The Pitching Academy

One thing you need to understand is that pitching mechanics are not the same for everyone. There are those pitchers who throw sidearm, three-quarter arm slot and others who throw at a ninety degree angle. One thing coaches need to consider when teaching young athletes appropriate mechanics is to ensure they never mess with the arm slot of a pitcher. Many coaches out there will look at a great pitcher like Nolan Ryan and try to mold each pitcher like him. That is a mistake, although there are great pitching mechanic lessons to learn from the master himself, Nolan Ryan, not everyone will have the same arm slot Nolan does nor the tree trunk legs.

Many people ask me how proper mechanics will increase pitching velocity. My first answer to that question is this. Most young pitchers will try to use their arm to get the majority of their power. If they would utilize their entire body, starting with their legs they would not only relieve some undue stress on their throwing arm, they would also increase pitching velocity because they will create more momentum toward home plate. Pitching a baseball is an exercise that requires total body mechanics from your feet to your fingertips. It is not uncommon for any pitcher with minimal experience with pitching mechanics to add 5-10 mph to their fastball.

Without proper pitching mechanics , pitch workloads, functional strength and flexibility, appropriate nutrition, and lets face it, good genetics you are prone to arm injuries. You can avoid a lot of the arm pain with proper pitching mechanics simply by using your body in a way that will allow you to transfer energy appropriately toward your target. It is still important to note that even if you have perfect mechanics you can still be predisposed to injuries to the shoulder and elbow due to overuse, not warming up effectively and many other factors.

In conclusion, proper pitching mechanics are essential to establish consistency in control and velocity of every pitch. If you are a pitcher, make sure you take time and learn about biomechanics and you take pitching instruction from someone qualified in your area. It will be well worth your time and investment of money.