Sometimes referred to as America's Pastime, baseball is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. One of the most important components to building a competitive team is to have a solid pitching staff. Some are blessed with pure natural talent when it comes to throwing effectively while others may have to get by on lesser abilities. Regardless of the talent level, using good pitching mechanics can be an essential part of having a successful and healthy career as a hurler.
The primary point to be made is why pitching mechanics are an integral ingredient of success in this arena. Performance level and durability are the two main answers to this. Better, more efficient technique can allow one to throw with greater velocity and control as well as minimizing the risk of injuries, particularly to the vulnerable shoulder and elbow regions. On the other hand, poor mechanics may limit the command of one's pitches and expose the player to a greater risk of injury.
The movements associated with throwing a baseball from the mound are extremely complex and include innumerable details. Because of this, it could take years to learn to properly evaluate a pitcher's mechanics. However, it doesn't take a professional pitching coach to learn to recognize a few key components to a good delivery.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
While throwing a ball is generally thought of to be performed with the arm, to be done well it must begin with the legs and trunk. Throwing mostly with the effort of the arm results in decreased effectiveness and a much higher risk of suffering an arm injury. On the other hand, good use of the legs and trunk to generate force that is transferred to the arm is a key in both throwing with more velocity and with less risk of arm injuries.
Another important point is balance. A pitcher who is falling off to one side is likely to have more problems with controlling his pitches than one who is balanced and minimizing lateral movement. Starting the motion in a balanced state and remaining this way throughout the entire process also relates to the previous point in that the legs and trunk can be used more and the arm can be used less.
How well the player is able to repeat the proper mechanics is of utmost importance. Variations in the delivery will lead to problems with command as well as potentially causing injury. It is essential, however, to be repeating the motion utilizing sound principles; repeating a poor motion is good for neither one's performance nor for the health of one's arm.
As one can see from watching successful pitchers, there is no magic formula for a perfect pitching mechanics. Variations in body types mean that each player's style will be somewhat different but the fundamentals remain the same for all.
The primary point to be made is why pitching mechanics are an integral ingredient of success in this arena. Performance level and durability are the two main answers to this. Better, more efficient technique can allow one to throw with greater velocity and control as well as minimizing the risk of injuries, particularly to the vulnerable shoulder and elbow regions. On the other hand, poor mechanics may limit the command of one's pitches and expose the player to a greater risk of injury.
The movements associated with throwing a baseball from the mound are extremely complex and include innumerable details. Because of this, it could take years to learn to properly evaluate a pitcher's mechanics. However, it doesn't take a professional pitching coach to learn to recognize a few key components to a good delivery.
Many people will automatically think first about the position of the arm. This is obviously of paramount importance but there is no clear agreement amongst experts on what exactly constitutes perfection in this aspect. There is more agreement, however, on a few fundamental points that are a good place to begin the process of evaluation.
While throwing a ball is generally thought of to be performed with the arm, to be done well it must begin with the legs and trunk. Throwing mostly with the effort of the arm results in decreased effectiveness and a much higher risk of suffering an arm injury. On the other hand, good use of the legs and trunk to generate force that is transferred to the arm is a key in both throwing with more velocity and with less risk of arm injuries.
Another important point is balance. A pitcher who is falling off to one side is likely to have more problems with controlling his pitches than one who is balanced and minimizing lateral movement. Starting the motion in a balanced state and remaining this way throughout the entire process also relates to the previous point in that the legs and trunk can be used more and the arm can be used less.
How well the player is able to repeat the proper mechanics is of utmost importance. Variations in the delivery will lead to problems with command as well as potentially causing injury. It is essential, however, to be repeating the motion utilizing sound principles; repeating a poor motion is good for neither one's performance nor for the health of one's arm.
As one can see from watching successful pitchers, there is no magic formula for a perfect pitching mechanics. Variations in body types mean that each player's style will be somewhat different but the fundamentals remain the same for all.
