Are You A Pitching Instructor Or Beauty Pageant Judge? Take The Test
I’m so happy to hear you think I have good mechanics! I don’t know what to say…Thank You!
Seriously fellas, when will it end?
I’ll be the first to say, I’m guilty! There, I said it, guilty!
That’s the first step in making amends to all the pitchers I’ve hurt more than I’ve helped throughout my career.
Here’s the question I pose to you:
Outside of pitching mechanics, ice skating and beauty pageants, what other fields value form over function?
I sure hope the architect of my house didn’t!
Picture this: You notice swollen lymph nodes, google the symptoms (like an idiot) and suddenly convinced you have cancer. So, you call your doctor, worried sick and he tells you this…
“I’ve been doing this for years and I’ve seen thousands of cases like yours. In fact, you don’t need to visit the office, just send me a video.”
“Did he just say send me a video and he would compare me to Burt Reynolds?”
“Doc, not to be rude but why would I send you a video?”
“One, I’ve been doing this forever and two I can “scientifically” compare you to a healthy patient I work with. Ever heard of Burt Reynolds? Yeah,Burt Reynolds! Burt’s been cancer free all his life and I will compare you to a healthy Burt Reynolds at no extra charge!”
You would think he’s crazy right?
However, most parents and players are more than willing to send a video and $350 for an “opinion” painted with squiggly lines and arrows!”
I don’t know about you but ObamaCare sounds like a much better option!
Some of you are laughing, nodding your head and others are thinking, why not?
5 Reasons Why “Most” Video Analysis Are A Total Waste Of Time & Money:
- Your health insurance doesn’t cover it and there is absolutely no scientific backing, it’s used to justify the instructor’s opinion of “proper” or “good” mechanics.
- You will be compared to a MLB pitcher and convinced if you “look” like him, you will somehow magically function like him.
- Your CNS requires more than a visual image to create the motor programs needed to develop efficient movement patterns. You MUST create a learned association for movement and visual feedback alone will not do it!
- After a certain age, emulation is nothing more than imitation. It’s never about the position you reach, it’s all about how you arrived at that position.
- 65% of us are visual learners but we only retain 10% of what we see. Your chances for retaining information increase 80% when you learn to connect what you SEE, HEAR & FEEL!
If you’re looking for video analysis, look for someone that actually backs their assessment with a bio-mechanical analysis, check out @drivelinebases
Are you familiar with the Bernstein Principle?
I’m pretty important to the world of motor development!
1. The degrees of freedom problem or motor equivalence problem in motor control states that there are multiple ways for humans or animals to perform a movement in order to achieve the same goal.
“Did he just say multiple ways?” Hmmmm, maybe he knows something we don’t!
2. The body will organize itself around the ultimate goal (intent) of the activity! (Paul Nyman was the first to introduce this principle to the pitching world, by the way)
“Hmmm, what if our movement goal (intent) is to acheive “ideal” positions or imitate other pitchers?”
So, here’s what we have:
- Science tells us there are multiple ways to perform a movement in order to achieve the same goal.
He did say movement right, you sure he wasn’t referring to positions? I’m betting his russian accent was lost in translation.
- Our body will organize itself around the ultimate goal (intent) of the activity.
The ultimate goal should be what……. yes, you guessed it, movement! Remember, pitching mechanics are nothing more than a series of coordinated, simultaneous movement patterns!
“Intent: Another term. coined and introduced to the pitching world by none other than, Paul Nyman”
Pitching Instructor or Beauty Pageant Judge,
Question 1: The Bernstein Principle referred to positioning?
A: If your intent is centered solely on a clear and specific movement goal (vs. a static point-position) you have (thousands) options on how YOU can achieve it.
B: If your intent is to imitate or achieve a static point or position in your delivery you have……one option.
Which do you choose:__________
Sounds ridiculously easy, right? However, that’s not how most instructors view it. Sure, they say all the right things and some even use Bernie’s name in vein as they teach and instruct positioning and form.
Imagine if Bernie was around to hear some of the stuff pitching coaches say today?
Question #2: Are You A Pitching Instructor Or Beauty Pageant Judge?
”Low Elbows = Efficiency?”
A: ”High elbows creates strain on the elbow and shoulder and low elbows lead to efficiency. Look at Maddux, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, etc…. Therefore, low elbows lead to throwing efficiency and in case you didn’t know this, “Efficiency=more velocity with less effort”
Low elbows lead to connection and arm health!
B: High elbows is not an arm action issue, it stems from ineffective action through the center of your body. Elbow positioning is a product of how efficiently you move through other parts of your body such as the center mass, glove side, posture and feet. (Referred to as the “Peer Pressure Effect”) Read this article.
In other words, the position of your elbow is dependent upon the function of its peers!
Please circle your answer if you’re having trouble with this one, phone a friend. We have Matt Harvey on line #1……
My still pic looks like Maddux but I’m going with B: Function
Moving on…..
- Are You A Pitching Coach Or Beauty Pageant Judge?: Question 3:
- The inverted “W” places stress on the elbow and leads to arm injuries.
A: The Inverted W is a recipe for disaster and you better change it because it’s inefficient and it leads to arm injuries.
B: The inverted W has never been proven to lead to arm injuries and it’s never about the path the arm takes on the backside, its all about how the arm functions at and beyond foot strike.
No way I would ever let my son throw like these 4 guys, are you crazy?
Please Circle your answer, however, before you do. Has anyone heard which of the 4 guys listed above won the Cy Young? I’ve been at this computer working on thePitching Mechanics MasterMind System and I’ve been out of touch lately.
Are You A Pitching Coach Or A Beauty Pageant Judge? Question 4:
Pronation of the arm will decrease your risk for arm injuries!
A: Pronation must be taught because because it keeps your arm healthy and actually increases your velocity by limiting inhibition of the arm. By the way, not every pitcher pronates!
Tim Lincecum does it and he’s healthy!
Strasburg doesn’t and he got hurt!
B: Your arm and pronation is at the mercy of your hips. If do not possess hip stability, deceleration cannot and will not ever occur efficiently. Another example of the “Peer Pressure Effect!” Besides, pronation naturally occurs and is a product of the connective tissues of the arm unwinding. Read this article.
Snoop pronates? Yes, in fact pronation has been proven to safely combat the negative side effects of marijuana while lowering inhibitions.
How did you do? Are you a Beauty Pageant Judge or Pitching Coach?
Beauty Pageant Judges: Mistake form for function. They attribute health and performance to “ideal” positioning. They place higher value on form and lead pitchers to believe that “good” form equates to high level functioning, efficiency and dare I say, connection.
Pitching Coaches: Understand that everyone is totally different. They realize that your “form” is a product of your central nervous system’s ability to function. In other words, an efficient motor program leads to efficient form.
Key points inside this article:
- The most important aspect of your pitching mechanics cannot be seen!
- What you do see is a product of what you cannot see, make sense?
- Pitchers achieve “pleasing” positions because of efficient movement programs written by the CNS.
- Pitchers DO NOT achieve efficient movement programs by attempting to reach pleasing positions!!!
In order for pitchers to acquire efficient movement patterns:
- You must tap into the central nervous system and provide it with a MAP (Movement Awareness Program).
- The MAP is establish by creating a learned association for movement by providing the CNS a training environment rich in immediate sensory feedback.
- In essence, you are learning how to connect what you see, hear & FEEL to a movement goal (intent). I think Bernstein would really enjoy it
Now that you’ve taken the first test, take the second one:
Take the Pitching Mechanics System Challenge: I will give you 6 mos to try out the Pitching Mechanics MasterMind System and if it doesn’t EXCEED your expectations, I will refund your money and you can keep the program!!! (21 24 D1 College Baseball Program Already Have!!)
Last but not least, here’s your video for the day, enjoy and make sure to leave a comment and let me know how you did on the test!
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Team elitefts™ Columnist Michael Keck is a world class competitive raw power lifter, after setting a new IPA world record at the February 6, 2010 Lexen Xtreme Pro-Am in the 242 division. He is also a competitive NPC Bodybuilder. His experience covers a wide variety of training methodologies and nutritional strategies. A self professed nerd and former scholarship athlete (football) at Western Kentucky University, He trains and studies to be as strong as possible all the while maintaining his health and being able to display a physique he can be proud of. Michael is co-founder of redpointfitness.com a nutritional software site and his full time career is as Vice President of Five Talents Financial Group, a Merger and Acquisition advisory and wealth management firm. View Michael’s Training Log