In this week's episode, Brad highlights the assessment portion of each phase of the pitching cycle, to help better identify opportunities to catch abnormalities early and also better prepare therapists, strength coaches, pitching coaches, trainers for better implementation strategies.
The Pitching Cycle Includes:
The entire motion of throwing takes approximately 2 seconds. The wind up takes ~ 1.5 seconds and prepares all the body parts for the act of throwing the ball.
In this phase the lower extremity and torso are dominant and the shoulder musculature is minimally active.
Most power in pitching is generated from the LE and torso so having good alignment and balance is very important for creating a stable base for the pitcher to initiate their throwing motion.
What do you look for in this phase? Hip, knee, ankle alignment. Adequate hip flexion, shoulder/elbow/head pointing toward the target, and slight knee flexion in stance leg to allow for powerful push off.
This phase prepares the shoulder to the throw the ball.
What do you look for? Scapular loading, shoulder height in level with the ball, start of transfer in LE from back leg to front leg, hips/knees/ankles pointing toward target, initiation of power lunge.
RETRACT AND DEPRESS IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!!!
This is the phase that PT’s can help the most. Creating a stable environment for the shoulder complex is most important as the shoulder prepares to achieve a high external rotation degree in the late cocking phase.
Phase of maximal external rotation in shoulder. This phase in elite pitchers will show 120-130 degrees.
The anterior shoulder is eccentrically contracted and put on stretch while the posterior shoulder girdle is active to prepare the arm for forceful contraction when the arm prepares to move forward in the next phase of acceleration.
What do you look for? Adequate shoulder external rotation, rotation of torso to show chest opening up toward target, good hip/knee/ankle alignment in the forward lunge position, and shoulder/elbow to be over the top of stance leg to allow LE and torso to generate power and take pressure off shoulder girdle complex as pitcher progresses forward.
Shoulder is moving from eccentric contraction to concentric contraction as the shoulder moves from external rotation to internal rotation.
GHJ: from 125 deg ER to 60 deg of IR at an angular velocity of 7000 deg/sec (for 90 mph pitch)
Power generates from closed chain contact with ground and stiff/stable core to launch into acceleration.
What to look for? Arc of motion from ER to IR, point of release, alignment of ball/elbow/knee in relation to middle of acceleration phase, and pelvis/hips/chest aligning with target.
This phase starts when ball is released. The posterior musculature of the shoulder eccentrically is working on slowing down the violent forward momentum and helps to control rotational velocity of humeral head.
In theory, without eccentric firing of posterior shoulder chain the humeral head would continue to “spin off” into internal rotation.
Focus during this phase? Kinetic chain absorption through pelvis, hips, LE and proper lead into final follow through to take stress off shoulder/elbow.
This phase intends to focus on “slowing down the body”. If this phase is completed correctly the throwers body is under control and balanced.
What are you looking for? Max hip extension, balanced SLS on stance leg, “skater position” showing a good absorption of rotational force.
