3 frequent issues of most pitching injuries:

1. Excessive use of the throwing arm
2. Poor pitching mechanics
3. Poor strength and conditioning

This is significant to understand because injury prevention ought to be the principal emphasis of any in-season throwing system. Based on these facts an excellent in-season pitching program should include a lower amount of throws to avoid overuse, drills to help maintain good pitching mechanics and lastly incorporate a fitness program that will institute excellent health and fitness.

Counter Productive Training

Before I structure the ideal in-season training method we need to first establish and number typical methods to pitching that would fall into the category of the aforementioned common injury issues.

Air it Out Long Tossing (Exceeding distances of one hundred and fifty ft)

This kind of training, though it is quite popular, includes a cautionary tale. ASMI performed numerous studies on this style of practice and yes it rendered elbow varus torque inside the pitching arm and throwing mechanics which were not favorable on the pitching mound. ASMI urged against these kind of tosses for rehabilitation and training intentions.

This kind of training could easily bring about unnecessary use of the rotator cuff and elbow and whenever poor mechanics exist, the pitcher is even more vulnerable to injury.

Weighted Baseball Workout (Over Under Load Training)

I have got no scientific studies against this type of practice. I have in fact utilized the two of these pitching methods during my career, but it was before my arm injury. This kind of exercise once again falls into the three common factors of most throwing injuries. This certainly will raise the volume of throws and with poor mechanics, places the thrower in a dangerous situations.

Tv and Web Gadgets

I am not proclaiming that every gadget or attention-grabber in the media or the Net is trash, nevertheless, you must ensure that they don’t place you within the class of the 3 common factors ultimately causing arm injury while in-season. Some of these gadgets encourage a higher number of throws and bad mechanics. I advise you to teach yourself on good mechanics and make use of this ideal in-season training program before you decide to throw away your hard earned money.

The Top In-Season Pitching and Strength Maintenance Program

This system contains the two parts, the throwing program and the strength and conditioning program. It is important to realize that we are really not attempting to enhance velocity or strength while in-season. The inspiration of any ideal in-season throwing system is always to protect against damage as well as to preserve strength. In the event you do well at this you’ll experience consistent velocities in between performances and you will definitely stay away from the Disabled List (DL).

This is simply not a generic method because it is going to cover all ages, all levels of the game along with your pitching work load. Ones own throwing work load incorporates ones own quantity of pitches for each outing.

There’s a critical element with an in-season pitching routine that will not be included here which happens to be nutrition. Good diet facilitates the body’s capability to restore and repair.

Relief Pitcher Workload (According to two day Rotation)

• 21 – 35 throws = 1 day rest from throwing
• 36 – 50 pitches = 2 days rest from throwing

Day 1 (Maintenance & Mechanics)

1. Dynamic Warm-up
2. Pitching Exercises (Tutorials In this article) 3X Medicine Ball Throws, 3X Target Drills on Mound
3. Jumps (1 set, 20 yards) Pogo Jumps, Bunny Jumps, Frog Hopes
4. Anaerobic Training (3-6 sets) Hurdles, Resistance Sprints, Standard Sprints
5. Rotator Cuff Routine (Resistance Tubing or 2-3 pound weights, 3 sets ten repetitions) External Rotation, Positives and Negatives, Shoulder extensions, Up and Out, Windmills

Day two (Eat, Rest & Recover)

1. Dynamic Warm Up
2. Visualization (Visualizing your own self pitching perfect pitches with perfect mechanics, has been proven to be far better compared to actually practicing)

Starting Pitcher Workload (Dependant on 4 Day Pitching Rotation)

• 51 – 65 throws = 72 hours rest from pitching
• 66 pitches and more = four days rest from throwing

Day one (Maintenance)

1. Dynamic Warm Up
2. Plyos (1 each, twenty yards) Pogo Plyos, Bunny Hopes, Frog Jumps
3. Anaerobic Training (3-6 sets) Hurdles, Resistance Sprints, Normal Sprints
4. Core Program (3 sets 10 reps) V-Ups, Medicine Ball, Russian Twists, Two Leg Jack Knife, Medicine Ball Slams, Back crunches
5. Rotator Cuff Routine (Resistance Tubing or 2-3 pound dumbbells, three sets ten reps) External Rotation, Positives and Negatives, Shoulder extensions, Up and Out, Windmills

Day 2 (Mechanics)

1. Dynamic Warm-up
2. Throwing Routine (Instruction Beneath) 3X Medicine Ball Throws, 3X Target throws on Mound
3. Twenty five Pitches On Mound around 60% effort (10 Fastball, 10 Breaking Balls, 5 Off Speed)

Day 3 (Eat, Rest and Recover)

1. Dynamic Warm Up
2. Visualization (Visualizing your own self pitching perfect pitches with perfect mechanics, has been proven being far better compared to actually practicing)

For more knowledge on these kinds of drills and exercises make sure you go to TopVelocity.net. Anyone may make contact with me personally at TopVelocity.net/Contact.

Mechanics Drills

This particular area of the system could incorporate any exercises to help develop the muscle memory for good mechanics without putting a high quantity of throws on your throwing arm. I have listed 2 mechanics drills from the 3X Pitching Velocity program as well as a hyperlink to the 3X Pitching Mechanics Video in the referral segment listed below. I highly suggest viewing the movie prior to using the 3X Exercises therefore you have a good understanding of the approach.

3X Medicine Ball Throws (15-25 Throws with 2 pound med ball. DO NOT Exceed 2 pounds)

Phase #1

Start out in a full stride, which is 80-90% of your height. Both of your feet must be pointing towards the catcher. You are on the powerpads of your back leg foot with most of your bodyweight on your back leg. Your shoulders are closed towards the catcher. The med ball will be behind your head, on top of your throwing shoulder, with the two of your hands controlling the ball. Your chin is tucked and behind your own belt buckle.

Phase #2

Lift your lift leg and triple extend your back leg just before your front foot strikes. Triple extension is the extension of the ankle, knee and hip flexor. Land strong without allowing your front leg knee shove past your front leg heel. When your front foot lands you will feel your hips slam wide open while you keep your shoulders closed. This should generate core torque or hip to shoulder separation which will coil your body and then release your shoulders towards the zone externally rotating your pitching arm.

Phase #3

You should end with your torso out over your front leg along with your chin still tucked. Release the baseball by stretching your arms out and up and don’t PULL THE BALL DOWN TO RELEASE.

3X Target Pitches (15-25 Throws with Ball)

The importance at this point is to develop the motor coordination or muscle memory in the med ball throws into your target throws.

Phase #1

Start in the very same position and stance as the Med Ball Throws Phase #1. Total stride, feet in direction of target, shoulders closed. Truly the only difference is your throwing arm is behind your head cocked and ready as well as your glove side is elbow to zone and baseball glove hand relaxed. Utilize the baseball glove side to help line your shoulders up with the target.

Phase #2

Just like the Medicine Ball Throws Phase 2, begin with lifting your front leg while loading your weight against your drive leg. Carry out this with an explosive push of the drive leg, acquiring triple extension prior to front foot strike. This should build power through your stride and fire your hips open when the lift leg lands and holds. The shoulders must remain closed to generate ideal hip to shoulder separation.

Phase #3

Start off the pitch by allowing your shoulders to release the core torque, leading with your torso in the direction of target. Keep the chin tucked as the chest shoves out over your lift leg and your arm externally rotates. Be sure only at that position your throwing elbow is above your shoulder. End the pitch by internally rotating your pitching arm and stretching your elbow up to release.

Referrals:

1. Position Statement for Youth Baseball Pitchers http://www.asmi.org/asmiweb/position_statement.htm
2. Biomechanical Comparison of Baseball Pitching and Long-Toss http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21212502
3. 3X Pitching 101 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJOM_TOkCoc
4. 3X Pitching Velocity Program http://TopVelocity.net
5. Ideal Pitching In-Season Training Program

In case you are like the majority of every pitcher who reads these tips and benefits from them, after this you must buy the 3X Pitching Velocity Program. This system, built on these guidelines and more, will let you take your skill to a level you never thought you could reach!

Remember you are bound by nothing. You have the capability to throw 90 mph. Physicians said to me I would not be able to pitch again and I proved them drastically wrong. These pointers will help you do the same.

Pitching Speed Tricks

Visit the source on the web for pitching velocity information for all of the referenced articles.

1. Change speeds

This should always be your first step in improving velocity as there is no risk involved. This creates an false impression of velocity. By changing the speed of your pitches this will throw the hitter’s timing off and will make a 70 mph fastball look like a 90 mph fastball. Pitchers like Trevor Hoffman have built long major league careers off of this one rule. He is a master of the fastball change up combination. Utilize this tip for fast effect while you work with the other velocity tips.

2. Pitch from the ground up.

Most of us make the error at a very early age, that to throw a baseball solely takes the arm to execute the job. Then as we grow bigger and move up levels in the game, we find ourselves continuing to only use our shoulders and arms to throw the ball. This is a major problem. This is the reason we still have a phenomenal volume of shoulder and elbow injuries in the game. You need to reprogram your perspective. It’s essential to teach your body to recruit larger muscle groups whenever you demand more velocity from your delivery. This begins in mastering to pitch from the ground up. Velocity is produced by forces added to the ball. These forces result from momentum in your lift leg along with your push off the ground or what is called ground reaction forces. You then must learn to transfer these forces into the ball. This is certainly learned through the 3X Pitching Velocity Program.

This pitching video clip talks more details on the throwing faults we make at a young age.

3. Loading your weight back until launch.

Timing and efficiency of weight shift, during delivery, is definitely the essence of velocity. This is where velocity exists. Most beginning pitchers do not load at all. After they lift their leg they fall in the direction of target. This will cause poor velocity and arm injury. Browse my article “Lift for Show, Load for Doe” to understand “The Load” position.

4. Building Core Torque.

A very important component to velocity, is building majority torque inside the core. The core is the area from just above the knees to just below the chest. This region contains the most powerful muscles in the body. So it makes sense that you can use this section of the body to produce velocity. In case the core will not be primarily utilized to create torque, then the shoulder and elbow is going to be forced to support the torque needed to create velocity. To learn more about “Separation” or the incredible importance of developing core torque, read the article “Pitching Torque and the 3 pivots” and also watch this video.

5. Create more Elastic Energy.

As soon as you have created core torque and your weight remains to be loaded back, rotate and thrust your chest forward while your arm externally rotates behind your head. This stretching of the stomach and shoulder is developing elastic energy in the body. The more relaxed you are, the more elastic energy can be created. To explore more about this read the article, “Pitch Velocity = Elastic energy.”

6. Momentum transfer.

What’s the advantage of creating momentum when you can not control or transfer the momentum into the ball? The condition with coaching someone to be able to create more momentum when pitching is because they do not know how to control it and they get worse before they get better. Because of this , proper momentum transfer is crucial for good velocity. Should you leave any momentum in your body, then you have left some velocity behind. The 3X Pitching component of “Stabilization” explains how this momentum transfer must come about.

7. Early elbow extension and Internal Rotation.

A good number of throwers believe that whenever they pull their arms straight down at release then this will produce more velocity. The opposite is true. Maximum velocity pitchers release the ball sooner than low velocity pitchers after external rotation of the throwing arm. Which occurs after momentum transfer when their chest has gone out over their toes and their arms are externally rotated. This means after your body has done its job you have to release the ball as fast as possible by allowing your elbow to extend up and away from your head. You need to also begin internally rotating your arm, when your elbow extends, so you’re able to release the pitch with your thumb pronated down. This will protect your arm through the deceleration phase. Read the article “Pulling down is slowing down” for more information.

8. Refuel your ATP.

ATP is the main supply of energy for all muscle contraction. There are several chemical reactions that take place to form ATP. When a muscle is utilized, a chemical reaction breaks down ATP to create energy. There exists only enough ATP residing in the muscle cell for a couple or three slow twitch contractions, or one burst of power from a fast twitch contraction. More ATP must be created.

To understand rest between throwing a pitch, first you should be aware of what will happen during the delivery of the pitch. Initially muscle tissue use ATP to power the contractions but the amounts of ATP available are limited. The cells have got a limited capacity to replenish ATP during the activity before being forced to change to other methods to fuel the activity.

Thankfully, your body can replenish ATP if you are resting. About 50% or half the exhausted ATP is replaced after about a minute of complete rest. Most of the ATP that the entire body can replenish (just over 95%) is actually restored after around three minutes of rest. I’m sure pitchers are unable to wait that long between pitches, nevertheless the longer it is possible to wait, the better the possibility to develope more velocity.

9. Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber.

An effective strength and conditioning regime similar to the 3X Pitching Velocity Program, is based around remodeling fast twitch muscle fiber. This is significant for velocity, because when adding somewhat more velocity into a pitch, it’s essential to recruit more muscle fiber within your muscular system for making this happen. Now we have already described where that muscle fiber should come from, now you should try to learn how to remodel more muscle fiber within the correct places within your system. Spending much of your time in the weight room sitting on cushioned machines, isn’t what you need. Begin with the “Beginner Pitching Workout” and then you can proceed to the “Fusion System” in the Ace Pitcher Handbook.

10. Speed your recovery.

By speeding your recovery time between starts or appearances, you are making sure you don’t ever enter a game below 100% recovery. If your system is completely rebuilt and replenished, this is a better opportunity you should have the ability to produce your top velocity. This is the reason it is important to keep a strict program of a good weight training and conditioning program, in addition to a balanced alkaline focused diet. You have to study alkaline based foods. These include green vegetables and more, that really help restore the PH levels in your body. Whenever your system becomes very acidic, you do not recovery as rapidly. Diet is extremely important to recovery. Read this article on “Pitching Nutrition and Supplements” and begin consuming more alkaline foods using this chart.

Bonus Pitching Speed Tip
Lay off your arm

Stop wearing your arm out. It does take enough abuse on the mound. You must make certain your weight training program isolates the core and legs more than the shoulders and arms. If your arm is constantly sore and tired, the reason is , you use it to much. Try changing routines, like brushing your teeth with your non-pitching arm and don’t arm wrestle your roommates employing your pitching arm. Look after yourself and it will take care of you.

I recognize every one of these pitching velocity tips failed to go into much detail. The goal of this article was to provide some advice for developing efficient and effective velocity, without having to sacrifice the body in exchange. If you need more detail on each one of these of these guidelines, then sign up for the FREE e-newsletter at TopVelocity.net and begin reading the articles. If you are really serious about pitching then purchase the 3X Pitching Velocity Program to take charge of your career. Best of luck!

Instant Pitching Velocity

These two labels of pitching styles are elementary. It is obvious that whomever coined these terms had no clue about the physics of  velocity focused pitching mechanics. I say “velocity focused” because the two pitchers who are used to illustrate these styles of pitching are Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver. These both were hard throwing pitchers but they had more things in common than not. Those who use these terms of pitching styles usually label Nolan Ryan as “Stand Tall and Fall” and Tom Seaver as “Drop and Drive.” Every time I hear this approach to pitching I think I am watching some PBS children’s show on baseball. Both pitchers stood tall and both pitchers drove off of their drive legs. The only difference between the two was that Seaver had a bigger stride which put his knee lower to the ground. This also caused him to finish more behind his knee at release but everything else between the two is almost identical. This would make sense because Nolan Ryan talked about how he looked up to Seaver when he was young and that he would mimic his mechanics as well. To prove my point lets take a lot at them both in their deliveries.

Tom Seaver “Drop and Drive” or NOT?

Nolan Ryan “Stand Tall and Fall” or NOT?

This last picture here shows the only difference in the two deliveries. Notice the distance of the drive leg knee from the ground at front foot strike. Tom Seaver obviously has a longer stride. So how does this label his delivery has “Drop and Drive.” If you notice both pitchers have a high leg lift and both pitchers drive off of their drive legs. The reason they have been labeled different is that the human eye can not see everything that is happening in the delivery because of the incredible speed. Therefore when Seaver finishes with a bigger stride than Ryan people perceive it as he is drive off the mound instead of falling. I GUESS!

The Only Complete Aproach to Pitching Velocity!

There is only one other approach to pitching velocity which is called 3X Pitching. This approach is the only approach that covers every aspect of the pitcher, from mechanics, to conditioning the athlete, to throwing hard. This approach is revolutionary because it does not only describe a style of pitching based on the human eye. It actually describes the scientific process of developing the elite high velocity pitcher. To learn more about this approach which has a guarantee to add 5-10mph to your delivery in 16 weeks search the 3X Pitching Velocity program here. This is the only program out their they will actually help you throw harder without causing injury.