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What is Momentum Pitching?

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: 22%

Separation and Triple Extension

This videos covers the importance of “Separation” which builds core torque, increases velocity and takes stress off of the arm. Brent Pourciau also talks about how “Triple Extension” and the “Load” position is the key to generating optimal “Separation. Read more

Popularity: 14%

The Pitching Windup or Stretch

The windup is almost scared to the game of baseball. 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. Back in the day when the pitchers would use the windup to get their arms moving faster. 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. A little more time to focus on the target. Read more

Popularity: 59%

The Hip Slide to Pitching Velocity

The biggest problem I find in young pitchers is that they have poor separation in hips to shoulders. There are many articles on this site covering the pitching component “Separation.” It is so important because having separation from your back hip to back shoulder before the shoulders rotate to the plate, is critical for velocity and the health of your arm. What “Separation” does is it builds core torque. It puts more torque in the big muscle groups of the core, instead of mainly in the small muscle groups of the shoulder. Read more

Popularity: 57%

Bad Mechanics is a sign of Muscular Weakness

Above average coordination is a sign of fast twitch muscle strength. Fast twitch motor neurons recruit more muscle fibers. This means more control of the body and also more explosive power. The biggest problem for a pitching coach, when working with a pitcher who does not have good hip rotation or who does not load and build a full body stride, is that this is the result of poor core and leg strength and no mechanical drill will fix this problem. Drills only help pitchers who are having a hard time changing flawed muscle memory. It doesn’t help pitchers who have good muscle memory but poor muscle strength. This is why we have weight rooms. This is why any coach who tells you that weight lifting will NOT help you as a pitcher is clueless and is wasting your time and maybe even your money. A good strength and conditioning program that incorporates Olympic lifts, plyometric training and an intense speed training program is estiental to developing good pitching mechanics. Good athletes make good pitchers. Read more

Popularity: 55%

The Major Misconception of Pitching

Pitching is a very complex sequence of movements that involve building torque and force to generate velocity. So many things happening during a blink of the eye within the pitching delivery. What is even harder than pitching, is explaining this stuff. This is why every coach has his own interpretation. This is also why science wins over conventional wisdom. If you can prove it scientifically then conventional wisdom is forced to listen. If you eliminated ever coach in baseball who could not explain pitching scientifically you would have about 2% of them left to coach the position. This is why so many misconceptions plague baseball today, especially pitching. Read more

Popularity: 45%

Long Toss and the Placebo Effect

Long toss is praised by many and shot down by few. I have heard the likes of Alan Jaeger preaching long toss as the secret to velocity and the likes of Dick Mill’s trying to prove scientifically why you should never do it again. I have reflected on this topic for some time now. In my career, I did a lot of long toss but rarely did I notice any difference in velocity. I refuse to tell you that long toss is a waste of time but what I will do is share with you the Pros and Cons of this kind of practice. It is then up to you to make your own decision on using long toss in your training regime. Read more

Popularity: 47%

Scap Loading and the Back Side to Pitching

If you haven’t learned about “Scap Loading” then you are not tapping into your velocity potential. If you are not pinching your Scapular before committing your shoulders to the target, then you are losing a lot of velocity. If you have read some of my articles on this site you have heard this before. Greg Maddux in this picture is a perfect example of tightening the rubber band. He is building torque in his core by driving his hips open to the target, while he is pinching his shoulder blades together. This is the Ace Pitcher 3rd Component of Pitching. Here are some more photos of Pitchers performing this component. To put this into more detail we must look closer at the mechanics of Greg Maddux.

Greg Maddux is a Pitcher who is 40+ years of age, who is not a hard thrower anymore but he can still hit 90 if he desires. Most people would credit his name in the game of baseball to one of the craftiest pitchers ever. I would credit his name to one of the most efficient mechanics to play the game. This is why he is pitching into his 40’s. What has saved his arm, is the fact that he puts less abuse on it than the average pitcher. How he does this is by building momentum and using that momentum to build maximum torque in all his rotational pivots . He also keeps his arm in the safe zone his entire delivery. It sounds simple, be it takes incredible muscle coordination. Read more

Popularity: 33%

Pitching Torque and the 3 pivots.

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%

Pitching Velocity Drills – The Sled

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: 65%

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