Pitchers Follow-Through

If there is any ONE area of pitching mechanics that drives me crazy it is what is taught for the follow through motion on the pitch. As I discuss this point, keep in mind that my emphasis here is 2 fold: Maximize efficiency of motion (therefore speed) and keeping pitchers arms and shoulders free of pain and injury.

This article is not about the other motion leading up to the follow through for any other reason except to set up my discussion points. 

My feelings on this point come from metadata and expert input. I have spoken to physical therapists, chiropractors, other expert pitchers and pitching coaches. I have studied kinetics and strength tested hundreds of pitchers. I watch the best female pitchers in the world and college and Olympic levels. All of this has lead me to one conclusion: There is a BEST follow-through method. 

I once heard Michelle Smith say, "If your shoulder hurts from pitching, you're doing something wrong." I could not agree more. I cannot tell you how many pitchers I see that have sore shoulders and elbows. I watch as moms come into dugouts to rub down their darling daughters pitching shoulders between innings. I have observed the veritable pharmacies that some pitchers keep in their bags to quell the pain. It is my belief that this is, at least in part, due to improper and FORCED motion on the follow through.

The damaging motion that I speak of is when players are made to follow through straight up to the same side shoulder. To be more specific, I'm talking about a pitcher who snaps the ball at her wrist and pushes off her finger tips to release, then proceeds straight up on the same side, and in some cases, will bend at the elbow and literally bring her hand straight up to the same side shoulder. The amount of torque on the lateral and posterior portion of the rotator cuff is excessive in order to do this, and is absolutely unnecessary. 

At the point of release, every good pitcher is basically in the same position (for fastball). The hand has rotated forward, ball is being pushed forward off the fingertips, stride leg is firm and stride foot usually between 90 and 25 degrees perpendicular to the stride-line, drive leg (drag leg) knee is moving forward with the release arm, hips are turned only about 25-75 degrees perpendicular to the stride-line. See below:

Notice the direction the arm is currently moving towards the catcher, but with the wrist snap the hand is starting to pronate in towards the opposite side. At this point, every good pitcher is the same. It is my belief that when a player is then forced to externally rotate the arm (opposite of the natural motion) using the lateral and posterior portion of the rotator cuff, that this pressure does progressive damage to the shoulder muscles. Further, if they then bend the elbow and push with the lower arm straight up to that shoulder, they are putting undue pressure on the elbow as well. Over long periods of repetition, I believe this can cause lasting damage to the shoulder and elbow joint. Yet I see this consistently taught by coaches of youth pitchers. 

Now Let's take that same release point and put a natural "spin" on it. At the point of release, I teach my pitchers to simply relax their arm and let it go where ever it is drawn toward with the momentum of the motion as the driving force. After repetition of this concept, more often than not, the arm finishes across the body and the hand continues to roll inward. It may finish up or down, but it is ALWAYS across the body. 

Allow me to make my case for this with multiple points

1. Everything done in sports, for power,  is across the body: Frisbee, overhand throw, golfing, batting. To maximize power, the arm must finish across the body. Any forced motion away from this is power lost from the ball
2. Multiple physical therapists, and chiropractors have expressed that this motion is more natural and hence safer for the arm and shoulder, than forcing the arm in a straight line up to the shoulder
3. As far as bending at the arm versus the wrist snap, a simple strength test demonstrates that the wrist generates more power than the elbow
4. By emphasizing the wrist snap with a loosely straight arm at the bottom of the arm circle the entire body-generated velocity maximizes at the end of the arm where the ball is released. Think towel snapping here: longer towels generate more power than short ones. As an added benefit, this creates a more consistent release point
5. Finally, look at the best pitchers in the game today. They all finish with a natural follow-through across the body, often down as well. See below

Both images above show different forms of the same natural follow-through. Notice how the hand has released and is turning over or already has turned over, and has crossed the body. This is natural and minimizes any stresses on the shoulder and elbow.

Truth is that very few instructors teach the unnatural and straight up pitch follow through the way they used to 5 or 10 years ago. This "old school" style of follow through this way has all but been phased out but it is still rampant at the younger levels. 

The best tools I have ever come across for teaching this movement is the:

Throwmax (tm)   and the Xelerator (tm)

(One note about the Throwmax. While I do put it on the elbow, 

I put the straps on the BACK of the elbow to maximize restriction 

of elbow flexion).

Both of these tools are fabulous in promoting natural and wrist-driven release and follow-through. 

The Throwmax really develops their ability to maximize wrist snap and finger push, while the Xelerator helps them feel the velocity of the release point at the bottom of the arm circle. 

With the Throwmax on, tell your kids to snap as hard as they can at the bottom of the pitch circle with strong snap from the wrist and push from the fingers, then simply let the arm go. I have my pitchers use this the entire session until wrist snap and natural follow through becomes the norm. 

The Xelerator should be used separately from the Throwmax to promote arm path and feeling the velocity at the bottom of the arm circle. Have them do about 15-20 circles with their body open in the K position with both feet down. 

Maximizing efficiency and protecting players from injury is the cornerstone of my instruction. I research, practice, and take advice from experts in physiology and coaching, as well as look at what the most successful people are doing before developing technique that I teach to young athletes.

 The girls that I have taught and stuck with this follow through have had long and successful careers. they can pitch multiple games in a day without soreness, and can do it for years at high levels.

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