Please pick apart my pitching mechanics - Thanks

Pitching Mechanics
#1

I’m of junior age (College) - but I’m on academic probation this semester and couldn’t play it was rough sitting out this year. I lifted really hard over the last couple months did alot of explosive type stuff and I just started throwing about 2 weeks ago getting ready for summer ball. I feel great and I feel much stronger but I threw my first bullpen today and alot of things felt out of sync. Here are 3 videos from three different angles please tell me things I’m doing bad and good.

Here are some things I noticed:

  • My head is going a little crazy
  • My arm on slow motion is bending almost behind my head. Not like normally backwards … but instead back behind my head.
  • Could stay closed a little longer
  • My arm is sticking out bad (Want it to stay down be more relaxed)

Thank you

#2

u got a big Inverted W…n its messin up your timing… and your gonna really hurt ur arm bad in the long run

#3

Lefty’s can get away with a little more “body action” in the motion. How hard are you throwing right now?

#4

Not terribly hard - I’d say like 80-82 ? Which is a big reason wanted to put my videos up here because I can long toss pretty well with people with higher mph on the mound. On football field can max out on long toss about 110 yards compared to most guys throwing low 80’s on my team that make it to about 85-95 yards. So trying to fix the kinks in my mechanics get the velocity up. Right now I rely alot on a decent changeup / slider. And while in this video I’m throwing a little more 3 quarters I threw this fall more side arm and saw alot of success.

Interesting about the W. I had never even heard of that term just googled it. So basically keeping my elbows below my shoulders. I felt ALOT of holes in my mechanics today - probably because obviously first time threw in about 2 months off a mound.

#5

[quote=“LeftyBaseballr16”]Not terribly hard - I’d say like 80-82 ? Which is a big reason wanted to put my videos up here because I can long toss pretty well with people with higher mph on the mound. On football field can max out on long toss about 110 yards compared to most guys throwing low 80’s on my team that make it to about 85-95 yards. So trying to fix the kinks in my mechanics get the velocity up. Right now I rely alot on a decent changeup / slider. And while in this video I’m throwing a little more 3 quarters I threw this fall more side arm and saw alot of success.

Interesting about the W. I had never even heard of that term just googled it. So basically keeping my elbows below my shoulders. I felt ALOT of holes in my mechanics today - probably because obviously first time threw in about 2 months off a mound.[/quote]

not only keeping the elbow belos the shoulder… but making sure that the forearm isnt underneath the elbow (check out bj ryan)… this is called inverted L which is just as bad (not saying that it will cause injuries…but looking at guys like zumaya, carpenter, ryan that use it have gotten injured) i wouldnt take a chance with it…

#6

Okay just read up on my 101 lesson on the Inverted L as well. Should I aim for this… not sure what it is called. But Breaking My hands close to upper-chest and extending glove and throwing arm straight forward/back then once I turn hips - turn glove side and follow pitching arm to glove arm and follow through?

#7

break your arm and ake it in the path that feels most natural as long as:

  1. your elbow dont get above your shoulders
  2. your forearm isnt thumbs down (inverted L)
  3. your timing is not upset
  4. your high cocked position angle isnt at any extreme (meaning it should be somewhere in the middle)

as long as you follow these guidelines take it as confortable as you can find

#8

Couple more questions:

  1. Does it look like I’m keeping my weight back?

  2. Does anyone see what I was talking about my arm action behind my head? (Know it will be hard on YouTube without slow mo)

  3. I’m dragging my foot a pretty good distance what are your thoughts on that?

  4. How does my finish through look? As far as my leg - and also my glove hand?

#9

Understand that the “inverted W” and “inverted L” concepts are nothing more than theories created by Chris O’Leary. I don’t believe he has any scientific proof backing his theories.

#10

Well, if you’ve been lifting hard and this was your first bullpen, then I don’t find it surprising at all that you’re out of sync. Do some more throwing and then see how you’re doing.

[quote]Here are some things I noticed:

  • My head is going a little crazy[/quote]
    I agree. I’d want to see your head be more steady. What I do see is right before the peak of your knee lift, you bend forward slightly at the waist. This initiates the unwanted head movement. Your body is simply adjusting to a posture you have the core strength to maintain through your delivery. I’d suggest a starting stance with a bit of a bend in the waist so that you’re already in that position before you start instead of adjusting into that posture during your delivery.

I’m not convinced that is an issue.

I didn’t really notice a problem. But, keeping your head steady will help keep your posture more stable and eliminate and posture issues opening you up early.

Not sure what you mean here.

The other thing I would suggest is for you to move your starting position on the rubber so that your back foot drag line ends on a line drawn from the center of the rubber to the center of home plate. This has ramifications on posture and direction of energy at release.

#11

[quote=“LeftyBaseballr16”]Couple more questions:

  1. Does it look like I’m keeping my weight back?[/quote]
    You don’t look bad but you might be able to start your hips forward a bit sooner than you are.

I saw it. Still not convinced it’s an issue.

The NPA recommends a drag line of at least two of your shoe sizes in length. That indicates good momentum. But the NPA also recommends getting your drag line to end on the centerline of the rubber (per my previous comments).

Mmm… you have a bit more of a posture change than I prefer. That fact that your upper half leans to the glove side isn’t itself a big issue but the timing of that lean is the issue. If it was entirely post-release follow through momentum that pulled you off to the side, then no biggie. But it that posture change starts before release, then energy that could have been put into the ball gets absorbed by the body instead. Furthermore, as the head and spine move offline from the target, the release point pulls back and raises up and generally becomes more inconsistent.

Your glove looks ok. I like it to stay out front somewhere over the front foot and the chest to move to the glove. An instable glove can lead to timing problems such as opening up early.

#12

Thanks for checking it all out for me - What I meant with my arm is my throwing hand. I’ve got a real bad habit of having it really cocked out instead of equal with my glove hand and straight down. My coach now atleast dislikes that and wanted me to have my pitching arm down equal with the glove.

But thanks for the replies once again - Gonna do some mirror work today then go throw some try to make the minor adjustments.

#13

I follow the NPA’s teachings regarding the throwing arm which says leave the throwing arm alone and make all your adjustments to the glove arm to get it to mirror the throwing arm. “Mirror” means the that elbow and wrist angles of each arm should match but nothing more. One arm can be bent up and the other down, both up, both down, one horizontal and the other down, etc.

#14

Interesting my school workout - and about 99% of our pitching philosophy our coach gets from Tom House.

#15

House’s current teachings, IMHO, are excellent.

#16

Understand that the “inverted W” and “inverted L” concepts are nothing more than theories created by Chris O’Leary. I don’t believe he has any scientific proof backing his theories.[/quote]

He does, actually, have some stuff on his site.

Also, I don’t see why he really needs that much scientific proof. If you can clearly see that the majority of people who do it get similar injuries, what is there to question?

#17

Well I appreciate it because there are 1000000’s of “Improve your Pitching websites” and everyone can point at some Major Leaguer because none of them have the same mechanics - Theres alot of pitchers (Almost all of them I’m sure) Running on almost all talent. So when someone shows you why something is better but can back it up with scientific facts instead of just … look how John Smith throws. Then I would be more inclined to purchase their stuff.

#18

I threw another pen today. About the same as last pen - I felt strong but was still a little jerky. I’d say velocity is up a little probably touching 83-84 but with that - location is down some. I didn’t work on a lot today basically worked on keeping my head on the catcher until the ball was delivered. But my question for you Roger is how do I fix my drag line. It’s pretty long I’d say 3-5 foot lengths is one thing I noticed today. But another thing I noticed is say I’m looking at the plate. My drag line is like 1 shoe length right and then drags about 2-3 lengths left. I didn’t post this video but this is another one of me throwing from last week and if you watch my foot you can see it. Why is this doing it and what can I do to fix it. (Or do I need to fix it - is it hurting location, velocity, ect.)

New Question (Didn’t feel like making a new thread):
Question on throwing program - Right now I’m throwing 6 days a week (Taking Sunday Off) My arm is fine - not really any problems other then occasional fatigue. Curious about intense throwing like 50-75 pitch pens and then long tossing after. (If you support the idea is it better to long toss before or after the pen) I know something big slowly growing coming from Japan is the intense throwing those guys do everyday. Something like 200-300 throws a day. What are your guys opinions?

In a week or so I’ll post another bullpen so I can compare videos.