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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Improve Your Pitching Mechanics This Season


By Dan Gazaway

Pitching Mechanics are important to know considering they can add years to your pitching career and decrease the likelihood of injury to your arm. Pitching Mechanics are helpful, if done properly, because you utilize your entire body to throw the baseball as opposed to merely relying on your arm for velocity.

Find a qualified pitching instructor- Find a pitching instructor who knows a great deal about pitching mechanics. There are many "instructors" that have played at high levels even in the major leagues who have a great knowledge of pitching mechanics, however, they don't know the first thing about teaching. Make sure the pitching instructor you choose has plenty of testimonials and has a proven track record for success.

Do your drills- Throwing the ball with proper pitching mechanics will allow you to throw harder with less effort. Most of my students will see an increase in pitching velocity after the first couple of lessons because again, they are utilizing more of their body to throw than their arm. Tom House has said many times that pitching a baseball is a feet to fingertip exercise. To ensure that you throw the ball properly, it is imperative that you repeat proper body movements, "pitching mechanics", on a daily basis to build muscle memory. There are many drills your instructor will give you to work on.

Throw with a purpose - Once you know what drills you need to work on and you know what you need to do to improve you're pitching mechanics; it is important that you just don't throw to throw anymore. Every time you pick up a baseball you need to be throwing with a purpose. Know what you are going to work on, on a daily basis. When you are with your friends playing catch you should pick something you need to improve on like "leading with your hips" or "Maintaining your balance to foot strike". The point is, always throw with a purpose; working on something daily to improve you're pitching mechanics.

Dan Gazaway, owner of The Pitching Academy in Utah, specializes in pitching mechanics teaching over 2,000 athletes in the last 10 years. He instructs pitchers how to throw a variety of pitches including the curveball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Gazaway

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Hello Baseball Friend,
I welcome any comments or suggestions. If you have a question or a topic that you would like to read about, please leave a comment and I will try to address that topic as soon as I can. Good luck in the coming season!
Have a great day, Nick