There has been so much buzz in the baseball community about the recent article in Sports Illustrated on Tim Lincecum (click here for the article). Reading forums and blogs and talking to patients, parents, coaches and colleagues over the past couple of weeks has reinforced to me the lack of sound evidence for the beliefs about pitching that are taught to today's pitchers (that is Little League on up in my opinion).
Informal surveys of why certain pitching mantras and styles are used in today's instruction boil down to one of two common answers... 1) "That's the way I was taught" or 2) "That's what I BELIEVE should happen". My question is, "Where is the evidence to back up your beliefs?"
As the point of this blog entry unfolds, you (the reader) should be asking me the same question - "Where is the evidence to back up your beliefs?"... Here is what I know (to borrow from John Maxwell, known by some as the Pastor's Pastor)... Working in the field of orthopedic physical medicine and rehabilitation, I see the 9-18 year olds who have been taught to "strengthen their arms" so they can throw harder. I see them when they come to the clinic with growth plate fractures, elbow pain, labral tears, etc. I see the results of what Dick Mills calls "belief based" instruction - young (and mature) athletes who are injured from this type of instruction.
This is where Tim Lincecum comes into the picture. Calling Tim a "Freak" is up to you. I, however, would label him (and his dad for that matter) as "Educated". Tim and his father understand how momentum and kinetic energy works.
Kinetic energy (energy in motion) can be illustrated through this analogy... Let's say you are standing at the edge of a stream that is only a yard wide in length. If you are tall enough, you could step over the stream with very little effort and continue on your walk. Take the same scenario with the stream being two yards wide. To negotiate this stream you would probably stop to determine the best way over the stream. Unless you are extremely tall, you probably would not be able to step over the stream (without falling in). What is the solution? Would you take a small, slow step to the side (parallel to the stream) equivalent to what you see most big league pitchers do in relation to the pitching rubber? Would you stop/pause in the middle of your attempt to propel yourself over the stream equivalent to what you see most big league pitchers do at the top of their wind up? Would you move your body slow during the start of your effort to get over the stream equivalent to what you see most big league pitchers do? Of course not! You would build momentum by stepping back and lunging over the stream.
The fancy way of saying this is you would store energy when you step back and you would release the stored energy when you lunge forward. This is what Tim Lincecum does (and what some of the greats such as Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford, and Bob Gibson did). He uses momentum to put his [pitching] energy into motion. He doesn't take a small side ways step (like most of our pitchers are taught today) or move in a slow manner (like most of our pitchers are taught today) or balance/pause at his tallest point (like most of our pitchers are taught today). He stores and releases the energy his whole body generates toward home plate. He doesn't try to throw the ball with his arm!
Here is a question for you... If throwing a baseball was an act of strength, why aren't pitcher's throwing arms at least 2-3 times bigger than their non-throwing arms? (Things that make you go "hum"!!!
Are your wheels turning? Are you starting to think about the things you've heard coaches say (or perhaps things you've said)?
Another question you should be asking/thinking... Doesn't that take alot of coordination and athleticism? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT DOES!!! How did Tim Lincecum become so coordinated and athletic (and precise)? His dad videotaped and ANALYZED him! Each game was captured on tape. Countless hours of analysis and practice of delicate nuances (things that couldn't be appreciated with the naked eye) took place.
That is what Athletic Training & Conditioning, Inc. is all about - Identifying where athletes have delicate nuances that prevent them from being efficient athletes and implementing strategies to assist them in overcoming the imbalances. Click here to go to our website.
For more information on the types of workouts performed by professional baseball players, visit this blog post ==>> http://athletictrainingandconditioning.blogspot.com/2009/01/functional-baseball-workouts.html
