A whole body approach is taken when designing a conditioning program for pitchers. It is our firm belief that the arm is not the only body part involved with pitching. Just the opposite - we believe the whole body plays a role.
The body is made of many joints acting together as links in a chain known as the kinetic (movement) chain. It is when the links of this kinetic chain work synchronously that efficient and effective delivery of the baseball occurs.
The use of video analysis obviously gives the ability to capture the pitcher's movement patterns. More importantly video analysis gives an opportunity for sequential evaluation of the kinetic chain. This sequential evaluation reveals compensatory movement patterns that may be affecting performance (i.e. velocity and control) as well potential injury predictors.
Once the pitcher's movement patterns are captured on video, the following pyramidal algorithm is used to create a conditioning program for the pitcher:
EVALUATION / FOUNDATION: During this stage of the process, the pitcher's posture, balance, and movement patterns are evaluated.
FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY: Pitchers need flexibility in certain body parts (i.e. groin, upper back, certain parts of the shoulder) to assume positions necessary for efficient and effective delivery of the baseball. During this stage, adaptive shortening from faulty movement patterns or inactivity is addressed.
STABILITY / CONTROL: Athletic movements are generally quick and ballistic in nature. This means energy from these movements has to be generated, controlled, and redistributed in a split-second. If the pitcher's ability to use his stability control mechanism (i.e. "core"), is compromised or is suboptimally working, then both inefficient force production and decreased force redistribution occurs throughout the remaining links of the kinetic chain. In other words, performance (i.e. velocity and control) is compromised as a result.
We believe that the core has multiple applications. The traditional manner in which to view the core revolves around the abdominal and hip region. We agree that these areas are part of the core. However, we feel that the shoulder blade is a core unto itself as it controls and redistributes the energy passing through the trunk into the hand and ultimately the ball. Therefore, we place special emphasis on the shoulder blade during this stage.
EXTREMITY STRENGTH: Once the previous stages have been addressed, external loads are imposed on the pitcher's body to facilitate extrinsic (away from the core) strength gains. Muscular endurance is also addressed during this stage.
KINETIC POWER: During this stage emphasis is placed on combining stability and strength into quicker, sport specific movement patterns.
PERFORMANCE: It is here that the pitcher is executing the mastery of his efficient, effective, flexible (in appropriate areas), stable, strong, and powerful pitching mechanics.
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