Drive Mechanics

Differences – The Exercises - Part 2 of 5

The Single-leg Hop and Hold is nearly identical to the Broad Jump and Hold… but as you can see… is performed on one leg. I need not explain that pitching requires posting on a single leg (at least I hope I don’t)… so including single-leg exercises in your routine is important. This said… underlying issues (like dominance patterns) require that you perform this exercise VERY CAREFULLY. As the ‘spotter’, you must ensure that the athlete land with deep knee-flexion, and that the knee has no frontal plane (side-to-side) movements. Start this by jumping only a few inches (into the sagittal plane)… and focusing on maintaining a ‘soft’ landing, deep knee flexion, and no frontal plane knee movement. I tell them to land “light as a feather”… and this is done via ankle, knee, and hip flexion. Start with low-intensity little jumps… and increase the distance gradually… as they exhibit total control. It will eventually become a ‘jump’… but is the reason I refer to it as a ‘hop’.

Start in a semi-crouched position on one leg. Arm should be fully extended behind her at shoulder. Initiate jump by swinging arms forward while simultaneously extending at the hip and knee. The jump should carry her at an angle upward at around 45-degrees, and attain maximal distance for a single leg landing. Land with deep knee flexion and hold for 3 seconds. As noted above START WITH A SMALL HOP. Once she can stick the landing regularly with minimal movement… add distance… a little at a time. Keep her visual focus away from her feet – as this will prevent too much forward lean at the waist.

The Single-leg Hop and Hold


The Squat Jump requires a great deal of knee and hip flexion. In choosing other plyo routines, this concept is known as 90/90… meaning the hip and knee flexion angles will reach or exceed 90-degrees in the activity. This 90/90 flexion is a great way to activate the hamstrings… and when you combine this exercise with ‘holding’ exercises (like the Broad Jump and Hold) the hamstrings will undergo cocontraction, which has been proven an effective way to strengthen the hamstring muscles. As in all of these exercises, posture on landing is paramount. This is a single plane exercise… frontal.

Begin in the athletic position with feet flat on floor, pointing straight ahead. Drop into deep knee, hip, and ankle flexion; touching floor as close to heels as possible. Jump straight up vertically, reaching as high as possible. On landing, immediately return to starting position. This is repeated for allotted time or until technique begins to deteriorate. Encourage her to reach and jump as high as possible – and to land in the same footprint on each jump. Maintain upright posture. Do not allow her to bend forward at the waist to reach the floor… she should keep her eyes up, feet and knees pointed ahead, and arms outside her legs.

The Squat Jump


X-Hops are performed on a single leg, and are similar to Tuck Jumps… in that they also double as a field diagnostic tool for Leg Dominance. Maintaining balance on a single leg… especially while maintaining deep knee flexion between hops makes this exercise more difficult to perform than it may first appear. This exercise has been proven to reduce the occurrence of ankle injuries. Alternate legs when performing this exercise… and all bilateral differences in technique will be easy for the ‘spotter’ to identify. Multi-plane exercise (sagittal and frontal).

Make a quadrant pattern on the floor and have her stand on one leg with the support knee slightly bent. Hop diagonally, landing in opposite quadrant, while maintaining the forward stance. Hold deep knee flexion landing for 3 seconds. Hop laterally into the side quadrant, holding the landing as before. Hop diagonally backwards… hold it. Hop laterally into beginning quadrant and hold. Repeat for required number of sets. Make sure she is maintaining balance during each landing… while keeping her eyes up and maintaining a visual focus away from the feet.

X-Hops


Bounding may look sort of goofy… but it is easily one of the most effective ways to correct imbalances and deficiencies that exist between legs. This multi-plane exercise requires that maximum distance is achieved in both planes. The non-dominant leg will receive coordination and strength benefits. Again… focus should always be on the technique…

Begin this jump by bounding in place. Once she attains proper rhythm and form, encourage her to maintain the vertical component of the bound while adding some horizontal distance to each jump. The progression of jumps advances the athlete across the training area. Encourage her to maintain maximum bounding height.

Bounding


End Part 2 of 5

Differences – The Exercises - Part 3 of 5

In building a routine, it’s important to incorporate a few ‘endpoint’ routines that “stress” (an intentional duality in meaning…) utilization of perfect technique… and these ‘endpoint’ exercises should be performed in multiple planes. The Jump, Jump, Jump, Vertical Jump exercise is a great example of this… because it requires the execution of three jumps… so any technique issues or imbalances will prevent the final vertical jump from being maximized. Proprioception is enhanced greatly in exercises like this…

Perform 3 successive broad jumps and immediately progress into a maximum effort vertical jump. The 3 broad jumps should be performed as quickly as possible and attain maximal horizontal distance. The third broad jump should be used as a preparatory jump that will allow horizontal momentum to be quickly and efficiently transferred into vertical power. Encourage her to provide maximum braking on the third and final broad jump to ensure maximum energy is transferred to the vertical jump (hope you all see what I'm doing here...). Coach her to jump directly vertical on the fourth jump and not move horizontally. Use full arm extension to achieve maximum vertical height.

The Jump, Jump, Jump, Vertical Jump


So ends the end of the detailed jumping exercises...

Control of body movements requires sequential muscle activation from proximal to distal segments. This kinetic chain allows for coordinated and efficient movements. Synergistic activation of muscles… from proximal to distal… allows for postural awareness.

The lumbopelvic-hip complex (LPHC) is comprised of the pelvis, hip, and trunk segments of our body… this also includes all muscles that originate from or attach to the pelvis, hip and trunk. If the LPHC is unstable, all resultant chained movements are unstable. Point being… if the center to which the kinetic chain passes through is not conditioned… athletic movements will be inefficient and the risk of injury exponentially increases.

The following exercises are designed to enhance neuromuscular stimulation, improve neuromuscular control of lower extremity biomechanics, and condition the LPHC to improve neuromuscular deficiencies (Dominance Patterns). As such, LPHC conditioning has been proven to positively influence muscle recruitment patterns. You’ve probably seen or performed many of these… and think of the word ‘contralateral’ as: opposite of the supporting structure…

The Thirty Second Work-Out

I call this my 30-second work-out. Perform repetitions or hold the position for at least 30-seconds. Technique is everything… Once 30-seconds of proper form can be performed… try a second set, then third, etc… These require much less explanation… as many are fairly static... but do not sacrifice form.

Side Plank:

Hold position. The body must remain in a straight line.

Side Plank


Front Plank:

Hold position. The body must remain in a straight line.

Front Plank


Flying Squirrel:

Externally rotate shoulders, internally rotate hips… Torso and thighs held off of floor. Hold position.

Flying Squirrel


End Part 3 of 5

Differences – The Exercises - Part 4 of 5

Bird Dog:

Contralateral arm and hip are extended, with body maintaining pelvic neutral. Hold position.

Bird Dog


Hip Abduction:

Hip and knee are in slight flexion. Perform hip abduction repetitions.

Hip Abduction


Clams:

Hips and knees in slight flexion, hip is abducted WHILE feet remain in place. Perform repetitions.

Clams


Advanced Front Plank:

Get in Front Plank position… then extend contralateral arm and legs, while body remains in straight line. Hold position.

Advanced Front Plank


End Part 4 of 5

Differences – The Exercises - Part 5 of 5

Pelvic Tilt (see my preferred variation: Single Leg Bridge):

Contralateral hip is pulled into hip flexion, while maintaining pelvic neutral position. Hold position.

Pelvic Tilt


Advanced Bird Dog:

Hip is extended as high as possible and then lowered to floor in a slow, controlled manner. Perform repetitions.

Advanced Bird Dog


Russian Hamstring Curls:

With elastic resistance around the trunk, knees on mat, and hands folded over resistance band… have the ‘spotter’ maintain a supportive position. It helps if spotter places his/her foot on both feet of athlete to prevent excessive movement. Athlete lowers (via eccentric contraction of the hamstrings) themself to parallel with the floor and holds 3 seconds. They raise the body up to starting position (via concentric contraction of the hamstrings). Do not allow her to bend at the waist… upright spine posture should be maintained.

Russian Hamstring Curls


Swiss Hamstring Curls:

Assume a plank position with heels on a medium size swiss ball. Maintain a neutral pelvis (flat body position). Pull the knees into flexion, by rolling the heels on the ball. Instruct them to pull the ball towards their butt, by flexing the knees – and maintaining a stable pelvis. If this becomes too easy after awhile, have her perform the same movement using a single leg.

Swiss Hamstring Curls


End Part 5 of 5

I hope you're all putting the pieces together... and see how these are not only Dominance Pattern exercises... but also very intentionally and very carefully selected 'pitching-specific' conditioning elements... I'll wrap this up tomorrow...

Differences – The Final Chapter

I know I mentioned I would provide a reference chart for which exercises targeted the specific Dominance patterns... but after really reviewing this... every jumping exercise listed targets all four. Furthermore, every LPHC listed (as a combined routine) has been shown to immediately improve Tuck Jump assessment scores. Conditioning the LPHC is absolutely critical to high-level pitching... So, rather than give you a chart that may limit which routines you perform... perform them all. As noted, you'll be able to take all the exercises this thread provides, and make them your routine... and because there are quite a few, split them up into two separate routines that you alternate throughout the week.

The "Differences" posts have come to an end!!!

I know they might not have been what anyone anticipated in a 'Drive Mechanics' thread... but they may just be one of the most important pieces in the whole puzzle. I truly hope those that stumble across this thread... soak it in... and open their eyes to the uniqueness of each athlete. I hope the men that teach the sport... have a better understanding and knowledge of their female audience... and maybe view their instruction through a slightly different pair of lenses. Although I'll never know how many injuries were prevented by the knowledge sharing contained in "Differences"... I take unbelievable comfort in knowing that this will make a 'Difference' in the well-being of those that identify and condition underlying deficiencies.

Lastly... I'm going to throw a bunch of interesting stats out there... as these little blurbs always make interesting reading.

Statistically speaking…

In fours years of collected NCAA softball injury data… it was found that 65% of all injuries were non-contact (not caused by an outside source)… meaning most were the result of a neuromuscular deficiency.

In games, nearly 20% of injuries happened at the knee or lower… and in practices, nearly 40% of injuries were from the waste down.

In those that occurred from the waist up... In almost all throwing-related injuries of the upper extremities, the site of injury was not the source. Nearly all athletes exhibited a core musculature deficiency that was the culprit.

For young female athletes, the odds for a first-time tear of the ACL are just greater than 1-in-50. After tearing the ACL the first time, the risk of the same injury becomes 1-in-4.

Nearly 30% of female athletes have left-right lower extremity imbalances… with one hamstring weaker than the other. These athletes are 260% more likely to sustain a lower-extremity injury.

Strain on the ACL is reduced 36% with knee flexion of 15-degrees. The strain is reduced by 85% when the flexion is 30-degrees…. And learning neuromuscular strategies to deal with Dominance patterns… can reduce ACL-injury incidence by 80%...

Through video analysis, all instances of ACL rupture occurred in athletes who reached the flat-foot position 50% sooner than those that did not sustain injury… stressing the importance of learning proper landing mechanics (forefoot strikes...)

The threshold of the ACL is just over 480 lbs of force (2,160 N). Ground reaction forces range from 2 to 18 times the body weight - when performing one-leg landings.(ex. of my DD... 280-2560 lbs of force... or up to 11,520 N)

A 10-week resistance program has been shown to increase lower extremity proprioception for 9 months… that’s a lasting effect.

In 1000 monitored high school athletes (male and female), 100% of those that suffered an ACL or PCL tear had proportionately narrower intercondylar notches. All women have proportionately narrower intercondylar notches than men.

Most ligament reconstructions of the knee have costs that exceed $60,000.

Hamstring muscles should be 65-75% as strong as the quadriceps (H/Q ratio) to properly sequence and shield against injury. The average woman is between a 25-45%.

Estrogen and Relaxin hormone levels in the female body surge during the menstrual cycle, resulting in laxity of ligaments of 150%...

Thanks for the positive feedback... "Differences" have left the building...

Next up... Posture! ~JS

Posture & the Kinetic Chain: An Introduction

In my humble opinion, posture is the most important fundamental in pitching... especially when instructing beginners. Why? Here’s the simple version…

1. Stated simply…putting the body in favorable positions, will yield favorable results.
2. A pitcher will progress through fundamentals in a much more rapid fashion. One of the most daunting tasks as a PC… is overcoming ingrained postural deficiencies with ‘experienced’ pitchers (at least, it is in my experience).
3. It allows the athlete to maximize energy transfer through the kinetic chain.
4. It establishes healthy neuromuscular programming with a movement not familiar to the athlete.
5. It helps identify neuromuscular deficiencies early… which should require immediate correction… because: any movement pattern repeated often enough has the potential to create stress patterns in the muscle and joint structure, that ultimately lead to unhealthy dominance patterns (some of which you all know about)… because our bodies will develop avoidance mechanisms as a response.

That’s the skinny… here’s a bit more detail…

No one is born ‘balanced’, and good posture won’t make you a good pitcher… and my definition of posture is a little different. Truth is, our physiological design makes us all ‘imbalanced’ to some degree... as the structure of muscles as they cross a joint is… and this might sound odd… ‘ideally’ imbalanced (i.e. knee extensors/flexors).

So... my definition of the word “Posture” is… the way that we position our body and limbs when pitching… that allows for quality pitching movements… thus maximizing the transference of energy through the kinetic chain.

The kinetic chain is best described as a movement system comprised of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and neural (motor) components at a joint. Each of these is dependent on the others for optimal performance - in both static and dynamic activities. The quality of movement is determined by the alignment and the mechanics of each joint… and how the joints are recruited. Like a chain, movement at one joint will effect the joints above and below it…both positively AND negatively… depending upon the influence.



Too often, the kinetic chain is summarized incorrectly… it’s not just the joints… it’s everything in between. A common misconception is that if one link ‘breaks’, the chain is broken. The chain is NOT broken; it’s damaged. The extent of the damage will most severely impact the neighboring segments… and some of these segments/links are more important than others. Simply put, a kink in your chain will effect what it touches… and sometimes that will persist throughout the chain… but know that this negative chaining effect can… and is at times… overcome.



Good posture is good balance, in a muscular and skeletal sense... and it allows for the creation of efficient movements. Improper alignment of our body during pitching results in a loss of the efficiency of movements we can perform, and these inefficient movements will consume transferable energy, increase stress on our body, and possibly lead to injury.

This is not to say that we can’t perform the pitching motion in other ways… as you all know better… but realize that our body will always make muscular compensations in order to function. The neuromuscular system will create ‘alternate’ muscle activation patterns in an attempt to maintain stability… which results in less-than-optimal performance. Simply put, our body will always sacrifice quality of movement for quantity.

Quality of pitching movements allows a pitcher to utilize and transfer energy into the ball from the ground upwards. Linear energy is converted into rotational energy through sequential rotations of the pelvis, upper torso, and arm. The kinetic chain of a pitcher is broken up into body segments… with each ‘joint complex’ (all the stuff in-between) representing a link in ‘the chain’. At each link, there is a rotational lag between each segment… that allows for force production as well as ‘point of energy transference’ to the next segment.

In chaining, mass is important…and in the middle of this pitching chain is the largest of the segments; the trunk. Body segments that are greater in mass require greater torque production than their smaller, and subsequently more distal, segments. This passage of energy from link-to-link is marked by ‘moments’… most notably a moment of deceleration of the more proximal segment. The quality of stability during this moment determines the quantity of energy passed between the links. This moment of deceleration is known as proximal stability. The proximal/distal relationship is summed up nicely in this stick figure...



As this is an introduction… it’s probably a good idea to clear the air on all the different types of ‘stability’… as they are commonly referred to incorrectly… and they are a large part of pitching posture and the kinetic chain…

Proximal Stability is the ability within the kinetic chain to stabilize the more proximal segment… in order to pass energy from it… to a more distal segment.

Core Stability is much ‘deeper’ than most think… and is the act of stabilizing the lumbar spine via cocontraction of deep inner core muscles. It is the same thing as… and often referred to as… Spinal or Lumbar Stability… but is NOT the same thing as core strength.

Trunk Stability involves proprioception… or the ability to sense the position of the trunk in three-dimensional space… and subsequently control it. Trunk stability requires core and pelvic stability.

Pelvic Stability is the ability to control pelvic position in order to distribute forces to and from the ground and body (i.e. the extremities, the spine, etc…).

That should suffice as an intro... The next post will most likely be around the sequence of movements from the ground up… then the previously mentioned “Inner/Outer Core” will be addressed, and I guess it makes sense to throw in an ‘antagonistic movements’ post, too. Needless to say… this will be a pretty thorough study for all of you fellow information junkies… and there will be lots of good information discussed! ~JS

Ok... so I've done my best copying the posts into this thread from the original... with the goal of preserving as many of the great comments and posts offered by all the wonderful people on this site. In the process... I left out a few... and if any one would like a reference to the original thread.. it can be found here:

Drive Mechanics - the original thread.

I'll continue updating this thread with new posts as I get time... Thank you all for your support, kind words, and invaluable insights along the way!

Best,
JS

Ok. Full-on overload! You throw out a ton of great stuff to study and learn AND you get the honor of a dedicated sticky...

I think you're on track to have your number retired!

I pronounce tomorrow Java Day! Lol.....but seriously, everytime I read drive mechanics I find 1-2 new concepts/points that I missed the previous times I read it! Well deserved sticky

Posture & the Kinetic Chain: Movin’ On Up

One of the often overlooked aspects of modeling our young DD’s against elite mature pitchers… is the ridiculous disparity in physical development. To expect a 10-15 year old to match physical movements performed by elite pitchers is absurd… yet many are guilty of it (myself included). Model pitchers are an important study… but we would benefit more in understanding what is required to perform the motion… rather than spend too much time trying to mimic it.

This said… one of my favorite model pitchers in ‘Drive Mechanics’ is Sarah Pauly… and you’re all about to get a pretty steady dose of this incredibly talented, efficient, and ‘in-control’ pitcher…

We’ve breached the subject of the kinetic chain... and this post will be directed towards the chaining as it happens at stride foot contact… This is my novice attempt in showing you the flow...



Although we already covered striking patterns of the foot, the importance of ankle flexion and range of motion (dorsiflexion) cannot be overlooked… because the foot is the first link in this kinetic chain.

Biomechanically, a three-segment system is a preferred system for kinetic transfer (ankle, lower leg, and upper leg) . When the foot lands improperly (see the striking patterns post), the lower leg and foot will act as a single segment (as opposed to two segments). We know that the striking pattern is specific to the athlete… but when used incorrectly… a two-column system often creates too much knee flexion, or conversely, the appearance of column buckling on plant (hyperextension).

The goal of the foot strike is not to create energy… but instead… to efficiently absorb it to allow for transference. In the illustration below… you’ll see the preferred biomechanical activation sequence that is necessary to efficiently absorb the ground force collision and limit too much of an impact transient. The gif below shows the two dorsiflexion points that assist in activating the lower leg muscles. Notice that Sarah's heel is still on the ground in the first frame… and this dorsiflexed position is held just prior to lower leg extension.

As discussed previously, these dorsiflexion ‘points’ put the Achilles on stretch and activate the calf muscles – so that they may efficiently ‘do work’. Plantar flexion of the foot is achieved during lower leg extension… and the resultant ball-to-heel striking pattern ensures a 3-column system… transferring the energy to the knee on up…



The importance of not locking out the knee and eliminating excessive knee flexion during stride foot contact allows us to harness the ground reaction forces (GRF) efficiently. The lower leg 'bony' role (tibia and fibula) is to prevent the GRF from being excessive (via a 3-column jointed system), dampening the impact, so that the muscular system can effectively absorb and distribute this energy. Excessive and/or altered force applications will create functional instability in the supporting structures (ligaments and muscles).

On a side note… many have picked up on a rotational moment of the foot immediately prior to contact with the ground…. If not… here it is… It’s a pretty cool find the first time around… Remember, this is a weightless move...



This pre-rotational movement that Sarah performs is not a negative movement… as it marvelously sets up a force coupling of linear and rotational energy... Some do this naturally; others develop it over time… It’s not something you directly teach… but I find it interesting to point out… as many think rotational energy takes place higher up… when in reality, it’s a coupled force reaction with the GRF… and it starts at the ground for many. This unweighted pre-movement, creates torsional 'stress'... and you can watch it progress up the leg. Just as the linear energy is chained… so is rotational energy (torque)… Many assume the hip joint design would break this rotational chain… but remember… it’s the muscles and ligaments that distribute the energy through the chain… and it’s the bone 'POSITIONS' (think posture) that enable this transfer...

Using this new-found understanding - lets get back to the knees. The knees aren’t going to do a lot of work in creating energy, BUT their position and available range of motion greatly facilitate the hips and trunk in creating angular distances to which torque can be applied… or put simply… they allow for useful core body work to be produced.

This leads us to the hips and pelvis... The hips can be viewed as the ‘bridge’ in the kinetic chain. The sequence of muscle activation in this region greatly determines the success in efficiently transferring GRF energy from this proximal segment... to the more distal segments. The hips can be viewed as a generator and mediator of ground reaction forces. The hips work is done in tandem with local muscles that offer spinal stability.

As it pertains to the knee and upper leg… here’s a gif that illustrates some key activation/position moments… You'll notice the 3 labeled 'columns'... and the plantar-to-dorsiflex range of movement occurring in the ankle that make 3 segments possible. A sharp heel strike would eliminate the lowest column. You'll also notice the optimal knee-flexion angle as discussed in a previous, and quite important, post. Furthermore, you can see what the minimal knee flexion (bend) does to absorb energy... as shown in Sarah's quads flexing... as well as the rotation that is now resisted from the ground (as shown in her leg muscles 'flexing').


We’ve already talked about the importance of utilizing an efficient H/Q ratio (hamstring/quadriceps). Quad dominant athletes won’t recruit the hamstrings effectively, and almost always exhibit limited flexibility when performing athletic movements. Getting the knee out first, BEFORE lower leg extension, will activate the hamstrings. Hamstring flexibility and activation is a vital component in ground force chaining, as the hamstring muscles attach (or originate) in the pelvis (called the ischial tuberosity).

The pelvis is also considered the base of the spine… which happens to lead us into a ‘deeper’ subject… the 'Inner and Outer Core'…