Learning the curveball

Whatever you do make sure whoever teaches you does with the correct mechanics or you can potentially mess up your arm. 

Here is a video from youtube that must be good because it has over a million hits.  lol

http://youtu.be/YDjHsyJNVHw

Hopefully someone knowledgable from the forum can say yay or nay on the video. 

Probably helps to have a goatee.  

Here's where the real problem begins. What are correct curveball mechanics? Ask twenty pitching instructors and you're liable to get twenty answers. Actually, ask twenty pitching instructors and you're likely to get silence. Everyone talks about the "improper" or "proper" curve, but no one describes it.

Well until the curveball goes away in the MLB it will be used. 

My son was taught at 13 to throw one similar to the instruction in the video above. 

1) Grip

2) Palm of hand facing 1st base as the ball is delivered over your head if a right hand

 thrower

3) Tomahawk chop action (snap wrist when releasing ball)

4) Follow through (back of hand facing batter)

I've heard that fastball must be mastered first, then changeup, then a third pitch like a curveball. 

Hopefully someone on this list who has pitched in high school and beyond can chime in. 

That's the easy part. Now what does a curve with "bad" mechanics look like?

Edit: Note that there are many here who will tell you much of what you just described are actually the "harmful" mechanics you warned about in your first response. Note that I am not one of them.

I just know that my son has been throwing the curve ball for strikes for 3 years now and so far no ill affects.  I just wish his high school coach would have him throw more change-ups. 

Like I stated before,l hopefully some pitchers on the forum, past and present, can chime in on good curveball mechanics. 

Every study done to date concerning youth pitchers and curveballs has come to the same conclusion - the curve presents no more risk of injury to young pitchers than the fastball.Keep in mind that the bulk of these studies were designed with the intention of proving the hypothesis that the curveball DID INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY and failed to be able to prove so. In addition, at least two studies that specifically set out to measure the forces on the elbow of various pitches concluded that the curve puts LESS stress on the arm than the fastball.  These studies dealt with "self-reported" curves which would include both those many consider "proper" and those considered "improper."

This sounds more like what is called the "football curve" or "football changeup" than a true curveball.    If s,o I can tell you that at at up to 50' pitching distance, when thrown well and used as a secondary pitch, it's devastating.  At 60' it becomes a floater, and good hitters tee off on it.

To the OP I would say, ask your team's pitching coach to help you. If he can't or won't, ask your parents to get you some lessons from a local teacher.

I could never throw a good curve when I pitched in HS, so I developed a pretty dang good slider.

I am working with my two youngest kids now, a HS Soph and a 12 yr old.  The HS'er is inconsistent with the traditional curve ball grip, but when he is on, he is on.  Early on I had him throwing the 1 finger knuckle curve.  Very easy to teach, very easy to throw and works very well....middle finger on the ball in the traditional curve ball grip and the index finger pulled back with the tip of the finger/finger nail resting on the ball....and just throw it like a fast ball until you get the feel for it.  He now uses both grips since each grip produces a different break point.  My 12 yr old throws the knuckle curve with ease and doesn't stress about trying to make the ball "break"

Other than that, I tend to agree with Roots assessment...who is to define what a good curve ball mechanics is?   There are so many different arm slots, styles of mechanics etc...m that I think a curve ball is very personal and individual, just like a hitters swing.....as long as you get the end result, does it really matter how you got there?

More info please. How old are you? More info on your FB, speed, is location good?   Do u have a change up or will u be working on that pitch at all. 

If your serious about pitching it's worth it imo and sons experience to find a good pitching instructor in your area. Having good mechanics is a foundation on which to build on.

I am a 2016, my fastball velo is around low to mid 70's, and my command has been better as of recently. I do have a change up that I use as my off speed pitch since I have had trouble throwing a curveball.

a couple things that i do with my kids that usually help:

-try shortening your stride just a bit. Throw a FB, then see where your front foot lands. Take it back about 1 of your feets lengths. It may feel strange at first, and good opponents will pick up on it eventually, but it helps you get out over that front foot more and brings your arm slot up over the top more to get a nice 12-6 break.

-lots of time its the arm slot that causes a curve to not break, or be more of a slider if your arm slot is closer to a side arm than overhand. To get a nice 12-6 curve, your arm slot has to be more up over the top. hold your throwing arm straight out in front of you. imagine your holding a hammer. bend your elbow up to 90 degrees so your knuckles are facing the ceiling (still holding the hammer, if your a righty, your palm should be facing 1b, and back of hand facing 3b.) imagine your hitting a nail on the wall in front of you. just as your getting to the contact point, flick your wrist to get a little more oomph on your hammer strike. thats the idea...lay the hammer down!

- dont forget to take off some velocity in an effort to just get it right. I cant tell you the frustration i get as a coach when i teach a curve and a kid is trying to throw it as hard as his fb. its supposed to be offspeed, and your not gonna get the movement with the same velo as your FB. 

as far as right and wrong way to do it. I think its a little different for everyone. but consider this: anyone ive ever played with who has had a good 12-6 curve has stated that it hurts their arm more than a FB and that they notice a difference in a game or bullpen where they threw a lot of curves. it just does. I dont think there is any way around it. anything else would be sacrificing quality. Use this pitch wisely once its been developed because it will strain you more, and if overused it looses its effectiveness and you will fatigue more. people will wait on it at the plate...Gotta mix it in properly. talk to your catcher a lot. see how its feeling that day and if your feeling like you can throw it for a strike confidently. an 0-2 curve, even if its in the dirt, can get you some K's. however, being able to throw it for a first pitch strike sets a hitter off balance for his entire at bat.  

Myself and 2 other guys on my HS team had good curves. a nice late 12-6 break of 1-2 feet. We also had another guy who was a real hard thrower, but his curve was weak, more of a slider. he is the only one whos curve did not hurt his arm more than his FB and he was throwing harder than all of us. its because he wasnt throwing his curve right. 

I think the real question is: Is the right type of curve the one that doesnt hurt your arm, or the one that is most effective? I mostly pitched in relief, so i wanted to just have my best possible stuff for just a couple innings at a time. I also did not bother learning a curve until high school because i didnt really need it quite yet and didnt want to hurt myself. I believe Kerry Wood stated that his father wouldnt let him learn one till he was 16. 

Hope some of this helps. Im sure some people will disagree. try the hammer thing for a bit at home, then try the shorter stride thing next time you throw. I think that'll put you on the right track.

Good Luck!

-CoachZ

Here is one ringing endorsement for Z's "hammer" concept.  I was a RHP back in the day, so I knew a thing or two when my son was coming up.  When he was 12 or 13 and first start to spin it a little, he was taught..by an instructor..precisely this above..."the hammer" approach..with no side to side twisting of the wrist at all.  I got it, but personally thought it was a little too simplistic and, while it was the safest way to learn at that age, it would need to be adjusted over time.  Not so, he is now a D1-committed 2016 RHP and still throws it exactly the same way, and it's his best offspeed pitch with lot of potential.  Several D1 coaches refer to it as a "swing and miss" CB and is what convinced them he can be a starter at the next level.  Anyway, nice job CoachZ, explaining this (with no pictures) and in elementary terms.

The only real problem with this pitch is that, unless your natural arm slot is already over the top, it gets easy to pick up the pitch at higher levels because of the extreme change in arm slot. I think this is the main reason you see very few true 12/6 curveballs. While effective, they are telegraphed pitches to an experienced hitter.