Zoom Instruction: Proprioceptively Accurate Power Positions
From the bullpen: By starting in a proprioceptively accurate power position and having the glove arm move to the front hip, you allow for a consistent kinetic chain transfer of energy, resulting in uncanny regularity to the target.
From the bullpen, Coach Skip teaches you a “Proprioceptively Accurate Starting Position.”
When you train with Coach Skip, your sessions are designed to provide a clear understanding of your past and future pitching motions …
- Initial Observation. Once you’re warmed up, you start by throwing at least three pitches from the stretch. Coach Skip keenly observes your motion, paying close attention to your “Proprioceptively Accurate Starting Position,” foot placement, glove work, and the seamless flow of your kinetic chain.
- Personalized Feedback. Following this initial observation, Coach Skip identifies specific areas where your motion can be improved to enhance command, boost velocity, and significantly reduce your risk of injury.
- Collaborative Conversation. You’ll then have a detailed conversation about these identified areas. This isn’t just a lecture; it’s a discussion where you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what needs to be done and why.
- Instruction Begins. Once we’ve discussed the plan, the hands-on instruction begins. Coach Skip will guide you through the adjustments designed to refine your mechanics, introduce a specific drill for the motion, and seamlessly integrate the principles of “Proprioceptively Accurate Starting Positions” into your throw.
Zoom Instruction is $120 $60 for a half-hour session!
- If anything is unclear or you would like to discuss your instructions further, please don’t hesitate to contact Coach Skip.
$60 ZOOM INSTRUCTION In-Person Instruction in Sicklerville, NJ 75-Page Book for Coaches
The difference between your motion and the motion you need.
This motion is straightforward: By starting in a proprioceptively accurate power position and having the glove arm move to the front hip, you allow for a consistent lower-body action to transfer energy, resulting in uncanny regularity to the target.
The “motion” effectively breaks down into two critical phases.
- The Starting Position: This is where your weight is just in front of your back foot. It’s the moment the pitcher gathers their weight, establishes proprioceptive balance, and prepares to drive towards the plate.
- The Glove Hand Movement: To utilize trunk rotation in getting the ball to the target, the glove hand moves to your front hip, bracing the front side and facilitating the kinetic chain.
Why Missing the Starting Position is Problematic.
Suppose you “miss” your optimal starting position (e.g., balance is off, weight distribution is incorrect, hips aren’t appropriately loaded, drive leg isn’t ready to push). In that case, it disrupts the entire kinetic chain from the outset.
- Flawed Foundation: The initial energy generation from the lower body is compromised. If you can’t drive effectively from the ground up, you’re immediately trying to make up for lost power and open yourself to injury.
- Timing Issues: An inconsistent starting position throws off the timing of subsequent movements. If the leg lift is too high/low, too fast/slow, or the weight shift is off, everything else down the chain is out of sync.
Proprioceptive Instincts and Compensatory Movements.
- The Brain’s Goal: Get the Ball to the Target. A pitcher’s brain, through proprioceptive feedback, constantly receives information about the body’s position and movement. Its ultimate goal is to get the ball from the hand to the target.
- Automatic Adjustments: When the brain senses that the body is “off” from its ideal kinetic chain sequence (due to a flawed starting position, for example), it triggers subconscious compensatory movements. These are adjustments made in later stages of the delivery to “fix” the problem and still get the ball reasonably close to the target.
Why Compensation is Detrimental (Even if They Get the Ball There).
- Increased Stress/Injury Risk: Compensatory movements often involve overusing smaller, more vulnerable muscles and joints (especially in the arm and shoulder). For example, if the lower body isn’t generating enough power, the arm might try to “muscle” the ball, leading to high stress. If the front side pulls off early due to poor initial balance, the arm has to “throw around” the body, causing additional strain and potential injury.
- Inconsistency/Lack of Command: While these compensations might get the ball “close,” they rarely result in consistent, pinpoint command. The precise timing and angles are constantly changing because the body is reacting to an initial error, rather than executing a smooth, repeatable pattern. Each compensatory movement might be slightly different.
- Inefficiency/Reduced Velocity Potential: Compensations are inherently less efficient than a clean kinetic chain. Energy is wasted, leading to a reduced ceiling for velocity. The pitcher throws “hard” for their effort, but not at their absolute maximum potential.
- Difficulty Identifying the Root Cause: Because the body is so adept at compensating, a pitcher often only sees the result (e.g., arm pain, lack of command) and struggles to recognize that the root of the problem lies much earlier in the delivery, possibly in the initial “starting position.”
The Ideal Scenario.
The goal for a pitcher is to create a single, fluid, and efficient kinetic chain that starts from a consistent and powerful starting position. When that initial position is consistently achieved, and the body moves seamlessly through the subsequent phases (including the crucial glove arm going to the front hip), the need for compensatory movements is minimized. This leads to …
- Maximized Velocity: All energy is channeled efficiently.
- Optimized Command: The release point is consistent due to repeatable mechanics.
- Reduced Injury Risk: Stress is distributed appropriately across the larger, stronger muscle groups of the lower body and core.
Coach Skip’s guaranteed Zoom instruction brings the power of foundational mechanics directly to you, emphasizing the kinetic chain, proprioception, and lower-body involvement to optimize your results, wherever you are.
Thanks for choosing the Pro Pitching Institute for your pitching needs.
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Zoom Instruction | In-Person, South Jersey Pitching Instruction | A 75-Page Book for Coaches
