3X Pitching and the Timing Factor
May 16, 2010
Triple Extension or 3X is the extension of the drive leg ankle, knee and hip flexor. Triple Extending the drive leg drives the hips completely through to the target. If triple extension occurs quick enough and with enough force at the end of the stride while the shoulders stay closed and relaxed, this will create optimal separation in your core. The NPA’s (National Pitching Association) velocity case study of 2006 proved that elite pitchers who throw 90 plus mph get up to 60 degrees of hip to shoulder separation at front foot strike. Therefore if you are going to increase velocity you must learn to increase hip to shoulder separation by learning triple extension. Once you learn how to incorporate full triple extension into your pitching delivery, you will not see its benefits until you master the final factor. The final factor in learning any new muscle memory is the timing factor. The timing factor of triple extension is critical to creating 60 degrees of hip to shoulder separation and increasing velocity. Read more
Popularity: 8%
Band Separation Pitching Drill
January 10, 2010
The main purpose of a Drill, is to practice a component of the delivery that will help to correct a mechanical flaw. I also believe it is important to add resistance to a drill to help imprint the new muscle memory.
The drill below should be performed 2 – 3 days a week, for at least 3 – 4 months. The drill should also be performed after completing the “Flexibility Training” portion of the Fusion System which can be found in the Ace Pitcher Handbook. You can also find more drills in the handbook. Try to push each drill to muscle fatigue, if possible. Read more
Popularity: 11%
Band Chest Thrust Pitching Drill
January 10, 2010
The main purpose of a Drill, is to practice a component of the delivery that will help to correct a mechanical flaw. I also believe it is important to add resistance to a drill to help imprint the new muscle memory.
The drill below should be performed 2 – 3 days a week, for at least 3 – 4 months. The drill should also be performed after completing the “Flexibility Training” portion of the Fusion System which can be found in the Ace Pitcher Handbook. You can also find more drills in the handbook. Try to push each drill to muscle fatigue, if possible. Read more
Popularity: 10%
The Pitching Key to Torque is in the “Tilt”
November 18, 2009
One of the main reasons a pitcher the size of Tim Lincecum, can generate as much velocity as a pitcher as tall as Randy Johnson, is because of core torque. The key to Tim Lincecum’s ability to create optimal torque is in his release point.
Tim has an “Over the top” release point and Randy has a “Sidearm” release point. I am not saying that every pitcher should throw the ball with a higher release point the shorter they are because there are benefits with all arm angles. What I am saying is a higher release point, using total body mechanics, will generate more core torque and in return increase velocity. Read more
Popularity: 19%
Pitching Velocity Drills – Hold the Load
August 25, 2009
The purpose of this drill is to enforce the “Load” position. To perform this drill you need a step or box about a foot high or higher based on your leg strength. The higher the lift, the stronger your legs must be to “Hold the Load.” To learn more about the importance of the “Load” position read this article “Lift for Show, Load for Doe.” Read more
Popularity: 14%
What is Momentum Pitching?
June 14, 2009
The online world of pitching experts have been throwing around the buzz word “Momentum pitching” recently. This isn’t anything new unless you are up to date on the breakthroughs of pitching science. Pitchers have been trying to find better ways to generate more momentum in their deliveries for years but what is changing is the science behind this matter.
During the prime of the likes of Nolan Ryan, the popular way of generating more momentum back then was the “Stand Tall and Fall” style developed by Nolan Ryan and his pitching coach Tom House, who may have coined the term. This proceeded the popular style of “Drop and Drive” used by the great Tom Seaver. These two styles of pitching are still used today. What is changing is pitching mechanics are evolving from an art form into the world of science. Read more
Popularity: 23%
“Triple Extension” creates optimal “Separation.”
June 6, 2009
For all of those pitchers who are trying to develop more separation in back hip to back shoulder you will only achieve this with triple extension of the drive leg. “Triple Extension” is extension of the ankle joint, knee joint and the hip flexor. You must perform this in your drive leg so your back hip can open completely to the target. If you keep your shoulders and weight back while you perform”Triple Extension” optimal “Separation” will occur. Read more
Popularity: 18%
Tim Lincecum teaches Top Velocity
May 5, 2009
There are two forces that add velocity to a pitch:
Momentum
Rotational Torque
For momentum to effectively transfer to the ball, the pitcher must use all rotational pivots in order from the bottom up. The hips must rotate before the shoulders and the shoulders before the arm internally rotates. For this to happen effectively these pivots must be free to rotate completely. Notice the picture of Tim Lincecum (Tim Lincecum is a phenom because of his size and ability to reach his top velocity continuously.) Notice in the picture his weight is slightly leaning to his left. This would be like tilting an open door backwards so the open door slams closed due to gravitational forces. This gravitational pull is helping to create full range of motion in Tim Lincecum’s hips and shoulders at front foot strike. If he or the door was tilted the opposite way then these gravitational forces would work against his momentum by decreasing full range of motion in his rotational pivots. Using the force of gravity to increase the range of motion in your hips and shoulders will have a significant effect on your velocity. This is a big reason why Tim Lincecum can throw so hard for his size. He is working with the forces of nature to generate his power. Read more
Popularity: 33%
The Pitching Windup or Stretch
March 8, 2009
The windup is almost scared to the game of baseball but it really has no purpose besides a kind of placebo effect on the mental state of the pitcher. The windup represents the old style of pitching from back in the day when the pitchers would use the windup to get their arms moving faster like in the video clip here of Dizzy Dean. Now that we have learned that doing this is destructive to pitching velocity, the windup has become just an extra step to throwing in the stretch. Read more
Popularity: 55%
The Split Perspective of Separation
February 17, 2009
Separation is a major component to developing top velocity and longevity. Separation means having separation from your back hip to back shoulder. Notice the picture here of Felix Hernandez. His back hip is pointing towards home plate and his back shoulder is pointing towards second base. This creates torque in the core. You can see the stretching in his jersey around the stomach area. Having more torque in the core instead of the shoulder of the arm will lead to more velocity and a healthier arm. Read more
Popularity: 39%


Learn what it takes to gain 10 mph
with the FREE Velocity Starter Kit!


