to think about so the pitcher gains mastery and confidence quicker

The added momentum produced from Momentum Pitching also helps the pitcher improve his velocity and his control since his stride length will improve getting him closer to the hitter. The closer the pitcher is to the hitter the less time the hitter has to react and the easier it is to control the ball.

Unfortunately most Little League pitchers throw with just their arm instead of their body. And parents wonder why they cannot improve velocity. Once they learn how to use their lower body to produce energy their arm feels much better and stays healthier.

Momentum Pitching should be the first choice for all parents when teaching their sons how to pitch. It is the simplest way to teach mechanics and will have the quickest impact on boosting both velocity and control.

Momentum Pitching is now part of our Exposive Pitching DVD program.