Why the Drive Leg and Hips Are the Key to Pitching Power
Getting your lower body involved in baseball pitching is the single most important factor for increasing velocity, reducing arm strain, and maximizing power transfer. The lower body, particularly the back leg (drive leg) and hips, initiates the kinetic chain, which is the sequence of movements that transfers energy from the ground up through your core to your arm.
For over 20 years, Coach Skip Fast’s online course has provided three keys that align perfectly with a high-efficiency pitching delivery.
An overview of what to do and what not to do with your body: Your Kinetic Chain
1. Feet Spacing in the Starting Position✅
In your starting position, keeping your feet one baseball width apart.
This initial spacing is important for balance and setting up the subsequent motion.
Coil or balance your mass over the drive leg (the back leg).
“Sinking” or “Collapsing” the back knee too much slows the action.
The Goal:
- A slightly narrower stance promotes a controlled balance point and helps ensure the pitcher engages the drive leg effectively. A baseball width is a good starting point to feel centered and athletic.
- Your instruction includes 3 easily accomplished items that’ll prepare your motion for a balanced front lef lift.
Examples of what to do, accompanied by a video of what not to do with your body: Your Foot Placement and Your Kinetic Chain, Your Head and Your Kinetic Chain, Your Back Knee and Your Kinetic Chain, Your Glove Hand and Your Kinetic Chain, and Your Posture and Your Kinetic Chain.
2. Front Leg Lift & Balance✅✅
In the front leg lift, keeping your front shoulder even with your front knee.
This key focuses on achieving a powerful, balanced position before moving toward the plate.
Horizontal acceleration is your body’s focus on the glove-hand action that propels you forward down the mound.
Early rotation opens the hips before the front foot plants, leaks power, and puts stress on the shoulder to compensate.
The Goal:
- Maintaining consistent alignment, with the front shoulder even with the front knee at the balance point, encourages a tall, stacked posture, preventing the upper body from leaning and keeping the head centered over the hips, which is crucial for maximizing hip-shoulder separation and generating velocity.
- Your instruction includes another 4 items that’ll prepare your motion for a glove-arm action to involve your kinetic chain.
Examples of what to do, accompanied by a video of what not to do with your body: Your Front Foot and Your Kinetic Chain, and Your Front Hip and Your Kinetic Chain
3. Execution: Glove Arm Action✅✅✅
In your execution, having your glove hand move across your body before you stride.
This is a key timing and momentum cue that impacts the entire sequence.
Explosive uncoiling, the front foot landing acts as a “brake,” forces the energy to rapidly transfer up the kinetic chain. The hips rotate violently towards the target, uncoiling the hip-to-shoulder separation. The lead leg is firm and slightly flexed at landing. As the torso rotates, the lead leg aggressively braces to create a powerful stop, transferring final rotational energy to the trunk and arm.
Overstriding causes a loss of balance and forces the torso to rush forward. Failing to brace the lead leg allows energy to continue forward instead of being driven up to the upper body.
The Goal:
- Moving the glove hand across the body before or simultaneously with the stride helps to initiate the powerful rotation of the trunk and keeps the shoulders closed for as long as possible.
- Closing the Shoulders: The delay helps keep the front shoulder pointed toward the target, storing elastic energy, and preventing the arm from “trailing” the body’s rotation too early.
- Counter-Rotation: The tucking action also creates a slight counter-rotation in the upper body, enhancing the stretch and subsequent snap-back of the torso and increasing torque.
- Your instruction includes a final reminder of how to get your kinetic chain to bring the ball to your target with velocity and command.
An example of what to do, accompanied by a video on what not to do to your body: Your Throwing Arm and Your Kinetic Chain
