There's a long list of coaching ques that has been taught over and over again on baseball fields and pitching mounds across the country for many years to teach kids how to pitch. They are teachings that have originated from some combination of what coaches have thought they have seen with their own eyes while watching good pitchers throw, or what they felt when they played.
In today's world, we have the benefit of high resolution cameras that break pitchers movements down at 32 frames per second, and motion analysis systems that can provide a much clearer picture of what is really happening with the best pitchers in the world.
The National Pitching Association led by Dr. Tom House has been studying the biomechanical movements of pitching for more than 30 years and he has performed motion analysis on over 900 Major League pitchers. He has used that data to create proven methods for optimal mechanical efficiency. In this process, he has debunked some common false wisdoms.
If you have heard or are still hearing these coaching ques, we would recommend asking your coach questions about why he is having you perform these movements. While some of these teaching ques are false wisdoms and are counter to an efficient pitching delivery, others may work for some kids and not for others. You have to know the difference between what is a critical biomechanical variable for optimal performance, and what is a player signature.
These Coaching Ques Include:
Stay at the top
Stay back
Stay over the rubber
Don't rush
Drop and drive
Don't stride across your body
Push off the rubber
Step straight to the plate
Don't open up your stride
Land on the ball of your foot
Shorten your stride to get on top
Reach back
Don't short arm the bal
Don't throw side arm
Curveballs hurt your arm
Pull your glove to your hip (or tuck your glove)
Dip/Tilt back shoulder for more velocity
These are just some, but there are many more teaching ques that slow motion cameras have proven to be false, or simply not absolute fact based on player signature and/or the details of how they are taught.
Schedule a biomechanical movement analysis today and find out where your pitching delivery could be optimized by clicking here.