Comparison of High Velocity and Low Velocity Pitch Deliveries

June 18, 2009

Stodden DF, Fleisig GS, McLean SP, Lyman SL, Andrews JR. Relationship of pelvis and upper torso kinematics to pitched baseball velocity. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(2):164-172, 2001.

Matsuo T, Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Barrentine SW, Andrews JF. Comparison of kinematic and temporal parameters between different pitch velocity groups. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 17(1): 1-13, 2001.

Stodden, DF, Fleisig, GS, McLean, SP, Andrews, JR. Relationship of Biomechanical Factors to Basebal Pitching Velocity: Within Pitcher Variation. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 21(1): 44-56, 2005 Read more

Popularity: 9%

Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under References | 3 Comments

Pitching Torque and the 3 pivots.

December 16, 2008

The most important component of pitching is “Separation.” This is what builds torque mainly in the core instead of the arm. This component will not only increase velocity but save a pitchers shoulder. Most high school and college pitchers have poor “Separation.” This component is also called “Scap Loading.” “Scap” for scapula. This terminology is significant because during “Separation” the pitcher is pinching his scapula’s together to hold the shoulders back.

I have written about this component in just about every article on pitch velocity. I will once again define this into more detail. I am doing this because of how important it is to master the pitching component of “Separation.”

The picture here of Felix Hernandez pretty much says it all. You can see the “Separation” from his hips to shoulders. It is like he is a towel being rung out to dry. Tim Lincecum calls this tightening his “Rubber Band.” The “Rubber Band” being his core. To understand core torque and its effectiveness, you must understand how torque is generated in a 90 MPH pitcher. Read more

Popularity: 63%

Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles | 5 Comments

Pitching Velocity keys found in a car crash!

December 7, 2008

I am sure you are asking, “What does a car crash teach us about pitching velocity?” It actually teaches us pitchers everything we need to know, to truly understand, how pitchers generate top velocity. The reason for the correlation of the pitching delivery to the car crash, is the car crash analogy really helps us visualize the complex dynamics of momentum transfer. The reason for the complexity is because of the speed of the event. The moment in the delivery when momentum transfers into the ball to start its propulsion to the target, is as long as a split second. The problem is analyzing this event for educational purposes takes a lot longer. So this is where the car crash analogy will help us. Read more

Popularity: 30%

Written by Brent Pourciau · Filed Under Pitching Articles | Leave a Comment

The Importance of Pitching Video Analysis

December 3, 2008

Having your Pitching video analyzed by someone who understands Physics Driven Velocity Mechanics is critical in moving up levels of the game. The effectiveness of this process is the visual aspect. We are mainly visual learners. We can watch someone perform an action and then almost repeat it perfectly. This proves that we learn information so much faster visually. In any baseball career time is of the essence. All of us retired ball players, wish we knew what we learned many years after the end of our careers, when we were actually playing the game. This is because it took longer to learn this stuff than the window of opportunity we where given. Read more