Command is your ability to precisely locate pitches.

• Command is even more specific than just throwing strikes (control).
• The best pitchers have both high velocity and excellent command, as it makes their pitches much more difficult for hitters to anticipate and hit.

When your back toe lifts off the ground before the ball is thrown, you lose the stable base needed for total pitch command.

The toe maintains contact until the weight and force transfer are complete, only truly coming off the ground as the front foot hits the ground and the torso begins to accelerate, releasing the pitch.

What is the most efficient and powerful way to create command?

Command with velocity originates from your hips rotating, followed by your throwing arm coming through to deliver the ball.

This is the ideal and scientifically backed model for pitching mechanics. It’s often referred to as “kinematic sequencing” or the “kinetic chain.” The hips and legs generate power by rotating and driving forward. The force generated by the hips and core is then transferred to the torso. This rotation, combined with the initial hip rotation, creates a “stretch” or “separation” between the hips and shoulders. This is a critical component for both velocity and command. The arm then “whips” through, releasing the ball and delivering the energy that has been built up through the entire body.

The proper sequence is to generate power from the ground up, starting with the hips, and then have the arm follow to deliver the ball. This is how elite pitchers achieve both high velocity and precise command, while also protecting their arms from injury.

• Power: The hips and core are the largest and most powerful muscle groups in the body. By initiating the movement here, a pitcher generates maximum power. The arm is not a prime mover, but rather a final “whip” that transfers all the stored energy.
• Command: The proper sequence of hips-first, followed by arm-through, allows for a more repeatable and consistent delivery. When the body is working together in a fluid motion, it’s easier to find a consistent release point, which is the foundation of command. A pitcher with great command places the ball precisely where they want it.
• Health: By using the entire body to generate force, you reduce the strain on the smaller, more vulnerable muscles and ligaments of the arm. This is a crucial element for arm health and longevity.

Pitching Mechanics: The Proper Sequence for Power and Command

What follows is a comparison of improper vs. proper pitching mechanics, focusing on sequencing, arm position, front leg landing/deceleration, and making your motion less injury-prone.

1. Wrong – You land your front foot, then your glove hand finishes its action.

Right – Your glove hand goes across your body, you finish glove hand action first or simultaneously land your stride, then you release your pitch.

2. Wrong – Your throwing arm goes behind your head’s center.

Right – Your throwing arm stays ahead of your head’s center to keep your throwing arm in a powerful and less stressful position.

3. Wrong – Your front knee goes behind your front hip.

Right – Your front foot remains in front of your front hip to keep your body in balance, promote proper deceleration, and not over-rotate your front leg.

4. Wrong – You release the ball beside your head, “short arming”, or not fully extending your arm.

Right – You release the ball in front of your head to get more distance and finish on the pitch, transfer maximum energy from the body into the ball, and keep the ball hidden longer.

5. Wrong – You decrease velocity and struggle with command by “throwing all arm”.

Right – Your kinetic chain, essential for power and command, creates proper hip-shoulder separation to rotate the largest, strongest muscles through your torso to generate a whip-like motion, ensures the shoulder is aligned at the moment of release, and places less stress on the elbow and shoulders.

How do you develop command?

You go to “Your Injury Resistant, Command Producing Motion Video“  or receive In-Person Pitching Instruction in Sicklerville, NJ to …

• effectively corrects the prompts to uninvolve your lower body,

• teaches the proper, sequential movements, and

• guarantees that the lower body is the primary source of power.