Pitching in Baseball

Pitching with the Entire Body

Most people think of shoulder and arm strength when they think of pitchers, yet there is more to it than that.  50% of pitching velocity comes from the legs and trunk.  In addition to the shoulder being a vital part of the throwing motion, the legs and core are just as, or more, important.  The legs are the part of the body that initiates the throwing motion.  Also the core is the bridge for the energy created in the legs to be transferred to the shoulder, arm and hand.  Focusing on the entire body can increase performance and reduce injuries.

When speaking with George Jensen, pitcher for the St. Paul Saints and instructor at Hit Dawg Academy, he expressed that leg strength is essential for having optimal stride length, while still staying “on top” of the ball.  Jensen stated, “I saw the largest gains in velocity when I was working on lower body strengthening.”  He went on to say that hitting the weights in college, especially squatting type exercises, were the most beneficial.  Jensen discussed with me that he used to be a short strider and mainly relied on his arm while pitching (a common cause of injuries).  After increasing his leg strength he was able to stride further and get closer to an optimal stride length, which is about 80-90% of the athlete’s height.  It was no coincidence that in his years at college, where he focused on strengthening, the Tampa Bay Rays drafted him in 2010.

I spoke with another pitcher, Chris Odegaard, a former draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009.  He states that energy created in the legs can be completely irrelevant if the core is not strong enough to transfer the energy to the throwing shoulder.  Chris said that they focused on core work in college, however, when he got to the minors for the Diamondback, he said they took it to another level.  Odegaard said that the Diamondbacks emphasized how important it was to have a balanced and strong core to maximize energy transfer.

Injuries can also occur when the entire body is not involved in the pitching motion.  As far as delivering the ball, it is very common for pitchers that are lacking leg strength to take a shorter stride as George Jensen discussed above.  This creates added stress to the shoulder and elbow to make up for the lack of energy that should have been created by the legs and trunk.  On the other side of the delivery is the follow through.  This is another crucial phase in throwing that can lead to injuries as well.  Properly following through to the plate allows the larger muscles of the legs and trunk to assist in slowing the arm down after delivery.  The rotator cuff of the shoulder and structures within the elbow are, once again, put under additional stress if the legs and core are too weak or improperly used.

Working on shoulder strength is great as a pitcher, however, it is not the only body part used while throwing.  Build strong legs and a balanced core, which will help prevent injury and improve your skills.  

Good luck this season!