The game of baseball has been immensely popular in the Americas for many years. As any fan can tell you, quality pitching is a major key to fielding a successful team. While some of this is dependent upon pure natural ability, pitching mechanics play a major role as well. Improving the technique of throwing the ball can enhance one's natural abilities while poor mechanics can limit the upside of even the most talented pitchers.
The first thing to understand is why pitching mechanics are even important. There are two main answers to this: performance and durability. Those with solid, efficient mechanics are likely to have better velocity and command of their pitches than those with poorer technique. This latter group will also be more likely to suffer injuries to the shoulder and elbow due to excess stress on these joints that is created by flawed techniques.
The motion of delivering a pitch is a very complex one that includes many moving parts and potential for errors. It is no easy task to learn the details well enough to effectively assess the mechanics of any pitcher, but it doesn't take an absolute expert to learn a few key points that can help any aspiring hurler.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
As with many movements in sports, throwing a ball begins with the legs. If the majority of the effort is made with the shoulder and arm, the result will be decreased speed and a greatly increased risk of injury. A strong leg drive will allow one to generate more force in the motion. This obviously leads to pitches with greater velocity. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of work that needs to be done with the upper extremities, reducing the risk of getting hurt.
Maintaining good balance throughout the act of throwing is a key consideration as well. A delivery that has the body moving completely toward the target is more likely to result in good pitch location than one that has the pitcher falling off to one side. Remaining balanced also allows ones to use the legs and trunk effectively as discussed previously.
One often overlooked aspect is repeatability. Using perfect mechanics on one pitch and poor ones on the next is not much better than always using poor ones. A good pitcher or coach knows that the more regular and consistent the movements associated with the throw are, the better the pitcher's control will be. And if these movements are in the range of what is considered to be proper, the greater the chances of remaining healthy and able to pitch.
Watching video of successful major league pitchers will make it apparent that there is no one right way when it comes to pitching mechanics. The details of this depend on each individual player but the basics are the same for everyone.
The first thing to understand is why pitching mechanics are even important. There are two main answers to this: performance and durability. Those with solid, efficient mechanics are likely to have better velocity and command of their pitches than those with poorer technique. This latter group will also be more likely to suffer injuries to the shoulder and elbow due to excess stress on these joints that is created by flawed techniques.
The motion of delivering a pitch is a very complex one that includes many moving parts and potential for errors. It is no easy task to learn the details well enough to effectively assess the mechanics of any pitcher, but it doesn't take an absolute expert to learn a few key points that can help any aspiring hurler.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
As with many movements in sports, throwing a ball begins with the legs. If the majority of the effort is made with the shoulder and arm, the result will be decreased speed and a greatly increased risk of injury. A strong leg drive will allow one to generate more force in the motion. This obviously leads to pitches with greater velocity. Furthermore, it reduces the amount of work that needs to be done with the upper extremities, reducing the risk of getting hurt.
Maintaining good balance throughout the act of throwing is a key consideration as well. A delivery that has the body moving completely toward the target is more likely to result in good pitch location than one that has the pitcher falling off to one side. Remaining balanced also allows ones to use the legs and trunk effectively as discussed previously.
One often overlooked aspect is repeatability. Using perfect mechanics on one pitch and poor ones on the next is not much better than always using poor ones. A good pitcher or coach knows that the more regular and consistent the movements associated with the throw are, the better the pitcher's control will be. And if these movements are in the range of what is considered to be proper, the greater the chances of remaining healthy and able to pitch.
Watching video of successful major league pitchers will make it apparent that there is no one right way when it comes to pitching mechanics. The details of this depend on each individual player but the basics are the same for everyone.
