10 Ways To Increase Pitching Velocity - Youth1

Steven Ellis was a pitcher drafted by the Cubs in 2001. Now he runs YouthPitching.com and dispenses invaluable trip and advice. These are 10 way that he says you can increase pitching velocity. 

 

1. Increase stride length

 

90 percent of the pitcher's height, with a goal eventually of reaching 95-100 percent of his height.

The combination provides plenty of momentum to carry him into a long stride length that his 83% of his height (elite pitchers are 75-90%), and maintain force production up the chain.

But still want to land on a flexed front leg

Measuring from the front edge of the rubber to the toe of the stride foot, the length of the stride should be close to the pitcher's standing height.

Aim for as long a stride as possible where the pitcher can still get his head and shoulders over the lead leg at the time of ball release. As the pitcher's foot lands, look to see that he is on the ball of the stride foot, or flat footed. The toes should point slightly in a close position. If the pitcher lands hard on the heel, the foot will usually fly open which causes the hips and trunk to rotate open too soon. It may also cause the pitcher to get onto a stiff front leg too early which causes recoil action, or puts him out of balance and alignment during the accretion phase—both of which negatively affects control and pitch velocity.

Stride faults in direction and length can affect trunk rotation velocity and inclination and contribute to the throwing arm lagging behind the scapular plane and increase stress on the shoulder and elbow.

The late cocking and acceleration phases generate the highest segmental velocities and these phases are implicated in the majority of pitching injuries.

The stride is initiated from the point of maximum lead knee height to the point of foot contact. Approximately 50% of ball velocity in the pitching motion is the resultant forces accumulated in the stride and trunk rotation.

 

2. Use a four-seam grip

 

The best grip for velocity and control on the fastball is across the 4 seams grip. The ball is balanced and consistent finger pressure allows for good control and this grip imparts the fastest ball rotation Generating velocity requires you to apply force to the baseball.Good glove arm action helps proper shoulder alignment, trunk arching and flexion, and good trunk rotation—all of which generate arm speed and ball velocity.

 

3. Get the glove arm involved

 

There are two basic methods of developing effective glove arm action:

1) Fire the glove and lead arm toward the plate

2) Lead the elbow directly at the plate (pictured above)

For both methods, once the stride foot makes contact with the ground, actively whip the glove and elbow down and back outside the lead hip. Do not allow the glove to go too far behind the lead hip.

 

4. Eliminate the "balance point"

 

Do you notice in this slow-motion video that Justin Verlander doesn't stop or pause at any point during the peak of his leg lift? (He also doesn't throw a strike.) But the path of his knee is a fluid, continuous motion up and down.

A 2004 study compared pitchers who used a balance point and those who did not. Researchers found that pitchers using a balance point had more head movement which resulted in lower velocity and decreased accuracy.

This led the researchers to conclude, "we cannot recommend the indiscriminate practice of the balance-point position..."

Having a balance point during the leg kick does the following:

1. Creates an un-athletic posture
2. Decreases quickness to the plate, reduces momentum and causes slower velocity
3. Slows delivery tempo, leading to poor timing and decreased accuracy

 

5. Raise lead knee to a minimum of 60% (but not more than 70%) of pitcher's overall height during leg kick

 

Research indicates that the hardest throwing pitchers have a maximum lead knee height between 60 and 70 percent of their standing height.

If the lead knee isn't raised high enough (< 60 degrees), it prevents the pitcher from getting good momentum with the stride leg toward home plate. If the lead knee is raised too high (> 70 degrees), the momentum down and toward the plate can be arrested or started too late.

 

6. Increase elbow flexion at stride foot contact

 

The more the throwing elbow is bent at foot strike, the higher the velocity. The average bend in the throwing elbow at stride foot contact is almost 90 degrees for the hardest throwers.

 

7. Keep the head behind the lead hip longer

 

Keeping the head behind the lead hip longer (which is why we lead with the front hip with no balance point during the leg kick) also produces less stress on the shoulder.

 

8. Don't rush

 

When a pitcher rushes his delivery, it means the body has moved forward towards the plate too early, causing the arm position to be too low at the time of stride foot contact with the ground and arm acceleration.

This low arm position reduces pitch velocity.

What I have observed in most power pitchers is that the weight is held back over a firm posting leg until the lead leg starts downward. The lead foot comes downward a little more than shoulder width apart and side along the ground to the contact area. The upper body and the head stays at the top center of the widening triangle of the body. The body has only drifted, or fallen forward. There is no major push or drive during this phase.

 

9. Increase forward trunk tilt at ball release

 

If you'll notice, the flexing occurs at the hips, NOT the back; the back stays straight through Ball Release.

The researchers felt that extending the front knee at Ball Release (from 48 to 68 degrees) helped increase the forward tilt of the upper body at Ball Release.

 

10. Thrust your chest at the target during maximum external rotation of shoulder

 

The kinetic chain from the back leg to the throwing hand in maximum external rotation will demonstrate a reverse "C" position (pictured above).

The latissimus dorsi, given its origin and insertion anatomic position and contraction through the lumbopelvic kinetic chain linkage, generates the greatest force during acceleration and positively increases ball velocity.

 

There are 12 more great tips from Steven Ellis in the original article at YouthPitching.com

 

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