Falling off the Mound?

It can be debated quite a bit about what is exactly happening during the drive phase and which is better. Lincecum obviously pushes off the mound or he woudn't have that far of a stride. Falling off the mound or pushing is somewhat preference depending on what school of thought you bank with. Flying open is a separate issue that shouldn't be effected one way or the other as to how one thinks about driving forward. I would reccomend that there is some coil with the front foot clearing the backside of the rubber before driving forward. There is a philosophy about showing the number to the batter that I like as it allows the arm to come up to the power position in a more powerful manner which will increase velocity.

The falling towards home plate needs to be more mental than anything. One thing to keep in mind is that whether one drives hard by pushing or one just naturally falls forward the arm itself will not increase or decrease in velocity in it's motion. The arm doesn't get pulled through until front foot plant and at that point the lower body has virtually no more forward velocity and it is all up to the upper body at that point. The ball, if you can visualize, has no forward velocity until well after front foot landing and thus velocity of ball is not effected at all with any forward push or drive velocity of the legs.

The coach of your son wants the more traditional natural fall of the body (which it does naturally on it's own without having to think about it) into front foot plant. The main thing here is to keep your weight back as long as possible and keep closed as long as possible. Lead with your front hip into that fall (hip should be out in front of everything else as you begin forward).

You may be pleasently surprised at what develops- give it a try.

The coach sounds like he is trying to get more hip, lower body drive and follow through to increase velocity. Have JPK3 Jr. continue to work on reps to increase comfort level and balance which will in turn develop consistency in mechanics and throwing motion. Monitor overall throwing sessions to insure Jr. is not susceptible to injury.

Each coach may offer recommendations which are correct but Jr. will have to determine what works best for him.

I can't imagine how balancing on the rubber makes you go faster toward the plate. So I'm with the HS coach on that.

quote:

then lean forward and fall off the mound.

No MLB pitcher leans forward with the top of their torso. If he means go forward with your hips, then he's right.

Try this drill.

Im a bit confused by what is being recommended as well...

There are a couple of issues in the original post.

Balance in pitching is dynamic and not static. Most pitchers are going to the plate with their hips before the lift is at its highest. I'm not big on teaching balance, static, at peak lift. However, I am on dynamic balance. Lack of balance or falling off the mound can be complex as to why.

There are some mechanisms to increase lower rotation and thus velocity at lift. Ryan thought a high lift was worth 2 mph. Some turn their heel to the catcher. Without turning the shoulders, this will obviously give more rotation to chain from ground up, through the core, and ending with the release. Of course, this assumes there is a chain through the body that is not broken. A third way to increase rotation is to kick behind the rubber without turning the shoulders and this will increase rotation. I teach all three to my son.

I am not a straight up & down teacher, but believe you can find a lot of MLB pitchers who do so. I would be interested to know if they are usually the bigger body guys.

Hope this helps. I am with your son's high school coach. Back the adjustment & it will help your son adjust. All changes in mechanics, even good changes, affect both timing & rhythm. Timing is having the parts in the right place & rhythm is the ability to repeat & feel.

The bottom line is and always has been throwing strikes. If my pitching student is doing "A" and I try to attempt him to do "B", if he can't do "B", we go back to "A". You try and get the best out of what you are working with. This does not have to do with pitching, but in two years of T-ball once all I accomplished with one player was geting him to throwoverhand and not batting cross-handed. No, he did not go any further in baseball, but I did get a good coaching lesson.

Personaly I like the old style. I am a fan of balance at the top of knee lift, even with a pause like Japanese pitchers. You will have to be sly on when to use your way verses the coach's way if you cant catch on. Btw he sounds like the Hershiser drill.

Thanks for the advice. Hard to change after doing it one way for so long. Just hope it dosen't mess him up for the season.