Questions/Answers 2006

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 001.   You mentioned that you need all the help you can get for your upcoming DVD.   I know you had issues with the compatibility with all players with your last DVD offering.   I was talking to my brother about this and he said you must make sure you "finalize" the DVD.   I gather this to mean something like closing the DVD after you complete putting the clips on it.   He thinks you did not do this. I would suggest you ask your video guy about this and maybe your readers can chime in. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You are correct, Sir.   I need all the help that I can get with just about everything, but, certainly with regards to how to make the best DVD copy of my video that is universally compatible.      The last time, my video guy made them the same way that he makes them to recitals and so on that he videotapes for his clients.   When I near completion, I planned on calling Tampa area people who make DVD copies.   I want professionals with the best equipment to make the copies.      I am open to all recommendations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 002.   I really enjoyed having my son home for a week.    I had the opportunity to catch him 4-5 times, when we were not on the road.    Rolling back that lead ball 96 times is tough.    I also got to see my older son throw for the first time in a while. My son looked good.    He was throwing about as hard as when he left here in the fall, but now, he is in regression.    The thing that was amazing is, he looked as if he was putting in no effort at all.    No quick shoulder.    Mainly pronation snap.    I was not too afraid while catching him, until I got him to speed up his shoulder some, just to see what would happen.    Just a bit of shoulder speed really speeded up his arm. His Maxline Fastball was hard with good movement.    His Torque Fastball was also hard with good movement.    For awhile, he was getting under the Torque Fastball, the spin axis tilted back too far.    But, I told him when he pronated the Torque, to try and get his elbow above his fingers before release.    That gave the correct spin axis, and great movement on the Torque Fastball.    The difference in the last 10-20 feet, between the Maxline and Torque Fastballs was about 18 inches on the plate.    No way can a batter adjust between the two in that distance, and at that speed.    A batter would just have to guess. Not quite as much movement on the screwballs as I have seen from him. He did not throw too many curves, I believe because he did not want to hurt me.    But the ones he did throw were absolutely nasty. He did throw some sliders, which he has not worked on in a while, that were great. He did throw some sinkers, which he has not worked on in a while.    They were very good. His control was much better.    The first day, it was not too good, mainly because of wearing spikes on a dirt mound.    He admitted he has not worked on dirt at all, and usually uses the same turf mound to work on.    I told him he needs to work using many different conditions, different turf mounds, different dirt mounds, slopes, and learn to be able to adapt within a workout and/or a game quickly. The rest of his workouts showed much more control.    Still not dead on, but better.    He will need more control to improve his game confidence. All in all, very impressive for a kid deep in regression.    His arm strength is incredible.    He needs more leg and core strength to develop a faster shoulder. My older son still reports some weird things in his elbow.    No pain, but it does not feel normal to him.    For the first time since getting cleaned out, I saw some pop on the ball throwing about 100 feet.    I have not had the opportunity to see him work very much. It has been four months, I it is obvious he has been working hard to get back to where he was last spring.    His conditioning and therefore strength is much better.    He plans to be ready for the opening of DABA, and also wants to pitch in Men's Senior League starting in March.    I believe he will be ready, not at the top of his game, but quite well enough to get those guys out. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You are correct.   Your son is less than thirty days into his sixty day ninety-six ten pound iron ball repetitions per day schedule.   The muscles that he uses are still mobilizing their resources to meet his training overload.   I do not expect him to be fully out of this training regression until three weeks after he stops doing ninety-six repetitions per day, or in about two months.   If you think that he 'pronation snapped' when you saw him, wait until you see what he does then.      Your analysis is right on the money.   He has improved his Maxline Fastball spin axis, but, because he sometimes slips into a weak wrist action, he remains inconsistent.   That is what you saw with his Torque Fastball.      He is working hard on improving his Maxline True Screwball spin axis.   He is starting to get it with his football throws.   I think that improving his pitching hip flip will fix it.   He just does not yet get his hips forwardly rotated far enough.   I have a new glove foot hop drill that I hope will do the trick.      He is working hard on getting the 'loop' out of his Maxline Pronation Curve.   Until he does, while he will get great spin velocity, he will sometimes let his pitching forearm go outside of vertical, which causes him to lose the proper spin axis.   Again, if he flips his pitching hip better, then he will correct this problem.      I won't introduce my Maxline Fastball Sinker or Torque Fastball Slider until after he completes his sixty day twenty pound wrist weight Recoil interval-training cycle, which he won't start until eighteen days after he completes his current ten pound iron ball Recoil interval-training cycle.      I wish that every young man I have the privilege of training worked as hard and intelligently as your son.      Please give your older son my best.   Your younger son told me that he caught him up on the latest drills and instructions that we have. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 003.   I just watched a special on Roberto Clemente.   Did you ever get to pitch against him?   Do you have any thoughts of him as a hitter? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In my ten at bats against Mr. Clemente, he had one double (on his first at bat), one single (on his fourth at bat) and one intentional walk (on his ninth at bat).   I struck him out once (on his third at bat), he flied out four times (three times to left field, once to right field) and grounded out to second base twice.      He had an unusual hitting style.   As a right-handed hitter, he stepped dramatically to his left, but then, he drove his body hard back to his right.   As a result, he could hit the baseball very hard to the opposite field. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 004.   Just caught up on your emails from 1057 to the end. Great to hear your getting the exposure needed to get your message out.   on one of the emails, someone ask about Tom House having a PhD.   He does, but it's not in body mechanics, it's in philosophy.   He has his credits in one of his books. So, Mr. House should be giving advice on the philosophy of pitching mentally not physically, he should leave the mechanics to the experts which is you.   If Mr. House wants to tell me how to pitch to Barry bonds and get him out I might listen, but for him to tell the WORLD how to actually pitch a baseball is like getting his degree over the internet. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Before we accept someone's advice on anything, we need to fully understand his academic and professional credentials.   That is why I fully disclose everything in my Academic Credentials and Professional Baseball Credentials files. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 005.   I stand self-corrected.   In my previous email, I said that Tom House has a PhD in philosophy and I was bothered that I didn't check his book after I wrote the email.   I now have his book in front of me and it is his 8th book on pitching that he wrote, and he finally decided to publish his education background, so I quote: "Mr. House holds a PhD in psychology and has been a sports psychologist for many pro and amateur players." It does not give the name of the University that he holds the degree, so maybe he did get it over the INTERNET. Sorry for acting like a jock and giving the wrong info, but u know how us jocks are, potato-tomato, philosophy-psychology, what's the difference?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Without the proper academic credentials, why would anybody take the advice of anybody?   As I always say, promise me that if you ever have unexplained pain in your left arm, that you will go send someone with a degree in medicine, not some guy who plays doctor on the internet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 006.   I am a radiologist who does both neuro and musculoskeletal radiology.   I am also a firm believer in many of Dr. Andrews's beliefs.   My son is 12 years old.   Approximately 2 years ago, I went with him to Scottsdale for a week to have him work with Dick Mills.   He has a very strong arm and I wanted him to learn proper mechanics.   For the last two years we have been following what Dick taught him.   A year ago last August we were in Alabama on vacation.   On a whim, I had my son evaluated at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham.   They videotaped him and found two flaws.   We did many drills last winter to correct the flaws.   However, I still would like to have him work with someone who knows what they are doing. He will be 13 on June 30, 2006.   He throws about 66-68mph. Do you ever work with anyone as young as my son? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I have the highest respect for Dr. Andrews.   However, I do not know what you mean when you say that you are a firm believer in my of Dr. Andrews' beliefs.   Does he have a specific pitching motion that he recommends?   Does he have youth baseball pitcher limitations?      Let me share mine. 01.   Until youth baseball pitchers are biologically thirteen years old, I recommend that they do not pitch competitively.   That is when the growth plates at the distal end of the Humerus bone mature. 02.   That biological thirteen year old baseball pitchers pitch no more than one inning per game twice a week. 03.   Until youth baseball pitchers are biologically sixteen years old, I recommend that they do not pitch for more than two consecutive months per year.   That is when all elbow growth plates mature. 04.   At biological ten years old, I recommend that youth baseball pitchers start my first of four 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs, in which they will learn an injury-free way of applying force to their pitches that will eventually enable them to achieve their genetic maximum release velocity and master the variety of types of pitches that they will need to become the best pitcher that they can be. 05  . At biological sixteen years old, I recommend that youth baseball pitchers do my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. 06.   At biological nineteen years old, I recommend that young adult baseball pitchers do my 280-Day Adult Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.   That is when the shoulder and wrist growth plates mature. 07.   Thereafter, I recommend that, during their off-seasons, adult baseball pitchers complete my six wrist weight and iron ball Recoil Interval-Training Programs.      If your son follows these recommendations, he will never suffer a pitching injury and he will become the best adult baseball pitcher that he can be.      I have no idea what Dr. Andrews or Dr. Fleisig consider flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, but, in my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I explain the numerous injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   With this video, you will become the best pitching coach that your son can have. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 007.   I like it when my son's pitches scare me.    I would dearly love to get a speed reading on him, just to see what I am catching. It always seemed like his Maxline Fastball had great movement.    Not so great movement with the Torque.    But, if you meant concerning control, I agree.   The Maxline Fastball was inconsistent, but much better while he was here.   The entire time he was here, I believe he had only one Maxline Fastball where he dropped his wrist. When I told him to try and get his elbow above his fingers at release, the Torque Fastball had 6, 8, up to 12 inches of break. For me, I actually like the screwball spin axis.    I like the 12-6 axis of the curve, and would rather see a more horizontal break with the screwball.    Something that really bends away from a left-handed batter.    From what I saw, his spin velocity was not there, or rather, not what it should be.    The break was not very sharp.   I think he simply is not "letting it go," not putting in as much physical effort into the screwball with his arm. Just tell him to "bring it by his ear," works very well. I think he just wanted to see if he could still throw his sinker and slider.    They both looked very good.    I believe the sinker will be his best pitch overall.   Good consistency concerning location and movement. I have never seen him quit.    He will stick with it until he has figured it out.    I just hope he develops some of my older son's toughness on the mound. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The four-seam Maxline True Screwball has a horizontal spin axis that causes it to move vertically downward.   We need two downwardly moving pitches.   We need both my Maxline Pronation Curve and my Maxline True Screwball.      I want all four-seam pitches to have vertical movement.   That is, I want my four-seam Maxline and Torque Fastballs to not move downward as much as gravity dictates.      For horizontal movement, I designed my two-seam pitches.   That includes my Maxline Fastball Sinker (that really bends away from the glove side batters), Torque Fastball Slider and my Maxline and Torque Fastballs.   In today's vertical strike zone, we must stay within the seventeen inches.      When he can throw high-quality pitches in the strike zone that hitters cannot hit, your son will become very tough on the mound. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 008.   The X-rays are on their way. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As soon as I receive them, I will email my findings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 009.   My 16 year old son has recently had some discomfort in his left throwing elbow (inside) he has never hurt before so we stopped and went to his doctor who said it was a strain and just give it time.   I tried to get a referral to a sports med doctor but couldn’t at the time. We have now changed doctors.   This discomfort comes after the release and does not appear on every throw.   He is a QB in football and has thrown all fall with no problems.   We threw a couple of times after football season with no problems, then after a weight lifting session (heavy curls to failure, why I don’t know) his problem started, he has no problem in his acceleration phase but just after the release.   We didn’t throw for 5 weeks and the first day back he felt it again and we stopped and changed doctors. Any clue as to what the problem may stem from? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Discomfort on the inside of the pitching elbow indicates the Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   At chronological sixteen years old, all growth plates in his pitching elbow should have matured.   Therefore, I do not believe that he has strained the growth plate for his medial epicondyle.      Injury to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament occur during the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion as a result of 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'      Rest is not the answer.      He needs to learn how to apply force to his pitches in a way that eliminates these injurious flaws.   And, he needs to stop all weight training to failure.      At present, I am working on my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   In it, I explain the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and the injury-free pitching motion and training programs that I recommend.      I recommend that your son wait until I finish my video, then, instead of pitching this spring, he can do my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 010.   In an effort to explain your ideas to a variety of people, I have put together a quick clip (1 MB .MOV) of me trying to perform your motion from the Wind-Up Set position. http://www.chrisoleary.com/videos/MarshallPitchingMotion_WindUpSet_12312005.mov I know, and others have told me, that it's a far from perfect interpretation. 1.   I would be interested in your opinion of what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong. 2.   I would be interested in knowing the top 3 (or so) things that I should work on to better bring what I am doing in line with your ideal. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You have eliminated 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   This means that you have also eliminated 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'   Congratulations, you will not rupture your Ulnar Collateral Ligament or fracture your Humerus bone.      However, to name a few biomechanical flaws, you do not use the crow-hop rhythm, you turn your pitching foot, you do not have the palm of your pitching hand facing outward when your pitching hand starts forward, you do not stand tall and rotate, you bend forward at your waist, you do not move your pitching leg in front of your glove foot, you do not 'lock' your pitching upper arm with your body, you use your pitching upper arm to pull your pitching forearm forward, you do not separately use your pitching elbow and forearm to 'pronation snap' through release, you pull your pitching arm downward and across the front of your body and you do not lean back through release.    Perhaps, it is better if we wait until I finish my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   I will have many examples of baseball pitchers with much better attempts at perfection that I will happily put on my website as soon as you or someone shows me how to put video on my website. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 011.   In my attempt to contact Michael Lewis to write about you, I posted at the Oakland A's blog called Athletics Nation.    (Mr. Lewis, as you know, wrote a book about the A's and has occasionally posted there.)    One of the posters referred me to a Baseball Prospectus article by Will Carroll entitled, "What's eating Mike Marshall?"    I hate to bother you with this kind of nonsense, but I'm wondering if anyone sent it to you?    You see, only the teaser is available to non-subscribers.    Here is the part that is available to the public: ------------------------------------------------- Will Carroll:   I seldom address personal issues in this space.   Today, I'm breaking that rule because I've finally reached the point where I simply have to address something, hopefully ending this stage of the debate. Dr. Mike Marshall is once again attacking Mark Prior, Tom House, Larry Rothschild and anyone who doesn't do things Mike Marshall's way.   I've been in those crosshairs before--he went so far as to accuse me of plagiarizing his work on two occasions--so I'm going to address this as dispassionately as I can, but you deserve to know the back story. What set me off this time?   This article is just the latest attack.   So let's break this down and then take a look at the work Marshall has done. "Prior has what I call a 'loop' in his motion," said Marshall, who had a career 3.14 earned-run average even though he rarely reached 90 mph on the speed gun." "He brings his right hand up close to his ear.   When his elbow starts forward, his hand goes back and flies laterally away from his body.   That's an incredible amount of stress on the front of his shoulder." Oddly, Prior has never had a shoulder problem.   Achilles?   Elbow on two occasions?   Sure, but never shoulder.   In fact, only the tendonitis in his elbow after adjusting his so-called flawed motion to compensate for the Achilles injury could be called a pitching injury. What Marshall is describing is what a biomechanist would call external rotation.   Most elite pitchers gain flexibility in that plane, giving many the look that their arm "lays back."   There are debates as to why this occurs, but even in an ideal motion, no one disagrees that it does occur.   Whether or not it is cause or effect, the action is standard. The work of both American and Japanese biomechanists, using both standard and double-spin mechanics, show that this motion does not create undue force.   As far as I know, we have neither kinetic or kinematic information on the Marshall motion. ------------------------------------------------- So, have you seen the whole article?    Is what makes the matter personal in his eyes the fact that you point out that the folks he defends lack professional credentials or is there something more? Do you know if Mr. Carroll has any professional credentials? And while we're at is, any idea who these Japanese and American biomechanists are who've okayed the place of centripetal force in baseball pitching?   I don't know what double-spin mechanics are, but they sure sound cool. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      No, I have not seen any or all of Mr. Carroll's comments.   Thank you for sending these to me.   I have no idea what academic or professional baseball pitching instruction or performance credentials Mr. Carroll has.      To my knowledge, he started writing about baseball pitching on his own website.   I know this because he called me for an interview about baseball pitching.   Then, he got a job with Baseball Perspectus.   And then, he wrote, Saving Pitchers, a book that included ideas from wannabee pitching coaches, including my ideas.      I know that he reads and reports on the research at the American Sports Medicine Institute and whatever Tom House says.   But, that is all.   I don't think that he understands Biomechanics, Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Gross Biomedical Anatomy, Motor Skill Acquisition and so on.      To me, he is just a writer trying to make a living off of something about which he knows nothing.   Not that it would make him an expert on baseball pitching, but I know that he never dampened a jock in a major league baseball game.      On December 25, 2005, Paul Ladewski of the Chicago Daily Southtown newspaper telephoned me about my thoughts about the Cubs trading Mr. Prior to Baltimore for their shortstop.   In short, I told him that they should never trade a talent as great as Mr. Prior.   You can read the entire article in my 2005 Question/Answer file.      I also said that Mr. Prior has an injurious flaw in his pitching motion.   I call that flaw, 'Looping.'   'Looping' occurs when, during their 'Late Pitching Forearm Flyout,' baseball pitchers bring their pitching hand close to their head, such that when they use their pitching upper arm to pull their pitching forearm forward, the centripetal force that the sideways movement of their pitching elbow generates slings their pitching forearm even more powerfully to the pitching arm side of their body.      I explained that 'Looping' stresses the front of the shoulder, but, because it exacerbates the 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' it seriously stresses the inside of the elbow as well as slams the olecranon process into its fossa and enlarges the coronoid process of the Ulna bone.      For not having much scientific background, though not perfect, I thought that Mr. Ladewski did a pretty good job of interpreting what I said.   If I had written the article, I would have written it as above, but then, Mr. Carroll would have complained about my writing being too technical.      I do not consider writing something that I have written to be plagiarism unless writers claim my ideas as theirs.   To my knowledge, Mr. Carroll has not done that.   Therefore, I do not believe that I have ever said that Mr. Carroll plagiarized my materials.   Besides, I don't care if he does.   What he advocates destroys pitching arms.      I assume that, when he mentions American biomechanists, Mr. Carroll is referring to Dr. Glenn Fleisig of the American Sports Medicine Institute.   I had read many of Dr. Fleisig's research papers.   I believe that he is doing the best research that he knows how.   However, in the mistaken belief that what successful major league baseball pitchers do will explain what all pitchers should do, he is only reporting what 'traditional' baseball pitchers do.   As a result, he will never find out how to eliminate pitching injuries.      I have printed and discussed the Japanese research article somewhere in last year's Question/Answer file.   The double-spin mechanics they describe is my 'Looping.'      One spinning motion is the forward rotation of the hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.   The second and oppositely-directed spinning motion is the backward and outward pathway of the pitching hand and baseball.   Somehow, they mistakenly believe that 'Looping' is a good thing.   I understand that Mr. House is now teaching pitchers to do this.   He calls it, 'Fast Arm.'      I first heard of Mr. House's 'Fast Arm' idea in the spring of 2005 from Brent Strom during a tryout that the general manager of the Washington Nationals, Jim Bowdon, and I set up.   As I told Mr. Strom then, 'Fast Arm' or 'Looping' as I have always called it, shortens the driveline and is injurious to the pitching arm.      I expect like what happened when I explained how Mr. House's double-T glove and pitching arm positions, where he taught baseball pitchers to have their glove and pitching arms in a football goal post position with the palms of both hands turned outward, destroyed pitching arms, Mr. House will end up with another apology for destroying pitching arms.   Maybe this time, he will accept my offer that he put his name on my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book and stop hurting baseball pitchers of all ages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 012.   Thank you for your quick reply.   I will take your advice seriously.   How do we obtain the material for your 60 day youth baseball pitchers motor skill acquisition program?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You can find all my training programs in the Training Programs file on the home page of my website.   You can download them for free. However, please wait until I finish my 2006 video.   I need to make some adjustments to those programs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 013.   After my son came home for the holidays we worked out together at a local indoor facility.   Twelve inches of snow on the ground did not deter him from continuing his wrist weights and football/baseball throws.   However, we did not have the proper facility to do his 96 iron balls daily. After watching him perform his 20lb wrist weights with relative ease, we were ready for some baseball throws.   I was ready to be the 56 year old catcher, a noble gesture, but after a few throws, I opted to stand behind a net and watch for my own safety.   No way could I catch his pitches, especially his maxline curve and nasty moving maxline and torque fastballs. His progress continues to amaze me, his arm strength is incredible, velocity much improved, and he just throws as long as he wants with maximum intensity. A few other ball players were at the facility and were intrigued by the velocity and movement and throwing intensity.   He's still working on the reverse breaking balls, and sinkers, but Jeff has been a big help to him since his sinkers and screwballs are just plain nasty. Considering my son started in August 2004, throwing in pain, shoulder killing him and lacking self-confidence, he has not only made giant strides as a pitcher but also as a young man.   I can't thank you enough.   It's a quantum leap I never thought possible, and he still has 5 months to complete his recoil cycles. I'm hoping he gets a chance to pitch in college.   Although the barriers are walls of ignorance, but we will continue the search.   The parents of all the returning players should make themselves available and provide testimonials to the many readers on your website who may have some doubts. If there are any pitchers or parents from the Northeast, or anywhere else for that matter, who have any doubts about their sons attending your camp, and would like to contact me about our experiences, please do not hesitate to provide them with my name and email.   I have no problem with you providing that information. I will give them firsthand experiences from a very satisfied dad.   I look forward to seeing you and the returning pitchers later this month. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As you know, I do not believe in self-serving testimonials.   So you really think that Fred McGriff knows anything about how to teach baseball skills to youngsters?   Nevertheless, although what your son has accomplished is his accomplishment, not mine, I will include your comments in my Question/Answer file.      As always, I look forward to your visit.   Travel safe. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 014.   One of the objections I get when talking about your motion is that it isn't the motion that you used while pitching in the pros.   While that is generally true, I was wondering if there were any things that you were doing back then that are consistent with what you are currently teaching. I have found some pictures of you pitching back in 1974 and have sequenced them. http://www.chrisoleary.com/documents/PitcherAnalysis_MikeMarshall.pdf A few frames strike me as interesting. 1.   Frame 2.1: Not at traditional high-cocked position. 2.   Frames 4.1 and 5.1: Extremely pronated very early. I was wondering if you would comment on what you are doing in these (and other pictures). -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      And, at least for a few years yet, I stopped pooping in my pants.   Amazing, it is possible to learn a better way to do something.      I did not watch your clip of me.   I cannot stand to watch.   If, back then, I had known of my present pitching motion, I would have been twice the pitcher I was.      However, as I will document in my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, in 1967, I learned that I needed to powerfully pronate my pitching forearm before and during my releases.   This protected my pitching elbow.   I also learned that, even though I used a version of the 'traditional' pitching motion, if I waited until my pitching arm was on the toward-home-plate driveline to apply force, then I would have better command and I would not have discomfort in the front of my pitching shoulder.      The saddest words, 'What might have been.'   If I had only had this motion and my Maxline Pronation Curve and Torque Fastball.   An, oh yeah, in 1975, I would not have fractured a rib trying to throw the 'traditional' curve. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 015.   I was looking for purchase the wrist weights so I could start your program.   When I called the number from your website, they gave me a number of the distributor in my area and the company told me that they don't sell to individuals, only hospitals and doctors offices.    So I am kind of at a loss.    Is there somewhere that you get your weights from that I could also? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I order my wrist weights through a local Sporting Goods store.   I recommend that you call the distributor again and ask for the closest Sporting Goods store or tell them your problem and ask if they can send you the wrist weights directly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 016.   For what it's worth (probably not much), here is the gist of Mr. Carroll's article, as conveyed to me by someone on the Athletics Nation weblog: ------------------------------------------------- So there's Marshall's challenge to the mainstream.   I have a challenge for him, the same one he's continually refused to address.   Put aside his conspiracy theories of why he's on the outside looking in, Tom House is looked at as the same type of convention, challenging outsider by front offices and his excuse that he's not allowed to work with the top talent. I have looked and never found any pitcher who has had significant success on any level using Marshall's techniques.   All the other top pitching theorists, House, Paul Nyman, Ron Wolforth, Brent Strom, Danny Orr, Rick Peterson, Leo Mazzone, John Bagonzi, or even Dick Mills can point to "their pitchers." They can show their work.   As a performance analyst, I want to see performance, not theory. Marshall has a standing invitation to come on Baseball Prospectus Radio and prove to me that one of his pitchers can succeed at a high level. Marshall's work has its strong points.   As he says, "you can't argue with Newton's laws."   His work with physical age is among the best I've seen, taking the focus away from chronological age, which as we all know can be extremely variable for adolescents. I'd invite everyone interested in pitching to read Marshall's free work on his Web site.   Of course, you may need an advanced degree to understand it all.   Then again, you'll also understand why Marshall's had such a hard time "selling" his work to teams. Simply put, Mike Marshall knows what he's talking about, yet is the wrong messenger for getting that message out.   I'm not sure why Marshall became a black sheep in baseball, "the Unacoacher," but given his background and demeanor, I'm not sure he ever had a chance to fit in.   His continual attacks and refusal to be measured by any reasonable standard undermine any good that he could have had. In another generation, some enterprising young pitching coach will read Marshall's work and perhaps there will be some gain. For now, Marshall is doomed to be the Jeremiah of pitching, assuming he's right.   His refusal to adjust, integrate, simplify and modify likely leaves the good parts of his work on the shelf, like far too many pitchers. ------------------------------------------------- I can't imagine what successful pitcher Dick Mills can claim as his own, certainly not his poor son. Keep up the good work, Jeremiah. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Thanks again for keeping me updated.      If Mr. Carroll wants to see performance, then I suggest that he visit my Pitching Research/Training Center in beautiful Zephyrhills, FL.   By the way, what qualifications make him a performance analyst?   Because he has absolutely no idea how baseball pitchers apply force to the baseball, he must analyze the results.   That makes him a statistician.      Mr. House had his chance at coaching major league pitchers.   He ended up destroying Nolan Ryan's pitching arm.      Mr. Nyman admits that he has never coached baseball pitching.      I have no idea who Ron Wolforth is, unless he is the guy from Texas who my former assistant coach says that he plagiarizes my materials.   But, that does not make him a bad guy, if he gets it right.      Mr. Strom has destroyed hundreds of pitching arms across many professional team and elsewhere.   I cannot give him credit for any pitcher who managed to do well despite what he teaches.      I have no idea who Danny Orr is, let alone what he teaches.      I believe that Rick Peterson has a degree in or, at least, deals with the psychology of baseball pitching.   Again, I cannot give him credit for how his baseball pitchers apply force to his pitches.   I do know that he mistakenly believes that to correct for horizontal release inconsistencies, baseball pitchers should change the direction of their stride.   I do not believe that moving the center of mass of the body sideways, thereby adding more unnecessary stress to the pitching arm is the answer.      I have no idea what Mr. Mazzone teaches, except that pitchers should throw at eighty percent between starts.   I don't see how that helped his pitchers avoid Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgeries.      I have heard of Mr. Bagonzi, but I don't know what he teaches or if he coaches baseball pitchers.      You got it right with Mr. Mills.   He destroyed his son and still teaches the same pitching motion.   What academic credentials does he have?      One of my pitchers has succeeded at the highest level and he did not know how to throw my Maxline Pronation Curve and Torque Fastball pitches after his fourteen year major league career ended in 1981.      While questioning why I have not produced another Cy Young Award winner appeals to the scientifically uninformed, it does not properly evaluate my pitching motion or training programs.   That no pitchers I trained have ever injured themselves, that every pitcher I have trained has increased their release velocity and that every pitcher I have trained has expanded their repertoire of high-quality pitches is the proper way to evaluate.      When the gentlemen that Mr. Carroll mentions stop destroying pitchers, then he can challenge what I teach.   At the rate that they are incorporating my principles, that may be soon.   And then, I will celebrate their work.   Until then, I will continue to challenge what they teach.      Note that I said challenge, not attack.   To those of us schooled in scientific discussion, we welcome challenges to what we recommend.   I ask Mr. Carroll to challenge what I recommend and stop his childish non-productive, irrelevant asides.      When it comes to the safety of the pitching arms of youth baseball pitchers, I will never adjust, integrate or modify what I know is right.   To include 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' to be one on the guys is unacceptable.   To include 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' to be one of the guys is unacceptable.   To include 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' to be one of the guys is unacceptable.   To include 'Looping' to be one on the guys is unacceptable.   And so on, and so on and so on.      The baseball pitchers that I train are able to throw my high-quality pitches as hard as they can every day without any stiffness or soreness.   That is the best evidence that what I teach works. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 017.   I have been thinking about something for quite a while, and thought I might engage you to try and get my thoughts in order. It concerns leg drive off of the mound. When a traditional pitcher drives off with his pitching leg, he is using the rubber, at least to begin.    The rubber is a large piece of hard rubber, sunk well into the ground.    It is very stable, static.    This affords great opportunity to use force toward 2nd base, and make Sir Isaac happy.    When the traditional pitcher begins his core rotation, there is a solid foundation with which to do so, although the number of degrees of rotation is limited. With your mechanics, the rubber may be utilized in much the same manner as a traditional pitcher, affording great opportunity for pitching arm side leg drive.    However, when body mass is shifted over the glove leg, I do not believe the same stable static conditions apply upon the mound dirt, to give the same solid foundation for core rotation. If body mass is not sufficiently forward of the glove leg, so that the glove leg is at least 45 degrees from horizontal, and if the cleats of the glove foot are not properly dug into the mound, providing a stable foundation; some of the core rotation directional force is lost back through the glove leg.    Sir Isaac is not happy. I am sure you have seen the holes dug by the glove side cleats of your pitchers.    I have seen my older son almost fall down when throwing off of a hard bullpen mound, and his glove side spikes slip.    He has even talked of getting some really long ones put on. Then, there is the question of the slowly changing mound, as the number of pitches grows.    Each time, dirt is dug out, and tossed to the pitching arm side.    The landing spot keeps changing, and the pitcher must adjust, however slightly.    Dirt is usually dug out from in front of the rubber, but the rubber itself remains static and stable. Now, the advantages of glove leg drive are too great for the above to limit or reverse its use.    It seems to me the muscles used to drive off of the glove leg, can be made as strong as or stronger than the pitching arm side leg.    Then, you have the advantage of many more degrees of core rotation with glove leg drive.    A much longer distance to apply force.    More muscle groups to apply force.    Plus, you still have the opportunity of pitching leg drive to apply force toward second base. So, since the concept of the rubber is very normal to pitchers, I was thinking they need to form their own "rubber" for their glove foot, at the appropriate distance in front of the actual rubber.    Take one or two practice throws to help determine their correct stride length, then dig a small depression which mentally, and physically becomes their "glove foot rubber".    Weird term, I know.    They should be able to mentally recognize that rubber as their foundation from which to apply glove leg force toward second base, and giving them a solid foundation from which to rotate their core.    They should always be aware during the course of a game of the condition of their "glove foot rubber", making sure they always have a stable foundation there. As they learned with traditional mechanics, they never rotate their core until they have pushed off of the rubber.    Only now, with the glove side leg. They once used their pitching foot in this manner, applying great force off of the rubber.    If they have another "rubber" for their glove foot, they should be able to use that "rubber" to apply greater force toward home plate. I do not know how it would work on your turf workout mounds.    Perhaps another board with short nails in it, which could be moved for each pitcher.    Of course, someone would eventually step on a nail. If they can mentally get the idea of the glove foot rubber, and physically use it to push toward second, you should never have a problem with guys getting their hips through again. Your thoughts? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When the glove foot of 'traditional' baseball pitchers lands, because they stride forward seventy to ninety percent of their standing height, they apply their full body weight toward home plate.   As a result, their glove foot digs up the mound and Sir Isaac is angry.      When the glove foot of my baseball pitchers lands, because we only step forward, such that we can easily continue to forwardly move the center of mass of our body straight toward home plate, we do not apply our full body weight toward home plate.   As a result, our glove foot does not dig up the mound.      If my pitchers slip on the pitching mound, then they are stepping forward too far.   They should focus on driving their pitching hip forward off the pitching rubber.      To facilitate my pitchers learning how to drive their pitching hip forward and rotating their hips to their glove side, I recently started to tell my pitchers that I want them to hop forward on their glove foot.   I also tell them that, to have a stable body position from which to drive their pitching arm consistently horizontally forward, they need to lean back through release.      With these instructions, we are eliminating vertical release inconsistency.      You will notice that I am no longer telling pitchers to push back with their glove foot.   Before release, that is impossible to do, but I was trying to get them to forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders farther, such that they would drive their pitches to the pitching arm side of their body, rather than forward of their acromial line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 018.   My middle son, age 13, will be moving up to the 90' diamond this coming season.   He's always been a good contact hitter in the past, but unlike his bigger brother, he's never shown a lot of power.   He's pretty quick with his swing, but doesn't ever seem to generate much power with it. I'm looking for some suggestions on how he can increase his power without sacrificing his ability to consistently make contact. We live in a cold weather climate and it's difficult to get outside this time of year to work on his swing. He just got a new drill and he's dying to try it out. We do have a large basement where we can set up an area for him to work on his swing.   I'm wondering what type of indoor training aids there are, for lets say, a 20'x 25' indoor area, that some of you would recommend. I'd also like some thoughts on whether it's best to continue to work on bat speed or work on increasing just his strength for now until we can get outside again. I would also like to invite you to take a look at a new web-site we are in the process of building.   We would be willing at some point to pay someone of your credentials to help out with the questions presented to the web site. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Somewhere in my 2005 Question/Answer file, I discussed the front and rear arm drills with broom handles and whiffle balls and shovel handles and tennis balls that I used to teach hitters how to use my force-coupling batting force application techniques.   That is what I recommend.      I welcome any opportunity to explain what baseball pitchers have to do to stop injuring themselves. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 019.   In a previous e-mail, you wrote: "In preparation for the powerful forward rotation of their hips and shoulders, I teach my baseball batters to keep their head absolutely still and relative to their body, keep their front and read arms absolutely still and smoothly maximally reverse rotate their hips and shoulders." I am having trouble picturing in my mind what this reverse rotation looks like.   It seems that even a small degree of reverse rotation as you describe it would cause the head to move and thus disrupt a hitters vision of the incoming pitched baseball.   Would you clarify this for me? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I was describing what baseball batters should do in preparation for the powerful forward rotation of their hips and shoulders.   This means after they have reverse rotated.      However, even when they reverse rotate in preparation for their forward rotation, they should be able to keep their head still.   The problem with keeping their head still comes during their forward step with their front foot.      Therefore, I recommend that baseball batters learn how to step forward with as little forward movement of their heads as possible.      To do this, I teach baseball batters to comfortably lower the center of mass of their body with their torso and head erect and their feet comfortably spread.   Then, without changing the height of the center of mass of their body, move their front foot back about one-quarter of the distance between their feet.      In this way, when they step with their glove foot, they will put their foot back to where they felt comfortably spread and they will not move their head forward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 020.   I am a 6' 5", 234 lbs pitcher.    I am a 25 year old pitcher wanting to build up arm strength.    I just started pitching again last summer in an independent league after not throwing since I was about fourteen and had a lot of success.   I have never had any arm problems.    I use to pitch when I was younger and be extremely dominate.    I use to throw very hard when I was younger and I want to throw that way again, not that I'm not throwing hard now but I think that with the proper coaching I could reach the mid nineties. I received pitching lessons when I was younger from a former major league pitcher.    I am wanting to try out for the Frontier League this year. I was wondering if you could help me build arm strength or anything else for that matter.   I read your exercise routine on your website but I don't understand it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am working on my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   When I finish it, I am sure that it will help you understand the hard work that I believe baseball pitchers have to do to become the best pitchers they can be.      If you are ever near Tampa, FL, then stop by and watch my pitchers work. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 021.   If you get the chance (I know you're busy working on the 2006 video), I would appreciate it if you would give me your opinion of my analysis of submariner Chad Bradford's motion and mechanics. http://www.chrisoleary.com/documents/PitcherAnalysis_ChadBradford.pdf I am particularly interested in whether you agree with my assessment of why he: 1.   Hasn't yet had an elbow injury (signs of early pronation)? 2.   Hasn't yet has a shoulder injury (good timing)? 3.   Has had problems with his back? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If you were to take his upper body and make it vertical, you would see the classic 'traditional' pitching motion.   He has 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   He also does not pronate his releases.      He has all these flaws and still cannot throw a breaking ball that moves downward.   If opposing managers sent left-handed spray hitters to bat against him, then he would have a very short career.      Because he is slamming his olecranon process against its fossa, he will lose extension and flexion ranges of motion.   However, because he does not throw the 'traditional' curve, he lessens the stress.   Also, because his centripetal force is vertical, not horizontal, he lessens the stress.      Because he has 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' he is unnecessarily stressing his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      I don't understand what you mean when you say that signs of early pronation relate to elbow injury.   Pitching forearm supination causes the olecranon process to slam into its fossa.   Pitching forearm pronation is good, very, very good.      Injury to the attachment of the Subscapularis muscle on the front of the shoulder occurs when baseball pitchers take their pitching upper arm behind their acromial line.   He does that.   But again, the fact that his forces are vertical, instead of horizontal, lessens the stress.      He does not have back problems because he is young.   He will, if not during his short pitching career, left-handed spray hitters will shorten it, then when he is forty years old. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 022.   I would appreciate it if you would answer a few follow-up questions.   They will really help with my understanding of what you are talking about with respect to my attempts to throw using your motion. http://www.chrisoleary.com/videos/MarshallPitchingMotion_WindUpSet_12312005.mov 1.   You said "You have eliminated 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   This means that you have also eliminated 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'   Congratulations, you will not rupture your Ulnar Collateral Ligament or fracture your Humerus bone." One thing that I noticed when reviewing the tape is that it looks like I kind of slip out of the loaded slingshot position as I start to rotate my shoulders.   My elbow starts to bend to 90 degrees.   Is this common?   Is there anything I can do to stop it? 2.   You said, "However, you do not use the crow-hop rhythm..." By this, do you mean that I do not first cross my arms before pendulum swinging them? 3.   You said, "...you do not have the palm of your pitching hand facing outward when your pitching hand starts forward..." By this do you mean that my palm should be facing 3B? 4.   You said, "...you use your pitching upper arm to pull your pitching forearm forward..." This is something that I have now yet developed an eye for.   What exactly do you look for?   What is the telltale?   What is the alternative?   Is it having the shoulder and upper arm locked? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01.   You are cursed with the flaws of the 'traditional' pitching motion.   That is, you only feel strong when you have some version of 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.' You have to learn how to use your glove and pitching arms differently.   Remember, if it feels strong, then it is probably wrong.   To get the proper muscles strong, Yyu have to do my wrist wight and iron ball drills.      To do that, I designed my Pickoff with Step body action; Slingshot glove and pitching arm actions drill and my Wrong Foot body action; Loaded Slingshot glove and pitching arm actions drills.   If I were coaching you, until you mastered these drills, I would not permit you to even attempt a wind-up throw.      What you can do to stop it is to follow my training program and master each skill.   When I finish my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, if you follow the drills that I recommend and master the skills, then you will properly use your glove and pitching arms. 02.   The crow-hop rhythm has three requirements.      One, until their pitching arm has pendulum swung to forty-five degrees behind their body, baseball pitchers do not lift their glove foot off the ground.      Two, after they lift their glove foot off the ground and start to step forward, baseball pitchers continually move the center of mass of their body straight forward until their pitching foot lands in line with their glove foot straight forward.      Three, baseball pitchers continue to smoothly move the baseball throughout the transition phase into the acceleration phase when they powerfully forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.      You did not satisfy any of these three requirements.      However, if you master my Pickoff with Step Slingshots, Wrong Foot Loaded Slingshots and Wrong Foot Pendulum Swing drills, then you will be ready to learn my One Step Crow-Hop Pendulum Swing throws. 03.    Because you are right-handed, the answer is yes. 04.   To recognize when pitchers use their pitching upper arm to pull their pitching forearm forward rather than 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their body and wait until they forwardly rotate their body, such that they point their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm at home plate before they powerfully accelerate their pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball through release, you watch the path of their pitching hand.      If they move their pitching hand closer than the full length of their forearm to their head, such that when they start forwardly rotating their body, their pitching hand moves downward and laterally away from their body, then, the dreaded 'traditional' pitching motion has reared its ugly head again and they are using their pitching upper arm to pull their pitching forearm forward.      You also did not powerfully pronate your pitching forearm from first forward movement through release.   If you had, then, at the end of your deceleration phase, you would have pointed your pitching arm into the strike zone instead of pulling your pitching arm across the front of your body.      I recommend that, before you try wind-up pitching, you follow my drills and master my skills one by one.   Thankfully, because the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion is not as deeply ingrained, ten year olds will not be as strongly imprinted with the flaws of the 'traditional' pitching motion, such that they will learn these drills and skills much faster. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 023.   I shared Mr. Carroll's article and your response to it with my 17 year old this morning.    He used a word (in reaction to Carroll's remarks) I've almost never heard him use:    "immature."    He said something like this:    "That's really immature.    It's like AIDS, injuries are like AIDS for pitchers and the guy says Marshall hasn't trained a star, so ignore him?    That's ridiculous." My son is entering his senior year.    He has high hopes regarding the approaching baseball season.    He is feeling comfortable with the torque fastball and the screwball, particularly.    From my standpoint, if nothing greater than the response I quoted above comes out of him, I will remain a very proud father. Thank you for helping me to raise my son. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Without thoughtful, respectful debate, we learn nothing.   Sounds as though some thoughtful parenting taught your son that what he thinks and feels counts.   I congratulate the community of relatives, friends, teachers and others who taught him fair-minded independent thinking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 024.   I am interested in purchasing your pitching instruction videotape.    Just want to make sure that the "2004  Pitching Instruction Videotape" is the most updated and complete one that you offer and the one I should purchase. I coach a select 14U baseball team.    I just recently attended a coaching clinic put on by Ron Wolforth and Brent Strom.   I was not at all comfortable with some of the weighted balls drills and exercises he was promulgating (at least not for my age players). You seem to take a great deal of concern with protecting the health of player's arm, which is most important to me.    Unfortunately, it's awfully tough to follow the q&a in your site because of all the technical language (or perhaps I'm just ignorant!), so I want to make sure that this 2004 tape helps clearly explain some of this information so that the comments in this section can mean more to me. I eagerly await your response as I'm anxious to get whatever tape you recommend. We begin indoor practice in mid-February and want to have plenty of time to digest your material.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      For the past six months, I have been working hard on my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   It will be far better than my 2004 video.   However, I may not have my 2006 video ready before the middle of February.   Therefore, I recommend that you order my 2004 video.   Although I have modified my training programs and drills, it will show you the basics of what we do.   Then, when I finish my 2006 video, I will send you a copy without charge.      At biologically fourteen years old, the only growth plates in the pitching arm of youth baseball pitchers are for their olecranon process (tip of the elbow, the head of the Radius bone (bone on the thumb side of the forearm) and the medial epicondlye (the bony knob on the inside of the elbow).   Therefore, you are responsible for the future growth and development of these growth plates.      It is a shame that, to make easy money, so many hold clinics on baseball pitching knowing that what they teach destroys pitching arms.   I am especially appalled that these guys receive hundreds of dollars from good parents who are trying to protect their youth baseball pitchers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 025.   You wrote, "When the glove foot of my baseball pitchers lands, because we only step forward, such that we can easily continue to forwardly move the center of mass of our body straight toward home plate, we do not apply our full body weight toward home plate.    As a result, our glove foot does not dig up the mound." That is not correct.    Every single workout, or game, in which my sons pitch, they dig up the mound.    But it is because of force projected toward second base, not home.    The glove leg push digs into the mound, and the hip rotation turns the glove foot out, which kicks the dirt toward the pitching arm side.    The result is a dug out hole, which resembles the Nike swoosh. You wrote, "If my pitchers slip on the pitching mound, then they are stepping forward too far.    They should focus on driving their pitching hip forward off the pitching rubber." No.    This is not what I mean.    They are not stepping too far.    They are applying force toward second, as per Newton.    This force digs into the mound, and some of the force tends to dig out the dirt consistently. You wrote, "To facilitate my pitchers learning how to drive their pitching hip forward and rotating their hips to their glove side, I recently started to tell my pitchers that I want them to hop forward on their glove foot." How would that help? You wrote, "I also tell them that, to have a stable body position from which to drive their pitching arm consistently horizontally forward, they need to lean back through release." How would that help? You wrote, "You will notice that I am no longer telling pitchers to push back with their glove foot.  Before release, that is impossible to do, but I was trying to get them to forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders farther, such that they would drive their pitches to the pitching arm side of their body, rather than forward of their acromial line." No, I did not notice that.    It would seem to me the only way for them to rotate hips and shoulders further would be to get their body mass further in front of their glove leg.    This would require a significant push by their glove leg, not just the push from their pitching leg. I do not know who you are, but what have you done with Dr. Marshall?    What happened to driving off the mound with the pitching foot, and then the glove foot, applying greater force toward second base, increasing drive line length, and increasing baseball velocity? Without stable legs, a stable foundation to drive pitches toward home, and without force directed toward second, it would seem that core rotation would simply be spinning in air, so to speak.    The only value would be centrifugal force, not forward directional force. Perhaps I simply do not understand. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The baseball is long gone before they can push back toward second base with the glove foot.   Therefore, the only force that increases release velocity is the forward rotation of their pitching hip.      To forwardly rotate their pitching hip, baseball pitchers have to pivot on their glove foot.   To pivot on their glove foot, baseball pitchers have to rotate their pitching foot.   Therefore, when I tell them to hop on their glove foot, in preparation for their hop, they rotate their glove foot outward.      If they leave their glove foot pointed toward home plate, then they lock their glove hip and, as a result, they cannot forwardly rotate their pitching hip.      This means that the backward force that the glove foot applies toward second base occurs when baseball pitchers pull with their glove foot as a part of when they outwardly rotate their glove foot.      This does not mean that I want them to stop pushing back with their glove foot, it simply means that we do not have to worry about the ground breaking up or putting a board in their practice mound.      With regard to the mound breaking up, it sounds as though it needs more clay in the mixture.   But, the force that breaks the dirt up, does not increase release velocity.   When I pitched on mounds that did this, after every pitch, I refilled the hole. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 026.   This is a follow up to my question on my son having pain around the knee cap. The doctor said he had Patellofemoral Syndrome (chondromalacia).   He told him basically what I would expect from you. He told him go easy on it for awhile.   He also gave me a pamplet about the Syndrome and said that I might want to have my son go to a physical therapist.   The pamphlet had lots of "stretching" exercises in it it.   I asked him if the physical therapy would involve "stretching".   He said yes. Therefore, physical therapy is out.   I suspect you would say to go easy on it until it heals, but I thought I'd ask.   Also, do you think heat therapy would be good for this type of injury?   What about taking something like advil? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      With doctors, everything is a syndrome.   Your son placed more stress on his knee cap (Patella) and the weight-bearing bone of his lower leg (Tibia) than they could withstand.   His still has open growth plates in that area.   If, to let these growth plates mature normally, he takes it easy for awhile and only continues to work on mastering skills, then, when his growth plates mature, he can train like a madman without further concern for injuring his growth plates.      Doctors love physical therapy.   Basically, unless people do absolutely nothing, Physical Therapists make easy money for doing nothing that people cannot do as well or better themselves.      Yeah, you can put heat on it, you can put ice on it, you can rub it, you can do anything that you want to it, but if he simply continues to do what he did before at reduced intensities, then the irritated tissue will heal better and faster. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 027.   I was offered the baseball program at the local HS (such as it is—which is zero) and this resulted in a conversation about modified with the former AD and a current coach (who I played with 2000 years ago). Below is an email in which I described some of my thoughts, which is really just a rehash of the summer pick up program I described to you in an earlier email.   Your initial reactions would be highly appreciated.   If the powers that be buy into this, which I doubt, I would look forward to coming down to visit and paying you for counsel on arm & conditioning practices.   But for right now confirmation that I am nuts would help. ------------------------------------------------- I believe the worst thing we could do is to continue a certified/official SCCS modified baseball team.   It is bad for kids, for the school and deletes any hope of ever having a varsity program.   This is based upon the skill sets I see coming out of LL, the participation levels in summer baseball programs ( LL-Babe Ruth etc) and the general attitude of parents and kids re baseball overall. Besides—who wants to freeze to death only to be defeated 20-1?   Not me—and I doubt—one single player or parent---so why do it? In other words---it is a start from scratch situation—and therefore requires an easy fun and rewarding program for kids and parents. I am a sucker for baseball and teaching and would be interested in under the following conditions: 1.   Boys in 7-9 enlist in a school sponsored intramural type program.   They get official credit for this—and bus access, uniforms etc. 2.   To play intrasquad games, unofficial interschool scrimmages etc.    We build a Pony field ( I’ll pay-be responsible for that ) on school property.   It can be very rudimentary this year—but the goal will be a good Pony field for next year. 3. Acquire equipment that fits kids this age group ( same funding agreement).    I want my own Jugs gun and an enclosed hitting cage ( same funding agreement). In return I will bring on 3-4 adults to coach, plan the program, assist in coaching and bring in some clinic folks and schedule a few trips for the kids---including – if possible this late in the year—a couple of trips south in March & April. My whole thinking is predicated on both our experience and belief that baseball is best played during the summer.   My strategy is to make this program a springboard ( sorry for the pun ) for a summer program (Babe Ruth or other program).   A spring training model if you will.   Besides the regulars, I would envision kids who want run track, play golf, or are currently sitting out, to be able to stop by and play ball and participate.   Kids who showed a daily interest to play intrasquad against Varsity or other schools and participate go on road trips or excursions.   The whole thing based upon getting more with sugar than with structure to start.   All you need is a physical & you can swing a bat.   After that the rules are pretty loose. My bet is we make attractive enough that we get some interest and develop some skills—enough so that JV baseball becomes competitive down the road ( 3-5 years ) and Varsity maybe in 6-7 years. Finally, the whole thing starts in LL and with the new President of the League a new level of organization and skills will be coming forward.   And this fits right into what we started last summer.   It was fun, fruitful and gained attendance wk by wk. By August we had 30 kids running around. Lets talk about it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As I understand your email, what you are proposing is that, as a preparatory program for the summer youth baseball leagues, the school system sponsors an intramural baseball program for the chronological twelve through fourteen year old boys in the seventh through ninth grades that teaches baseball skills for which the students receive academic credit.      Because the school system would sponsor this program, the young men should learn the science involved, not just play games.   That is, they should learn about biological age, the laws of Physics that apply to baseball pitching, batting, fielding and so on, the names and functions of the muscles involved in these skill, the proper skill learning and training methods to enhance their performances of these skills and so on.      You should always be careful about asking an academic doctoral degree holder what youngster should learn in school.   Typically, we do not like the just-throw-out-the-ball Physical Educators, or, as I call the, Gymnasium baby sitters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 028.   Should the reverse rotation occur as the front foot moves back, or should the reverse rotation have already occured as the front foot moves back? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I don't recall saying that the front foot ever moves back.   During the preparatory phase of baseball batting, when batters reverse rotate their hips and shoulders to parallel with the line from the pitching rubber to home plate, both feet stay firmly planted on the ground.      In anticipation of the pitched baseballs arrival in the hitting zone, baseball batters step forward with their front foot, such that it lands in time for them to appropriately forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders to a line that is perpendicular to the driveline for their rear arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 029.   When you took overhead video of baseball batter's swings, how did you mount the video camera directly above the batter's head? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When I took overhead high-speed film of baseball batters, I used a moveable band leader platform from which I suspended a two by ten board ten feet above their heads with a cutout that secured my high-speed camera directly over them.      If I had a permanent research facility, on a baseball practice field, I would build a platform sixteen by sixteen by sixteen foot structure on which my staff could safely traverse that would permit them to place my high-speed camera directly over both right and left-handed batters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 030.   Please clarify the timing of when you are supposed to have your hand in the position to throw the appropriate pitch.    In Chapter 36 of your book you talk about getting the hand to specific locations for the appropriate pitches prior to "loading the slingshot". Do I remember correctly from your previous question and answers that you in fact just always have your pitching hand facing outward (like your screwball position) when you are back in the "loaded slingshot" stage and then rotate your hand into the appropriate position based on the pitch you are throwing as you are going from the "loaded slingshot" position to the "ready" position? Do I also understand the motion correctly that the glove arm does the straight backward motion AFTER your throwing arm gets to the "ready" position? "Ready" position is where the throwing are is perpendicular to your driveline (where the traditional pitchers actually end up releasing their pitches) if I understand correctly. Please let me know if I have it right or steer me in the right direction on area(s) I am not fully grasping yet.    By the way, I am on day 10 of your 315 day workout and enjoying it so far! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      During the downward and backward portions of my pitching arm pendulum swing, I want baseball pitchers to have the palm of their pitching hand facing upward and then forward.   At about forty-five degrees behind the body, I want baseball pitchers to turn the thumb of their pitching hand to point upward (forearm supination), such that when baseball pitchers start moving their pitching hand forward, they have the palm of their pitching hand facing outward to their pitching arm side.      Remember, I also want baseball pitchers to lift their glove foot off the ground and start its straight forward step when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body during its pendulum swing.      Therefore, before the pitching arm reaches driveline height, because pitchers start stepping forward with their glove foot, their pitching hand also passively starts moving forward.   That is, it moves forward only as a result of the body moving forward, not from any independent forward movement of its own.      Because I define my 'Ready' position as the moment that the baseball first starts moving forward, baseball pitchers arrive at their 'Ready' position at the same time that they step forward with their glove foot.      Between my 'Ready' position and when the glove foot lands, without any lateral or independent forward movement of their pitching hand, I want baseball pitchers to reposition their pitching forearm to throw whatever pitch that they wish to throw.      When their pitching arm reaches driveline height, it is critical that baseball pitchers immediately 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders.   Therefore, while they are repositioning their pitching forearm, they have to also outwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, such that their pitching elbow moves from pointing downward to pointing upward.      At no time during my baseball pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above the horizontal height of their pitching elbow or permit their pitching hand actively move forward until their pitching elbow reaches as far toward home plate as the forward rotation of their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm permits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 031.   Of course now I see another correction to my first email of today.    The "loaded slingshot" stage is best stated as the acromial line being perpendicular to the driveline.    I'm getting there, slowly but surely! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      With my Pickoff with Step body action, I want baseball pitchers to have their acromial line perpendicular to the driveline to home plate.      With my Wrong Foot body action, I want baseball pitchers to have their arms and acromial line parallel with the driveline to home plate.      I promise you that my 2006 video will very clearly explain all my drills.   I apologize for not explaining and demonstrating my drills more clearly.   Please be patient with me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 032.   Is this the reference to the Japanese researcher's "double spin" mechanics that you said you dealt with earlier in the year?   I still haven't been able to find it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In Question #736 of my 2005 Question/Answer file, I provide this article and my discussion.      Like I said, this is 'looping' and it will destroy the pitching arm.   They call it 'double spin' because while baseball pitchers forwardly rotate their body, their pitching arm first moves close to their head and then, when they start to use their pitching arm to pull their pitching forearm forward, their pitching hand and baseball moves backward and outward away from their body.      As a result, in addition to increasing the horizontal centripetal force of their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' they decrease the length of their driveline.      Let me quote from their article.   "Before his injury woes began, Matsuzaka used his two-pitch repertoire to bring the Lions to the Japan Series.   He was honored as the Game 1 starter.   When both pitches are working, the combination of mid-90s heat and gyroball is all but unhittable.   He's struggled some with control, but generally has had little problem dominating the hitters (there are very few pitchers in Japan who throw as hard as Matsuzaka)."      The critical words are; "Before his injury woes began," "when both pitches are working" and "there are very few pitchers in Japan who throw as hard as Matsuzaka."      Until his pitching motion destroys his pitching arm, like the 'Bird,' his star burned momentarily brightly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 033.   That's why I contacted you - because I knew I would get a good angle.   I am a bond trader by profession and I don't like people asking me advice when they don't really want to know the answer either. The issue here is we have a school that is out in the middle of nowhere.   The kids are not poor enough to be hungry nor rich enough to have a model for growth.   The result is the majority fall through the cracks academically and physically.   I refer to the maliase as mildew. Viewed another way--they attend a terrific HS that offers each individual a 20-1 teacher ratio, has good overall academic stats and any peron who desires has the opportunity to participate.   It could be viewed as a high dollar prep school that ( if private ) could easily charge $30,000 per year. Sports could be the key to waking up parents to this different view. I say parents because these kids in elementary school have the look, the ability and the hunger for learning, for play, for success.   But by the time they reach 8th grade, their parents, TV etc results in the sophisticated-life sucks attitude too common in our society. My goal would be to get the little critters off their arse while they still have a glimmer of hope and show them the joy of sport--and your take that science could & should be a part of that is ( I think ) valid, unique and likely sticky--meaning that it will help them stick to it and grow academically and physically---for the long term. Hmmm--a science based baseball program.   Let me think about this--see if I can understand your book a little better.   I would like to come back to you on this and see if something could not be put together. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I appreciate your efforts.   My 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video will help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 034.   You wrote, "The baseball is long gone before they can push back toward second base with the glove foot." Surely you do not mean all of them?    I know my younger son is always early, but I believed it would be something that was worked on over time.    But my older son was having great success pushing with both legs, sprinters start, Doc walking, etc.    It was simply a matter of getting the correct rhythm. A pitcher will use the rhythm, throw off of the foot, for which he has been trained to throw off of.    The rhythm they have been trained to use.    A centerfielder throwing home on a do-or-die play throws off of his glove foot, well in front of his glove leg, because he can apply more force to the baseball, get it home quicker.    But, most if not all had to be trained to do so.    From the time they started baseball, Dad's taught them to throw off of their pitching foot.    It is hard to break this rhythm, but not impossible if enough different training techniques are used. Once again, without a solid foundation established before core rotation, either with the glove foot, or the pitching foot, some of the force of core rotation will be lost back toward second base, and therefore velocity lost.    It is the difference between spinning in air, and a door slamming; a revolving door, vs a door hinged on the side. In order to have this solid foundation, one of the legs, either of the legs, must be at about a 45 degree angle, or less, from horizontal.    All of the advantages of using the glove leg as this solid foundation still stand.    More degrees of core rotation available, more muscle groups to apply force, release closer to the plate, etc. You wrote, "Therefore, the only force that increases release velocity is the forward rotation of their pitching hip." That is only if that is the way they are trained.    Without the solid foundation of their glove leg, body mass well in front of their glove leg, some of the force of hip rotation will be lost.    The glove leg must be solid.    It is simple physics. You wrote, "If they leave their glove foot pointed toward home plate, then they lock their glove hip and, as a result, they cannot forwardly rotate their pitching hip." I thought they were supposed to have their glove foot turned outward, at about 45 degrees, so that they were pushing with the ball of their glove foot, and were easily able to get their pitching hip though? You wrote, "With regard to the mound breaking up, it sounds as though it needs more clay in the mixture." No, that is not it.    Other than almost solid rock, any mixture would be dug out from the force of the glove foot. You wrote, "But, the force that breaks the dirt up, does not increase release velocity." Of course not.    That is lost force as the foot is pushed back, and the spikes dig out the dirt.    However, there will be additional force, not lost, expended on pushing the body forward, in preparation for core rotation.    Dirt being dug out is a byproduct of the action. To say the least, I am totally lost now.    I spent a lot of time working on how to get my sons further in front of their glove foot, a more solid foundation, before core rotation.    I do not understand how your mechanics can be at all powerful without this leg foundation. Pitching does not occur in a vacuum.    Gravity anchors the pitcher to the mound by way of the legs and feet.    One of the legs, either of the legs, off of which core rotation occurs, must be anchored well, and at such an angle as to provide the opportunity for maximum forward explosion.    If not, some of the energy, the force, will be lost. Concerning this, and your training methods and mechanics:   I can see how getting guys started with their arms is absolutely essential.    Without your proper arm mechanics, guys with traditional mechanics would rip off their arms doing the strength work, wrist weights and iron balls. However, I believe that work with the legs, and work with the proper glove foot rhythm needs to be started much sooner in the program, and not just with wrong foot throws.    I believe that if guys had to do a mile of Doc walking a day, they would soon be able to feel the correct rhythm.    They do not need to have a baseball, or iron ball, in their hands to get the correct rhythm.    Then, they could also do rhythm work off of the mounds without a ball, simply concentrating on getting body mass well in front of their glove leg. Also, if you go back to glove foot drive, you might need to explain to the guys where the pitching knee should be during core rotation to release.    It seems to me the knee of the pitching leg should be pulling forward, and slightly up, helping to get the pitching hip around.    I could be wrong. I still think of the leg action like a sprinters start:   The pitching leg gives the first great push, the glove leg lands, the momentum from the pitching leg drive pushes body mass over the glove leg, then as the glove leg begins its drive, the pitching knee comes up.    Just before the pitching lower leg extends forward, the hip is pulled powerfully around, quickly followed by the shoulders. Something I always wanted to see, was a 2x4 laid out to the side of the driveline, painted white, with painted black marks measured in feet on it.    During side view high speed film, one could see stride distance, the exact drive line length, how far in front of the glove leg he was at release, etc.  It would give a gauge of progress. I really would like more information on what you are teaching now, and the benefits. I need help. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am high-speed filming the guys from the front and side views next week.   I will put it on your younger son's video.   I already high-speed filmed Aubrey from the front and side views.   The side view shows exactly when and where baseball pitchers release their pitches.      You are absolutely correct that, if 'traditional' baseball pitchers strapped on our wrist weights and tried to throw, their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' then they would rip their pitching shoulder and elbow apart.   I believe that is further evidence against the 'traditional' pitching motion and for my pitching motion.      With my One Step Crow-Hop with Shakedowns wrist weight warm-up drill, my pitchers practice the proper body rhythm every day.   However, even though I do not want them to accelerate their pitching forearm through release with that drill, they can practice their glove foot hop.      You are again absolutely correct that I want my pitchers to sprint off the pitching rubber with their pitching leg and, to facilitate forward hip, shoulder and pitching upper arm rotation, I want my pitchers to drive their pitching knee forward and inward.      The glove leg plays a big role in facilitating the forward hip, shoulder and pitching upper arm rotation.   When the glove foot lands, I want my pitchers to first use it to pull their body forward and then, as the center of mass of their body approaches their glove foot, I want them to pivot on the ball of their glove foot, such that they point their glove foot outward.      To insure that they pivot on the ball of their glove foot, I am telling them that I want them to hop with their body sideways forward off their glove foot.      To stabilize their shoulders and, thereby, stabilize their pitching arm driveline, I also tell them to lean back during the pitching forearm acceleration through release.      On my high-speed film, to provide my displacement calibration, I have six inch boards on the fence behind them.   It may not be precise to the inch, but, without digitizing and a lot more cost and work, I am close enough to make my point that, with my pitching motion, pitchers apply force over about twice the distance that 'traditional' baseball pitchers do. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 035.   Thank you for your web site and the free book.    I'm a baseball coach and have seen many injuries to young players due to neglect and overuse.    I agree with what you are saying. How can I become more educated in learning more about the human anatomy?    Can you recommend materials to learn from?    Sometimes I feel we are doing it correct and at times it feels like we are miles off target.    How can we improve what we teach?    Do you believe in core strength and conditioning? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Many of my pitchers go to our nearby college and buy the required text for their Anatomy course.   I have several.   They all have their good points, but, for a starter Anatomy text, I recommend Grant's Atlas of Anatomy.      My 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video will teach parents, coaches and pitchers how to throw my six basic pitches and how to train to become the strongest, injury-free pitcher that they can be.      I believe that all baseball pitchers need to complete the training programs that I have designed that are appropriate for their biological ages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 036.   Thank you so much for reading my son's X-rays.    I guess your conclusion is not surprising.    What are the ramifications for the future?    No more pitching?    Or, if he follows your program, then is pitching still an option several years down the road? Thank you again for your expertise and your willingness to share it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      While your son will never have the skeletal structure that he would have had without too much youth baseball pitching, if he follows my guidelines, masters my pitching motion and completes my training drills, then, with those skeletal limitations, he can still become the best pitcher that he can be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 037.   How can we purchase your video?   Checking your web site, it shows only the 2004 tapes, and what is the cost? and can you accept credit cards?   Is there a contact number or address? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      On the home page of my website, I have a 2004 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video icon.   If you click on it, then you will go to a file that fully explains how to request my video.   At present, I only have my 2004 video.   If you get it, then when I have my 2006 video ready, I will send one to you without further charge.   Or, you can wait the month or so until I have my 2006 video ready. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 038.   I had several questions about teaching and training younger players. 1.   I am teaching my 6 year-old how to throw and am trying to teach him to throw (regardless of pitching) in a way that is consistent with your ideas.   I can pretty easily tell whether he is getting the arm swing right, whether he is turning his forearm over early, and whether he is pronating.   However, it's harder for me to tell whether his in-between arm action is correct (and to get him to do it right if it's not). Do you have any suggestions for things that I can do with him that will encourage him to throw your way rather than with the traditional pitching motion and the bounce/flyout pattern?   Maybe the drill that looks like you are drawing back the string of a bow and arrow (or drawing back the rubber band of a slingshot)?   Maybe your football spinning drills? 2.   I find that at times my guys (10 and 11 year-olds) get tired of drilling and practicing baseball.   It gets boring for them.   I am interested in your opinion of the wisdom of using other sports to help them develop muscles and skills while at the same time relieving some of the monotony. Let me say that I know that everything they do won't transfer to pitching, but I am wondering if some of it might help (or at least help with conditioning). For example, I am thinking about teaching them some Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and boxing moves to teach them how to use their hips to drive the rotation of the shoulders (golf and hitting a baseball might also do the same thing).   Punching in karate also incorporates the idea of force coupling where your punching hand and other-side hand are moving in opposite directions.   In terms of teaching some overhand motions, I was wondering whether you thought that working with fly fishing or bullwhip motions might help.   I have also seen some toy javelins at Wal-Mart and was wondering what you thought about using them for at least training and possibly conditioning purposes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01.   I recommend that baseball pitchers master my Pickoff with Step Slingshot drill first.   For all pitches, he should use an appropriately-sized foot.   For my Maxline Pronation Curve, he should use the lid off a four gallon square bucket.   Until they master their glove and pitching arm actions with their football and lid throws, they should not touch baseballs. 02.   I always recommend that youngster learn a wide variety of recreational and sport activities.   However, all movement is highly specific.   Contrary to popular belief, mastering one skill does not transfer to other skills.   In fact, when youngsters practice similar skills, they likely will not master either skill. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 039.   Since my sont was home for Christmas I have been puzzling over film clips I have.   As I watch what he is able to do with his hips, and watch what his feet actually do, I realize that we've been making a mistake.   My son is very close to doing all of this right.    But, he is doing one thing wrong. The thing he lacks is the ability to 'stand tall,' as you put it.   I now know how to teach this.   I have come to the conclusion that we cannot take full advantage of the velocity of the arm because shoulder and torso rotational velocity are actually inhibiting it.   Fundamentally, if we attempt to rotate or spin, pivoting using the glove side foot and leg as the spin axis, we alter how we can use the body's center of mass and consequently loose rotational velocity of the hips and torso.   Therefore, we need to rotate around the central axis of the body instead of the glove-side leg and foot.   This means we need to focus on firing the shoulders as fast as possible, but what makes it possible to do so is using the hips differently. Last night I figured out a way to alter how we're currently doing this.   Today, in two minutes, I taught my lefty to stand tall and rotate.   With today as the first day, he got it right more than 50% of the time.   The times he executes correctly his velocities go through the roof and he's nowhere near perfect in doing it. He tells me it feels completely natural.   Because of how this alters the timing, the major glove-side issues go away, because the glove arm doesn't have time to do anything but move rearward.   The time to the plate is absolutely phenomenal. This is also going to solve a lot of control problems.   I suspect that it will also help intrinsically straighten the driveline, just like I see in my son's wrist-weight throws.    This technique even simplifies the teaching process, in part because nothing, athletically, resembles how we have used the legs.   I even figured out a way to use a different set position to our advantage, but I don't think the guys will ever need it.   I figured this out because you have taught me to think differently and have encouraged me to learn.   The credit is yours.   While I am certain that there will be alterations to what I found that will enhance the technique, I am quite positive that I'm right. Like all of these concepts they are extremely difficult to explain with words.   What I found was that we need to step lightly on the glove foot, fire the arms, and allow the body to spin around a central vertical axis, the spine, and not the glove leg.   The glove foot ends up slightly closer to the pitching rubber than where it started.   It's just a guess, but I think we will still release the ball substantially closer to home plate. It's amazing.   When I do this I can actually feel my body lift straight up in the air.   The shock in my throwing arm is almost indescribable.   I think I threw almost as hard this morning as I did in college.    And I am not training, I should not throw more until I do so; I will hurt myself. You will likely understand this intrinsically when you read my words.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You are correct.   Baseball pitchers must stand tall and rotate about a vertical axis.   They must also continually move the center of mass of their body straight forward.   They must also 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders.   They must also 'lean' back through release.      To continue to move the center of mass of their body straight forward, baseball pitchers must powerfully push off the pitching rubber with their pitching foot and, when their glove foot lands, they must permit the center of mass to continue to move straight forward.      Until their glove foot lands, baseball pitchers cannot start to forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.   Therefore, the glove foot is critical to their explosively forwardly rotating their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.      Nevertheless, I agree that torso rotation occurs about a vertical spinal column.   But, it also occurs while the center of mass of their body continually moves forward.   The glove foot permits the center of mass of the body to move forward.   It seems to me that, while the torso rotates about the spinal column, the glove foot is the center of the longer entire body rotation.      The next question is what muscles forwardly rotate the hips and what muscles forwardly rotate the shoulder.   To forwardly rotate the hips and shoulders at their maximum velocity, we must make sure to maximally lengthen these muscles just prior to forward rotation.   We must also make sure to not violate my first law of force application for baseball pitchers; from first movement through release, baseball pitchers should apply force straight toward home plate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 040.   I'm clear on the fact that late forearm turnover and reverse forearm bounce can lead to UCL tears.   My question is, do the other various flaws lead to UCL problems or do those flaws lead to other elbow and shoulder problems? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' cause Ulnar Collateral Ligament ruptures, Humerus bone fractures and muscle tears.      Taking the pitching arm behind the acromial line and 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' cause the detachment of the attachment of the Subscapularis muscle from the lesser tuberosity of the head of the Humerus bone.      'Pitching Forearm Flyout' causes the lost of pitching elbow extension and flexion ranges of motion and irritates the Ulnar Nerve.      Maximally reverse rotating the hips exacerbates 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' and damages the pitching hip joint, which leads to early hip replacement surgery.      'Striding Too Far' injures the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, the pitching Adductor Brevis (groin) and the muscles of the lower back.      'Striding Closed' injures the ligaments and muscles on the front of his pitching shoulder. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 041.   I imagine you'll get other mail on this, but I can't resist sending you this article on Bruce Sutter's recent induction into the Hall of Fame.   I've edited down to the portions I find of most interest: ------------------------------------------------- Bruce Sutter:   'I would do it all over again' By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer January 10, 2006 ATLANTA (AP)   Bruce Sutter is reminded every day of his former job.   The sore shoulder.   The tender elbow.   The creaky knees.   The ailing back. "I can't even change a light bulb," Sutter said. And he wouldn't change a thing... The strain of throwing all those splitters may have cut short his career.   Sutter signed a six-year contract with the Atlanta Braves before the 1985 season, a deal worth about $10 million, but his shoulder began hurting just six weeks into the season.   He pitched through the pain and saved 23 games, but he wasn't nearly as dominating. Sutter missed much of 1986 and all of the following season because of shoulder problems.   Then, after one more season with the Braves, he was done. "My only regret is coming to Atlanta and hurting my shoulder," Sutter said.   "I was never the same again.   They cut on me and cut on me, but there was nothing they could do.   I feel bad about that." Sutter remained in the Atlanta area with his wife and three sons, learning to live with the inevitable fallout from nine trips to the operating room.   He had three shoulder surgeries, three more on his knees, another on his elbow.   Since retiring, he's had two back operations, the latest just six months ago. "It's not good," he said when asked how he felt physically.   "But I would do it all over again.". ------------------------------------------------- Someone needs to do a definitive study of the lingering disabilities inflicted on even the most successful of "traditional" pitchers.   I'm reminded, for example, of reading that Sandy Koufax has to have his coats specially tailored because his left arm is now functionally three inches or so shorter than his right arm. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If Bruce had called me, then we could have shared that ten million.   I have high-speed file of him.   He had terrible 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'      With the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, all former major league pitchers suffer rest-of-their-life consequence of pitching.   I lost twenty-four degrees of my flexion and extension range of motion in my pitching arm.   Fortunately, in 1967, I learned how to prevent that problem and I have since learned how to prevent all pitching injuries. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 042.   my name is john im 17 and I live in new York yes im a yanks fan    I no you played for Detroit and I think you were a great pitcher I heard your interview on the cubs cast. I just wanna ask you a question;   I throw really hard but I just have a problem I cant throw hard and aim properly do you have any tips for me? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      My tips come in the form of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book that you can read and copy for free on my website and my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video that you can get if you follow the instructions that I will provide in my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video file when I have it ready. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 043.   Do you want or need any assistance at your facility?   I would love to spend some time learning from you and helping you manage workout sessions, conduct research, work on your video, and anything else with which you might need assistance.   I would certainly be willing to visit your facility and talk to you personally about this possibility if you are interested. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I appreciate your interest and kind offer of help.      I welcome everybody to come to my Pitching Research/Training Center and stay as long as they like.   However, because I charge my pitchers only what I need to break even, I cannot pay anybody.      With only twelve pitchers, I do not need help managing our workout sessions.   I am about done with my 2006 video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 044.   Learning from you would be payment enough.   I would only need to find another job to help support my family. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      We are now training from 9:00 to 10:30AM seven day a week.   I will be off from the fourth Saturday in May until the third Saturday in August.   We can accommodate about ten visitors.   If more want to visit, then I will build a larger seating area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 045.   Do traditional curveballs and sliders injure the UCL or just increase the chances of bone chips and diminished elbow extention? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers supinate the release of their curves, sliders and cutters, they increase the likelihood that they will slam their olecranon process into its fossa.   This causes bone chips and loss of flexion and extension range of motion.      Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers have 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' they always unnecessarily stress their Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   When the angle of their pitching arm during their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' approaches ninety degrees, they increase the amount of unnecessary stress. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 046.   How do you feel about weight training for a 12 year old pitcher? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      At twelve biological years old, the six growth plates in their elbow are all open.      The Triceps Brachii muscle attaches to the ossification center of the olecranon process.   Therefore, bench presses and similar activities stress that growth plate and too much can prematurely close it.      The Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris and part of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis muscles attach to the ossification center of the Medial Epicondyle.   Therefore, too much baseball pitching for too long and too hard can completely pull the Medial Epicondyle away from the shaft of the Humerus bone and permanently destroy his pitching arm.      The rebound of the head of the Radius bone into the Capitular end of the Humerus bone can grossly enlarge the head of the Radius bone and prematurely close the growth plate of the Capitulum and permanently destroy his pitching arm.      In my 60-Day First, Second, Third and Fourth Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs, I recommend that biological ten year olds use two and one-half pound wrist weights and a two pound iron ball to complete my drills and skills and biological thirteen year olds use five pound wrist weights and a four pound iron ball.      At sixteen biological years old, when all growth plates in their elbow have matured, I recommend that they use ten pound wrist weights and a six pound iron ball to complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 047.   Will performing situps make your waist thicker?   I know that you can't spot reduce, but I was hoping that situps would tighten up my stomach.   Someone told me that all they will do is make my waist thicker.< -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Eating animal fat will thicken your waist much more and far faster than doing sit-ups.   However, in the same way that curls will enlarge the muscles that flex your elbow, doing sit-ups will enlarge the muscles that flex your hip joint. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 048.   It's been a while since I communicated with you.   I trust all is well with your health and your fine program. Please consider it a feather in your cap that one of your 'throwing' earned some prestigious honors last spring.   My son, whom you met and worked with at your facility a couple years ago, earned Freshman All-American honors playing at second and third bases. The throwing ability (strength, accuracy, quick release) that you and your program helped nurture enabled him establish himself as one of the top defensive players.   He was the league Rookie of the Year and was the only position player on his team to earn all-regional tournament honors. My question at this point in time: I have a 12-under GIRLS softball team.   We work very hard for 9- (my daughter), 10-, 11- and 12-year-old girls and try to maintain a fun attitude as well.   The girls came across a tire-hitting contraption. The drill helps create perfect contact point as the feedback is swift and strong AND it helps build strength in hitting through the ball.   However, I have not allowed the girls to follow up with this exercise as I am concerned about the immature joints. Most of the girls are just reaching puberty, some are not there yet. Here's my concept for a compromise: My 15-year-old daughter takes swings against a hard rubber mat that is suspended behind home plate at a batting cage we work out at.   The hard rubber mat forces her to work extremely hard and it gives her immediate feedback on the efficiency of her swing.   But it also gives, it doesn't knock the bat back and send trauma through the body as the tire drill does. Do you think this is a safe exercise for the 12U team? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When athletes drive baseball bats into tires, they drive the Radius and Ulna bones of their rear forearm back into the distal end of their Humerus bone of their rear upper arm.      Because adolescent females biologically mature slightly earlier than adolescent males, such that the growth plates at the distal end of their Humerus bone, the Capitulum and Trochlear may mature a year earlier.   I don't know by how much.      I recommend that they wait until all growth plate in their elbows completely mature.   In adolescent males, this occurs at biological sixteen years old.      Additionally, at this age, I would be more concerned with skill than strength. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 049.   To my chagrin, this became a long diatribe.    I know you are very busy.    So please do not feel you need to address this email whatsoever.   They are just thoughts, and may be right or wrong.    But I do not want you to waste any of your valuable time in replying to them.    I am better served if you spend your time in other pursuits. The functions of the legs and body core in pitching seem to be a relatively simple Newtonian model.    To my knowledge, there are only five major systems for creating horizontal velocity toward home plate from the Wind-up Set position.    The glove leg behind the rubber, the pitching leg, the glove leg again, rotational centripetal force resulting in straight line centrifugal force from core rotation (Hips, shoulders, upper arm), and finally the arm action (to include forearm, wrist, hand, fingers). In order for a pitcher to be the best he can be, and assuming maximizing forward velocity is a part of being the best he can be, each of those five major systems should be maximized in efficiency and effectiveness. In order to enrich whatever meager knowledge of sprinting biomechanics I have, I researched it on the net, and found some interesting things.    I was surprised to find a huge amount of clinical research on the sprinters start.    Surely much more than baseball pitching, since your information is about the only high quality information on the net concerning pitching. I do not expect you would wish to look at all of the research, but here are a couple of interesting presentations: http://www.intl.elsevierhealth.com/e-books/pdf/1008.pdf http://www.coachesinfo.com/category/athletics/219/ A few things I found in my reading: Foot is turned out laterally, everted, at the beginning of all of the acceleration steps. In order to get the greatest range of leg motion to provide forward horizontal velocity, the hips should be tilted forward.    A pelvis tilted forward provides much more range of motion for the legs. Center of gravity must be well forward of the legs in order to get the most forward velocity. Body lean should be approximately 45 degrees, as I surmised, in order to maximize acceleration. Center of gravity must be in front of the next foot strike.   If CG is behind the next foot strike, forward momentum will be lost. Starting foot spacing makes a big difference in acceleration speed.    The best start spacing found through research is about 16 inches, give or take. Must have the optimum knee joint angles, before leg extension, in both the front and rear leg, in order to maximize forward acceleration.    If the knees are not bent properly, forward acceleration is limited. Now, attempting to place this research into the pitching motion: The only way force directed toward second base can be efficient and effective, is if the force is effectively blocked, in order to be directed toward home plate.    Unless there is a solid framework between the mound, feet, and legs, the force generated by core rotation is not effective.    The pitching foot has the rubber to use as a block, the glove foot has the mound dirt. Further, ANY force generated toward second base, unless effectively blocked, does not result in a positive force toward home plate.    This means a rod through the head and body is not the correct pivot point for core rotation.    The only totally effective pivot point for core rotation is through the glove shoulder and glove leg and foot.    That is because the glove foot is the only stable structure blocking the force toward second, to oppositely and equally direct the force toward home.    Therefore, the glove foot, lower leg, and upper leg, must all be solid, pushing forward at about a 45 degree angle, in order for core rotation to be maximally physically effective, and prevent loss of forward momentum from core rotation. This should work well with the sprinters start, getting the center of gravity ahead of the glove leg, body lean at 45 degrees, providing the maximum forward velocity of the glove leg, and the maximum production of forward velocity of the arm from core rotation. By the same token, the glove side upper arm, lower arm, hand, and glove itself, should all be pulled straight back, with the glove coming to an abrupt stop at the shoulder, during core rotation, in order to be most effective and efficient according to Newtonian physics.   Any part of the arm that goes behind the shoulder simply lends to a loss in forward momentum. If the pivot point is an imaginary rod through the head and body, much of the rotational force is lost as a decrease in forward momentum.    If the framework (glove leg) for core rotation is not solid, much of the rotational force is lost as a decrease in forward momentum. Thinking out loud;   it seems the best methods of attaining maximum forward velocity from the five major systems are: Dig a good block for the glove foot in the dirt behind the mound, about 16 inches behind the front of the rubber, to facilitate first glove foot push.    This may not be correct since the pitcher is not down in a sprint start position.    It may need to be further back. Dig a good block for the glove foot in front of the mound, at the correct position for the second glove foot push. At initiation of the pitch, the pitcher should tilt his pelvis forward to transfer his CG forward, which should produce a forward lean.    Then bend or load both of his knees, in preparation for forward acceleration. It seems to me both legs, at pitch initiation, could fire at about the same time, if the foot spacing is correct, the goal being to transfer CG quickly and maximally in front of the pitching foot. Final push of the pitching leg and foot should occur when the forward body lean is about 45 degrees.    This means CG must be well in front of the pitching rubber when the pitching leg begins it's final push. Glove leg stride, and the block in front of the mound, should be at the point where the forward momentum created from the pitching leg push, will allow the CG to be well ahead of the glove foot at foot strike. To begin, it seems perhaps both the glove foot, and pitching foot should be everted.   The second glove foot strike should be everted, which will maximize second glove leg drive, and help get the pitching hip through. Finding the forward position of the glove leg at foot strike would seem to be a trial and error proposition.    It depends on the efficiency of the pitcher to generate forward acceleration by the primary glove leg push, and the pitching leg push.    He would need to find the optimal pelvic tilt, knee angles, foot spacing, and CG position, to generate momentum, and then the strength to maximally perform the actions.    The greater the forward velocity, then the longer the glove leg stride can be, while still having the CG ahead of the glove leg at glove leg foot strike. Core rotation should not begin until the second glove leg push toward home plate has occurred, the glove leg is maximally extended and at a 45 degree angle toward home plate.    At that point, the pelvis can be tilted back, allowing the body to be vertical, or almost vertical during core rotation. Just some thoughts of a limited brain.    I know you are very busy, so please do not spend much of your valuable time on this drivel. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The track start is an uniformly acceleration activity where athletes maximally acceleratee the center of mass of their body straight forward without any hip or shoulder forward rotation.      With regard to the center of mass of my baseball pitchers, baseball pitching is an uniform velocity activity where athletes need accelerate only to about a ten mile per hour velocity.   However, with regard to the forward rotation of their hips, shoulders and 'locked' pitching upper arm, baseball pitching is an uniform acceleration activity.      In my Wind-up position, we use our glove foot to move our body weight from a foot or more behind the pitching rubber forward.   This is the start of our oppositely-directed force that enables baseball pitchers to achieve the uniform velocity of their center of mass.      Then, until our glove foot lands, we use our pitching foot to continue the forward movement of the center of mass of our body forward.      Then, to start the forward rotation of our hips, shoulders and 'locked' pitching upper arm, we pull straight back with our glove hand.   This is the start of the uniform acceleration phase of my baseball pitching motion.      Then, to continue the uniform velocity forward movement of the center of mass of our body, we pull back with our glove foot.   In addition, the contact of the glove foot with the ground also provides the foundation for the continuing uniform acceleration of our hips, shoulders and 'locked' pitching upper arm.      Then, this glove foot pull-back also enables the pitching knee to drive forward, which adds force to the uniform acceleration of our hips, shoulders and 'locked' pitching upper arm.      Unfortunately, even though pitchers are able to move their pitching knee ahead of their glove foot before they release their pitches, they have not moved the center of mass of their body ahead of their glove foot.      This means that, before they release their pitches, with the center of mass of their body at most beside their glove foot, pitchers cannot apply oppositely-directed force.      However, if at the same time that pitchers 'pronation snap' their pitching forearm forward, they pull continue to pull-back with their glove hand, then they can lean back with their torso.   This provides another oppositely-directed force that can accelerate the baseball through release. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 050.   Thank your for the reply concerning young athletes striking a tire with a baseball bat.   It is appreciated. Do you think it is safe for 10- 11-year-olds to strike a flexible rubber mat?   It creates a workload, but readily gives. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      No.   They should learn how to properly apply force to their bat.   When they strike pitched softballs, the impact growth plates in their rear elbow receive more than enough stress. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 051.   I am an 18 year old left-handed pitcher.    I have a question.    What would be the best thing for a pitcher to do in the off season and how would I gain more velocity on my fastball.    Also, are lifting weights with your upper body a bad thing to do for pitchers?    If there's anything I should be doing, please let me know. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I recommend that eighteen year old baseball pitchers complete my 280-Day Adult Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.   Then, each successive off-season thereafter, I recommend that they complete my three sets of iron ball and wrist weight recoil training cycles.   With these programs, they will become the most powerful baseball pitchers that they can be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 052.   A couple of weeks ago, I asked if you can lose weight and gain muscle at the same time.   I believe that you stated that as long as half of your calories were coming from protein, you could gain muscle while losing weight. I read last night that 1 gram of protein equals 4 calories.   If I were to consume 2000 calories per day, I would have to consume 250 grams of protein each day to have half of my calories coming from protein.   This doesn't seem possible.   Did I misunderstand what you were telling me or are my numbers incorrect? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Adults need on gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight.   A kilogram is 2.2 pounds.   Therefore, if you weigh two hundred and twenty pounds, then you need one hundred grams of protein per day.      In the adult diet, fifteen percent should be protein, twenty-five percent should be fat and sixty percent should be glucose.      If I said that one-half of your caloric intake should be protein, then I must have been on the Atkins diet, such that my brain did not get sufficient glucose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 053.   In your Question #30 last week I'd like to ask a couple of clarifying questions:   You wrote, "During the downward and backward portions of my pitching arm pendulum swing, I want baseball pitchers to have the palm of their pitching hand facing upward and then forward." In the anatomical position, I consider the palm facing forward to mean toward home plate.   I was under the impression that as you pendulum swing the arm backward you want the ball facing toward the body.   In other words the palm would be facing inward, not toward home plate.   Has this changed? You later write, "At no time during my baseball pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above the horizontal height of their pitching elbow." This is also a surprise.   I was under the impression that as you brought the ball up to driveline height the forearm was 45 degrees above horizontal.   This would put the hand above the elbow.   Has your teaching changed?   Further, I have a video clip of one of your star pupils throwing his wrist weights.   I am told that he is demonstrating your pitching motion perfectly.   (The young man's father is there or just left.)   At several points in the clip the youmg man's hand is above his elbow. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I want baseball pitchers to pendulum swing their pitching hand and baseball vertically straight back along the line between home plate and second base.      When baseball pitchers correctly pendulum swing their pitching arm and baseball, they will not only eliminate 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' which will also eliminate 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' they will also perfectly position their pitching hand and baseball for their straight line drive toward home plate.      At forty-five degrees behind their body, because of the configuration of the head of the Humerus bone and the Glenoid Fossa of the Scapula bone, if baseball pitchers do not turn the palm of their pitching hand to face away from their body, then they will not be able to smoothly swing their pitching upper arm upward to shoulder height.      To help prevent baseball pitchers from taking their pitching hand and baseball laterally behind their body, at the end of the pendulum swing, I want the palm of the pitching hand facing away from their body.      Now, what should baseball pitchers do with the palm of their pitching hand between when they take their pitching hand and baseball out of their glove and pendulum swing to forty-five degrees behind their body?      When they take their pitching hand and baseball out of their glove, should they have the palm of their pitching hand facing inward or upward?      If, when they take their pitching hand and baseball out of their glove, they have the palm of their pitching hand face inward, then they will have to outwardly rotate the palm of their pitching hand from facing inward to facing outward at forty-five degrees behind their body.   They should be able to do that.      If, when they take their pitching hand and baseball out of their glove, they have the palm of their pitching hand face upward, then they will have to outwardly rotate the palm of the pitching hand from facing upward to facing outward at forty-five degrees behind their body.   This eliminates ninety degrees of pitching palm outward rotations.   Maybe, they should do this.      Therefore, I choose the palm of the pitching hand facing upward.      As I carefully analyze the wrist weight, iron ball, football and baseball drills for my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I am seeing that if I tell baseball pitchers to have their pitching hand at ear height and their pitching upper arm at shoulder height, then, when they are supposed to raise their pitching elbow to the same height as their pitching hand, instead they raise their pitching hand even higher.      As a result, when they do finally raise their pitching elbow to driveline height, which 'locks' the pitching upper arm with their body, their pitching hand and baseball moves downward to driveline height.      While, because they are already inwardly rotating their pitching upper arm, this downward move is not the same as the 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' of the 'traditional' pitching motion, it does introduce forces that can decrease vertical release consistency.      Therefore, when baseball pitchers step forward, I want them to 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their body.   But, in my Wind-Up Position, I want my pitchers to step forward when their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body.   This means that their pitching hand starts moving forward before their pitching hand reaches driveline height.      If their pitching hand is below driveline height, then their pitching elbow is above their pitching hand.   Therefore, if, to 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their body, baseball pitchers raise their pitching elbow when their pitching hand is at or below it, then when their pitching hand reaches driveline height, it will be at the same height as their pitching elbow.      That explains why I wrote, "At no time during my baseball pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above the horizontal height of their pitching elbow."      Sorry for the confusion that I caused you.   I should have waited for after I released my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video to say this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 054.   I think you will get a kick out of this. http://www.braingym.com/html/what_is_it_.html -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      About fifty years ago, in France, in an elementary school, teachers spent one-half of their time teaching students motor skills.   When these students took their national academic exams, they always scored the highest.   We Motor Skill Acquisitionist have known of this link between motor skill performance and academic performance for many years.   Yet, the administrators keep eliminating Physical Education classes at all levels.      What bothers me about this website, is that a Ph.D. supposedly dedicated to the youth of America is selling his information.   He should be fighting to get it into every elementary school.      When, for almost ten years, I volunteered to work in Dr. Vern Seefeldt's Motor Performance Study at Michigan State University, I developed a Motor Skill Acquisition program for elementary school students that I called, Individual-Oriented Group Instruction, where we taught the basic motor skills of running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking to every student at their individual performance levels.      In the mid-1970s, without ever mentioning my name, Phil Donahue even had Dr. Seefeldt, the chair of my doctoral committee, on his show explaining how my program worked. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 055.   I was searching for information about our son's injury and ran across your Q & A's, very interesting.   I only wish I had heard about you 8 years ago.   Anyhow, I would like to run a question by you, hoping for an answer that will guide me in the right direction. A short history of our son, he started pitching at age 8, he had several lessons at an early start.   We were always told that he threw everything the "right" way.   Yes, he did throw a "curve" ball, but again, he supposedly threw it the correct way. Anyway, a few years ago, he would have been 12, he had some soreness in the right elbow area.   Doctors told him to rest, no pitching and we did just that.   When he started pitching again, he was fine up til this past November.   He actually had been off since August of 2005, with a Left Hook of Hammate Bone issue.   We finally took care of all that, but, he really didn't throw much during August to November. He pitched one inning, he told coach that his elbow hurt, we saw an orthopedic PA, he treated him for tendonitis.   He did not do any baseball til this past Sunday, Jan 8, 2006.   He warmed up as he normally does, said his arm felt great! He went on mound and on his 4th pitch, he said his elbow never hurt like this before.   That's the history.   He will 16 in Jan! We went for x-rays and MRI this past week.   The doctors said he has pulled the UCL away from his bone, total separation.   He put him in a supporting brace, and will start him on PT in a couple of weeks, after some of the swelling goes down, and when he feels it is safe to start. We were told NO baseball, not even swinging at this point.   Luckily, the Varsity coach, wants him to be a coach/player this season.   He is a sophomore, so coach wants him healthy for jr and sr years.   Anyway, one of the pitching coaches at school asked me about surgically attaching the UCL back to the bone. His concern, as mine, now, if, in 6 months nature has not taken its course, then we are back to where we are now?   What are your feelings on this?   Also, when he gets healthy, what are the chances of this reoccurring? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The doctor should have said Medial Epicondyle, not UCL.   UCL stands for Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   Pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligaments, they do not pull them loose from the bone.   If he ruptured his Ulnar Collateral Ligament, he needs immediate surgery.   If he pulled the ossification center for his Medial Epicondyle loose from the bone, then he needs to wait until its growth plate completely matures.      He will be sixteen this month?   At sixteen biological years old, the growth plate for the medial epicondyle matures.   For your son to pull the ossification center of his medial epicondyle off the bone, he cannot be biologically sixteen years old.      In any case, like when youngsters get Osgood Schlatter's disease that affects the Tibial tuberosity of the lower leg, he has to wait for nature to take its course and completely close the growth plate for his medial epicondyle.      That he pulled it loose is not a good thing.   However, with luck that this injury does not negatively affect the groove for the Ulnar Nerve behind the medial epicondyle, this injury should not significant impact his future ability to pitch.      However, if he continues to use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion that caused this injury, then he will continue to suffer injuries, with the real prospect of rupturing his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      Therefore, after X-rays prove that the growth plates for his medial epicondyle and head of his Radius bone have completely closed, I recommend that he does my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 056.   Your web site is very interesting.   I've got some questions regarding my 15- year-old son and dealing with his injuries over the last year. First, if I may, I'd like to provide some background before I actually ask my questions. In the middle of last summer, my son experienced some shoulder pain that turned out to be a rotator cuff strain where it was determined that his rear rotator cuff was the one injured.   After some physical therapy for a few weeks and rest away from throwing, he started pitching again.   After a few games, his elbow started giving him difficulty.   We essentially shut him down for the season after that, where we did not play any fall ball.   Our season ended around the beginning of August. Since October, he's been taking lessons from a former pitching instructor.   I asked him to help us, because he wanted to assist my son in working to make his motion to have as less an impact on the arm as possible and yet get the most velocity.   Work on mechanics, basically.   Just before the end of 2005, my son started complaining of elbow pain again.   This coincided with the start of his school workouts for prospective baseball players.   His pain could only be felt when he actually threw. We then took my son to a doctor.   Initial X-rays showed that the elbow seemed to be constructively sound (my terminology) with no bone chips and interior tears that at least were noticeable from the X-Ray.   An MRI showed slight 'leakage' (his term) indicating a very small tear on the OUTSIDE of the elbow.   The doctor says 3 to 4 weeks of non-throwing should heal the tear on its own.   He has indicated that my sons' growth plates are closed.   We think the injury was caused by doing "power cleans" in the workout room. Competitively, my son has been pitching travel team level 15 year old competition.   When he was healthy, he was the ace of our team, but I never felt like he was over used.   We've been coached by a former professional utility infielder who had a pretty good pro career but only a "cup of coffee" in the majors.   My son has not used breaking stuff up to this point, so that hasn't been a factor in his injury history.   When healthy, he was throwing velocity was in the 80's. Now for my questions. 1)   Can you discuss the process of rehabilitating a hurt shoulder, the need (or maybe no need) to also rehabilitate his elbow, and other pitching muscles (ham-strings come to mind).   We've been told that my son probably altered his pitching motion to compensate for his shoulder, which in turn led to his elbow injury, which was a "tennis elbow" injury. 2)   Do you have any comment on workouts for pitchers and if they are unique from other baseball position players in team workout sessions. 3)   My son is really down because he seems to be not getting anywhere with his arm being healthy.   We have not had any problems injury wise before this season.   What can he do the keep himself healthy for high school? By the way, I'm impressed with your academic credentials and your initial ideas I've read seem to make sense. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      All the problems that your son is experiencing come from how this pitching coach is teaching him to apply force to his pitches.   The 'traditional' baseball pitching motion destroys pitchers. 01.   To rehabilitate your son's pitching arm, if all elbow growth plates have closed, which means that he is biologically sixteen years old, he should do my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. 02.   If your son completes this training program and masters my pitching motion and releases, then he will never injure himself again.   If he continues with my adult programs, then he will become the best pitcher that he can be. 03.   Do my program.      Does this mean that, rather than seek advice from someone who plays a doctor on the internet, you like to see his degrees?   Interesting concept. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 057.   I read that you can determine how many calories you need to maintain your weight by multiplying your weight by 12.   I know it would depend on your level of activity, but is this fairly accurate? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      That seems a bit simplified.   I prefer the scale.   If you eat the diet that I recommend and you gain weight, then you are eating more than your specific metabolism requires.      Remember, if you want to lose a pound of body fat, then, for seven days, your have to consume five hundred calories fewer per day than you expend.   Do this for fifty weeks and you will lose fifty pounds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 058.   Yup, I thought he was kind of greasy too and most of the stuff is not his. I found it interesting because the little rural school I went to had 2 teachers and taught 1-8, 1-4 & 5-8 respectively.   1-4 had a total of 30 kids taught in the same room & about the same in the higher grades.   All I remember was the piano & kickball.   I literally don't recall learning anything or struggling nor do I remember 'bad' students either academically or discipline wise. Anyway, something like 98% of their students went on to 4 yr colleges and they taught for 30+ years.   Of course, then there was a big push for education and the school was consolidated and they were pushed aside.   I still remember them crying on that last day.   Anyway. I found this of interest because the way they taught reading writing and arithmetic was often via the piano and ballfield.   We would sing the alphabet and did some sort of weird YMCA things, counting songs--acting out legends in plays and skits for history. Later on batting averages from the field linked to lineups and fish estimating (a longer story) were part of field trips to the lake or ball field.   Also of note was our schedule, 9-2 with an hour for lunch & a 20 minute recess in AM & PM.   My kids get on the bus at 7 & return at 4, with homework.   I don't remember ever having homework till high school.   No wonder they burn out. My wife thinks I am nuts when I work with my kids.   My daughter was having a hard time telling time.   I had her stand on the kitchen table and had her hands be the clock and she had to respond to my call with her arms to tell me the time.   20 minutes later and she was done. I do this with sports too.   Explaining why a basketball pass with topspin can make a more effective bounce pass is sure a lot easier than what I see in $70.00 text books. How far is your location from Jacksonville?   I have to be there for a rodeo in February. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      To get to Zephyrhills from Jacksonville, you drive South on I95, West on I4 and North on Hwy 39.   I cannot give you an accurate time or distance, but map quest probably can. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 059.   I'm confused by your last statement.   I think you were curious why I would trust a doctor on the internet.   It probably was the wording on my statement.   My apologies if you took offense. I never played the game at a high level, but I am a fan and remember watching you pitch for the Dodgers, paticularly when you won your Cy Young.   During a game radio broadcast, I remember hearing that you were doing graduate work at Michigan State in Kineisiology, so that's why I was interested in seeing your degrees. So no, I know that you are a lot more than merely a doctor on the internet.   My impression about you is that you bring actual academic credentials as well as competitive baseball knowledge. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am the one who needs to apologize.   I recently debated with an internet baseball pitching coach wannabe about why anybody should pay any attention to what he has to say.   He had absolutely no credentials.   He somehow argued that that was a good thing.   I was being sarcastic.   My apologies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 060.   I found all the info about your 120 day training, I marked it for future use.   I' sorry to keep bugging you, but I am consumed in finding out exactly wha is wrong with son' elbow. I picked up the MRI dictation.   I'd like to send a copy of it to you, as an attachment.   Being a doctor, you will understand it better than me.   I've dissected it by medical terms, but if you could lay it out in non-medical "mother" language.   I'd greatly appreciate your opinion. ------------------------------------------------- 1.   The findings as described are consistent with a severe strain of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament with prominent ligamentous thickening and an area of likely prominent calcification.   The ligament appears thinner at its distal portion adjacent to the Ulna.   A partial rupture of the distal portion of the tendon cannot be completely excluded. 2.   A joint effusion is seen with fluid posterior to the medial aspect of the distal Humerus. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      This explains that your son did not pull anything completely away from the bone.   Instead, your son injured his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   However, they do not know to what extent.      Three things concern me: 01.   The area of likely prominent calcification at the medial epicondyle end of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 02.   The thinner Ulnar Collateral Ligament at the coronoid process end of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 03.   The possibility of a partial rupture at the coronoid process end of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      Calcification can indicate that your son has already suffered a partial tear of his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      Thinning at the coronoid process end of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament indicates that he has already lengthened the ligament.   This means that the ligament cannot provide the stabilization that the elbow joint requires for high-intensity pitching.      The possibility of a partial tear, if true, means that, in an attempt to strengthen the weakened ligament, the body will generate another calcification.      As I recall, you said that your son is almost sixteen years old.   If he is also biologically sixteen years old, then all elbow growth plates have matured.   If this is the case, I recommend that he has Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgery.      Then, I recommend that, to rehabilitate, he completes my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 061.   I was practicing your full pitching motion in front of a mirror to try to see the path of straight drive line for the pitching hand and wanted to see your thoughts about actively directing the pitching hand backwards and towards your head while you are rotating the shoulders through from the "ready" to "loaded slingshot" position. This seems like the best way to get the straight drive line since the pitching hand wants to naturally rotate to the pitching arm side.    I am then thinking that from the "loaded slingshot" position to release as you are still rotating your shoulders to get your release point as close to home plate as possible is when you start the active movement of the pitching hand forward toward home plate. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I want baseball pitchers to pendulum swing their pitching hand from shoulder height in front of the middle of their body straight back along the line from home plate to second base.   There is nothing like ten pound wrist weights to make this pendulum swing simple and smooth.   Don't fight the inertial mass of the wrist weight.      Then, when the wrist weight is forty-five degrees behind the body, to permit the continued smooth pendulum swing, baseball pitchers must outwardly rotate their pitching shoulder, such that the palm of their pitching hand faces away from their body.      In my Wind-Up body action, because when their pitching hand is forty-five degrees behind their body, I want baseball pitchers to step forward with their glove foot, the pitching hand starts to move forward.      Therefore, between this forty-five degrees and driveline height, I want baseball pitchers to raise their pitching elbow to ear height, which 'locks' it with their shoulders, and keep their pitching hand at elbow height.      When their glove foot lands, I want baseball pitchers to push off the pitching rubber with their pitching foot and pull back with their glove foot.   In conjunction with their glove hand straight pullback, these actions will enable baseball pitchers to drive their pitching knee forward and inward, which starts the powerful forward rotation of their hips and shoulders.      To this point, the pitching forearm and hand just go along for the ride.   The forward rotation of their hips permits the forward rotation of their shoulders, which because they have 'locked' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders, also permits the forward rotation of the pitching upper arm.      The centripetal force of the forwardly rotating pitching upper arm will cause the pitching hand to move laterally to their pitching side.   This is good.   Because my pitchers have already contracted the inward rotators of their shoulder joint, this action maximally lengthens these muscles.      Lastly, when my pitchers have forwardly rotated their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm, then I want my pitchers to horizontally drive their pitching hand straight toward home plate.   I call this, 'Pronation Snap.'      Therefore, I do not actually want a pure straight line.   I want the pitching hand on the driveline in back, but then, I want the pitching hand to move laterally to the pitching arm side off the driveline and lastly, to move laterally to the glove side off the driveline through release.   However, after the pitching hand reaches driveline height, I do not want the pitching hand to move vertically at all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 062.   As usual, it was a pleasure chatting with you Sunday (on your birthday nonetheless!!). One of the things we talked about was the safety factor and younger, physically overmatched kids dying from getting hit in the chest with a pitched ball. One suggestion I have for coaches concerned about this (and I wholeheartedly agree with you that one death is WAY too many) potentially unfortunate situation is to do a drill we came up to help teach the kids how to react to ball that is coming at them.   We take a machine and the softer foam baseballs that it fires and instruct the kids on how to react to a potentially injurous pitch.   I have found that most 9-10-11 year olds simply freeze or WORSE YET open up their front side in a futile attempt to run out of the way. We teach the kids some of the lessons I and my kids learned from a professional baseball player on how to get hit by a pitch.   We show them film of my son, he was hit 32 times last spring and is still alive! Then, we take the machine and TRAIN them to react and be a position that is least harmful. The machine throws balls about 60 mph and yes, they do sting.   (Wear a heavy winter coat if need be to take away the sting -- or just tough it out!!!)   But the kids MUST be trained to react in the proper way, turning in to absorb the hit on the arm or shoulder or back, NOT turning out and opening the front side to a potentially fatal striking by the ball. Talking to them about it doesn't work, developing the muscle memory to react properly in the situation is crucial.   The best way to achieve that I've discovered is the above.   We do the drill about once a month.   What do you think? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Every year, several biologically delayed youth baseball players who their organizers force to compete against youth baseball pitchers who are several years more biologically mature die from biological fifteen year old fastballs striking their ten biological year old very immature Sternum bone that protects their heart and head.      While I agree and did, when I coached college baseball, that coaches must teach baseball batters how to correctly and safely protect themselves from being hit in the heart or head, I believe that it is more important that we stop grouping youth baseball pitchers by chronological age.      I believe that the parents of these dead children have legal recourse against the organizers of these competitions putting their children in known unsafe circumstances, especially since that the information is generally known.      In my doctoral dissertation, I showed that 8.3% of chronological twelve year old males are biologically fourteen and fifteen years old.      For these young men to compete against chronological eleven years old who are biologically nine and ten years old is dangerous for and unfair to the delayed maturers and gives the accelerated maturers a false image of their athletic abilities that will be psychologically damaging to them as they stop growing years before the delayed maturers stop growing.      The answer is not padding and instructions of how to get hit with baseballs, it is grouping by biological age.   My elbow X-rays easily differentiate biological ages for adolescent males between ten and sixteen years old.   The organizers of every youth competition should require them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 063.   Thanks again for your input, of course that was the last thing I wanted to hear, but what I fear, is that we rest for 3-6 months and we are pretty much back where we are today, so thank you. One last question, Do you recommend an orthopedic that does that type of surgery in Florida? I intend to speak to our doctor, we have a followup in 2 weeks, but in the mean time, I'd like to ask around, and try to see if insurance might take care of it.   Any suggestions?   I realize it needs to be medically necessary for the insurance, but have you any ideas? If I'm crossing that line, please tell me so, If this was your son, what would be your next steps?   Again, I value your opinion, and truly appreciate your input, Thank you for everything!! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Remember, the doctor said that it is possible that your son has a partial tear of his Ulnar Collateral Ligament and that it appears to be thinner at the distal end.   He might not believe that he requires surgery.   In which case, your son should do my program and wait to see whether his UCL holds up.   If not, then he can get the surgery.      I believe that most orthopedic doctors can perform this surgery.   Just make sure that your son is not the first person for your surgeon.      The surgery is quite simple.   However, whether your son has a Palmaris Longus muscle is a question.   If not, they can use a portion of a three muscle tendon in the knee.   If so, make sure that they use the tendon of the Palmaris Longus muscle from his glove arm, not his pitching arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 064.   Do you believe the "dip and drive" movement is physiologically OK? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The drop and drive pitching leg action lowers the center of mass of the pitchers' body.   That is a biomechanical flaw.   Baseball pitchers should move the center of mass of their body straight forward throughout the pitching motion.   I do not believe that this leg action will destroy the pitching knee. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 065.   I was going to order your video, but I had 1 question.   my son has been going to the same pitching coach for a couple years his mechanics are sound, but I would like to have input from another coach, such as yourself.   what do you think? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If the pitching coach teaches the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, then it is not sound and your son is silently destroying his pitching arm.   He is prematurely closing growth plates, losing elbow flexion and extension ranges of motion and lengthening elbow and shoulder ligaments.   All this happens without meaningful discomfort.      With my pitching motion, training programs and recommendations about how much your son should pitch competitively and when, your son will master the skills he will need to compete at his highest level with a sound maximally developed pitching arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 066.   Philosophically, I'm with you 100 percent!!! However, in the practical world, your wonderful plan isn't going to be implemented because: 1.   Change is HARD. 2.   The assignment of age grouping would be costly (X-rays, etc.) and time-consuming.   Youth baseball leagues don't want to spend more money or time on something they don't believe they need to fix.   It comes under the 'this system has worked well enough for seven decades, why expend time and money to change it.' 3.   Those with the sexually-mature STUDS will resist this change for the better (even though to maintain status quo is only hurting their kid in the long run). Of course, both of those groups are severely short-sighted.   I'll bet any parent who has lost a child due to being hit in the sternum would gladly spend a LOT of extra money and time to change the system. While I most certainly admire your efforts and totally respect your data and analysis, I implemented my plan of attack to deal with what is going on in the real world of youth sports.   My 10-year-olds last summer faced girls who were 5-foot-9, 180 pounds at the ASA 10U National Championships in Tenn.   I came up with the plan to most effectively in terms of safety compete against the sexually-mature Southern California kids and, if need be, absorb a nasty bruise in the arm or back on an extremely inside pitch instead of a potentially life-threatening situation. We were 60-9 going into the game and naturally came out 60-10, absorbing one of our most lopsided losses (8-0) of the season!!   But nobody got hurt and I truly believe our kids came out of that game having learned more than the bigger opponent, whose skills were inferior in a top-to-bottom assessment but was SOO damn strong it could overcome at age 10 the skill differential. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      To paraphrase, all that is necessary for the lack of positive change is that good people do nothing.      Like all positive social change in our society, it will start in some small town.      I trust informed parents, especially Moms.      I understand that the parents of accelerated maturers mistakenly believe that adolescent competitions are good for their children.   However, when they understand that the temporary unfair advantage that their children have, in the long run, damages their children, they will make the change.      Further, I trust the, heretofore silent parents of the delayed maturers to fight for their children's rights for safe and equated competitions.      True Americans like a fight, but we do not respect unfair advantages.      There are better ways to express dissatisfaction with the system than to potentially injure innocent biologically accelerated participants.   Children have no control over their rate of biological maturation.   We must not reward or punish any for something over which they have no control. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 067.   Thank you SO SO much for help.   We have alot of decisions to make and a long road ahead of us.   But, in talking to our son, he still very much wants to pitch.   His one dream is to pitch in college.   So, I will leave you alone for a while, but I will be in touch.   I really feel that you truly care about your boys.   You really have no idea how much you have done for me.   Thank you again from the bottom of my heart. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As I said, I trust Moms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 068.   Our trainer has diagnosed a pitcher with tendonitis of the tendon at which the flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radialis and palmaris longis originate on the medial epicondyle.   My question is what flaw is creating this problem and how do you determine that it's tendonitis and not a UCL problem? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The Pronator Teres and a portion of the Flexor Digitorum Superficialis also arise from the Medial Epicondyle.      'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' ruptures the Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      To determine whether the discomfort emanates from the Ulnar Collateral Ligament, you place your thumb on the medial side of the elbow joint where the distal end of the Humerus bone articulates with the proximal end of the Ulna bone and press.   If he hollers, then he has strained his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      Then, go to precisely where he says it hurts.   If it is the Pronator Teres muscle, it will be in the middle of the anterior surface of the forearm near the bicipital indentation.   If it is the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris muscle, it will be on the medial surface of the forearm and inch or so below the articulations of the two bones.      You need to get a good anatomy book and learn where these muscles lie under the skin.   They are really easy to differentiate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 069.   I am having problems with the bottom joint on my throwing index finger.   It has become swollen and hurts when I throw.   The trainer here thinks it is tendonitis.   I was wondering if you had any suggestions as to why my finger is doing this and what to change to make it stop. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You said, 'The bottom joint of your throwing index finger.'   Do you mean the articulation between the distal end of the second metacarpal and the proximal end of it proximal phalange of the second digit.      Two tendons do pass by that way, but they do not insert.   Therefore, I suspect that you have irritated the hyaline cartilage of at least one of two articulating surfaces.   I would ice it and throw the iron balls, footballs and baseballs really hard for a few days. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 070.   I see you are now using lower weight wrist weights for the younger kids.   I just got a great catalogue from your vendor at (800)521-2832.   I see you now want 2.5 and 5lb wrist weights.   This company has 3lb WW (#BE197M-4) 4lb (#BE030m-4) and 6lb (#BE0314-4). They also have an adjustable 6lb ankle weight (#BE034M-4).   This has individual 1 lb bars you can remove.   I guess you could take 1 bar out and have a 5 lb WW. My questions: 1.   You have often stated that weighted baseballs do not create a physiological adjustment.   You are advising a 1 lb iron ball for the younger kids.   Does this iron ball create a physiological adjustment? 2.   How do you arrive at a recommended wrist weight at 2.5lbs as opposed to say a 3lb wrist weight? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      At sixteen biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use six pound iron balls.   At thirteen biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use four pound iron balls.   At ten biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use two pound iron balls. 01.   The problem with the weighted baseballs is twofold.      One, the differential between the weighted baseball and the actual baseball is too small.   As a result, the increase in weight does not stimulate the bones, ligaments and tendons in the pitching arm to make a meaningful physiological adjustment.      Two, the differential between the weighted baseball and the actual baseball is too small to teach baseball pitchers whether their force application technique accounts for conservation of momentum.      This means that adult baseball pitchers can probably use the 'traditional' baseball pitchers to throw the weighted baseballs, but they cannot use the 'traditional' pitching motion to throw my six, eight, ten, twelve and fifteen pound iron balls.   My pitchers can and do. 02.   At sixteen biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use ten pound wrist weights.   At thirteen biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use five pound wrist weights.   At ten biological years old, I recommend that my baseball pitchers use two and one-half pound wrist weights.   I like symmetry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 071.   In your 2006 Q/A file, number 13, if your correspondent is close enough to me in the Northeast I would like to contact him, and possibly take my 14 year old to see his son pitch.    We are starting on the first 60 day program (4 days so far), and I'd like him to know what could happen with hard work. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I will send him a copy of your email.   His son is training with me in beautiful Zephyrhills, FL.   He will leave here on the fourth Saturday in May.   He would be an excellent teacher for your son. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 072.   An advocate of your pitching motion that posts many pictorials of MLB pitchers had the following to say on another web site about the relative velocity of the 4 seam vs 2 seam fastball.   Do you agree? "Actually, and paradoxically, a 2-seamer does go slower than a 4-seamer. The difference is due to something called the boundary layer.   It turns out that the 4 seams rotating energizes the air in the boundary layer.   This, paradoxically, REDUCES the drag on the ball.   As result, a 4-seamer slows down less quickly than does a 2-seamer.   That is why a 4-seamer appears to rise. The truth is that what actually happens is that a 4-seamer falls less than you would expect (and than does a 2-seamer)." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I would love to see the research that proves that more seams contacting air molecules causes less drag than fewer seams contacting air molecules.   Does that also mean that when my Maxline Pronation Curve spins twice as fast as the 'traditional' curve, we can expect is to slow down less, therefore, move less than the 'traditional' curve.      I understand how wind tunnel tests show how the air molecules move around spinning baseballs, I did not know that they also measured the resistance that these baseball encounter.      I agree that the four-seam fastball does not move downward as fast as gravity would have it.   However, I attribute that to the seams on the bottom of the baseball moving colliding the air molecules, which creates a greater force on the bottom of the baseball, and the seams on the top of the baseball moving with the air molecules, which creates a lesser force on the top of the baseball, such that the baseball tries to move away from the greater force and toward the lesser force. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 073.   I am now on day 5 of your adult 315 day program.    I only have one question.    Do the people doing this program play catch or throw a baseball before they finish the program, or does the program need to be finished before throwing occurs. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When you do my One Step Crow-Hop body action; Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm actions drill, if you want, you can pretend that you are throwing to another person.   However, it is a good idea for baseball pitchers to throw their pitches in the strike zone.      Nevertheless, I understand your concern.   Yes, we do practice throwing pickoffs to the bases, throwing bunted baseballs to bases and throwing batted baseballs that we catch to bases.   I don't even mind if my pitchers practice throwing from the outfield to bases.   But, do not believe that throwing anywhere other than off the pitching mound to the strike zone in any way helps baseball pitchers to throw strikes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 074.   If pitchers can gain enough strength in their added Humeral outward rotation range of motion, how close do you think they can come to driving the ball horizontally forward?   At full speed do you think it will be possible to throw the ball with the same driveline as the wristweights and iron ball?   Do you have any idea how much added strength this will take, beyond what the boys already possess? I understand intrinsically what you wrote about the ball/throwing hand never going above the horizontal level of the elbow at the back of the driveline.   Does this also mean that the elbow needs to start higher, at the back of the driveline?   It would seem so.   Again, Humeral outward rotation range of motion is critical. How is my son coming along on standing taller? After chewing on this issue some more it seems problematic to 'sprint off the pitching rubber.'   When sprinters initially drive out of the blocks they lean dramatically forward, in the first two steps, prior to straightening their spine vertically.   This induces a forward lean that would seem to inhibit faster body rotation.   Am I thinking correctly? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Yes, I believe that baseball pitchers can drive the baseball horizontally forward through release.   As you say, they already do it with my wrist weights and iron ball.   Because baseballs weigh much less, unlike with my wrist weights and iron balls, they should not have any need to apply any upward force.      I believe that they apply upward force as a remnant of the 'traditional' pitching motion, where 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' taught them that they could only apply force with their arm straightened from centripetal force.   It is a powerful habit for them to overcome.      To increase their ability to outwardly rotate their pitching shoulder, which means the Humerus bone in their pitching upper arm, baseball pitchers must strengthen their inward rotation muscles in their maximum outward rotation position.      In baseball pitching, in descending order of contribution, the Subscapularis, Teres Major, Latissimus Dorsi, Coracobrachialis, Anterior Deltoid, Supraspinatus and Middle Deltoid muscles inwardly rotate the shoulder joint.      With my interval-training program, my pitchers will teach these muscles to contract lower percentages of their contractile units, such that these muscles can withstand the stress of greater outward rotation.      However, it not only requires understanding that it is important to increase their shoulder joint outward rotation range of motion, but it also takes gently minusculely increasing the outward rotation stress on a daily basis for several months and, possibly, years.      With only eighteen months of training, most of which we did not focus on the outward rotation range of motion of the pitching shoulder, your son remains in the beginning stages of this effort.      As the high-speed film shows, your son has to raise his pitching upper arm to 'lock' earlier and stay there.   Unfortunately, somewhere in his 'traditional' pitching motion past, he developed the habit of dropping out of 'lock' just before he started his rapid forward shoulder rotation.   I pointed this out to him in the high-speed film that I took of him in May 2005.      You are correct, the more vertical the body during the rapid forward shoulder rotation of my pitching motion, the faster the pitchers can rotate.      While driving off the pitching rubber requires that he lower his center of mass and lean forward, it does not requires him to hunch his shoulders or bend forward at his waist at the end of his rapid shoulder forward rotation.      Therefore, his propensity to hunch his shoulders and bend forward at his waist at the end of his rapid forward shoulder rotation relates to the 'traditional' pitching motion he used for over a decade, not driving off the pitching rubber with his pitching foot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 075.   Am I thinking correctly that when this happens, my son's elbow drops, or bounces?   I suspect this is the single largest inefficiency in his motion, causing substantial velocity loss.   Is this correct?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Without a doubt, this movement decreases his release velocity, but, more, it makes release consistency almost impossible, especially with curves and screwballs.      It is not a bounce; he simply drops out of 'lock'.   It is an old habit that he has had for many years.   I think now that he has seen it from the side view; he recognizes what he is doing and is working to correct it.      It told him to not think about the baseball, but, instead, think about his elbow.    I told him that he has to make an elliptical, continuously moving pathway with his elbow during which he 'locks' his upper arm and repositions his forearm for whatever pitch he wants to throw.      I thought he did well today. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 076.   At the end of your answer to Question #17, you wrote the following: "You will notice that I am no longer telling pitchers to push back with their glove foot." As I understand what you teach, this is huge news.   I was under the impression that pushing back toward second through release was critical in applying Newton's Third Law, the Law of Reaction.   Plus, it made a lot of sense.   What made you change? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As you know, in an effort to do something that they need to do, I frequently ask my pitchers to do things that they cannot do.      When I asked them to push back toward second base with their glove foot at the same time that they used their pitching forearm to drive through release, I wanted them to move the center of mass of their body in front of their glove foot.      However, with my high-speed film, I learned that they waited until well after they released the baseball and their body was well ahead of their glove foot to push back.   As a result, they did not generate any oppositely-directed force with their glove foot before release.      Now, I ask them to pull back with their glove foot.   As a result, when they step forward, they are using their glove foot to pull their body forward.   Fortunately, my high-speed film showed me that that instruction did not work.   Now, the pull-back of the glove foot provides the oppositely-directed force we need.      My bad. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 077.   I would like to obtain pitching training videos that may be available by your company.   I have a twelve year old boy who loves to pitch and I need to make sure he understands the subject from all aspects.   Kindly advise me how to obtain this information. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am in the final stages of completing my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   When I finish it, I am at the mercy of those who make the DVD and VHS copies.   I will do everything that I can to speed up the process.      Watch the home page of my website.   When I am ready to ship my video, I will change the icon to 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   When you see that change, click on it and the file will tell you what you need to do to get a copy.   I appreciate your interest. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 078.   I was looking at some old how-to hitting files I have and came across the following: "Bat Angle: Any bat held vertically in the stance (straight up and down) will initiate a long loop in its path to the ball, using valuable time.   Worse, gravity acts to pull the head of the vertical bat down below the hands during the swing, which nullifies top hand action and hinders hip rotation.   The swing becomes warped into an undercut. A bat which is held more horizontally in the stance, at a forty-five degree angle or flatter, will have greater efficiency to the strike zone.   Less time will be required getting it to the point of contact.   More, the effect of gravity is minimized so top hand action and hip rotation are complete.   Also, the path of the bat is straight and level. A few great hitters started with a vertical (straight up) bat angle, and if it feels right for you, try it.   Just remember that a level swing cannot come out of a vertical bat angle.   The flatter the bat angle, the shorter and quicker the stroke. Level Swing Production: The best hitter, from a personal and team standpoint, is the one who consistently swings at the ball on a level plane in the effort to produce line drives.   It’s not just the line drive that makes the hitter productive, but when he “mis-hits” the ball, which will happen over 50% of his at-bats, he hits hard ground balls rather than fly balls.   Balls hit in the air are a waste.   Ninety-five percent of fly balls are certain outs.   Ground balls get through the infield for hits, move the runners up, and put pressure on the infielders.   They are always potentially productive.   More runs are knocked in with ground balls than fly balls. This may come as a surprise from a home run hitter, but that is how strongly I believe in the level stroke.   Many, many of my home runs were hit with a level cut, which produced backspin on the ball for distance.   My best years at the plate, those combining my top average with home run production, came after I discovered my true level cut.   My true level cut felt like I was swing down, but films showed it to be level, on a direct collision course with the pitch." I thought this sounded very much like you.   It was written by Mike Schmitt.   Would you say he basically captures your hitting philosophy? Did you ever pitch against him?   Did you like his swing? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Mike Schmidt wrote a book on baseball batting with Ron Pruitt.   In 1971, I took high-speed film of Ron Pruitt.   I have it on my work table for future work on baseball batting.   He played college baseball at Michigan State University, where I was working on my doctoral degree.   I taught Ron Pruitt my force-coupling baseball batting technique.      I agree with everything that Mr. Schmidt wrote, except I want batters to keep their torso vertical and hold the bat horizontal.   Vertical torsos rotate faster and horizontal baseball bats have the minimum amount of looping.      I had sixteen at bats against Mike Schmidt.   I walked him four times.   I struck him out four times.   He grounded out five times.   He flied out three times. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 079.   Since I have been working on the rythym and not actively reverse rotating, I have gained more accuracy and my slider is starting to work again (somewhat).   But, I cannot seem to get the curveball down.   Ever since I left the camp, I progressively lost the snap on the release.   But not only that, I can't even put it near the plate. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Not actively reverse rotating your hips and shoulders should keep the baseball from moving laterally behind your body.   This should make your driveline straighter.      When you lose the proper arm action for my Maxline Pronation Curve, you need to practice bringing your pitching hand forward with the back of your hand in front and throwing cross-panel Wrong Foot Pendulum Swing throws.      That you cannot drive the baseball straight at home plate means that you are not forwardly rotating your hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm to point at home plate.   You need to stand tall and rotate.   Drive your pitching knee inside toward your glove knee and turn your pitching hip forward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 080.   I'm not suggesting this, and I'm sure you wouldn't support it but what if high school, college and professional pitchers followed your workout program (wrist weights, iron ball exercises, football throws, etc.) and did your throwing program but used a modification of the 'traditional' motion.    By modified I mean they don't bring the baseball behind their acromial line, shortened their stride to the length of their walking stride and finished with their throwing arm leg ahead of their center of mass. In other words, would your training and throwing program injury-roof pitchers despite the pitcher's application of force?    After all, it worked for you - you were able to avoid major arm injury while pitching with a 'traditional' motion - why wouldn't it work for others? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Unless they also eliminated their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' they would rip their pitching shoulder and elbow apart.      When I watch my 1974 pitching mechanics, I cringe.   But, when I did my wrist weight and iron ball exercises, I did not have these injurious flaws.   I wish that I knew then.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 081.   This morning I had my lefty try an experiment.   I have previously noted that the glove hand always stops, pointing toward home plate, then has to resume its motion.   Because we want the pitching hand to have continuous motion, never coming to a complete stop, I wondered what would happen if we tried the same thing with the glove hand and arm. By delaying and slowing the pendulum swing of the glove hand a little bit, he was able to accomplish this quite easily.   After a bit of experimenting we found that he could time the glove hand such that it would arrive at the top of the stroke at the same time as he needed to drive it rearward, eliminating any pause.   It seemed to work quite well. Your thoughts? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Those are the precise glove pendulum swing instructions that I give.   The variations that my pitchers invent amaze me.   My congratulations to your lefty for learning how to do this.   I hope he keeps it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 082.   A mother posted the following on a web site I frequent.   I told her I would ask you the questions rather than presume to speak for you.   After I post your response to the eteamz site I will also encourage her to contact you.   Seems a good way to continue to put your message in front of increasing numbers of people.   If you'd prefer that I attempt to answer questions like this and preserve your time I'm happy to do that also.   If I were writing the answer it might sound like this:   There is a dramatic difference in HOW Dr. Marshall advocates youngsters learn to throw.    Specifically, you cannot equate the stresses of the two different pitching motions.   Because his throwing motion uses the muscles and bones of the body differently than what you typically see, throwing-arm injuries are eliminated, if kids learn and use his throwing mechanic.   If they continue to throw and pitch in the way you are accustomed to seeing it takes time for damaged tissues to heal. With Dr. Marshall's mechanic instead of damaging muscles, connective tissues and bones, these tissues are strengthened a day at a time.   This is why they can pitch every single day and guys with conventional mechanics cannot.   No one, including Dr. Marshall, knows exactly how much stress the immature growth plates of the elbow and shoulder can withstand before they are irreversibly damaged.   If you and your son participate in his research study on this subject you can help provide the answers for everyone.   My son was drafted by a professional team after high school graduation.   He pitched a year of college ball for a top-10 nationally ranked college program.   After looking at the injury scenario we decided that it would be best for him to change how he throws.   Why in the world would I do this with a prospective pro ballplayer if I did not believe that Dr. Marshall is correct?   I suggest that you contact him through his website at  www.drmikemarshall.com Does this answer your questions?   What more help can I provide? ----------------------------------------------- Question about Dr Marshall:    I know I am going to regret asking this question, but I am really curious. Dr Mike Marshall believes that it is okay for a 10, 11, & 12 year olds to pitch 48 pitches a day for 60 days straight and insists that the boys get no more than 2 months per year of pitching max. Question:   If this is okay, why not allow a boy to pitch 2 days a week for 30 weeks -( equivalent to spring & fall ball)?   It seems to me that this would allow the muscles and body to recover in between practices.   Especially if the boy is not even pitching 48 pitches in a single practice. What seems excessive is to allow a young body to repeat the same specialized motions 60 days straight. (Only curious, my son is not pitching, yet so don't attack my motives or intentions.) ----------------------------------------------- As always I look forward to hearing from you. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As we teachers love to say, there is no such thing as a bad question.   And, this question is a fabulous question.      Over the last century, our society has made some great adjustments.   The forty hour work week proved to be good for business and good for workers and families.   Child labor laws removed our children from the work place and industrial injuries and death.      In the twenties and thirties, child growth and development researchers used children as research subjects.   For example, before we understood the danger in exposing everybody, but especially children to X-rays, researchers conducted large studies of bone growth and development in growing children from birth to adulthood.      While these studies produced most of our knowledge of bone growth and development, in the 1950s, National Institute of Health funding requirements severely limited all research that could potentially cause long term health problems on children and adolescents.      Therefore, researchers have had to turn to lab animals.   Again, NIH restricts research on lab animals.   Nevertheless, such research goes on and much of it advances our knowledge of how physiological systems respond to stress.      To provide one simple example:   In one study of the effects of pre-pubescent stress, researchers took two groups of prepubescent lab animals, in this case, rats and exposed one group to mildly cold water every day for a few weeks.   Then, they waited until after both groups matured and exposed both groups to severely cold water.   Every subject in the experimental group that they exposed to mildly stressful conditions as prepubescent animals survived the extreme stress.   None of the control group survived.      This research and similar studies indicate that, when youngsters experience mild stress, their physiological systems make adaptations that enable them to successfully handle that stress as adults.      Therefore, as a Physical Educator, I believe that our children should experience wide varieties of mild physical stress for short durations.   To the contrary, child growth and development research shows that even mild physical stress over extended time periods caused the involved physiological systems to break down.      As a Physical Educator, I also believe that we have an obligation to our children to provide opportunities for them to learn wide varieties of athletic and recreations skills, such that, when they become adults, to remain active and physically fit, they can choose those skills they particularly enjoy.      I love baseball.   I love baseball pitching.   However, with our year-around competitive baseball programs, we are destroying the best pitching arms of each generation.   Until our children become physiological adults, they need short periods of skill development and strategy learning.      Research into the physiology of exercise, that is how the human body responds to types and intensity of exercise, which is a physiological stress shows that daily physical stress is better than intermittent physical stress.      This means that, in general, our physiological systems tolerate throwing baseballs every day at below competitive intensities better than throwing baseballs twice a week.   But specifically, practicing the skills of baseball pitching with drills every day for two months is physiologically beneficial and youth baseball pitchers master the skills that they will use as adults.      The present youth baseball program system provides too much stress over too long a time period.   The proof is in the number of growth plate and ligament injuries.   And, as Dr. Joel Adams showed in his definitive research into the effects of baseball pitching in youth baseball, ninety-five percent of the pitchers suffered permanent growth and develop damage to the bones in their pitching arms.      Unfortunately, most youngsters are unaware that their growth plates have prematurely closed and the critical ligaments have lengthened, leaving them with insecure joints, such that they do not complain of anything more than what my mother called, 'growing pains.'      Lastly, the bones of different children mature at different rates.   Their developmental rates follow the normal bell-shaped curve where most children develop within one standard deviation of the mean.   However, there are many children that develop at rates that are two or more standard deviations from the mean to both sides.      For example, in my doctoral dissertation, I researched using biological age and chronological age when classifying adolescent males for motor performance norms.   I found that 8.3% of chronological twelve year olds are biologically fourteen and older.   This means that, with their accelerated growth rate, within the next couple of years, these youngsters will be biologically fully grown young men.      This gives them a tremendous physiological advantage over chronological twelve year olds who are biological twelve year olds.   To confirm this, just watch the Little League World Series.   In fact, as a research professor at Springfield College Creighton Hale determined the biological ages of the participants in the 1955 Little League World Series and found that most of them were biologically fourteen years old.      Professor Hale later became President of Little League Baseball, Inc.      But, what about the 8.3% of the chronological twelve year olds who are biologically ten years old and younger who love baseball and want to pitch?   Who cares about them?   Me.      Thanks for the opportunity to answer your question. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 083.   My youngest son dislocated his shoulder twice.   He is an avid sportsman, he plays rugby and cricket.   He ended up with a Lateche operation.   Both the shoulders have shallow glenoid joints.   Can you give me statistics on the incidents of this problem in families?   My other son also has the problem of recurrent dislocation of his shoulders and shallow glenoid joints.   I tried to search the web to see if there were any studies done on families, but to no avail. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Typically, it takes a lot of force to dislocate the head of the Humerus bone from the Glenoid Fossa.   In addition to many powerful muscles, we have powerful ligaments that hold the head of the Humerus bone into the Glenoid Fossa.   However, researchers have found that too much stress, especially throwing, during the adolescent years, lengthen these ligaments and leave the shoulder joint less stable.      I have no access to any research in developmental anomalies in the development of the Glenoid Fossa.   However, interestingly, as a youngster, I could voluntarily dislocate and relocate the head of my Humerus bone from its Glenoid Fossa with my left shoulder.   Though my father and one brother are left-handed and I appeared to have tendencies to use my left hand, because my left shoulder felt, to use the technical term, felt 'sloppy,' I used my right arm.      If the former explanation is your son's situation, then baseball pitchers frequently have surgery to tighten the Gleno-Humeral Ligaments.   Jim Morris of 'The Rookie' fame had that surgery done during his twenties and made a comeback in his thirties. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 084.   Can I send you money for the 2004 video and get a 2006 video when it is finished? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In anticipation of my 2006 video, I stopped ordering copies of my 2004 video.   Therefore, I have run out of copies of my 2004 video.      However, I expect to finish my 2006 video shortly.   I have hopes that my video guy can provide me with high-quality, fully-compatible DVD copies as soon as possible.   I hope to also have VHS copies soon.      Please watch the home page of my website for my announcement of their availability.   I will change the icon from 2004 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video to 2006.      I appreciate your interest. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 085.   Do you recommend any Kinesiology textbooks? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Other than a teach-out class a couple of years ago, I have not taught Kinesiology since the mid-1990s.   Therefore, I am not up to date with the latest in Kinesiology textbooks.   But then, I really did not use a textbook.   For the biomechanical aspect of my Kinesiology course, I have my own materials.      However, while I do not agree with much of what the author writes, for the applied anatomy aspect of my Kinesiology course, I like the Manual of Structural Kinesiology by Thompson and Floyd.      When I last taught Kinesiology, the department chair required that students purchase Kinesiology: Scientific Basis of Human Movement by Luttgens, Deutsch and Hamilton.   But, I never used it in any of my lectures.   Well, I did have my student read the section with Sir Isaac Newton's three laws of motion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 086.   I mailed you a tape that you should receive soon.    It is a program I recorded from Fit TV (one of the Discovery Channel stations).    The hour long tape shows the training program of Barry Zito.   It is an interesting program.    It makes me wonder what someone who is so dedicated to training could do with your program instead of his current program.   I find it interesting that among all the sports showcased in this series (Insider Training), that baseball is the sport that involves the least sport specific training.    Trainers seem afraid to let the baseball pitcher actually use the pitching motion to improve their performance.    The show featuring a tri-athlete featured little but swimming, cycling, and running for hours a day.    But let a pitcher actually throw - heaven forbid! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When I receive the tape, I will review it for you.   If my baseball pitchers used the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, I would not let them throw either.      Athletic trainers are not Exercise Physiologists, they do not have the training with which to design training programs.   They tape ankles, put ice on body parts and wear white shirts.   Nice guys, but they do not have doctoral degrees in Exercise Physiology.      Nevertheless, you are correct about professional baseball people, whether General Managers, Farm Directors, Directors of Player Development, Major League Pitching Coaches, Minor League Pitching Coordinators and Minor Leaue Pitching Coaches, they are all afraid to train baseball pitchers and for good reason.   They know that they have no idea why baseball pitchers become injured.   They know that if they train baseball pitchers and those pitchers become injured, then they lose their jobs.   But, don't blame them, blame the guys who hire inadequately trained personnel or the guys that hire the guys who hire inadequately trained personnel.   Oh yeah, that's the owners and nobody dare tell owners that they don't know what they are doing.      Because they have no idea why baseball pitchers become injured, they use pitch counts and stop pitchers from throwing.   They want to appear concerned.   They want to appear as though they are doing something to keep baseball pitchers from becoming injured.   But, all they are doing is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.      The cause has been there for one hundred and thirty years.   The 'traditional' baseball pitching motion injures baseball pitchers.      After you watch my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, you will understand why baseball pitchers become injured and you will understand the pitching motion and training programs that they should use to not only never become injured, but to also achieve their genetic maximum release velocity and master the wide variety of baseball pitches that they will need to succeed at their highest levels. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 087.   My friend and I are baseball nuts.   We love the game, not just the stats, but art and science of it.    You were an amazing pitcher back then, and I am intrigued by your intellectual approach towards pitching. I know that you make a living off of pitching advice, but I don't know how to "buy" an answer, so hopefully you'll just answer my "pitching physics question" or give me a reference to go to.    (I did read a great deal of your stuff on in the Baseball Almanac, including the stuff about gravity's effect, but it didn't answer my question.)    So here it is:    I understand that when a baseball is released from a pitcher's hand that it has movement, but how can a ball, once it has established a path, rise up and down or from one side to another and then back again. I can understand how it travels down from the pitchers delivery and/or from gravity, or how it can rise continually upwards from the delivery (understanding that gravity will eventually drop it down) but how can it be going in a downward path and then rise up again. I was wondering this after Sutter got his nod to the Hall because he had such a wicked knuckle ball for several years (we are from Chicago.)    What pushes a ball back upward?    I hope this isn't too stupid of a question. Thanks, and hope all is going well with you, keep up the great work.   Nobody ever handled the Big Red Machine like the good doctor! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      First, I do not make a living off of pitching advice.   I give my Coaching Baseball Pitcher book, it is on my website for all to read and copy for free and I have updated it from whatever Baseball Almanac has posted for free, at least, I never got any money, on his website.      At this point, I have not even recouped my costs of making my Baseball Pitching Instructional Videos.      I train baseball pitchers for a minimum of forty weeks.   I don't pretend that I can meaningfully influence their pitching with a week or month of training.   That's two hundred and eighty consecutive days.   I charge ten dollars per day.      Do you have any idea what the know-nothing pitching coaches charge parents for an hour of coaching that will only destroy their son's pitching arms?   I'm sorry Sir, but I am only interested in eliminating all pitching injuries, not stealing money under false pretenses.   That's fraud and parents and injured pitchers should take them to court.      Now, to your question.   It sounds as though you tried to read Chapter Nineteen of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book; Daniel Bernoulli, but without success.   You need to try again, but this time, read it on my website.   Don's worry, on my website, I don't charge anybody for anything.      After baseball pitchers release their pitches, baseballs are ballistic missiles and subject only to the forces of collisions with air molecules and gravity.    Gravity drives baseballs to the ground.   Therefore, unless baseball pitchers release their pitches at upward angles, baseballs never move upward.      Collisions of air molecules with rough surfaces of baseballs, notably the seams, generate forces the cause baseballs to change directions from greater pressure to lesser pressure.      Mr. Sutter threw a true sinker.   True sinkers have circles of friction on the top, front part of the baseball, which, when they collide with air molecules, cause them to move downward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 088.   Just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to absorb your pitching knowledge.   The kids we are coaching will be excited to learn from someone with your experience. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am about finished with my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   When I received the finished product, I will get one to you.   At this time, I have no idea how long that will be.   Watch the home page of my website for the change from 2004 to 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 089.   Thank you so much for your recent hospitality this week.   I very much enjoyed it and learned much.   Thank you also for letting me view some of your upcoming video.   People are going to love it.   I really like how you have the little dots showing the path of the ball from the ready position to release.   That will be eye opening.   Everyone that has the ability to visit your Training Center should do so. My question concerns how far your guys step out with their glove foot.   In the video clips I saw, they seemed to be stepping out further than I envision you liking.   Have you made any adjustments to that aspect of your pitching motion? Thanks again and I look forward to the video.   Should we start sending our checks to you so you can get them cleared through your bank, etc.? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      We always enjoy your visits.   The boys know you as a regular.      The measure of whether my baseball pitchers step forward too far is whether they get their pitching knee ahead of their glove foot at release.   While other causes can prevent them from accomplishing this goal, such as striding closed and not driving the lateral side of their pitching foot straight forward, if I see on the videotapes that I take at the end of each forty-eight day training cycle, then I will adjust the length of their step.      I am about a week away from completing my video.   I still have no idea how long it will be before I have the finished product ready to ship.   Let's wait until then. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 090.   I am 50 and enjoyed watching you pitch in the Majors on TV when I was younger.   I also enjoyed your mention in "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton.    I have a 14 year old son who pitches and have come through the Tom House - John Bagonzi - Dick Mills methodologies. Based on your online book, I think I've managed to teach him some things correctly - but now is the time to get his mechanics really right.    I just today (01/28/2006) came across your website and spent the last several hours going through parts of your online book.    I have a few questions about things I didn't understand: 1.   Is there anything inherently wrong with an 80%-90% stride? 2.   When bringing the pitching arm forward is there an optimal height of the elbow in relationship to the pitching shoulder and is there an optimal height of the pitching hand?    I was very confused about your remark that "At no time during my baseball pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above the horizontal height of their pitching elbow."    I have no idea what this means. What I'm trying to find out is what the optimal position/height of the pitching arm's upper arm, elbow and forearm should be when bring the pitching arm forward to deliver the pitch. 3.   I  always point out as an example how well (vigorously) Jason Schmidt of the San Francisco Giants rotates his hips after his glove foot lands.    Do you think that Jason Schmidt is a good example of how to rotate the hips? 4.   Can you explain why the glove site foot, when it lands, needs to land heel first?    I see very few major leaguers doing this and all other information I've read says the landing foot should land either ball-of-the-foot or flat-footed. 5.   Do you know of any pitching coaches in New Jersey who are adherents of and well versed in, your pitching methodology?    I ask because going to Florida is not something I can do - although I will buy your 2006 instructional video as soon as it is available.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01.   When baseball pitchers stride eighty to ninety percent of their standing height, they stop the forward movement of the center of mass of their body.   This shortens the length of their driveline and prevents them from fully forwardly rotating their hips and shoulders.      It also causes them to have to bend forward at their waist.   In addition to forcing them to apply force along a curved downward pathway, bending forward at their waist lowers the release height of their pitches, unnecessarily stresses the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in the glove knee, unnecessarily stresses the trunk extensor muscles of the lower back, increases the probability that they will injure the Adductor Brevis muscle of their pitching leg, leaves the pitching foot within inches of the pitching rubber at release and gives them acne. 02.   Baseball pitchers should drive their pitches along a line between home plate and second base at the height of their pitching ear.   This means that whether we view the driveline from the side view, the rear view or the overhead view, we should see straight lines from the first movement the baseball starts forward on the driveline through release.      After they pendulum swing their pitching arm down, back and up to driveline height, baseball pitchers should 'lock' their pitching upper arm with their shoulders, which requires that they raise their pitching elbow to driveline height.      At no time during my pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above their pitching elbow.   If they do, then they will shorten the length of their driveline, unnecessarily stress the inside of their pitching elbow, generate horizontal centripetal force to their pitching arm side, which will cause 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' which will enlarge the Coronoid Process of the Ulna bone in their pitching forearm and decrease the depth of their Olecranon Fossa of the Humerus bone in their pitching upper arm, which decreases the flexion and extension ranges of motion of their pitching elbow. 03.   Jason Schmidt uses the 'traditional' pitching motion.   Therefore, nothing that he does is a good example of the proper way for baseball pitchers to apply force to their pitches.      All baseball pitchers forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders after their glove foot lands, even mine.   It is impossible for baseball pitchers to forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders until their glove foot lands. 04.   I teach my baseball pitchers to step forward with their glove leg in the same manner as they do when they walk.   When their glove foot lands, I want them to pull back toward second base with their glove leg in the same manner as they do when they walk.   I want them to stand tall and forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders around their glove foot.   To do these actions, they need to land with the heel of their glove foot, move forward onto the toes of their glove foot and pirouette to their glove side. 05.   I do not yet have a network of pitching coaches stationed around the nations.   Until then, when I finish my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, parents will become the second best baseball pitching coach that their sons could ever have. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 091.   I've been playing/coaching baseball for more than 50 years.   My specific area of interest/expertise is pitching and have always believed that the screwball was one of the most harmful pitches that could be thrown. Recently, I have come across info that states otherwise (with your name being mentioned as the source to go to for valid, "believable" information since that pitch was part of your arsenal.) Over the years, I have read/watched (via video) the work of a number of different people (i.e. - Tom House, Spanky McFarland, Bill Thurston, John Bagonzi, Bob Shaw, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Dick Mills and more) with most speaking minimally referent to throwing the screwball or not mentioning it at all. However, the more I've read, the more your name has been mentioned as one who "knows from whence he speaks".   Putting it bluntly, I have "done my homework on you" and like what I've found.   As a result, I have visited your web site and will soon be purchasing your instructional video/book. In the meantime, since I don't take my "teaching" lightly and want to be sure I provide accurate and complete information to those that I am responsible for educating, I'd appreciate any thoughts about throwing the screwball that you'd be willing to share when you get an opportunity. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I teach all baseball pitchers how to throw my Maxline True Screwball.   In my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, as well as my Maxline Fastball, Maxline Pronation Curve, Torque Fastball, Maxline Fastball Sinker and Torque Fastball Slider, I give precise, detailed information about how to throw my screwball. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 092.   I have one other question at this point regarding the stride length of the glove foot.    Is there any rule of thumb for the length of the stride of the glove foot?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I teach my pitchers to 'step' forward with their glove foot only as far as they can easily move the center of mass of their body straight forward, such that, at release, they can move their pitching knee in front of their glove foot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 093.   I just read this week's letters.    I have often thought about this, especially at Christmas and Thanksgiving, and thought you might be interested. Except for the fact that the holiday bird is dead tissue, the traditional pitching motion, concerning the shoulder and elbow is much like wrenching the legs or wings out of their sockets.    Next holiday, just look at how well all of the connective tissue tears and separates.   Always the happy thoughts. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Great analogy.   Grab the end of the drum stick, pendulum swing it down and laterally back as far as you can go, then, raise it straight upward, such that, while you move the upper arm forward, pull the elbow end back and I'll bet that bird's shoulder joint comes off for some good eating.   Another successful surgery. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 094.   I am wondering if you have ever heard of prolotherapy and if you have what are your thoughts on it.    If you haven't heard of it you can go to chicagosportsmedicine.com or caringmedical.com and it explains it in detail. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      My goal is to put all orthopedic surgeons who operate on the pitching arms of baseball pitchers out of business and, with them, all their physical therapists.      The best therapy for the pitching arm is to never use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   Instead, use my pitching motion and complete my training programs.   If you do, you will never have any pitching injuries. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 095.   I'm a Dad trying to help his 15 year old son. 1)   Is your "Baseball Pitching Instructional Videotape" still available and for $100.00? 2)   Is your address still Dr. Mike Marshall, 38313 Vinson Avenue, Zephyrhills, FL 33542? 3)   Do we still send our return address and e-mail address?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The last of my 2004 Baseball Pitching Instructional Videos are gone.   I do not plan to order another batch.   Therefore, we will have to wait until I get copies of my 2006 video.   I am almost finished with making it.   Next, I need someone to produce copies.   When I have them, I will change the icon on the home page of my website to 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.      You have the correct address and I cannot send one to you without your address.   I like to have your email address so that I can notify you that I have sent it and you can notify me that you have received it.   To make it the best video that I can, I also need to hear your comments. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 096.   First of all let me say that it is great to read your Q&A section of your website.    It brings back a lot of memories of the days of being one of the first to go through your program.    Although my career never happened the way that I had hoped, I still remain a firm believer in what you do.    I live in the midwest and I am constantly recommending players and parents of future players to seek out your advice.   The advice that I can give is limited and a bit outdated. Secondly, I have read a lot about these other "pitching" instructors and how they tend to belittle and tear down your pitching method.    My question is; have any of these guys bothered to educate themselves and actually go to Florida and try to see what you are all about?    It is very easy to talk about someone or someone's idea behind their back. Speaking first hand, a person can not learn your program fully by just reading about it.    It needs to be seen first hand and studied.    I know that it takes time and a tremendous amount of effort to internalize the program.    People never believe me when I tell them stories of my old workouts i.e., 14 lb iron ball, 35 lb wrist weights (the first I might add), and still throwing over 100 pitches, full speed EVERY SINGLE DAY. I never had any sort of arm injury the whole time.    As far as none of your pitchers succeeding in the major leagues, how many teams out there will FULLY allow someone to give your method a chance to succeed?    I remember the flack that I got at just the tryouts.    If someone is not willing to educate themselves on something new, then the mistakes of the past will continue. In conclusion, I just want to tell you to keep up the good work.    Every time I visit your website, that fire inside starts blazing again.    I guess it has never gone out.    I still have that dream of some day making it (even at my age).    Maybe, if I win the lottery and do not have to work to support my family, I might give it one more shot. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Thank you for your email.   It's great to hear from you. Please send me your mailing address so that when I get copies of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I can send you a copy.   In the years since we last worked together, with the help of the students teaching me how to teach them better, we have greatly improved the program.      As irritating as some of the pitching coach wannabes can be, they are only letting their mouth overload their ass.   When people see my 2006 video, they will know that what I say about the dangers in the 'traditional' pitching motion is true.   These gentlemen who continue to proclaim their individual versions of the 'traditional' pitching motion will get trampled in the stampede away from them.      But, when confronted with a noisy detractor who asked him, "What do you think of me?," Frank Lloyd Wright simply said, "I don't."   I am way too busy working to eliminate pitching injuries and helping my young men to waste my time with their nonsensical rantings and lies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 097.   I was recently speaking with a high school A&P teacher who is also a basketball coach.   His class is currently finishing up an overview of human musculature and will be starting a short course on kinesiology.   When I mentioned high speed film of two different pitching motions he lit up and was very enthusiastic.   He knows my son.   He asked if I would come in and do a short presentation for his class, presenting the rationale for the differences, helping provide a practical bridge between the muscle system and kinetics. To do so, I would need copies of your traditional high speed film.   Would it be possible for you to send me copies of those files on CD?   One way or the other I would like to give this gentleman an answer quickly, and I would need to prepare for the class within the next week. I realize fully that I am not an expert in these subjects; these seem like great opportunities to help peak the interest of students. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The problem is that I have no idea how to put anything on CD or even have a CD on which to put something.   Maybe he can wait until you receive your copy of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   Then, you would not have to worry about whether you are an expert in these subjects. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 098.   It's been a while since I've written, and I wanted to update you on a couple of things. 1.   First, a guy who is a pitching guru with a websie who is receptive to your ideas has asked me to moderate the Pitching Mechanics section of his discussion board.   I'm going to use this as an opportunity to get the word out about you and your ideas.   In fact, I just convinced a guy (HS coach) to buy your video. 2.   I have gotten dragged into the business of both evaluating pitchers and instructing them.   As a result, I would appreciate it if you would consider sending me one of the first copies of your 2006 video.   The sooner I get the video, the sooner I can update what I'm teaching. 3.   Related to number 2 above, I'm not sure what your thoughts are with respect to the equivalent of "Marshall Certified" pitching coaches, but I would be glad to talk to and work with anyone who is in or around here, but who can't make it all the way down to FL. I'm not sure if you have thought about what someone would have to do to become Marshall Certified, but I'd be glad to talk about what you think I need to know for you to feel comfortable recommending me to people.   I have talked with other about this some. I do charge people for my time (my wife is making me), but I try to charge reasonable rates.   This is more about saving kids arms than making tons of money. If you feel comfortable referring people to me, then feel free to post the below contact information in the Q&A portion of your web site.   If not, then just delete it. 4.   The question about the limits of conditioning for young pitchers (e.g. <16) has come up in forums and I wanted your opinion of a canned response/explanation of the risks of youth pitching that I am putting together. First, you have to think about this like a mechanical or structural engineer. Now, here's the logic of the statement. Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link.   If you try to lift a 2,000 pound rock, and the S-hook that you use to connect the chain to the sling is only rated to 1,000 pounds, it doesn't matter that the crane that you use is rated at 20,000 pounds, the chain that you use is rated at 10,000 pounds, and the sling is rated at 5,000 pounds.   You won't be able to lift the rock (for long) because the S-hook will fail. The same thing holds for the Medial Epicondyle of the elbow (the bony bump on the inside of the elbow to which the UCL and many of the muscles of the forearm attach).   The problem is that, while the UCL and the muscles of the forearm may be rated at 300 pounds, the growth cartilage that holds the Medial Epicondyle to the Humerus bone is only rated at something like 200 pounds.   If you apply too much force to the Medial Epicondyle, then one of two things will happen.   Either the Medial Epicondyle will pull off of the Humerus or the growth plate that attaches the Medial Epicondyle to the Humerus will close prematurely.   In either case, the result is a permanent and irreparable injury. Bulking up the muscles of the forearm will not do any good because at the end of the day they attach to the (fundamentally weak until the player is biologically 16) Medial Epicondyle.   The only thing you can do is limit the amount of stress that is applied to the Medial Epicondyle.   That means never throwing so hard as to pull the Medial Epicondyle off of the Humerus and not throwing so much as to cause the growth plate to close prematurely. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I prefer to let my 2006 video speak for me.      With regard to certifying persons to teach my pitching motion: I believe that, with my 2006 video, parents will become the best pitching coaches that they youth baseball pitchers can have.   However, if there were sufficient interest, I could put together a weekend seminar during which I would teach those interested in me certifying them as competent to teach my pitching motion.   Basically, I would follow the six drills in my 2006 video.      Recently, a professional baseball team asked me if I would evaluate videos of amateur baseball pitchers and tell them whether they are likely to become injured.   They said that they would pay me a handsome amount per video.   I asked how many videos they planned to send me.   They said at least two hundred.   I told them that if they would just give me their names, then, I could make copies of my report right now and save us all a lot of time.      Because they all use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, they all have 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' which leads to 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Turnover,' which can rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament and/or fracture their Humerus bone and they all have 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' which leads to the lose the flexion and extension ranges of motion in their pitching elbow.   Some will have 'Loops,' which intensifies their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   All stride closed, which injures the front of their shoulders.   All stride too far, which injures their glove knee, their lower back and their groin.      Obviously, I could not take any money for something that I did not have to do anything to earn.   Tell those who are sending you money that they can use the same form that I offered this professional baseball organization and save their money.   Shame on you.      I think that the X-rays of injured youth baseball pitchers in my videos clearly show the dangers of too much youth baseball pitching when too young for too long.   Of more value are my elbow X-rays in my videos that determine the biological ages of youth baseball pitchers.      We have to start classifying youngsters for athletic competitions based on their biological ages, not chronological.   By taking away their opportunities and forcing them to unfairly compete against youngsters two to four biological years older, chronological age grouping discriminates against delayed matures.   And, the accelerated matures succeed without effort, which will vanish within two years when they face their self-image crisis.   In addition, parents will learn that they reason their son is the star twelve year old pitcher is because he is actually fourteen years old.      As soon as I get my copies, I will mail them as fast as I can to all who kindly purchased them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 099.   Just wanted to let you know that today I completed day 15 of the 315 day program, so I am on my way.   Everything feels great and I look foward everyday to doing the next day's work for the program.   Some questions that I have though. First, can you give me some advice as to what I can tell my coaches and trainers when I get to spring training as to why I am doing what I am doing.   I feel like if I answer them with your statements from your book either they won't understand, won't care and will not want to understand, or just tell me that I am plain wrong and crazy. Also, in preparing to get ready for spring training, I need to throw and throw off a mound. would throwing using your mechanics and throwing off a mound using your mechanics while still duing the 315-day program hinder me or not really matter?   I am curious to know since i need to have my arm in shape when i show up for spring training. Also, the reason I asked you about prolotherapy is after this past season, I found out that I had a SLAP tear in my labrum of my left shoulder.   The MRI also revealed some fraying of the rotator cuff tendons.   The team doctors, or should I say surgeons, said I needed surgery to repair the damaged. I had known about prolotherapy because of a previous back injury in which I used prolotherapy to heal this injury.   The team doctors told me that there was nothing I could do to get rid of my back pain, but they were wrong.   After having prolotherapy on my shoulder, it feels better than ever.   Before my injury I topped out at 91 mph and consistantly threw 88 using the traditional pitching motion, also my walks were a little higher than i would have liked, about 3 per 9 innings. So i was wondering if you could tell me that by completing your program and using the correct pitching mechanics, my velocity would increase and also my walks would go down due to better quality pitches thrown. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Until your pitching coaches watch my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, they do not have any idea what goes on in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   As a result, they have no basis on which to evaluate what you are doing.   Therefore, the choice is yours.      You can either commit to making a complete break from the 'traditional' pitching motion to my pitching motion and make your coaches angry, such that they release you or you can continue to use the 'traditional' pitching motion, which will keep them happy and you leave baseball after a couple of surgeries.      It is not possible to master my pitching motion and complete my training programs in less than two years.   To try to do my program and pitch competitively at the same time will not work.   Therefore, you can either quit baseball and spend two years working your ass off or you can flounder until they release you with a destroyed pitching arm.      Physical therapy is a waste of your time.   You need to do the hard work of my specifically designed baseball pitching training programs.      Whether you can master my pitching motion depends on your willingness to work hard both physically and intellectually every day for two years and your motor learning ability.   If you master it and complete my training programs, you will achieve your genetic release velocity and master a wide variety of high-quality pitches.   While, with my straight line force application technique, it is easier to throw strikes than with the five to eight feet of side-to-side movement in the 'traditional' pitching motion, whether you can throw strikes depends on your ability to precisely replicate the proper pitching motion with each pitch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 100.   I was wondering when you will be finished with your 2006 video and when completed, could you send it to me? I love the 2004 video and I think I read that you said you were going to include why the traditional pitching motion is bad in your new video, is that correct? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I will finish my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video this week.   That includes any final edits after extensively reviewing each section.      In do thoroughly discuss the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.      With any luck, I should have the video in my hands ready to ship by the first of March. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 101.   When someone injures a muscle do they experience pain where the muscle originates or where it attaches to the bone.   For example, the Teres Minor muscle arises along the side of the scapula and goes all the way to the humerus.   Could a pitcher receive pain signals all along the muscle?   Only where it attaches?   Only where it originates?   Would this be the case for every muscle? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When athletes apply more force than bone, ligament, tendon, muscle and so on can withstand, they break down.   The location of these injuries depends on the weak link.   Baseball pitchers fracture the Humerus bone of the pitching upper arm.   Baseball pitchers rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament in the pitching elbow.   Baseball pitchers pull the attachment of the tendon of the Subscapularis muscle off the Lesser Tuberosity of the head of the Humerus bone in their pitching shoulder.   And, too much stress injures muscle tissue.      The Teres Minor muscle arises from the axillary border of the Scapula bone and attaches to the lowest of three facets from the top downward on the posterior surface of the head of the Humerus bone.      In the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, where 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' centripetally slings the pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball laterally away from the body to the pitching arm side, then this runaway mass centripetally continues it's circular pathway across the front of the body and around the glove side of the body until the pitching hand actually slaps their glove side back.      That is too much stress for the Teres Minor muscle to repeatedly safely decelerate.      Nobody can predict where in the Teres Minor muscle the weak link lies.   If the injury is at the Humeral attachment, then baseball pitchers will complain of pain high on the posterior surface of the head of the Humerus bone.   If the injury is in the muscle mass portion of the Teres Minor muscle, then baseball pitchers will complain of pain in the back of the axillary area.   If the injury is at the Scapular attachment, then baseball pitchers will complain of pain along the axillary border of the Scapula.      The cure is simple.   Stop using the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   With my pitching motion, we use the Teres Major and Latissimus Dorsi muscle to safely decelerate the pitching upper arm.   In fact, these muscles not only act as horizontal extensors of the shoulder joint, they also act as inward rotators of the shoulder joint.   This means that they powerfully inwardly rotate the Humerus bone to accelerate the baseball and they powerfully horizontally extend the Humerus bone to safely decelerate the pitching upper arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 102.   My son has told me about the progress of the '06 video.    It sounds very exciting, and I cannot wait to see it.    If I may be so bold, could I make a couple of suggestions? I would recommend that you put in about a ten second pan of the inside of the complex during workouts.    Preferably with guys working at each station.   It will help give an overview of the way the workouts go, and the energy expended. Then, there will surely be no single pitch or drill which is 100% perfect.   It is great to point out any minor flaws, but the vast majority of comment should be about what is right concerning a pitch or drill.    Emphasis the positive. I believe in the past, people have wished to see the absolute perfect Marshall mechanics. Well, until Jesus Christ signs up, that will never happen.    There will always be something that can be better.    But the minor flaws should never be the focus.    Only the good stuff.    You surely do not have to apologize for minor flaws. My son also told me a bit about the interest from a couple of major league organizations.    I am not sure I got all of the stories straight.    But it sounds very exciting.    Hopefully, some eyes and windows will be opened.   Fresh air and light always make things smell better. My son also assures me that, as spring draws closer, the guys are going to put more and more focus on getting game ready.    It seems they are planning on working out in the mornings as per normal, then pitching batting practice, or having infield practice, in the afternoons.    He also said he is working out on different mounds, including the dirt mounds.    He said you all are going to rework the dirt mounds, and do much more work off of them as the season draws near.    That all is great news. I can't wait to see the '06 video.    It should be wonderful.    Keep up the great work. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      For years I have known that, after only forty weeks of training, my baseball pitchers had not perfected my pitching motion.   I accepted their imperfections because, when compared to the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, they were fair superior.   They would never injure themselves.   They could throw pitches that the 'traditional' pitching motion does not allow.   And, with continued work, I hoped that they would proprioceptively straighten their drivelines more and more.      However, this year, I have dedicated, hard-working young men who returned, not only to get stronger with my advanced 'Recoil' training cycles, but to perfect how they apply force.   Now, I get to get into great detail with each of them about their individual biomechanical flaws.   Every time I take videotape or high-speed film and use the freeze frame capability of my video studio to show them their flaws, the next time we look at them, they have improved their technique.   There is not doubt that thoroughly analyzing their pitching motion at regular intervals enables them to make appropriate adjustments.   Unfortunately, when one guy is doing everything, it is time consuming and exhausting.      With regard to my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I do provide very detailed video and film evidence of precisely how baseball pitchers should apply force.   Some of my demonstrators do some of the things well and other things not so well.   But, thankfully, somebody does everything well, just not always the same person.      Perfection is the goal we seek, but I doubt anybody will ever achieve.   Nevertheless, when compared with the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, I think that reducing the side-to-side movement from five or more feet to less than two feet is progress and lengthening the driveline from about five feet maximum to eight or more feet is also progress. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 103.   In your answer to question #90 of the year 2006 you stated;   "At no time during my pitching motion should baseball pitchers raise their pitching hand above their pitching elbow."   I must be missing something here,could you please explain? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am talking about my baseball pitching motion.   In the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, this is not possible.      I teach my pitchers to step forward with their glove foot when, during the pendulum swing, their pitching arm is forty-five degrees behind their body.   This means that the baseball starts moving toward home plate well before it reaches driveline height.   This means that my 'Ready' position occurs when my pitchers step forward.      At this point, as they pendulum swing their extended pitching arm upward toward driveline height, my pitchers are turning the palm of their pitching hand from facing forward to facing outward.      When they have their pitching arm at shoulder height, I tell them to raise their pitching elbow to driveline height.   This action 'locks' the pitching upper arm with the shoulders.   If my trained pitchers perform this skill correctly, they will raise their pitching elbow to driveline height at the same time that they raise their pitching hand to driveline height.      When the baseball reaches driveline height, they should also have their pitching elbow at driveline height.   This means that they pitching forearm is horizontal and on the driveline, which is a line between home plate and second base.      From this position, for maximum release velocity and release consistency, baseball pitchers drive their pitches in absolute straight lines toward home plate.   If the baseball moves up, down and/or outward, then they will lose release velocity and consistency.      Baseball pitchers achieve driveline perfection when the baseball never goes above or to the inside of this driveline. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 104.   My 15 year old son (right-handed pitcher, 3/4 arm slot) was recently diagnosed on MRI with anterior labrum degeneration.   He can feel humeral head migration when throwing (no pain) but has not been able to get velocity up to 75% of pre-injury status.   Full diagnosis will require arthroscopic surgery which were hesitant to do. Our goal is at least let him finish high school as a position player.   I realize I haven't given you a lot to work with but would like to know if changing arm slots is an option in your opinion along with specific rotator and scapular exercises. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      There is no such thing as 'arm slots.'   Because it is anatomically impossible for baseball pitchers to raise their pitching upper arm above a line parallel with the line across the top of their shoulders, the only way 'traditional' baseball pitchers can change from where they release their pitches is be changing how much they lean to their glove side.      Humeral head migration.   Do you mean that, like birds, his pitching shoulder goes South for the winter?      When the head of the Humerus bone is not stable in its Glenoid Fossa home, it means that too much youth baseball pitching has lengthened the Gleno-Humeral ligaments that hold the head of the Humerus bone in its fossa.      Before you consider surgery of any type, I recommend that you wait until all growth plates in his pitching elbow and shoulder have completely matured.   The growth plates in the shoulder mature at biological nineteen years old.   Although the stress of baseball pitching can prematurely close them.   To find out, you need X-rays of both his glove and pitching shoulders.      In the meantime, if your son is biologically sixteen years old, I recommend that your son take the year off baseball and complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.   To find out, you will need X-rays of his glove and pitching elbows from mid-upper arm to mid-forearm from the front and side views.   If you send me copies, I will tell you his biological age and if I see any changes in the growth plates in his pitching elbow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 105.   I guess what I mean is, on the voice over for the video, just let everyone know that what the pitcher is doing is within acceptable tolerances.    He is not perfect.    See, he could do this thing, or that thing better, but what he is doing is great.    Over-emphasize the positive so that the viewer gets the point. You do not want someone watching the video, and then saying, "Well, that was OK, but I am STILL not sure what this should look like."   I am sure it will be great. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am reasonably confident that viewers of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video will very precisely understand my pitching motion and I am equally confident that they will understand that not one of my pitchers can perform my pitching motion perfectly, but, collectively, they do perform my pitching motion perfectly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 106.   My pitchers have been throwing indoors off of some poorly constructed mounds.   The mounds' surface is slick plywood covered in extremely worn carpeting.   Also, the gym floor we practice on is so dusty that when my pitchers brace their glove legs and begin to direct force towards second base, the carpet will shift forward and ball up under their feet and at times the entire mound can be seen sliding several inches forward. Periodically I will use the radar gun (several players are asked radar gun readings by schools that are interested in recruiting them).   I read about the inaccuracy of radar guns in your book. It is a jugs model radar gun. My question is: could the instability of the mounds and the continuing forward momentum of the body cause a reduced amount of oppositely directed force thus limiting the resulting forward force and release velocity of the pitching arm and baseball? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The stability of the glove foot is critical for the proper transfer of force from the pitching leg to the glove leg.   Without it, baseball pitchers will never achieve their maximum hip and shoulder rotation acceleration.      I recommend that no pitcher attend a school where they use radar guns to determine the quality of pitchers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 107.   Last Friday my 14 yr old son had subject procedure performed for multidirectional instability of the right shoulder.   We chased the issue for four years and he was non-responsive to physical therapy.   So we elected to have surgery. Was wondering if you had crossed paths with anyone who had the procedure and how did it turn out? We are hoping for pain free throwing of any kind of ball and will settle for any velocity that we can get.   Just was curious what your thoughts are and expectations we could expect. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Multidirectional instability.   How many different ways can the head of the Humerus bone move around in its Glenoid Fossa.   Because the Gleno-Humeral Ligaments hold the head of the Humerus bone in the Glenoid Fossa, I assume that they tightened those ligaments.      Without knowing your son's biological age, I cannot know whether the excessive baseball pitching he has done over the past several years has also prematurely closed growth plates in his pitching elbow and shoulder.      Whether he returns to baseball pitching depends on whether he stops using the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   Given his injurious history, I recommend that he wait until he is biologically sixteen years old, when all growth plates in his elbow completely mature, then he should complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 108.   One of your cult following has been harassing the Eteamz website.   If we don't agree with everything you preach he calls us child abusers and ignorant.   While I don't believe you had much of a following in the first place at Eteamz, most of the posters absolutely detest your theories now due to the obnoxious behavior of this person.   I'm especially angry as he's made it personal by bringing my son into every post.   He claims he exchanges information on your site often.   He goes by Kharma.   From what I understand, he's been kicked off several other websites for his ranting and obnoxious behavior.   This man is a Marshall cultist.   Is this how you want to create a name for yourself? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      On my website, I answer questions from anybody.   It makes no difference to me whether questioners phase their questions or comments obnoxiously.      I want to make it very clear that only I speak for me.   Nobody else speaks for me.   And, I have never asked anybody to speak for me.   Whatever my readers do on other websites is their business and their opinions, not mine.   It is called, 'free speech,' and the Constitution of the United States of America protects it.      Nevertheless, if you would be so kind as to provide the question or discussion topic that caused this gentleman to call people child abusers and ignorant, I will be glad to provide my thoughts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 109.   I wanted you to know of just another of many instances where you have helped a kid. My boys' mother is a freshman High School English teacher.    She teaches at a large, very good, well known high school.    They had baseball tryouts for two days this week, and one of her students did not make the team.    He was extremely disappointed, my wife noticed, and asked about it. As it turns out, he is a delayed maturer, and simply could not compete with the more mature players.    I emailed my wife some of your research on maturation, and some of your suggestions for these kids.    Continuing to work on skills, let the growth plates close naturally, without undo stress, let the body mature, grow, and become stronger, etc.    I wrote that his body will catch up at some point, and he should be ready at that time to compete.    He could even be better and healthier at that time than the quick maturers.    I also gave them your website address. Well, it made all the difference.    More than just hope, it rekindled excitement for baseball.    He now has a plan, a goal, and should continue with the game he loves until he matures.    He has scientific evidence that he will be able to compete one day. He and his parents are very grateful.    I thought you would like to know. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I want the all parents of delayed maturing youngsters to unite and demand fair and equal access to all youth competitions.   That requires that, instead of chronological age, organizers use biological age to group youth baseball players for competitions.   Why should the 8.3% of chronological twelve years olds who are biologically fourteen years old or older receive all the resources?      While I am pleased that this delayed maturer understands that his inability of successfully compete right now will pass, I am not pleased that he has to spend his time and energies without the advantages of community resources.      If any of the money spent for these activities come from taxes, then it is unlawful to not provide equal access to all.   This means that the Courts should require the only equitable classification system, biological age.      In the long run, the accelerated maturers will also benefit.   To succeed without meaningful effort, then to lose that advantage and no longer dominate can cause serious self-image difficulties for these adolescent males. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 110.   It's not a matter of any one question.   I would have to cut and paste virtually every thread from the site relating to throwing a ball or swing a bat.   As an educated man, I'm sure you believe the way gain believers is through intelligent debate, not antagonistic accusations.   This person (Kharma) does not debate.   He attacks.   If anyone disagrees with your philosophies, they are child abusers and ignorant.   He has referred to himself as the Messiah on your behalf.   It would be funny if I thought he was joking.   Personally, I think he's disturbed. As I mentioned this person is turning people against even considering your philosophies.   Through him, you have become a joke on this site.   It has happened on other baseball sites as well.   He thinks he's spreading the word.   All he's doing is antagonizing minds into closing. I'm not looking to save your reputation and spread your word.   But I do enjoy sharing ideas and philosophies.   Is this the kind of person you want claiming to be representing you?   If he truly worships you, you have the power to get him to stop. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I regularly receive antagonistic questions.   Nevertheless, I answer them with the same diligence that I would any other question.   I fail to see why how someone phrases their disagreement makes any difference.      I will try again to explain 'free speech.'   Every body has a right to speak their mind.   I would never refuse to answer anybody's question because of how they framed their question.   I would never tell anybody what they can and cannot say.      I find that some websites 'kick' someone off their website censorship.   It says that if you disagree with the website, then we do not want to hear what you say.      That is far worse that calling people child abusers because they do not take proper care to prevent their children from destroying their pitching arm with the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and permitting their children to pitch until their growth plate prematurely close or worse.      If someone calls someone ignorant, it means that they have yet to learn.   If someone calls someone stupid, that means that they do not have the ability to learn.   Therefore, to call someone ignorance means that you have hope that they could learn.   Perhaps, without concern for how others express their disagreement, they could learn by listening to the others with whom they disagree.      I will shortly be releasing my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video in which I explain the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and my solutions.   I also have a section where I explain what the 'traditional' pitching motion and too much baseball pitching does to the growth plates of eleven through sixteen biological year old males.   It is the cure for ignorance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 111.   When I leave your training Center, I always feel that your ides are just about to break into the mainstream.   Then I meet "Coach" TG. I was speaking today to my friend from Sarasota who is a neighbor of a major league pitching coach.   My friend is in Buffalo right now on business but will be back in FL next week.   He told me that this pitching coach just got married and he thinks he is now with the another major league team.   He said he thinks there will be a short window for he and this pitching coach to visit your training site, as Spring Training is starting.   My friend is not a baseball guy but we shall see what happens.   He knows this pitching coach socially. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As you know, my Pitching Research/Training Center is open seven days a week from 9:00 to 10:30AM from the third Saturday in August until the fourth Saturday in May for anybody to visit.   We welcome everybody.   Because this year's group is just starting my Wind-Up body action, Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm drill, this is the best time of the year to see the whole package. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 112.   Apparently you have now heard from the infamous Coach TG. He's been writing, shall we say, rather unkind things about Kharma and he has responded in kind.   I'm not sure that's the wisest approach, but that's the way it is, and it provides lots of opportunities for a nice game of bad cop, good cop. Following is what TG most recently posted: -----------------------------------------------------   For the benefit of the board, I'm not going to allow Kharma to draw me out.   He's a waste of time.   His post is a bunch of BS. For the benefit of anyone else: I did send an email to Marshall asking him if this is how he wants to be represented to coaches and parents who, for the most part, have an open mind to learning something they perceive to be valuable.   I did tell him I'm a disbeliever. He said he's fine with Kharma's behavior.   Pass the word whatever way possible.   He stated a lot of people are obnoxious on his site.   I have my views on this.   Anyone else can be their own judge. ---------------------------------------------------- I would very much like to have the full text of his e-mail to you and your response.   If you deem it proper, of course.   I'd like to put this guy to bed.   You also now have his e-mail address, which might prove useful and helpful. On more pleasant notes I had a nice chat with my son today.   He indicated that he's working hard on keeping his 'lock', staying tall and using the glove-side more efficiently.   I know he feels like he's making progress of these things.   What's your appraisal?   I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished video! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I appreciate that you sent me what TG wrote.      He' the guy who called me a Charlatan in an article that he posted on infosports.com back on June 07, 2004.   He wrote that a pitcher who played for him in the fall of his senior year, but, not in the spring, because this pitcher was academically challenged with a 590 SAT, came to me after a failed season of Junior College baseball.   He then said that he saw him the summer after he trained forty weeks with me and that he had the most bizarre pitching delivery he had ever seen.   He said that he could no longer break 78.      Now, I will tell the truth.   The young man's name is Ryan LeFleur.   After I trained him, I recommended him to my former assistant baseball coach who was the pitching coach at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX.   Ryan pitched three years at St. Mary's, including the year that they won the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.   He was their number three starting pitcher and regularly threw fastballs in excess of 90 miles per hour.   Lastly, this academically challenged young man graduated from St. Mary's University.      In what he recently wrote, he says that I said, "He's fine with Kharma's behavior.   Pass the word whatever way possible."   Well, the truth is in questions 108 and 110 of my 2006 Question/Answer file.      In Question 108, I said, "I want to make it very clear that only I speak for me.   Nobody else speaks for me.   And, I have never asked anybody to speak for me.   Whatever my readers do on other websites is their business and their opinions, not mine.   It is called, 'free speech,' and the Constitution of the United States of America protects it.      In Question 110, I said, "I will try again to explain 'free speech.'   Every body has a right to speak their mind.   I would never refuse to answer anybody's question because of how they framed their question.   I would never tell anybody what they can and cannot say.      I find that some websites 'kick' someone off their website censorship.   It says that if you disagree with the website, then we do not want to hear what you say.      That is far worse than calling people child abusers because they do not take proper care to prevent their children from destroying their pitching arm with the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and permitting their children to pitch until their growth plate prematurely close or worse.      If someone calls someone ignorant, it means that they have yet to learn.   If someone calls someone stupid, that means that they do not have the ability to learn.   Therefore, to call someone ignorance means that you have hope that they could learn.   Perhaps, without concern for how others express their disagreement, they could learn by listening to the others with whom they disagree.      I will shortly be releasing my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video in which I explain the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and my solutions.   I also have a section where I explain what the 'traditional' pitching motion and too much baseball pitching does to the growth plates of eleven through sixteen biological year old males.   It is the cure for ignorance."      I also said, "I regularly receive antagonistic questions.   Nevertheless, I answer them with the same diligence that I would any other question.   I fail to see why how someone phrases their disagreement makes any difference."   As proof, even though I know that TG falsely accused me of ruining Ryan LeFleur's future and called me a Charlatan without ever discussing the matter with me, I respectfully answered his emails and will continue to do so.      The high-speed film clearly showed your son the flaw in his pitching motion that I told him about last year.   I believe that it's a flaw that he learned a long, long time ago that is now deeply imbedded in his baseball throwing motor engram.   It will take time to overcome.   But, at least now, when I tell him what he is doing, he knows what I am talking about.   As a result, he is clearly focused on eliminating the flaw. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 113.   My 11 year old son fractured his right forearm 3 weeks ago.   The fracture was to the distal radius.   It happened while playing school basketball during recess.   The type of fracture is a "green stick" and/or "buckle" type, the bone did not completely break.   The doctor described the fracture as to a tree branch being bent and not breaking completely. His arm was manually manipulated into position, the doctor felt the reduction would NOT need to be set with a pin (to temporary hold the bone into position until healing takes place).   His arm was placed in a plaster full arm cast to reduce the chance of any movement or loss of reduction.   He had his two week follow up last week and the healing is progressing nicely. However the doctor noticed there was a very slight lost of reduction since the bone was set, he felt the amount of reduction lost is not a concern at this time.   He will have another follow-up visit next week for an x-ray and to hopefully remove the cast to below the elbow. The doctor indicated there were no injuries to the growth plates, tendons, nerves or soft tissue damage.   The fracture occurred approximately 2-3 inches above the wrist joint.   The doctor also indicated that kids will heal quickly and there would be no need for physical therapy, other then for him to regain his strength and flexibility loss due to the arm being immobile.   I hope all this is true, however I would like to ask for your opinion on a few questions I have. A little background on my son, he is 11 years old, 5 ft 6 inches 150 pounds.   He plays organized baseball, football, basketball and soccer.   His main sport is baseball, his primary position is pitcher, and he also plays 1st base and outfield.   He trains nearly year round for hitting and works on functional strength for pitching during the off-season and works on his pitching mechanics during pre-season and regular season. His pitching is limited to flat ground throwing during preseason and regular season practice and his pitch count is closely monitored during games.   He generally only throws 2 and 4 seam fastballs and occasionally a circle change-up, his velocity is 58 -60 mph and his pitch count is limited to 75 pitches per game or 25 per inning which ever happens first, we usually start slower in the spring 40 pitches per game.   He never complains about having a sore arm and we always warm-up before any throwing takes place. The questions I have are: 1.   What kind of stresses will the radius forearm bone experience when exercising, throwing a baseball or football, hitting a baseball or playing basketball? 2.   How long will it take for the bone to heal? 3.   How long will it take for the bone to heal enough to support the activities such as baseball, football and basketball? 4.   What kind of physical activity should he do while his arm is in a cast? 5.   How long will it take for the muscles, tendons to regain strength and flexibility? 6.   Should there be any pain or discomfort during physical therapy or when he resumes pitching or hitting? 7.   Does the bone increase in strength as time goes by?   Once the bone is healed will the strength at the fracture be as strong as other parts of the bone? 8.   Will the fracture likely be the location of another fracture if a similar type of fall were to occur?   Does this become a weak point? 9.   The doctor indicated a slight reduction was lost since the arm was set. Does this weaken the bone?   Does this lost of reduction impact the performance of his pitching? 10.   Does the bone "remodel" reform the shape of the bone?   How does this take place?   How long will it take?   I assume proper pitching mechanics and functional strength exercises would enhance this process, does this sound right? 11.   Will this type of fracture reduce his range of motion in his forearm , wrist or elbow? 12.   Will hitting cause any pain to the bone?   How long should he waiting until he starts batting practice after the cast is removed? 13.   How many times a day should the physical therapy exercises be performed?   3 times a day morning, afternoon and evening? 14.   How do I determine when the physical therapy is complete or far enough along so baseball training with the right arm can begin? 15.   I assume physical therapy exercises should increase in intensity if there is no pain and become easy to perform? 16.   When can he start to participate in baseball activities NOT involving his right arm?   For example, one arm hitting drills, pitching drills involving balance and form for other parts of his body, running and riding a stationary bike and catching fly balls.   These activities will be considered after the full arm cast is removed to below his elbow. 17.   When the cast is removed what type of exercises or drills would you recommend during physical therapy and after physical therapy is complete? 18.   Should he concentrate on increasing the strength of his forearm muscles and bones?   What types of exercises can he do to strengthen his forearm? 19.   If the forearm muscles become larger & stronger does this reduce the chances of injury to the bone? 20.   How does exercise and weight lifting increase the strength of the bone? 21.   Do the muscles and tendons receive most of the stress when a baseball is pitched or hit?   Or does the forearm bones receive the most stress?   I would appreciate any information you can provide pertaining to these questions or any additional reading you think would be useful. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If your son is also biologically eleven years old, then the ossification center for his olecranon process recently appeared and the ossification center for his lateral epicondyle will not appear for another year.      What I am telling you is that your son's pitching elbow is in a state of rapid growth and development, such that too much stress for too long can permanently alter the growth and development of these bones.      I recommend that, until your son is biologically sixteen years old, that he not pitch baseballs for more than two consecutive months each year, does not pitch competitively until he is biologically thirteen years old and, then only pitch one inning per game twice a week.      Your doctor will be happy to answer your questions.   I answer questions about baseball pitching. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 114.   Late today I had an interesting exchange with Coach TG.   I asked him a simple question and received a genuine, lengthy reply.   It appears we now have some common ground to discuss your ideas and he seems open instead of hostile.   Sometimes those most antagonistic end up being staunch supporters, whatever the cause or idea.   I hope this will become the case.   If not, there are certainly guns in reserve. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      That's why, without concern for whether they ask their questions respectfully, I always respectfully answer all questions.   Hate is not the opposite of love, indifference is.   I like people with passion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 115.   You have, throughout the Q/A, mentioned a colleague of yours that teaches your principles here in Texas.    Might I be able to get in contact with him?    San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso are a lot more manageable for us in Lubbock. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I spent a year in Amarillo, TX teaching and coaching baseball at West Texas A&M in Canyon, TX.   The greatest, most helpful, independent people in the world live in your part of the world.   My team played Lubbock Christian College and Texas Tech.      When I taught and coached at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, AR, I had a graduate assistant assistant baseball coach.   Because, when he played college baseball, he played in the infield, I made him my pitching coach.      At present, he is the pitching coach at Texas State University in San Marcus, TX.   However, from his ten years of coaching baseball pitchers at St. Mary's University, he and his family still live in San Antonio.      I imagine that he is incredibly busy right now.   But, you can call him.   John can certainly help your son, but, with my 2006 Baseball Pitchers Instructional Video, you will become the best pitching coach that your son could ever have. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 116.   Thank you for such a quick response.   I did not intend to pin you down on medical advice, I only found that orthopedic doctors do not have the knowledge or experience to relate this kind of injury to how it impacts the player's ability to pitch or bat.   If you have any input to any of the questions I have I would appreciate your input. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      As I explained in my previous email, I am far more concerned about the fact that your eleven year old son pitches as much as he does than I am about his fracture.   True, fracturing the distal end of his Radius bone at the growth plate probably will not help that growth plate to develop in the same manner as it would had he not broken it.   But, when compared to the damage he is doing to all the other growth plates in his pitching arm as a result of pitching too much, too soon, too hard and for too long every year, it is insignificant.         I recommend that, until your son is biologically sixteen years old, that he not pitch baseballs for more than two consecutive months each year, does not pitch competitively until he is biologically thirteen years old and, then only pitch one inning per game twice a week.      I also recommend that within one week of his birthday, you have your doctor take X-rays of his glove and pitching arms from the front and side views between his mid-forearms and mid-upper arms, make copies, send them to me and I will email you his biological age and tell you whether I see any abnormalities in the development of the growth plates in his pitching elbow.      With regard to the other growth plates in his pitching arm, the rest from pitching while he recovers from his broken bone could be the best thing that could happen to him.   The next best thing that could happen for him is for him to stop using the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 117.   I am sorry to impose on your time and to ask a personal request.    I was born in 1974 and 2 years ago I embarked on a bizarre and strange quest, to obtain each end every Sports Illustrated magazine from 1974 and to obtain each cover signature. I have managed to obtain each and every magazine and signature except yours and Mr. Ken Dryden (I refused to purchase OJ Simpson’s magazine for pretty obvious reasons). I totally understand your views on the hobby and after spending time with many “Collectors” agree with yours and many other perceptions, most only had financial motives in mind.    I collect for myself only and have never nor will I ever Sell any piece in my collection. Once again, I understand your opinion about athletes not being heroes and could not agree more (Mr. Simpson is a pretty good example of blind hero worship). I read through the archives and found out that you participated in a private signing a few years ago with Jim Stinson, by the way I found it very funny that reading the archives the idiots who posted complaints only took pot shots at you, Mr. Stinson made a $200 profit on each autograph signed by you and I know he sold many at even higher prices in the next couple of years, nobody complained when Bill Russell decided to sign autographs at card shows for prices way higher than yours. Most importantly nobody held a gun at anyone’s head, if you wanted the signature then go for it, if not then don’t.    You were and are entitled to receive just compensation for your wonderful career that after seeing Bruce Sutter enshrined, should have your plaque there without question. Anyway, I am writing the email in the smallest of hopes that you might consent to sign the Sports Illustrated magazine in question, I am prepared to pay whatever signing fee you fell is acceptable. I can offer you a promise that you can legally enforce if you wish “I promise never to sell the signed magazine for any reason”.    I will also promise to not divulge any information if you choose to do me this special favor, you can sign the magazine anyway you choose (Personalization is fine with me). I understand if you choose to not sign the magazine or do not wish to even respond to this email, it will not dim my opinions of you as a player and the integrity you have displayed through your life. Thank you for reading this rambling email. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The reason that I agreed to sign autographs for Mr. Stinson was in response to honorable requests such as yours.   I signed five hundred photos, baseball cards and baseballs.   You can reach Mr. Stinson at (813)972-8175. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 118.   One on my readers sent me a one-hour videotape that showed the off-season training program that Mr. Barry Zito does.   In it, several people made claims about how this training program continues to his pitching success.      There is not one word of truth in anything that anybody says in that video.   It is all snake oil salesmanship.      Poor Mr. Zito blindly follows this nonsence with enthusiasm.   I feel sorry that he is wasting his time and energy on this exercise physiology babble.      I saw several clips of Mr. Zito's pitching motion.   At the end of his laterally behind his body pendulum swing, Mr. Zito reverse hooks his pitching hand.   As a result, when he starts his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' the ensuing 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' unnecessarily stresses his Ulnar Collateral Ligament even more than usual.   Additionally, while we all knew that he supinates the release of his big, sweeping, lazy curve ball, I did not know that he also supinates the release of his pull fastball.   If you watch his pitching hand after release, you can see how he slaps the glove side of his back.   That means that he does not pronate his pitching forearm at all.      I believe that he is on a rapid decline to extinction.   Too bad, he seems like a very nice guy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 119.   I haven't written since last year.   And, after catching up on your 2006 emails, I want to point out to every one of your readers, who has visited your web site and sends you emails that there is a sure fire way to prove that you are ABSOLUTELY CORECT IN YOUR EVALUATIONS OF THE TRADITIONAL PITCHING MOTION. When I found your web site 6 yrs ago, I was teaching pitching with the naked eye.   I advanced my teaching abilities by the following methods; video taping, 12 frames a second, computer software 30 frames a second, then computer software 60 frames a second. On each advancement of more frames a second your instructions were easier to understand, guess what:   I NOW HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTER SOFTWARE THAT PLAYS BACK THE FILM IN 250 FRAMES A SECOND,   THIS IS AWESOME.   YOU CAN ACTUALLY FILM AND STOP A BULLET COMING OUT OF THE END OF THE RIFLE. NOW HERE IS MY POINT, YOU HAVE BEEN USING THESE HIGH SPEED FILMS FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND THAT'S WHY YOUR CONCLUSIONS ARE ACCURATE.   USING THIS QUALITY OF FILM MAKES IT EASIER TO FOLLOW YOUR WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS AND IT WOULD BE WISE FOR ANY PARENT TO INSIST THAT ANY AND ALL INSTRUCTORS THAT TEACH THEIR KIDS TO PITCH TO USE THESE PRODUCTS.   I KNOW THE CAMERA COSTS $6,000.00, BUT THE SOFTWARE IS ONLY A 150 BUCKS.   WHEN YOU USE FILM OF 250 FRAMES A SECOND TO EVALUATE A PITCHERS OR HITTERS MOTION, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE FLAWS, THEY STICK OUT LIKE A BARE ASS ON A FLORIDA BEACH.   ALL I DO NOW AT my COLLEGE PRACTICES IS FILM BEFORE AND AFTER shots AND PUT THEM SIDE BY SIDE ON A MOVIE SCREEN.   THE KIDS CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES HOW WRONG THE TALL AND FALL AND THE FLEX T THAT THE TRADITIONAL PITCHING MOTION IS BASED ON. I ACTUALLY SHOWED to all my players this comparison; A PITCHER WHO I TAUGHT YOUR FORCE-COUPLING SYSTEM ON ONE SIDE AND ANOTHER PITCHER WHO USES THE TALL AND FALL ON THE OTHER SIDE.   I STARTED THEM IN SYNC, YOUR STYLE HAD HIS ARM POINTED TOWARD SECOND BASE WITH THE BALL AT KNEE LEVEL.   THE TALL AND FALL PITCHER HAD HIS THROWING ARM IN THE LOADED COCKED POSITION ABOVE HIS SHOULDER READY TO EXPLODE TOWARD HOME PLATE.   WELL, GUESS WHICH PITCHER RELEASED THE BALL QUICKER TOWARD HOME PLATE. IT WAS YOUR STYLE THAT WAS 50 FRAMES QUICKER. THIS WAS EYE OPENING TO ALL 20 PLAYERS WHO SAW THIS DEMO.   I NOW HAVE ALL PLAYERS CATCHERS, INFIELDERS And OUTFIELDERS FOLLOWING your FORCE-COUPLING PROCEDURES.   I HEARD SOME ONE EXPLAIN TO ME THAT FAST SPEED FILMING IS AN EXTENSION OF YOUR EYES. WHAT MORE PROOF DO PEOPLE NEED? P.S. Nobody should give pitching lessons with any film less than 250 frames a second. Sorry for the lengthy email.    Can't wait to see you pitching video.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Technology is our friend.   Welcome to my world.   Isn't it nice to come out of the Dark Ages and actually know what you are talking about? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 120.   I emailed you once before on a discussion we were having about pitch counts and you were most helpful.   I thank you again!   A big topic of discussion now is a baserunners effect on a pitcher.   The sabermatricians love to downplay this, but people who have been in the role of pitching know its effects.   I was curious to hear your side, the side of a major league pitcher.   How did an average or above average baserunner effect your pitching to the next batter?   Granted, the scenerios have a lot to do with it (type of game, championship, score tied, etc).   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      On the offensive side of baseball, the name of the game is how many free ninety feet can your team get.   The more free ninety feet you can get, the more runs you can score without having to get hits.      What are free ninety feet?      Walks are free ninety feet.   Therefore, to give pitchers the opportunity to walk them, the lead-off and second batters of every inning shoulde go deep into the count.   They must force pitchers to show all their pitches.   Then, they must take away whatever pitch on which pitchers rely in critical situations.   That is, it is the responsibility of every batter in the line-up to force baseball pitchers to have to rely on the second best pitch.      Stolen bases are free ninety feet.   Therefore, you want base runners to constantly probe the weaknesses of pitchers and catchers for opportunities for steals, which also means advancing ninety feet without hitters getting base hits.   Ground ball outs that advance base runners are steals, going from first to third base on singles is stealing an extra ninety feet and tagging on fly balls while on first and second bases and advancing ninety feet is stealing ninety feet.   Run and hit plays where your batters can hit the baseball on the ground is stealing ninety feet.      The more base runners your team can get to third base with no or one outs, the more runs your team can score without getting hits.      I also love straight challenge steals.   That is, I love when my base runners get on base as basically say, 'I am stealing second base, see if you can stop me.'   This forces pitchers to focus on base runners.   That enables your batters to get more walks, get more fastball pitches and move the infielders out of position.   For base runners with the required time to second base, I would not permit my batters to swing without the base runners permission.      To show that my actions are where my mouth is:   In 1988, at Saint Leo College, in 51 games, my team stole 291 bases.   We hold the NCAA II record for most steals and highest number of steals per game, at 5.71 stolen bases per nine inning game.   Two years later, in 1990, at Henderson State University, my NAIA team stole 271 bases in 271 offensive innings.      Just learning how to get their leads from bases and how to get back properly enables base runners to steal ninety feet.   Actually, from first base, they can steal one hundred and eighty feet.   Long leads entice pitchers to throw the baseball to bases. If base runners know how to return to bases properly, that is, without diving, then they force pitchers to throw the baseball more accurately.   Wild pickoff throws to first base mean that base runners get to go to third base.   Wild pickoff throw to second base mean that base runners get to also go to third base.   And, if there are less than two outs, base runners can score runs without batters getting hits.      In conclusion, yes, knowledgeable aggressive base runners can win more games with their skill and speed than batters can.   If your team bats .333, then base runners advance ninety feet with every third batter.   If your base runners successfully steal .666, then base runners advance ninety feet every other base runner.   More free runs mean more wins. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 121.   Had a couple of things. 1.   I don't know about you, but I am getting tired of having to explain to people how major league pitchers actually throw the ball (e.g. Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce and Pitching Forearm Flyout).   As a result, I have put together a document called "How Roger Clemens (Actually) Throws The Ball" that I use to try to deal with people's misconceptions about what the arms of pitchers like Roger Clemens actually do as they throw the ball.   If you have the chance, I would appreciate it if you could review it and give me your comments. http://www.chrisoleary.com/documents/HowRogerClemensActuallyThrowsTheBall.pdf 2.   With respect to how traditional pitchers actually pitch, I have been thinking a lot about the value of internal rotation of the upper arm (e.g. humerus).   It seems to me that, because of Pitching Forearm Flyout, traditional pitchers (and unlike your pitchers) can't get much power out of the internal rotation of the humerus.   I say this because, since a traditional pitcher's forearm flies out, when they are internally rotating their humerus their hand is pretty much sitting on the axis of rotation, which means that it can't give them much in the way of velocity (due to very short lever arm relative to the axis of rotation).   Internal rotation would theoretically serve as a source of power if they could keep their elbow bent 90 degrees while internally rotating, but as I have since learned from you, users of the traditional pitching motion can't do that.   Instead their forearm flies out.   Is my think about this correct? 3.   It seems like younger pitchers do get relatively more power out of internally rotating their upper arms because their velocities are too low to cause too much in the way of forearm fly out.   However, as they learn to use their hips to increase their velocity, it becomes impossible for them to fight the fly out.   Am I correct in thinking about his or does everyone's arm fly out, regardless of their age or the velocity at which they are throwing? 4.   It may just be the time of year, but I am talking to a lot of people with medial (inner) elbow pain.   It just reinforces what you are talking about with respect to the level of problems with the traditional pitching motion (it is obviously a non-trivial problem). I am introducing as many people as I can to your ideas.   Keep up the good fight. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01.   It is not that I tire of analyzing the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, it's just that I can write my analysis for one and it fits all.      In your frame one, Mr. Clemens make the classical 'traditional' baseball pitching motion flaw of taking the baseball laterally behind his body with the palm of his pitching hand facing downward.   This down, back and laterally behind the body pendulum swing with the palm facing down comes to an abrupt stop because Mr. Clemens failed to outwardly rotate the head of his Humerus bone in its Glenoid Fossa.   As a result, because Mr. Clemens failed to pendulum swing his pitching hand and baseball up to driveline height, he now has to raise his pitching hand and the baseball vertically upward to driveline height.      In your frame two, Mr. Clemens is about one-quarter of the way through his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   Because of his horrible pitching arm pendulum swing, he now has to move his pitching hand and baseball from pointing vertically downward to laying horizontally backward.      In your frame three, Mr. Clemens continues his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   There is no such thing as the 'high-cocked' position.   Mr. Clemens's pitching forearm is merely passing through the vertical position on route to the horizontally behind his body position.   When his pitching forearm is vertical, he will start using his pitching upper arm to pull his pitching forearm forward.   Because his pitching elbow will be about four feet behind the straight line between home plate and second base, Mr. Clemens will have to drive his pitching elbow those four feet back to the pitching arm side of his body.      In the small picture to the right in your frame 4, Mr. Clemens has finally positioned his pitching hand and the baseball horizontally behind his body.   Unfortunately, to do so, he generated significant 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' force.   This is where those pitchers who rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligaments or fracture their Humerus bones generate the required force for those injuries.      Your frame 5 shows the same thing as the small picture in your frame 4.      Your frame 6 shows the result of all that excessive reverse rotating of his hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.   They all only serve to generate greater centripetal force to his pitching arm side that slings his pitching forearm laterally away from his body.   For almost forty years I have called this, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   It causes baseball pitchers to lose flexion and extension ranges of motion in their pitching arms.      In your frame 7, we can see that Mr. Clemens released his pitch at about the same time that he lifted the toes of his pitching foot off the ground.   That makes for a very short driveline.   Your analysis that he started pronating his pitching forearm before release is questionable.   Because his pitching arm is below shoulder height and he has only pronated his pitching forearm such that his pitching hand faces slightly outward, I cannot confirm that he powerfully pronated his pitching forearm before release.   If he had powerfully pronated his pitching forearm, at this point, his pitching hand should face almost upward.      Your frame 8 confirms what I saw in your frame 7.   Mr. Clemens did not powerfully pronate his pitching hand.   To prove otherwise, I would have to take five hundred frames per second high-speed film of him.   That pronation action occurs very quickly, in the thousands of a second time period and these photos did not catch that moment. 02.   I teach my pitchers that while they step forward with their glove foot, they immediately 'lock' their pitching upper arms with their shoulders, such that they have their pitching elbows at ear height.   They should also reposition their pitching forearm for whatever pitch they wish to throw, such that they have their pitching forearms also at ear height parallel with the line between home plate and second base.      Then, when their glove foot lands and they have the stability on which to start the forward rotation of their hips, shoulders and upper arm, they have their pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball on the straight driveline toward home plate.      After they forwardly rotate their pitching upper arm as far forwardly as they can, they powerfully pronate their pitching forearm horizontally inside of vertical straight at home plate.      Therefore, inward rotation of the shoulder joint is an isoanglos joint action.   The force that moves everything forward comes from the forward rotation of the hips and shoulders.   The final forces that accelerate the baseball through release comes from pitching elbow extension and pitching forearm pronation, wrist flexion and finger flexion.      The 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' of the 'traditional' pitching motion prevents baseball pitchers from extending their pitching elbow. 03.   If they use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, then everybody's pitching forearm flys laterally away from their body. 04.   The area that receives the greatest unnecessary stress from the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion is the inside of the pitching elbow as a result of their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' that causes the 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'   Pop goes the Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      I am not fighting with anybody, I am eliminating pitching injuries. Only those who refuse to learn are fighting and they are only fighting with themselves. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 122.   I was reading through the 2006 Q&A file and saw that someone had sent you a response that I had written regarding the relative behavior and drag of 2-seam versus 4-seam fastballs (it's nice to see that I am achieving my goal of driving traffic to your site). My perspective on this (which goes beyond just the Magnus effect) is based on a fairly complicated aerodynamic concept regarding the relationship between the action of the boundary layer and the total drag on an airfoil.   Since this is way beyond what anybody needs to understand, let's just say that it's related to the reason why golf balls have dimples. Simply put, golf balls have dimples because the circulation of the air in those dimples energizes the boundary layer around the ball which (counterintuitively) decreases the drag on the ball and thus increases how far it will fly.   The seams on a baseball have the same effect as the dimples of a golf ball; the more seams that are colliding with the air passing over the surface of the ball, the less the total drag on the ball. To your point about curveballs, if you want to maximize the bite of a ball, I would think that what you need to do is to either minimize the number of seams that are interacting with the air around the entire ball (e.g. 2-seam fastball or "sinker") or minimize the number of seams that are interacting with the air around a portion of the ball (which is you basic circle of friction idea).   Regardless of exactly why it works (Magnus effect or stagnant/energized boundary layer) it works nonethless. Some good links that discuss this topic are: - http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question37.htm (good, basic explanation). - http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0215.shtml (more technical explanation). If you want to Google this on your own, try "dimples golf ball boundary layer". -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I disagree. Those baseball pitchers who throw my Maxline Pronation Curves with the highest spin velocity with four seams colliding with the air molecules have their curves move the greatest amounts the fastest.      The idea that they should throw curves with less spin velocity and with only two seams colliding with the air molecules does not work.      However, with the Marshall Effect, where pitchers place the 'circle of friction' to collide with air molecules, you do see the sudden movements that result from the phenomenon you describe.   With these pitches, because of the 'lift' effect, spin velocity appear irrelevant, such that only the proper placement of the circle of friction occurs.   The problem with this is that if pitchers do not properly place their circle of friction and they do not have high spin velocity, they throw the 'hanging sinker' or 'hanging slider.' ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 123.   I have searched your site high and low and can't seem to find an answer to two questions. 1.   At what age should pitchers start to do the weight training drills (e.g. wrist weights) that you talk about versus just doing you motor skill acquisition programs? 2.   What levels of weights should pitchers be training with at what ages? I ask because my guys are 11 year-olds and I want to start them on light stuff as soon as it's appropriate (but no sooner). If I'm having problems with this, then I'm sure that others are as well.   I'd suggest you put a reference to this on the pages where you talk about your motor skill acquisition programs (and I apologize if you have already done this since I downloaded the pages). One way to present this information that might be helpful would be in the form of a table.   Put different age groups of players in the column and put different drills in the rows.   If there are weight differences by drill by age, then put the recommended weight in the appropriate cell (otherwise just put an "X" in the cell if it's something the pitcher should start doing at a certain age).   I can mock up what I am thinking of if you can send me some raw data. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I recommend that to complete my wrist weight and iron ball drills, biologically ten year old youth baseball pitchers use two and one-half pound wrist weights and two pound iron balls, biologically thirteen year old youth baseball pitchers use five pound wrist weights and four pound iron balls and biologically sixteen years old high school baseball pitchers use ten pound wrist weights and six pound iron balls.      Until they are biologically sixteen year old, youth baseball pitchers should only complete my four 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs.      When I am done with my current project, I will update my training programs to include this information.   I design my first program for biologically ten year olds, second for biologically eleven year olds, third for biologically twelve years olds and fourth for biologically thirteen year olds.      Youth baseball pitchers who are biologically less than ten years old should not use wrist weights or iron balls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 124.   We spoke earlier today I have attached my son's X-Rays Left arm flex and straight; Subject arm (right) also flexed and straight. My son had arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday last to remove pieces of cartilage.   Cartilage broke away from the capitulum these x-rays are before surgery. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The flexed lateral view X-ray of your son's left elbow shows an open growth plates for the olecranon process and radial head.   This elbow is biologically fourteen years old.      The extended anterior view X-ray of your son's left elbow shows that the growth plates for his capitulum and lateral epicondyle have closed, but the growth plate for his medial epicondyle is open.   This affirms that this elbow is biologically fourteen years old.      The flexed lateral view X-ray of your son's right elbow shows that growth plates for the olecranon process and radial head have closed.   This elbow is biologically sixteen years old.      The extended anterior view X-ray of your son's right elbow shows that the growth plates for his capitulum, lateral epicondyle, radial head have closed, but the growth plate for his medial epicondyle is very nearly closed.   This affirms that this elbow is biologically sixteen year old.      Too much youth baseball pitching has prematurely closed these growth plates, such that he has lost two years of bone growth and development in his pitching elbow.      Also, the articulating surfaces between his radial head and capitulum are irregular from too many years of slamming the radial head back into the capitulum.   It is possible that this will prevent your son from smoothly pronating and supinating his pitching forearm.      In conclusion, the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion and too much competitive pitching too hard for too long each year has greatly diminished the quality of your son's pitching elbow.   He will never be what he could have been. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 125.   I have attached overhead batting photographs.   The photographs side by side are of the same swing.   On one photograph, I have drawn a red line representing the batter's acromial line (approximate) at the position (approximate) in his swing where I see him beginning to extend his rear arm. On the other picture, I have marked, with green circles, the path of the center of mass (approximate) of the baseball bat starting from the same position pictured in the first photograph and ending two frames (slow video camera) after contact.   In this photograph, the batter has just contacted the ball.   I am interested in reading your comments concerning this batter's baseball swing and force application techniques based on the photographs I have attached. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When I high-speed filmed my 1965 baseball batting swing, I wore a baseball cap that I painted the button white.   This enabled me to watch the movement of my head.   I mention this because the first thing that I noticed in these two photographs is how much he moved his head.      The second thing that I noticed is how much he is bent forward at his waist.   When baseball batters bend forward at their waist, they cannot rotate as fast or as well as when they keep their torso upright.      Your red line for his acromial line is close, but it is too far back on his left shoulder and it should go through the middle of his neck.      I see that he is swinging at a baseball on a tee.   This prevents me from knowing toward where he should be hitting the baseball.      Nevertheless, that he started driving his rear arm toward contact with the baseball with his acromial line essentially parallel with the line from home plate to the pitcher indicates that he will drop his rear elbow under and pull the baseball bat forward with his front arm.      The circular path of the center of mass of the baseball bat also indicates a front arm pull swing.      That his front elbow is continuing laterally around the front of his body also indicates a front arm pull swing.      If he were doing my force-coupling swing, then he would not start driving his rear arm until he moved his acromial line to perpendicular to where he wanted to drive the baseball, he would not have a circular path of the center of mass of the baseball and the elbow of his front arm would stop moving forward before contact with the baseball. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 126.   I am excitedly awaiting the release of your new video. It appears as though the information you have worked so hard all of these years to provide is really spreading throughout the baseball world.   It will be interesting to see what kind of demand will be created by the production of this new video. Have you completed the video?   And when can you speculate that it will be available for purchase? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I understand that nobody wants to hear about the labor pains, they just want to see the baby, but I am working my way through some labor pains.      My video guy, on whom I rely for putting the segments of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video together has run into problems of his own and cannot help me right now.   As a result, I have turned elsewhere.   I finished my video last Sunday morning at about 5:30AM.   I expected my video guy at about 11:00AM.   He could not come over.      Therefore, on Monday, I contacted people at the University of South Florida, where I also am working with the Physical Therapy Department in the Biomechanics Lab, to meet with someone who can teach me how to get my video off my computer, put a menu on the DVD and make DVD and VHS copies.   On Tuesday, I spent a couple of hours meeting with them.      I now know how to get my video off my computer.   Unfortunately, the process requires several hours for the computer program to render each of my eleven segments.   For example, to render about twenty minutes requires about four hours.   My video is two and one-half hours long.   I started as soon as I returned home yesterday.   I have four segments done.   As soon as I finish, I go back to the University and learn what I need to do next.      I am doing everything that I know how to get the DVD and VHS copies made.   Then, I have to find the packaging for shipping.      Although professionals could have done a far better job with the on-camera scenes and graphics, I believe that I did a good job of explaining everything that people will need to understand that the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion has irreparable injurious and biomechanical flaws and why my pitching motion is a far better way for baseball pitchers to apply force to their pitches.      I hesitate to say this because I do not know exactly when I will have copies of my video in my hand for shipping, but, if people can be patient with me and continue to realize that I do not have a staff of people doing anything, it is just me doing everything, then they could start sending me their requests.   Until I get my video to all who want it, I will continue working the same eighteen hours a day schedule I have done for the past several months.      I appreciate your interest and will even more greatly will appreciate your candid and thorough evaluation of my video.   Without you, I will never make the perfect video with which every parent, coach and baseball pitcher can learn how to safely and effectively apply force to baseball pitches. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 127.   I was able to see what you were talking about on the phone in the X-ray.   My son is already pronating and supinating his right forearm to the same degree and with the same ease as his left 5 days after surgery and currently his left and right are the same length and each have grown longer in the last 6 months.   We are going to curtail any activity that will further affect growth plates in any of his limbs. Is your 2004 training video available on line?   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I share your hope that this injury to the capitular end of his Humerus bone will not negatively affect his future ability to pronate and supinate his pitching forearm.   However, to become the best pitcher that he can be, he will have to very, very powerfully pronate his pitching forearm.   After his growth plates have matured, we will just have to wait and see how the capitulum responds.   Remember, where he lost the hyaline cartilage off the capitulum, he might develop bone spurs.      During this down time, he should spend his time mastering my baseball pitching skills.      When you see the icon for my Baseball Pitching Instructional Video change from 2004 to 2006, you will know that I have DVD and VHS copies in my hand ready to send.   To request a copy, you should click on that video icon on the home page of my website and follow the directions in that file.      As I approached completion of my 2006 video, I ran out of copies of my 2004 video and decided that rather than order another batch, I would wait for my 2006 video.   Therefore, I do not have any 2004 videos.   I expect to have my 2006 within the next couple of weeks.   Fingers crossed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 128.   I have printed and read the Q&A in the site.   I found it very interesting.   I will probably go get a cashier’s check for the $100 and get the video.   Seeing will help support my mental images, or head me in a new direction. A couple of questions: 1.   The 45 degree angle to post foot, let’s assume a RHP, I suppose we have the front cleats of the right foot pointing almost mid-point between 3rd and home if I read that correctly.   Is this accurate? 2.   I have not noticed where you prefer the pitcher to start on the rubber, middle, from arm side edge? Please explain, and thanks for attempting to educate the youth coaches like you do. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I do need to find time to edit my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book.      Over the past couple of years of training baseball pitchers, it became very clear to me that I had to stop trying to make my pitching motion look like the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.      I did not make this decision to stop appeasing the 'traditional' pitching coaches who would force my kids to reverse rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm well beyond second base, but, because trying to appease these guys prevented my pitchers from properly applying force to their pitches. 01.   One basic change is that I now teach my baseball pitchers point the toes of their pitching foot toward the glove side batter and never, never turn their foot outward at all.   If they do, then, when they try to forwardly rotate their hips, they will not be able to drive their pitching knee inward toward their glove knee. 02.   I teach my baseball pitchers to throw pitches that move to the pitching arm side and the glove arm side of home plate.   To do this, when they throw pitches to the pitching arm side of home plate, I have them stand on the glove arm side of the pitching rubber and when they throw pitches to the glove arm side of home plate, I have them stand on the pitching arm side of the pitching rubber.   Yes, they can also throw these same pitches from both side of the pitching rubber to the same side of home plate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 129.   Thanks very much for the reply.   I wanted to make sure I had your permission to post it. We are currently discussing, debating, the effects a runner has on a pitcher.   With the latest sabermetrics articles out, they tend to downplay how a runner affects a pitcher and or a defense or a batter for that matter. I'm old school baseball.   I loved reading your reply.   Many (but not even all) of the points you make I did also. It's my guesstimation a runner affects approximately 90% of all pitchers at 1st base (or any base). Of course there will always be an exception (Kevin Millwood) who lets runners go without notice. Thanks again for your reply.   If you care to add more, PLEASE do! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When I answer an email, as long as they clearly state that these are my ideas, such that I receive creative acknowledgement, I have no problem with anybody posting what I write anywhere that they want.      Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time, major league baseball managers and players play out of fear of failure.   They do not want criticism that might cost them their job.   Therefore, they will never explore the concepts that I expressed.      Unfortunately, in our society, most people only see the negative.   With regard to professional baseball, if they see base runners caught stealing, then they focus on that rather than when they succeeded.      As an example, when I coached that college team that stole 291 bases in 51 games, I had a game where we were four runs behind in the bottom of the eighth inning.   I had a base runner on second with two outs and my lead-off batter, who was batting over .400 and ended the season with 96 steals to set the NCAA II record, batting with a no balls and two strikes count.   Even though I knew that he had little chance with a straight steal, I ordered my base runner on second base to try to steal third base.   They threw him out.      In the press box, my Athletic Director was sitting with a former head coach at that school, who now scouted for a major league team.   This guy told my AD that, if he managed the team, then he would win the conference.   He would never have a base runner caught stealing third base with two outs and a .400 hitter at bat.   After all, the team had three guys batting over .400, three guys batting between .350 and .400 and three guys batting between .300 and .350.   After the season ended, my AD fired me and hired him.      Back to the game.   We were still behind by four runs when we batted in the bottom of the ninth.   Because my lead-off batter had seen what the pitcher threw to get two quick strikes on him the previous inning, he sat on a pitch and singled to lead off the inning.   Rather than to steal second right away, while appearing to steal on every pitch, my base runner waited until the pitcher threw a strike to steal second base.   On the three ball-one strike count, while my second batter walked, he stole third.   On the first fastball pitch to my third batter, my second batter took off for second while my third batter grounded the baseball threw the infield.   We scored four runs without their pitchers ever getting an out.      In this situation, it was better to give up the final out in the eighth and set up the ninth for a big inning.      The next season, in spite of having the best right and left-handed pitchers in the conference, the team tumbled to the bottom of the conference.   At .310, the new coach had only one batter bat over .300.   What my AD and this coach failed to understand is that, when done correctly, base running improves batting averages. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 130.   I am a 19 year old pitcher.   I am currently 6'2" and lbs.   I'll be going to college next year as a recruited pitcher.   I have been interested in your pitching theories and exercises and had a few questions for you. We will be starting practice for the spring season the end of February and I wanted to know if you had a specific throwing plan to strengthen my arm and decrease the chance of injury.   I normally throw consistently all year so at this point my arm is in fairly good shape but I want to be able to throw harder for a longer period of time.   I am also afraid to try your pitching exercises because I don't want to do them wrong and hurt my shoulder. I also wanted to hear your opinion of icing the shoulder, back, and elbow.   I have always iced, but some coaches I have played for do not believe in it. Thank you for your time and good luck with your research, I look forward to hearing from you. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      To strengthen your pitching arm to the fitness level that I believe is necessary for you to become the best pitcher that you can be requires at least two forty-week training sessions.   We start the third Saturday in August and go until the fourth Saturday the following May.   Then, we do it again.   Anything shorter is a waste of your time.      If you use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, then you are wise not to do my drills.   With the numerous injurious flaws inherent in the 'traditional' pitching motion, you would indeed rip your shoulder and elbow apart.   That is the best evidence that I can provide that the 'traditional' pitching motion does not permit the smooth flow of momentum that is required for maximum release velocity and consistency.      I never iced.   I trained my pitching arm in the same way that marathon runners train their legs.   I could pitch every day without any discomfort of any kind.   Icing is for 'traditional' baseball pitchers in the hope of repairing the injuries that they suffered in time for their next game.      Your home town is not that far away.   We train from 9:00 to 10:30AM seven days a week.   If you are interested in becoming all the baseball pitcher that you can be, then you might want to take a drive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 131.   WOW, you are putting some long days into this video.   I am glad to hear that you still have your hands on every scene.   I am a 2004 video owner, and if you have started some sort of list, please put me on it for a copy of this latest edition. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      For better or worse, it will be very clear that I am the only person who worked on this video.      You are already on my mailing list. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 132.   I have been studying Grant's Atlas of Anatomy to figure out which muscles of the arms are involved in baseball batting. I believe the most important muscles of the arms involved in baseball batting are the triceps brachii because they are the main extensors of the forearms. Also involved are the flexor carpi radialis muscles, the palmaris longus muscles, and the flexor carpi ulnaris muscles in the forearms which all act to ulnar flex the wrists. Also involved are the pronator teres and pronator quadratus muscles of the rear forearm which act to pronate the rear forearm, and the supinator muscle of the front forearm which acts to supinate the front forearm and, for baseball batting, to pronate the rear forearm. Do you agree with my conclusions? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      While you need to also consider the Shoulder Girdle muscles and there are some smaller muscles involved in the Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint, Forearm Joint, Wrist Joint, Hand and Fingers, you put together a pretty good list. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 133.   I first heard about you in my Kinesiology and Biomechanics classes in college.   We talked a great deal about your work regarding pitching mechanics.   Although I don't know much about different kinds of pitches, I still found your videos and stills of different releases to be very intriguing. I have been looking at some of the data by different authors recommending minimum ages that pitches be taught at.   If the knuckleball is supposedly a low stress pitch than why is it recommended that a curve ball be taught first?   The research that I looked at recommends a curveball not be taught until the athlete is (at least) 13 or 14 years and a knuckleball (at least) 15 years.   Is this something you could help me out with? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I designed my First 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program for biological ten year old males.   I designed my Second 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program for biological eleven year old males.   I designed my Third 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program for biological twelve year old males.   And, I designed my Fourth 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Program for biological thirteen year old males.      Until youth baseball pitchers are biologically sixteen years old (when all growth plates in their pitching elbow mature), I recommend that they do not pitch competitively for more than two consecutive months per year.      Until youth baseball pitchers are biologically thirteen years old (when the growth plates at the elbow end of their Humerus bone mature), I recommend that they pitch only one inning per game twice a week.      I recommend that youth baseball pitchers less than thirteen biological years old do not pitch competitively against opponent teams.   However, they can pitch to their teammates for batting practice or in the game for eleven and twelve biological year old youngsters that I recommend in Chapter Twelve of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book.      I would not waste my time teaching or having anybody learn to throw the knuckleball.      The information that you cited came from a survey of idiots who have absolutely no growth and development knowledge.   The American Sports Medicine Institute should be ashamed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 134.   On question #1044, a reader took you to task through me on your formulation of Chapter 29 where you state that if you apply 6.6 pounds of force for .2 of a second you get a 90 MPH release.   I had a gentlemen with a doctorate in math from MIT look at the email and respond.   He says you made a slight mistake (typo?), but that did not alter the overall results. Here is what my MIT guys says. I just finished reviewing Marshall's calculations. There is only one error, in the second pharagraph, instead of 0.0102539 ft. lbs./sec2 it should be 0.0102539 ft. sec2/lbs.   This error may have been a typo and does not have any consequences on the rest of the analysis. Of course that to get to the formula Marshall gets, he does lots of assumptions so the results are an approximation of reality but, once we accept his model (i.e. assumptions he makes which are not unreasonable) the rest of the calculations are OK. To the person who made the complaints I'd say:   "Yes, it is true that Marshall does not use the more standard units used in science and does not keep track of all the units when doing its calculations (that is why the error 0.0102539 ft. lbs./sec2 instead of 0.0102539 ft. sec2/lbs does not cause any problems).   However, it is a nice illustrative calculation that someone outside science can follow and for somebody inside science it should be easy to reproduce in any units that the person wants." -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Thank you and the MIT professor for the help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 135.   I have read through many of the Q&A posts on your website with great interest.   It sounds as though your graduate-level academic training, acquired after a pitching career founded on "traditional" mechanics, has led you to design models for pitching mechanics that are highly unique, but relatively untested. Please note:   "relatively" is the key word here, and I can understand how something as central to baseball as pitching mechanics would be viewed very conservatively by most baseball people.   Whether they understand the details or not, most people naturally tend to "go with what works" especially if "what works" has an extensive history of success. However, regardless of the fairness/unfairness or wisdom/ignorance questions about MLB traditionalists that in fact may limit the ability of Marshall-style pitchers to make it to MLB, how certain can you be that pitchers using your protocols would actually perform well, and injury-free, at the MLB level of play? While no experimental model can ever be as "perfect" as a theoretical model, it is nevertheless clear that 100+ years of MLB, along with 100+ years of all the lesser showcases for baseball, must provide a vast laboratory for the study of pitching mechanics, good, bad, and indifferent.   If one makes the assumption, and I think it is a reasonable one even if not perfect--that the most effective practioners of the art generally rise to MLB pitching level--then they are a group worthy of careful study.   Of that group there may be a subset that, for whatever reasons, had relatively injury-free pitching careers. Note again:   "relatively" is the key word--MLB level pitching looks pretty damned intense, even dangerous, and the schedules look extremely grueling to a non-baseball person like myself.   Nevertheless, if you assert that there are no examples of "relatively injury-free" pitchers with traditional mechanics...that claim should be supported with very clear data--it doesn't seem entirely plausible to me (again, I have no background in baseball so I may be missing something obvious to everyone else). My point (sorry for taking so long to get to it) is, if there is an historical group of relatively injury-free "traditional" MLB pitchers it might be useful to know more about the details of their mechanics.   With large numbers of subjects to study, I would think that some very meaningful empirical information might come of such an examination.   Your ideas, at least as I have gleaned them from your discussion, are very interesting but as long as they are mostly theoretical (in the sense that they appear largely untested in the same high-level arena as "traditional" ideas about pitching mechanics) it is hard to put them in proper perspective. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You wrote, "It sounds as though your graduate-level academic training, acquired after a pitching career founded on "traditional" mechanics, has led you to design models for pitching mechanics that are highly unique, but relatively untested."      I received my Masters Degree in 1967.   I started my Doctoral Program in 1969.   I placed fourth in the National League Cy Young Award in 1972, second in 1973 and first in 1974.   That means that I acquired my graduate level academic training before I achieve success.   I would say that I succeeded because of my graduate level academic training.      I suppose that one could argue that the Ulnar Collateral Ligament replacement surgeries do not indicate injurious flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, but they would be wrong.      I suppose that one could argue that the extensive list of major league pitchers on the disabled list each year doe not indicate injurious flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, but they would be wrong.      I suppose that one could argue that the lose of flexion and extension ranges of motion in the pitching arms of 'traditional' baseball pitchers does not indicate injurious flaws in the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, but they would be wrong.      I know a guy that used a primitive form of the baseball pitching motion that I recommend and pitched 27 innings in 13 consecutive games.   This same guy pitched 208 closing innings in 106 games in one season.   This guy also averaged two innings per appearance over ten years.   He also finished in the top seven in Cy Young Award balloting five times.   I think that qualifies as properly tested.      The 'traditional' baseball pitching motion destroys pitchers, my pitching motion does not.      Instead of irrelevant, non-scientific arguments, please take the time to learn the appropriate science.   I offer it to you in the form of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, which I hope to have available shortly.      I do love debate, but you got to come with something better than this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 136.   You had an answer to an article about OU training (Q #170)in your 2005 Q&A in which you stated: "(As I said before, the training load must be sufficient to stimulate increases in bone density and require proper force application techniques.   I estimate that means at least an eighteen hundred percent increase, not the twenty percent that this author believes.)" In your hitting training, you say that implements 1/2 the weight of normal baseball bats can provide sufficient stress. Am I missing something here? How does the load of swinging a bat differ from throwing a baseball, assuming there is a difference?   Can one develop the muscles for swinging a 32 oz bat by swinging a 16 oz stick? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Baseballs weigh five and one-quarter ounces.   At five and one-quarter ounces, we cannot underload.   This means that we cannot use weight less than five and one-quarter ounces to enable baseball pitchers to move their pitching arm at greater velocities than they can apply to game weight baseballs.      Baseball bats weight thirty-two ounces.   At thirty-two ounces, we can underload.   This means that we can use weights less than thirty-two ounces to enable baseball batters to move their baseball bat at greater velocities than they can apply to game weight baseball bats.      The purpose of underloading is to use time as an overload.   In this case, time means the time that it takes for baseball batters to move the center of mass of the striking implement to contact.   As a side benefit, for younger baseball batters, the weight of their baseball bat can be more than they can swing with perfect technique.   Therefore, when they use lighter striking implements, they not only gain fitness from moving the center of mass to contact, but they also improve their swing technique. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 137.   I found your web site when I was looking for information about my son's fracture forearm.   I'm reading through the material and find your knowledge and commitment to the health of youth pitchers encouraging, I wish there were more dedicated people like you. I feel overwhelmed with so much information available on pitching, it is becoming difficult to decide who to believe and how to make sure your child does not become injured during the process.   As a parent, I'm always looking for how to provide my child with the best training methods for him to succeed. I plan to continue reviewing the material on your web page and would like to purchase the 2006 book and videotape when it becomes available. I would like to know, how much stress does the radius forearm bone (not at the elbow) experience when pitching or hitting? Have you ever seen similar injuries with youths, and did the injury impact the players' ability to pitch or hit? I will also send you the X-rays taken before his next birthday in August. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I will save you time.   No other pitching coach has the credentials to drag the infield, let alone teach baseball pitching.   As an Associate Professor, I have taught graduate courses in Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology and Motor Skill Acquisition.   They don't even have a clue that they don't have a clue.      The very best information on youth baseball pitching is in my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   I hope to release it within the next couple of weeks.      Other than possibly prematurely closing the distal growth plate of the Radius bone, that your son broke it probably will not negatively affect his baseball pitching or batting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 138.   I did share your views with others.   Thanks again for your input.   Debating such things on an open forum can be difficult, but having a reply from someone who has the experience, easily makes for a more informed conclusion.   The article we have been debating is by a sabermatrician here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/daily/article/base-stealer-intangibles-part-2/ I generally found the article to be pointless. Although my baseball skills didn't reach the MLB caliber, I take great pride in base stealing skills. If time permits, the article is somewhat lengthy, I welcome any more response from you.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I barely have time to answer my emails.   But, whatever they say is only the result to analyzing the present game and, as I said, managers are too afraid of criticism to ever do anything innovative. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 139.   I am a moderator for the high school baseball section of a baseball website.   Since the HS baseball season is approaching quickly, I was wondering if you could respond to the following question: "If you could give one piece of advice to HS coaches about pitching going into the season, what would it be?" -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If they are teaching their pitchers to use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, then, with every pitch, they are destroying the pitching arms of their pitchers.   My advice is to immediately stop using the 'traditional' pitching motion and start using my pitching motion.      My 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video explains the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' pitching motion and shows parents, coaches and pitchers the step-by-step drills I use to teach my pitching motion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 140.   I think that most scientists, in all fields that scientific enquiry is possible, rely very heavily on heuristic information.   Pretty much always, theory follows experimentation. I don't really care whether you think I don't debate well, I'm trying to learn about what's going on in the world of pitching mechanics for my own reasons so I must make use of whatever intellectual skills I have.   If I can also make any contributions to other people's thinking in this area along the way, fine.   If not, that's fine too--I'm not trying to be a thought leader in pitching, I'm trying to evaluate the relative merits of various thought leaders in the field. I don't discount the many types of injuries that "traditional" pitchers are plagued with, but I also don't know how to put the actual rates of injury into perspective against expected injury rates from your mechanics teachings. It's not enough for you to assert that you would never expect any injuries at all from pitchers using your mechanics or that every traditional pitcher will necessarily experience injuries and destroy their arms.   Actual data, not "massaged" to emphasize either point of view, would be much more compelling than assertions based on "common knowledge", biased estimates, or single examples. Your example of a single MLB pitcher who used a primitive form of your mechanics ideas is not very compelling because, (1) it's an n = 1, that cannot fairly be compared to n = "many thousands" of traditional pitchers and, (2) If you don't identify this person, no one else can seek to verify your assertions. The many injuries that you cited in your letter to me are clearly serious problems for pitchers and hopefully they can be minimized with optimal approaches to pitching.   Perhaps your methods are the grail; however, there is apparently little hard evidence to support the combined ideas that:   Your methods will (1) keep pitchers injury-free, and (2) allow them to also be competitive at the highest levels of baseball. That is why I asked you whether you know of any elite pitchers that were relatively injury-free despite using "traditional" mechanics.   It is very clear that there are many flavors to choose from, even among what might be generally labelled "traditional". You may not think any of them are good but I'm asking, among other things, whether you believe there are any examples of injury-free "traditional" pitchers. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Apparently, I am not doing a very good job of explaining myself.   Please let me try again.   First, I am the n = 1.   I used a primitive form of my present pitching motion.   If I had used my present motion, then I would have pitched much, much better.      In your first email, you correctly stated that 'traditional' pitching coaches at all level have demanded that pitchers I trained immediately change to their pitching motion.   Basically, they gave my pitchers the choice of either changing back to the 'traditional' pitching motion or not pitch.   Obviously, except for when they pitch for my former assistant coach, this makes it impossible for my pitchers to demonstrate the merits of my pitching motion.      At the end of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I provide an example of how absurdly these 'traditional' pitching coaches act.   After twelve major league appearances, one of my pitchers had a 1.50 earned run average and the manager told reporters that he had earned a spot in the bullpen.   Then, after these reporters wrote that I had trained this pitcher, three weeks and only three appearances later, they released him.      I ask you to watch this young man pitch and see for yourself whether he could pitch.   In 30.1 major league innings, he struck out 41 batters and gave up 25 hits.      My example of one is not without merit.   The major league records that I hold that prove that I performed far superior to any other closer in the history of baseball.   For example, I pitched 208 closing innings in one season. Who is the next closest closer?   Me.   I also pitched 179 closing innings in one season.   I am the only closer in the history of baseball to qualify for the earned run average title.   You cannot dismiss that.   In fact, that with only one, to achieve more than all in the history of baseball makes the point more noteable, not less.      No pitcher I have trained has ever had any pitching injury.   I have trained well over a hundred pitchers.   In addition to the dozen or so young men I have trained over the past ten years, I also coached seven years of college baseball.   Not one ever injured his pitching arm.   I taught my assistant coach how to train pitchers.   In the ten years that he coached pitchers, he has never had a pitching injury.   That's a sample of over two hundred and no pitching injuries.      If you understood what causes pitching injuries, then you would understand why my pitching motion eliminates all pitching injuries.   With my pitching motion, it is impossible for pitchers to injure their pitching arms.      Therefore, rather than continue this debate, I recommend that we wait until you watch my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   It explains the injurious and biomechanical flaws in the 'traditional' pitching motion and why my pitching motion does not.   It also shows why, with my pitching motion, baseball pitchers can achieve their genetic maximum release velocity and throw a wide variety of high-quality pitches. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 141.   Then I submit this e-mail address, so that I can be notified when your 2006 video is ready for release.   And yes, of course, I will send you comments on it, but that is because you have requested. :) P.S.: My son, a Freshman, made the high school baseball team this past week as a LH pitcher & 1st Baseman. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You are assuming that I am better organized than I am.   Rather than trust that I will remember to email you that I have my video ready for shipping, I would ask you to watch the home page of my website for when I change 2004 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video to 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   That will mean that I am ready to send DVD or VHS copies of my video.      I have finished the video.   At this point, I am waiting for help to make the masters from which I will have the DVD and VHS copies made.   Then, I will be waiting for those copies to be made.   Then, I will be addressing the packages for mailing.   All I can promise is that I will do everything I can to get them out as quickly as I can.      In your request, I will need your mailing address and would like you to include your email address, so I can tell you when I mail your copy.      I appreciate your interest and, together, we will help your son become the best injury-free baseball pitcher that he can be.      Now, to determine his biological age and check for growth and developmental differences in the growth plates in his pitching arm, within a week of his next birthday, we need X-rays of his glove and pitching arms from mid-forearm to mid-upper arm from the front and side views. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 142.   I recently purchased your 2004 video and am anxiously awaiting the 2006 video.   I'm 35 and I want to use your pitching motion to pitch in an amateur adult league.   I have no dreams to ever play higher than a competitive, but admittedly 'beer league' level. Since I'm currently a 2nd baseman, I can't stop throwing using a traditional throwing motion.   I also believe you said it takes 2 years to master your pitching technique, so I came up with the following idea:   I will continue to play 2nd base using a traditional throwing motion with my right hand. Meanwhile, over the next 2 years I'll learn to pitch using your throwing motion, but throwing with my left hand. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      It sounds like a plan to me, but I recommend that you train your normal throwing arm.      On the third Saturday of August, you should start with my 280-Day Adult Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.   Then, during June, July and the first three weeks of August, to see what you have learned, you should pitch competitively.      Then, on the third Saturday of August, you should start my Fifteen Pound Wrist Weight Recoil Interval-Training Cycle, followed immediately with my Eight Pound Iron Ball Recoil Interval-Training Cycle, followed immediately with my Twenty Pound Wrist Weight Recoil Interval-Training Cycle.   Then, you will be ready for your second summer of competitive pitching.      At this point, depending on your motivation, on the next third Saturday of August, you could complete my Ten Pound Iron Ball Recoil Interval-Training Cycle, my Twenty-Five Pound Wrist Weight Recoil Interval-Training Cycle and my Twelve Pound Iron Ball Recoil Interval-Training Cycle.   Then, you will be ready for your third summer of competitive pitching.      Thereafter, during every off-season, you only need to repeat my Fifteen Pound Iron Ball Recoil Interval-Training Cycle and my Thirty Pound Wrist Weight Recoil Interval-Training Cycle.   This is what I did from 1967 through 1981.      Now, I will have to post my Recoil Interval-Training Cycles.      I look forward to your reports. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 143.   For those parents writing Dr Marshall concerned about their young pitchers having been injured or on the verge, I would like to give you first hand experience of a Dad and his son and family who experienced this agony first hand. My son is now 19.   He started playing baseball at age 5, and was a natural.   He excelled at every level as a pitcher, beginning at age 7.   He did the Little League try outs and was drafted onto a team at age 9.   He started as a pitcher, was named Leagues best 9 year old.   He was the best pitcher on his team as a 10-11 and 12 year old.   He pitched back to back no hitters in Little League.   He was the League MVP. He was probably an accelerated maturer, but, without X-rays, I can't say for certain.   When he moved up to Babe Ruth League, on larger field, he was League MVP as 13, 14 and 15 year old.   He pitched 3 more no hitters in Babe Ruth. We worked diligently on his traditional mechanics, practiced in off season, bought loads of video and Dick Mills' entire collection of newsletters, videos, books everything.   I still have it if anyone wants it. We lifted weights, threw in a winter league indoors (we live in the Northeast).   We both were prepared for what would surely be a phenomenal high school career, and certainly a Division 1 college was waiting.   Freshman year he made the varsity team as a reliever and also played some on the freshman team.   He pitched a 2 hitter and struck out 16 in a 7 inning game. Then one night while we were playing in an indoor league, January of his sophomore year, one night changed both our lives forever.   He felt a twinge on top of his right shoulder, and looseness in his right shoulder.   Didn't think much of it at the time, but he was having difficulty even throwing so we stopped that league and shut down until practice started in March. When practice began it was quickly obvious he was throwing less than 50% of what he had been.   We had to find out what was wrong, off to the orthopedic specialist, chiropractor for treatments, hospital for medications, MRI's, X-Rays, rest, physical therapy, more MRI's.   Varying diagnosis did not lead to a cure. Everyone had a different answer and it became quickly evident they had no answers.   They knew something was wrong, but they didnt know how to correct it or what caused it.   Talk about frustration.   By this time, the season had started.   Try as he could he was clearly no where near where he was, it was very painful for a mom and dad to watch.   Try to imagine this yourself, he struggled, and got hammered on the mound, couldn't reach first base from third. Heart wrenching, and being told he sucked from his teammates.   I'm sure it was just as agonizing for my son if not more.   He was now on the bench.   Junior year was lost, gone forever.   That summer he couldn't play at all for the American Legion team, which he made as a 16 year old and excelled.   We were in dispair, how could this happen, why? We found Dr. Mike's website prior to start of senior year.   We tried desperately to learn the mechanics over the winter, over and over in the backyard, but a quick fix was not that easy, it was impossible.   Baseball season started, he was sitting the bench, got a couple starts in the outfield.   Our dreams were over, baseball was not fun, everything we worked so hard for, gone, over. He wound up quitting the team midway through the year.   He couldn't take it, our family was in stress mode every day.   There was nothing I could do but try to soothe him and his ego.   Believe me, as a Dad, watching your kids suffer and fail is a situation you don't want to be in. Then we made the trip to Zephyrhills, and the rest shall we say is history.   He is now in his second 280 day cycle with Dr Marshall.   He throws everyday without pain.   He is throwing harder than ever before, with 10 pitches in his arsenal, baseball is fun, his confidence is back, he's grown emotionally, understands it's hard work and a long road back, but is closer to his dream of playing college ball than ever before. He's rooming with an ex-major leaguer, he's learning alot, about pitching and life.   My son is not the only one is a similar situation, many of the guys there have been through the same.   But now we can honestly say, we have found the light.   Let there be no mistaking, had we not found Dr Marshall and his camp, my son would no longer be playing, he would have given it up. So for you parents who doubt what is being said on the website, or for those who would like to speak to me, Dr. Mike has my email and phone.   Feel free to ask him for the info and contact me, or my son.   And for those whose boys are lighting up the leagues they are playing in, it may be just a matter of time when our experinces will be yours. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      How do you stop someone from talking from the heart because he does not want others to go through what he and his son went through?   He knows that I do not solicit testimonials.   I believe that most people will read this and see it as a cheap trick.   On the other hand, I believe that when people watch my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, they will understand what this gentleman is saying.      Nevertheless, I will honor his request.   If you want to talk with him, his email address is: atholen@us.ibm.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 144.   First, let me say that I have been following your teaching’s after my son had been injured during a disastrous time working with an internet site that teaches scapula loading and rotating in to foot plant.   He had Tommy John surgery 2 years ago and is now ready to start throwing again after a very long recovery time. My Question is one of concern that this practice of scapula loading is being taught by some instructors as a way of throwing harder, but I’m sure it has become the source of injury of many athletes’ that are taking this theory to practice. I would like to hear what you think of this way of throwing and how it has not only hurt my son, but as I feel will be a source of disaster for many young arms if this idea continues to catch on! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I think that you should sue Paul Nyman and his SetPro website.   I have repeatedly told him that his 'Scapula Loading' concept injures pitching arms.   For probably about the tenth time, I will explain why 'Scapula Loading' destroys pitching arms.      Nyman mistakenly believes that when baseball pitchers pinch their pitching and glove Scapulas tightly together, this maximally lengthens the muscles that drive their pitching arm forward.      During the 'traditional' pitching motion, two injurious flaws converge to enable pitchers to pinch their Scapula together.      First, 'traditional' baseball pitchers reverse rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm well beyond second base.   Second, when they forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders, the 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' flaws of the 'traditional' pitching motion causes the pitching arm to remain essentially stationary while their glove foot contacts the ground and the pitchers start to move their glove forearm laterally backward.   As a result of these flaws, the Scapulas move very close together, such that the pitching and glove upper arms approach a ninety degree angle behind the pitchers' body.      In this position, the front of the pitching shoulder suffers considerable unnecessary stress, but the danger is not over.   Because the pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball are moving backward while the pitching upper arm is moving forward, by accelerating the 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' 'Scapula Loading' greatly increases the stress on the Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   That explains why your son ruptures his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      But, there is more.   If the Ulnar Collateral Ligament survives this stress, then 'Scapula Loading' attacks the olecranon fossa.   This means that 'Scapula Loading' greatly accelerates 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   When the pitching elbow starts moving, it has to first return to the pitching arm side of their body.   In 'traditional' baseball pitchers, this means that the pitching elbow moves about four feet sideways and two feet forward.   This movement generates horizontal centripetal force that slings their pitching forearm, wrist, hand, fingers and baseball laterally away from their body to their pitching arm side.      This means that 'Scapula Loading' accelerates 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' which causes the olecranon process to slam into it fossa, which decreases the extension range of motion of the pitching elbow.      In my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I show an overhead view of the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   It clearly shows the ninety degree angle of which I speak.      'Scapula Loading' is extremely dangerous.   However, the alleged safe pitching motion that Tom House is currently touting uses 'Scapula Loading' in an even more dangerous way.   He calls it, 'Fast Arm.'      'Fast Arm' is the same as 'Scapula Loading,' but with another dangerous flaw added, 'Looping.'   'Looping' occurs when baseball pitchers move their pitching hand close to their head during their 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   Now, with their pitching hand and baseball close to their head when they start driving their pitching elbow four feet laterally and two feet forward, their pitching hand and baseball moves in a circle backward, then outward to their pitching arm side at even greater acceleration rates than with 'Scapula Loading' alone.      'Fast Arm' actually means that baseball pitchers will destroy their pitching arms even faster.   Once again, I have warned Mr. House of this danger.   Therefore, for him to claim in a Court of law that he did not know that 'Fast Arm' is not safe is perjury.   I recommend that the first pitcher to use 'Fast Arm' and either rupture his Ulnar Collateral Ligament or lose extension range of motion in his pitching elbow should sue Mr. House for damages.      My pitching motion eliminates 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   Therefore, my pitching motion does not have 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'   This means that it is impossible for my pitchers to rupture their Ulnar Collateral Ligament.   Then, because my pitchers powerfully pronate their pitching forearm before, during and after release, it is impossible for my pitchers to lose extension range of motion in their pitching elbow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 145.   Just wanted to let you know that after taking a few weeks I have finally finished reading through all of the Q & A files for all the years, amazing amount of information there, it's great. I am also shocked at some of the stories on there.    I cannot believe that you could take a guy throwing 95 mph to a tryout camp and that they won't even look at him, ridiculous.    I guess that just proves baseball's good old boy nature and their unwillingness to accept scientific facts. I have just completed day 27 of 315 so I still have a long way to go, but everyday I look forward to coming home from work and doing my workout.    I think I'm addicted to it. One of my questions is, is their any soreness or tiredness that would be deemed normal or natural from the workout, and if so, where would I feel it? Also, wondering about your guys who are playing in the minors right now, what did they say to their coaches to allow them to continue to pitch the way that they do? Would it be possible to speak with any of them so I could get some advice, with them already going through it?    After reading about you and your followers dealings with my minor league pitching coordiator, I have a feeling that when I report to spring training early in March that they aren't going to take to kindly as to what I am doing. I'm not sure if I should keep it quiet or try and speak to them about it.    Any thoughts?    Also would it be possible for me to get the new video before the spring training, so I could look through it and then bring it to spring training if I decided to share it with my pitching coaches? I have really been thinking what to do, it just might come to them getting really pissed at me and then releasing me. If it came to that, then I think I'm prepared for it and if that actually did happen then I could just come down to FL and work with you. I really question and wonder why people seem to refuse something so true and so simple to understand if they just took the time. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Whenever athletes exceed the present capabilities of their muscle and connective tissues, these tissues will become irritated.   For example, during the first few days that you did your wrist weight exercises, you had discomfort in your Trapezius and Levator Scapulae muscles in the back of your neck and shoulders.      These discomforts will occur as the training that you do stresses different areas.   In general, just keep working.   If the discomfort interferes with your training, reduce your intensity, but keep working.   If you become concerned, then email me where you feel the discomfort.   I will know what it means and whether it is normal training discomfort or whether you are performing a drill incorrectly.      I have just the guy training with me right now who has dealt with the wall of ignorance of the 'traditional' baseball pitching coaches.   I am sure that he would talk with you.   Better yet, come to Zephyrhills, FL before you go to spring training.   That way, you can see for yourself what we do and talk with him.      I have completed my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video and am doing everything I can to get the DVD and VHS copies made.   When I have them in my hands, I will change the icon on my home page from 2004 to 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 146.   You say, "When muscles powerfully contract while opposing (antagonist) muscles are contracting, antagonist muscle fibers tear."   I believe this ties in with your statement that only muscles can pull muscles. If pitchers tear his Subscapularis muscle due to bringing the ball behind his acromial line, the Subscapularis must be the antagonistic muscle.   What is the other muscle that is contracting? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The Subscapularis muscle inwardly rotates the Humerus bone of the shoulder joint.   Therefore, the antagonist muscles of the Subscapularis muscle are the muscles that outwardly rotate the Humerus bone of the shoulder joint. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 147.   When performing your one-armed batting drills, should batters use the same body action that they use in their regular, two-armed swing? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When my baseball batters do my rear arm only drill, I have them grab their belt on the rear arm side of their body with their front hand.   Otherwise, they should use their body in the manner I describe for baseball batters.      When my baseball batters do my front arm only drill, I have them grab their belt in the front of their body with their rear hand.   Otherwise, they should use their body in the manner I describe for baseball batters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 148.   Dr. Marshall exaggerates the danger to youth baseball pitchers.   His recommendations are too conservative. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      This is what happens when you let emotion cloud your thinking.   You want eleven year olds to pitch on your team, so you rationalize that, because they do not all complain of pain and you are counting pitches that they are not injuring themselves.      Well, you are wrong.      In the entire history of youth baseball pitching, there has been only one valid research project on the effects of baseball pitching on the growth and development of the growth plates in the youth baseball pitching elbow.      In the 1965 California Medicine Journal, Orthopedic Surgeon Joel E. Adams, surveyed the bi-lateral elbow X-rays of one hundred and sixty-two 9-14 year old San Bernadino, CA males of whom 80 pitched, 47 played other positions and 35 did not play baseball.   No subject suffered from elbow fractures, severe elbow infections or genetically deformed elbows.      Dr. Adams determined that physicians must compare non-pitching elbows with pitching elbows.   Otherwise, physicians frequently incorrectly conclude that X-rays appear normal when accelerated maturation had prematurely closed pitching arm growth plates.      Dr. Adams found that 95% of the eighty 9-14 year old pitchers had premature medial epicondyle growth plate closure and humeral growth plate separation, 15% suffered medial epicondyle fragmentation and 8.6% suffered osteochondritis (cartilage inflammation) on their capitular and radial head’s articular surfaces.      Let me repeat Dr. Adams finding.   95% of the eighty 9-14 year old baseball pitchers had premature medial epicondyle growth plate closure and humeral growth plate separation.   Do you understand what 95% means?   In your ignorance, you are destroying the pitching arms of ninety-five percent of your pitchers.      Because the young men do not suffer pain, is it okay to have their medial epicondyle growth plate prematurely close or their humeral growth plate separate?      Read the table in Chapter Nine of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book.   In all that reading you did that you now claims makes you some kind of expert, did you skip Chapter Nine? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 149.   For your one-armed batting drills, do your batters hit balls off a batting tee, or do they hit balls thrown at them by a pitcher, or both? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I never work with batting tees.      I built three foot wide by four foot tall heavy duty pitcher protector screens behind which pitchers sit on stools with their feet braced against their protector screens with a bucket of balls on their thighs.      I use eighty foot batting cages with a middle divider net.   I have the batters stand with their backs to the middle divider net and the protector screens twenty-five feet away from the batters.      My well-protected pitchers use my Maxline and Torque Fastball pitching arm actions to throw directly over the top of their protector screens, such that when they 'stick' their pitching hand in the strike zone, their hand is below the top of the screen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 150.   I have a couple follow-up questions. I got the idea to learn to pitch left-handed after reading your recommendation not to throw using the traditional motion while training using your method. I read an article about ambidextrous pitchers and thought, since I'd be learning a new throwing technique, maybe I should try learning with my left hand.   I didn't think it was possible to learn to throw from your non-dominant side, but I also read that Dennys Reyes and Mickey Lolich who were both right hand dominant, learned to pitch left-handed. Do you think I'm just too old to learn to pitch from the left side?   Or are there other reasons you recommend learning your method using my right hand (dominant side).   While training my right arm with your method, will it be a problem if I continue to throw using a regular motion while playing the infield? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      After a few weeks of practicing my Pickoff with Step Slingshot drill, you will never use the 'traditional' throwing motion again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 151.   I would like to know what muscles are being used through the kinetic chain of events for a baseball pitcher. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Are you asking only about the acceleration phase?   Do you want to start with the Shoulder Girdle muscles?   Do you know the attachments for and actions of the Serratus Anterior muscle?   Is this answer to a question for a class you are taking?   I'll tell you what, you give me your answer and I will tell you whether you are right or wrong. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 152.   After I left from down at the camp back in the beginning of January, my Dad and I worked on the rhythm and thought we had figured it out.   I was pitching more accurately and I was throwing some good pitches.   But over the past two weeks, I have become wild again. I was wondering, when I was pitching one of those days in January back at the camp, you showed me the correct rhythm of breaking my hands in front of me then stepping back with my glove foot then lifting my pitching foot up off the rubber and putting it back down on the rubber before going forward. I was wondering if that is the correct rhythm and where my arm should be when my foot comes back in contact with the rubber and I step foward to pitch. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To use the proper crow-hop rhythm in my Wind-Up body action, Pendulum Swing glove and pitching arm actions, you stand with your pitching foot on the pitching rubber and your glove foot one step behind and your hands together at your waist. To initiate the action, you raise both hands somewhat upward.   I call this, the trigger action. Then, at the same time that you pendulum swing your pitching arm vertically downward and backward toward second base, you take a short step backward with your glove foot.   During this time, you leave your glove arm hanging straight downward in front of your body. When your pitching arm reaches forty-five degrees behind your body, you outwardly rotate your pitching should and turn the palm of your pitching hand to face away from your body.   At the same time, you step straight forward with your glove foot and pendulum swing your glove arm forward and upward to shoulder height with its thumb pointing downward. During the time that you step straight forward with your glove foot, you raise your pitching elbow to ear height and reposition your pitching forearm for whatever pitch that you want to throw, such that when your glove foot lands, your pitching elbow is at ear height and your pitching forearm points toward home plate.   As viewed from the rear or front views, you must have your pitching hand at the same height as your pitching elbow and your pitching hand on the driveline toward home plate. After you lengthen your glove arm toward home plate, align your shoulders with your glove arm and lengthen your pitching arm toward second base, when your glove foot lands, you simultaneously pull your glove arm straight backward, pull your glove foot straight backward and drive your pitching knee forward and inward to very close to your glove knee. After you move your pitching knee in front of your glove foot, you extend your pitching elbow, such that you drive your pitching hand and baseball straight forward toward home plate. Lastly, when you have forwardly rotated your hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm as far forward as possible, you powerfully pronate your pitching forearm, wrist, hand and fingers to accelerate the baseball through release. After release, your pitching foot should land on the straight line toward home plate from where the pitching foot started on the pitching rubber and you should have your glove hand right beside your head. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 153.   In your letters (which I thought were great by the way) this week you responded to a question about icing by saying you never iced.   Yet in your Free Book (Chapter 31) you talk about how people should do Cold Induced Vaso Dilation.   I assume this is Icing.   I have read all your letters and you don't seem to totally disavow icing but you don't seem too keen on it either.   Yet it is recommended in your Free Book. My question concerns how long someone has to ice for the Reactive Hyperemia to kick in.   Say a pitcher has a sore shoulder from throwing.   Let's say it's the subscapularis.   How long would you recommend icing so that it would have the effect you describe in your Free Book?   Would the length of time for icing be different for a pulled hamstring? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I never iced because, with my pitching motion and interval-training programs, I never needed extra blood flow to any area as a result of stressing tissue greater than it could withstand.   However, Cold-Induced Vaso-Dilation (icing) is the best passive means of increasing blood flow to specific areas of the body.      If pitchers have sore shoulders or anything else, then they are either using the 'traditional' pitching motion or have not completed my interval-training programs.      When athletes tear the short head of their Biceps Femoris muscle, pulled hamstring in layman's terminology, they improperly co-contracted their Biceps Femoris when they contracted their quadriceps group of muscles.   They had a glitch in the computer program.      When icing, athletes experience a short time period of rather intense discomfort.   This is because, to keep the body temperature from decreasing, the body responses to cold by initially constricting blood flow.   However, because muscle cells require oxygen and constricting blood flow decreases their oxygen supply, in the form of pain sensations, they start screaming for oxygen.   The body then decides that it is better for the body to get cold than to die from lack of oxygen and it dilates (opens) the blood vessels to the involved muscle cells, vaso-dilation.      I recommend that athletes keep the ice on for at least twenty minutes after vaso-dilation occurs, that is, twenty minutes after the pain sensations stop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 154.   You may want to revisit Q124.   You write: "The extended anterior view X-ray of your son's left elbow shows that the growth plates for his capitulum and lateral epicondyle have closed, but the growth plate for his medial epicondyle is closed.   This affirms that this elbow is biologically fourteen years old." If the medial epicondyle is closed I believe he is biologically 16. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      You are absolutely correct.   I screwed up.   Thanks for the heads up.      In this young man's left elbow, his glove elbow, the growth plates for his olecranon process, radial head and medial epicondyle were all open.   Therefore, his glove elbow is biologically fourteen years old.      But, I made another mistake two paragraphs down.   In describing the extended anterior view X-ray, I did not change left elbow to right elbow.   As you have probably realized by now, rather than retyping a paragraph, I frequently copy a paragraph and only change the words I need.   In this case, I forgot to change left elbow to right elbow.      However, I think I made the point.   Too much baseball pitching prematurely closed the olecranon process, radial head and almost the medial epicondyle growth plates in this young man's pitching elbow.   As a result, in addition to taking a big chunk of hyaline cartilage off the Capitular end of his Humerus bone, he lost almost two years of growth and development in his pitching elbow.      Youth baseball pitching in NOT harmless fun. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 155.   I want to start from the legs to the hips, core muscle, back, shoulder and arm to the point of release. I would like what muscles are being used through the kinetic chain of events for a baseball pitcher.   Yes, I do know the basic functions of the serratus anterior muscle.   I am helping a friend with his pitching skills and I wanted to know as much about the dynamics of pitching. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Okay, now I understand your purpose.   However, the best way to help your friend with his pitching skills is to have him follow the drills and skills as I lay them out in my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.      With regard to the muscles that contribute to the baseball pitching motion, the best way is to consider the joint actions for the specific phases of the pitching motion, then list the muscles that perform those actions.      My baseball pitching motion has five phases:   Transition, Upper Arm Acceleration, Forearm Acceleration, Deceleration and Recovery.   The 'traditional' baseball pitching motion has four phases: Transition, Acceleration, Deceleration and Recovery.      I assume that you are interested in the Acceleration Phases, but the muscles that accelerate the baseball can only apply the force that the muscles that decelerate the pitching arm can safely decelerate their segments.      The joints to consider are:   Ankle Joint, Knee Joint, Hip Joint, Hip Girdle, Thorax, Neck, Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint, Forearm, Wrist Joint and Finger Joints.      In Chapters Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen and Eighteen of my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book, I discuss the bones, Kinesiological actions, muscles and pitching actions of the Shoulder Girdle, Shoulder Joint, Elbow Joint, Forearm Joint, Wrist Joint and Finger Joints.      By the way, there are no such things as core muscles.   Instead, we have abdominal muscles, costal muscles and vertebral muscles. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 156.   I believe batting tees are valuable training aids for baseball batters in that they allow batters to to practice the biomechanics of their swings without concern for proper timing to contact pitched baseballs. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I don't. We are not playing golf. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 157.   In response to question 120, you state "If base runners know how to return to bases properly, that is, without diving."   What is the proper way to take a lead off and return?    I have seen several places that you should lead off so you can get back with one step and then diving to the bag. My son never liked to do that and always got back standing up, but I think that he is not getting as big a lead as he should. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Base runners on first base should use a two-step stand up return.   They first step with their right foot, then with their left foot onto the base.      Base runners on second base should use a three-step stand up return.   The first step with their right foot, then with their left foot and, lastly, with their right foot onto the base.      Stand up returns are faster, safer and prevent infielders from catching errant throws that are behind base runners. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 158.   The "discomfort" I am feeling in on the inside of my elbow.    I can just feel it differently there, its hard to explain, at worst it is an ache that I feel sometimes and at others, not at all.    When I do the workout it doesn't bother me at all, I feel great. I know a chiropractor who uses applied kinesiology.    I had him look at it for me and he did some tests and said that it was my pronator teres muscle that was probably just overworked.    Does this make sense to you? The doctor recommended that I take a day off from the program.    Do you agree or not?    I know that you have said that rest isn't good and it only causes atrophy and that one day of rest means that you have to work 1.5 days just to get back to where you were. Your thoughts would greatly be appreciated.    Also, I would love to come down and see you before spring training, but it will just not be doable.    I have little money as it is, and my professional team pays for my flight to spring training.    But I would very much like to speak with the professional pitcher that you are training.    A phone conversation or email or something like that would definitely be great. The first chance I get, either during the season, or afterwards I do plan on coming to your facility though. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Pitching forearm pronation protects the pitching elbow.   All of my drills require pitchers to maximally pronate their pitching forearm.   Therefore, we work the Pronator Teres very hard every day.   It is appropriate for you to experience normal training discomfort in your Pronator Teres muscle.   It is a well-vascularized muscle that trains very well.   My pitchers can never pronate their pitching forearm too hard.      The very worse thing that you could do is to take a day off.   If the Pronator Teres does not bother your training, then continue to train at full intensity.   Any discomfort that you feel after training is appropriate.   It means that, as a result of the training, your Pronator Teres is making a physiological adjustment.   That it does not bother you to train the next day means that it is making that adjustment.   Even if your Pronator Teres did bother you when you trained, I would still want you to train, but simply reduce your intensity.   You should never, ever not train every day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 159.   Thanks for replying back even quicker than before.    I thought that I should keep training anyways, because I read an earlier email from someone else to you in your Q&A files in which you told them that it's normal to have soreness after training.   I just wanted your opinion and I kind of thought that you would reply that way.    Good to know.    Thanks for the help and knowledge.    I will continue to train. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      My pitchers train every day for as long as they want to pitch competitively. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 160.   One of the returning kids on the high school baseball team I coach broke his left arm this past weekend snowboarding.    He is a right-handed shortstop.    I talked to him yesterday and he said the doctor told him he broke his ulna, radius, and a bone in his wrist.    I wanted to check with you for your thoughts on what I should recommend he do to properly recover.    I am guessing that he should do as much as possible. In terms of hitting and throwing, would you recommend maybe your 1 arm rear hitting drills to work on his batting and just throwing at highest intensity without pain for his throwing? In general, what is the best case scenario you think in terms of when he will be ready for competition?    I realize that is a difficult question since you have not actually seen the boy. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I would have him do my rear arm only batting drills with a thirty-four inch sawed off shovel handle with an one-quarter inch hole drilled the length of his forearm up from the bottom with a one-quarter inch rope threaded through and tied off.   He should put his rear hand through this rope and tighten it.   This will prevent him from accidentally throwing it.      Someone in a forty-foot batting cage, behind a protective screen, preferable make with eight gauge metal fabric fencing, should throw him tennis balls from about twenty-five feet.   He should practice hitting balls thrown outside, middle and inside.      For his baseball throwing, he should do my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program, but double the number of Maxline and Torque Fastball and drop my Maxline True Screwball and Maxline Pronation Curves.      The doctor will tell you when he can start using his front arm for batting.   However, remember that the bones, ligaments and tendons of that arm will have tremendously atrophied, such that they are not ready to come back at full intensity.   He will have to spend several weeks rehabilitating his front arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 161.   For the May issue of a national magazine, I'm writing a story about Felix Hernandez, the Mariners' pitching prodigy, and about the nurturing of young pitchers generally.   Your methods and ideas have intrigued me for some time (I periodically dip into the Q&A's on your Web site), and I wondered if you might be available for a short phone interview.   As arguably the country's leading authority on pitching mechanics and the roots of pitching injuries, you would be a fantastic addition to the story. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Hernandez's mechanics as well as on the broader issue of the prevalence of pitching injuries.   As you've said, baseball is suffering from an "epidemic" of career-threatening elbow and shoulder injuries.   It's precisely because of the prevalence of injury among young pitchers that statisticians have invented an acronym, TINSTTAPP "There Is No Such Thing As A Pitching Prospect."   The idea being that today's twenty-one year-old who throws 95 could very well be tomorrow's patient of Dr. James Andrews. I know you're extremely busy with the various programs you administer, but I wondered if you might be available for a twenty-minute phone interview during the next week or two. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am sure that we can find whatever time that you need.      However, I have never seen Mr. Hernandez.   Therefore, until you could send me a series of photographs that show his pitching motion, I will say that he has 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' such that it is just a matter of time before he breaks down.      I recently finished my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   I am working on getting the DVD and VHS copies made.   If you want to wait until I get those copies, I will send you a copy.   You might find the information helpful for the story. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 162.   I'm enclosing two attachments, one a video clip showing Hernandez throwing two pitches, the other a four-page PDF that includes numerous stop-motion images of Hernandez in action.   (It also includes some analysis of his mechanics; I'm not familiar with the authors, pitchsmarter.com, so I don't know how much credence to give it.)   Does this give you enough to work with?   If not, let me know and I'll dig around for more. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The videotape file that you sent would not render, so I could not watch it.   I did look at the series of photographs.   Whoever those guys are who analyzed Mr. Hernandez pitching motion, they have no idea what they are talking about.      To get his pitching forearm as vertical as possible, Mr. Hernandez moves his head to his glove side.   Unlike what those guys said, this action will not injure Mr. Hernandez, nor will it reduce his release consistency.   However, because it decreases his side-to-side movement, leaning dramatically to his glove side actually protects his pitching elbow somewhat.      His biggest problem is his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'   Eventually, because his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' leads to his 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' I worry about his Ulnar Collateral Ligament.      As I said above, because he leans dramatically to his glove side, his 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' becomes 'Pitching Forearm Flyup.'   By directing his centripetal force more upward than outward, he lessens its affect of the centripetal force.   That is, instead of horizontal, it turns it more vertical, where gravity acts to decelerate the flyout.      However, he very clearly supinates his pitch releases.   You can see this by how he slaps the glove side of his body.   Fortunately, because he has 'Pitching Forearm Flyup' rather than 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' he lessens the affect of slamming his olecranon process into its fossa.      When I see he huge talent, I think about how much better he could be.   The 'traditional' baseball pitching motion decreases the quality of his game.   If he mastered my pitching motion and completed my interval-training programs, then he would throw triple digits and higher quality of a wider variety of pitches without ever injuring his pitching arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 163.   Thank you for your very thorough analysis of Hernandez's mechanics.   I very much appreciate your time, and hope you won't mind if I ask you to elaborate on some of the points you make.   This is extremely interesting stuff and I want to be certain I understand it; it's crucial to the story I'm writing. 1.   You note that Hernandez's biggest problem is his "Late Pitching Forearm Turnover."   By this, do you mean to refer to Hernandez's supination?   If not, what does this term refer to? 2.   Similarly, you note that the result of "Late Pitching Forearm Turnover" is "Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce."   By this, do you mean that his pitching arm actually bounces off his body after striking it as a result of his follow-through?   If not, what is meant by this term? 3.   You note that Hernandez protects his pitching arm by leaning dramatically to his glove side.   The result, you note, is "Pitching Forearm Flyup" when "Pitching Forearm Flyout" would be (if I understand correctly) preferable, at least in terms of efficiently transferring energy.   Are you saying that Hernandez should lean less dramatically to his glove side in order to direct his centripetal force outward rather than upward? 4.     If your answer to question #3 is "yes," I'm confused: Wouldn't leaning less dramatically to his glove side mean Hernandez would be protecting his arm less? 5.   You note that Hernandez very clearly supinates his pitch releases.   I know that you strongly favor pronation; why is it, however, that supination is so dangerous?   Does it increase the force of the collision between the olecranon process and its fossa (see question #6)? 6.   Do I understand correctly that the same factor that prevents Hernandez from maximizing his velocity (namely, Pitching Forearm Flyup) also diminishes the stress to his elbow?   Specifically, that it diminishes the force with which his olecranon process slams into its fossa? 7.   Am I right in thinking that the collision described above (olecranon process - fossa) is essentially that of one bone (the ulna) against another (the humerus)? 8.   Am I correct in thinking that this collision occurs at the time of contact between the pitching arm and the glove side of the body? 9.   You note that you worry about Hernandez's ulnar collateral ligament as a consequence of his "Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce."   How much do you worry?   If it's possible to say, what in your view would be the percentage likelihood of Hernandez damaging that ligament?   If you were a GM trying to determine the risk of Hernandez to a long-term deal, how concerned would you be about his mechanics? 10.   Hernandez turns 20 in early April.   The Mariners haven't let him throw his slider in game situations, even though it's said to be his best pitch.   I know you have strong convictions regarding the development of young pitchers.   Does Seattle's decision here make sense to you from a physiological standpoint? 11.   Because of Hernandez's youth--he pitched in A ball at 17--the Mariners brought him along very slowly.   In two years, he threw a total of 218 innings.   Does this decision make sense to you from a physiological standpoint? 12.   The Mariners will make Hernandez their fifth starter this year and skip his starts at times.   They plan to limit his workload until he's older.   Does this decision make sense to you from a physiological standpoint? 13.   How old does Hernandez need to be before the Mariners can feel confident about turning him loose--letting him make 30 starts and throwing his slider in games?   What factors in his physical development make it necessary to wait until then? 14.   The piece I'm working on will discuss Hernandez in the context of other young and promising pitchers, so many of whom suffered career-ending injuries.   If I may ask a broad question here, why has baseball seen (as you have said) an epidemic of pitching injuries among young pitchers? 15.   It's my understanding that we haven't seen a similar epidemic throughout the history of the game; why are we seeing it now? 16.   In your view, why haven't teams recognized the scope and seriousness of this problem and taken steps to protect their young pitchers? 17.    Are there ANY Major League teams that have taken meaningful steps to address this problem? If so, which teams are they? 18.   If you can say, are there Major League teams that qualify as the worst offenders in terms of their indifference to physiological issues affecting their young pitching prospects? 19.   Luis Tiant reportedly threw 170+ pitches in one game in the early 70s; David Cone has said he thinks he threw 200 pitches once.   These are not isolated stories.   Why were guys of past generations able to throw so many pitches in games without injuring themselves (even if, unlike you, they were ignorant of kinesiology) when guys today can't? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, I carefully and completely explain 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   It is too bad that I do not have a copy that I could send you at this time.   It would save me a lot of time and printed words. 01. 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' results from 'traditional' baseball pitchers pendulum swinging their pitching arm downward, backward and laterally behind their body with the palm of their pitching hand facing downward.      Try it yourself.   Because they have the palm of their pitching hand facing downward, the pendulum swing of their pitching arm comes to a point at about forty-five degrees behind their body where it cannot continue swinging upward.   The pendulum swing of their pitching arm comes to a complete stop.      If you have videotape of Mr. Hernandez from behind, then you will see his pitching arm stop moving laterally behind his body.      So, there he is with his entire pitching arm stopped with his pitching hand and baseball facing his first baseball at slightly above knee height.   But, to throw the baseball, he has to get his pitching hand and baseball up to driveline height.      To get his pitching hand and baseball up to driveline height, Mr. Hernandez has to lift his pitching hand and baseball from above knee height to above his head.   So, now he starts lifting them. He cannot throw the baseball with the palm of his pitching hand facing his first baseman, so he has to turn his pitching forearm over, such that the palm of his pitching hand faces upward.   This is 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover.'      Unfortunately, he has already started his forward stride with his glove foot.   Therefore, before he completes his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' his glove foot will contact the ground and he will start forwardly rotating his shoulders.   As a result, when his pitching forearm is about two-thirds of the way through his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' usually close to when his pitching forearm points vertically upward, his pitching upper arm will start moving forward.      Because his pitching elbow is four or more feet to this glove side behind the line between home plate and second base, when his starts moving his pitching upper arm forward, it actually goes at least as much sideways than forward.      But first, we have to return to his now about vertical pitching forearm.   He is about two-thirds of the way through his 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover' and the elbow end of his pitching forearm starts moving forward.   Therefore, while, in its attempt to have the palm of his pitching hand face upward in proper preparation to throw the baseball somewhat toward home plate, his pitching hand and baseball continue to move backward as his pitching elbow starts to move forward.      His pitching hand and baseball are moving backward and downward and his pitching elbow is moving forward.   At some point, his pitching hand and baseball have to stop moving backward and downward and follow his pitching upper arm moving sideways and forward.   I call that moment, 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce.'      With the stress of every 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce,' the tiny fibers in his Ulnar Collateral Ligament tear a little bit.   The cumulative effect of all these miniscule tears leaves his Ulnar Collateral Ligament weakened until it can no longer tolerate this unnecessary stress and ruptures.      Now, let's return to the at least as much sideways as toward home plate movement of his pitching elbow as a result of the excessive reverse rotation of his pitching hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm.   So, here is his pitching elbow, anywhere from three to five feet to the first base side of the line from home plate to second base.      He cannot drive the baseball toward home plate from here.   Therefore, he has to return his pitching hand and baseball back to the pitching arm side of his body.   His pitching hand and baseball have no choice but to follow his pitching elbow.      Like in the ice skating game of 'crack the whip,' when the pitching elbow returns to the pitching arm side of his body and starts to move toward the general area of home plate, it slings his pitching hand and baseball laterally away from his body to his pitching arm side.   I call this, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'      To prevent the olecranon process, the tip of the elbow on the back side of the elbow, of his pitching elbow from slamming into its fossa, Mr. Hernandez has to contract the Brachialis muscle on the front of his upper arm.   This means that he cannot use the powerful Triceps Brachii muscle to accelerate the baseball forward.      But, Mr. Hernandez's pitching arm cannot worry about that, it has to prevent the collision of the olecranon process of his pitching elbow into its fossa.   Therefore, with every pitch, the Coronoid Process of his Ulna bone minusculely lengthens and he loses degrees of his flexion and extension ranges of motion in his pitching elbow.      One way to protect the pitching elbow is to pronate the releases of all pitches.   This prevents the olecranon process from slamming into its fossa.   Unfortunately, Mr. Hernandez supinates the releases of his pitches.   Therefore, the olecranon process of his pitching elbow frequently slams into its fossa.   But, even though the hyaline cartilage in his olecranon fossa becomes irritated and calcifies, he only feels slight discomfort and continues to throw through it. 02.   No, 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' does not mean that he bounces his pitching forearm off his body during the centripetal imperative recovery phase of the pitching motion, but the pitching forearm bounces downwardly backward just before his starts forward just before the start of the acceleration phase of the pitching motion. 03. No.   Mr. Hernandez should stop generating the centripetal force.   Mr. Hernandez leans dramatically to his glove side to get his pitching forearm as vertical as he can, not to protect his pitching arm.   But, because he has zero degrees of separation between the longitudinal axes of his pitching upper arm and his pitching forearm, he would have to lay down on his glove side to achieve a truly vertical pitching forearm at release.      Nevertheless, because he does lean so dramatically to his glove side, he changes a portion of the centripetal force of his pitching forearm from toward his pitching arm side to upward.   That is why, instead of 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' I call what Mr. Hernandez does, 'Pitching Forearm Flyup.'      This means that, instead of turning his pitching hand and baseball from moving toward third base to moving toward home plate, he has to turn his pitching hand and baseball from moving toward the upper deck on his pitching arm side of his body to moving toward home plate.   Ironically, because gravity drives his pitching hand and baseball downward, this biomechanical flaw decreases the force that slings his pitching hand and baseball laterally away from his body. 04.   Yes.   However, not only does gravity decelerate his pitching hand and baseball from moving away from his body, it also decelerates the baseball from moving toward home plate.   In addition, while the greater lean to his glove side does lessen the side-to-side variable, it increases the up-to-down variable in his release consistency.      While I am in favor of this, I prefer to get his with degrees of separation rather than excessive lean.   Excessive lean unnecessarily stresses the vertebral column, especially the L5-S1 joint.   If he continues with this dramatic lean, back surgery could be in his future or, at the least, a lot of back pain. 05.   When pitchers supinate the releases of their pitches, they place the olecranon process on the collision course with its fossa.      To demonstrate the harm of supinating the releases of your pitches, raise your pitching hand to ear height beside your head with your thumb pointing upward.   Now, extend your pitching arm straight forward with your thumb pointing upward.   That pain that you feel is the olecranon process slamming into its fossa.      To demonstrate the protection of pronating the releases of your pitches, raise your pitching hand to ear height beside your head with your thumb pointing upward.   Now, while you turn the thumb of your pitching hand to point downward at full extension, extend your pitching arm straight forward.   That lack of pain that you do not feel is the olecranon process not slamming into its fossa. 06.   Yes. 07.   Yes. 08.   No, the collision occurs during the 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' of the acceleration phase of the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion. 09.   At ninety-seven miles per hour of pitching hand velocity, if he continues to use this pitching motion at this intensity, he will eventually rupture his Ulnar Collateral Ligament. 10.   'Traditional' baseball pitching coaches teach their pitchers to throw sliders by powerfully supinating their pitching forearm.   The more powerfully baseball pitchers supinate their pitching forearm, the more powerfully they slam their olecranon processes into their fossas. 11.   If he is biologically nineteen years old, then the growth plates in his shoulders have closed.   However, I suspect that, because he has been pitching for several years, he prematurely close the growth plates in his pitching shoulder several years ago.      If, at seventeen years old, the growth plates in his pitching shoulder had prematurely closed, then, excepted for delaying the inevitable 'traditional' pitching motion destroying his pitching arm, they gained nothing.   If, instead, he had spent those years mastering my pitching motion and completing my interval-training programs, he would be ready for twenty years of high-quality, injury-free baseball pitching. 12.   To become stronger, the bones, ligaments and tendons of our body need systematic stress to stimulate the production of more bone, ligament and tendon tissue.   However, with the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion, for pitchers to stress these areas does not strengthen them, but destroys them.   Fortunately, with my pitching motion and rigorous interval-training programs, with more training and throwing, these tissues get stronger and stronger. 13.   As long as he uses the 'traditional' pitching motion and supinates his releases, he will destroy his pitching arm.   Unless they are willing to take a couple of years off for him to learn my pitching motion and complete my interval-training programs, like the Florida Marlins are doing with Dontrell, they might as well let him pitch as much as can for as long as he can. 14.   Unlike when I pitched, where getting batters out with movement and intelligence, the radar gun determined who got to pitch.   Today, the radar gun determines who gets to pitch.   Without knowledge and skill, today's pitchers throw every pitch as hard as they can and the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion takes care of the rest.      I did what I did, 106 appearances, 208 closing innings, 13 consecutive game appearances and 84 games finished, because I learned that pronating my releases protected my pitching elbow and that making the baseball move in ways that baseball batters could not anticipate got batters out despite my 86 mile per hour fastball.   That does not mean that I would not have thrown ninety-seven miles per hour if I could have, it means that I would have still pitched with movement and knowledge and been even better. 15.   The inability of pitching coaches to teach pitches that baseball batters cannot hit and the radar gun has caused the increase in pitching arm injuries in today's baseball. 16.   Because pitching coaches have no idea why their pitchers injure themselves and therefore, to protect their jobs, they blame the pitchers and use pitch counts and other nonsense to convince their owners that they are doing everything they can.   But, in the end, it is because the owners continue to hire the same General Managers, Player Development Directors and Pitching Coordinators who do not have the academic background and lack of self-interest required to solve this problem.      Unfortunately for the owners, I appear to be the only properly trained person in the world who can stop this epidemic and those that they have hired do not want someone who actually knows that those they have hired have no clue, but the owners still listen to them.   Therefore, in the end, it is just these General Managers, Player Development Directors and Pitching Coordinators protecting their paychecks, instead of the pitching arms of their pitchers. 17.   No, they are only rearranging the deck chairs on their individual Titanics. 18.   No, they are all equally culpable. 19.   Neither Mr. Tiant or Mr. Cone were not throwing to the radar gun.   Rather than velocity, they used a variety of movements.   But, even then, they all still pitched in pain.   Are they still able to wipe their own butts?      In the history of major league baseball, there was only one guy who pitched everyday without any discomfort at all.   Ask Red Adams, 1974 the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach when I pitched in 106 games, what I did the day after I did not pitch in the game the night before. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 164.   Your answers to my questions are fantastic.   Thank you VERY much for your patience, time, and energy.   If I can bother you one more time, I wanted to ask just a handful of follow-ups. 1.   I would very much like to see your 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   As you say, the video would help me grasp some of the ideas you're discussing.   My deadline for this story is in about three weeks.   Will the video be out within that time? 2.   I didn't quite understand the sentence that begins the fourth paragraph of your reply to my first question.   The sentence reads as follows: "So, there he is with his entire pitching arm stopped with his pitching hand and baseball facing his first baseball at slightly above knee height."   I don't follow what is meant by "facing his first baseball." 3.   In your answer to my eleventh question, you say "I suspect that, because he has been pitching for several years, he prematurely closed the growth plates in his pitching shoulder several years ago."   Why is it the case that Hernandez's pitching for several years has made his growth plates close prematurely? 4.   In that same answer, you note that the premature closing of his growth plates would mean Seattle "gained nothing" from bringing him along slowly in the minors.   Why is this the case? 5.   You note that Dontrelle Willis is using your program.   Is he doing the interval training only, or is he also learning your pitching motion?   And is he doing this directly under your supervision, or is a Marshall disciple supervising him?   I'd love to be able to say in the story that you're personally working with the Marlins and Dontrelle if this is the case. 6.   You say I should ask Red Adams what you'd do during the 1974 season on days when you hadn't pitched the night before.   I'm guessing you threw--is that correct? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 01.   I am doing the very best that I can to get the masters made from which I can get my DVDs made.   I hope to have them in my hands by the end of next week.   I may not have the graphics, but I could send you the DVD without graphics. 02.   Typo.   I meant first baseman. 03.   I suspect that before he signed with the Mariners, Mr. Hernandez pitched as much as he could throughout the year.   If he did, then he already prematurely closed these growth plates. 04.   The growth plates in the shoulder mature at biological nineteen years old.   The Mariners did not pitch him much when he was seventeen and eighteen.   I assume that they did not want to prematurely close the shoulder growth plate, which means that the Humerus bone will not grow longer at the shoulder end.    I am saying that, if they had taken an X-ray, then I believe that the growth plates in his pitching shoulder had already closed. 05.   Dontrelle Willis is not doing my program.   What I meant is that he has a terrible pitching motion and will seriously injure his pitching arm.   However, the Florida Marlins don't care.   They are going to pitching as much as they can for as long as his pitching arm holds up. 06.   Red Adams will tell you that the day after I did not pitch the night before, I threw batting practice.   Clearly, I never had any stiffness or soreness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 165.   I had "Tommy John" in October.   I was wondering when I could start doing your program? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The doctor should tell you.   But, as I understand their concern, the holes through which they threaded the replacement tendon close ninety days after the surgery.   An X-ray will show whether the holes have closed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 166.   How fast does the typical minor league relief pitcher throw? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I do not have any way of directly knowing the answer to this question.   Nevertheless, it is my understanding that professional scouts always have radar guns with them and if pitchers cannot throw ninety miles per hour, then they will not sign them.   However, after a couple of years with their crack pitching coach staff, they either require surgery or they cannot throw eighty miles per hour. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 167.   My grandson is two years old and shows a great interest in catching and throwing.    Is it too early to start giving him a heavied ball or should I wait a couple of years?    He is small for his age but I expect him to grow, since his father is 5'10" and his half-brother is 16 and about 5'8". -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Two years old seems a little late to get started prematurely closing growth plates.   At birth, he had only two ossification centers in his entire body.   That would have been the perfect time to start using the weighted baseballs.   You could have destroyed every extremity growth plate in his body before the growth plates even form.      If you are successful, the growth plates in his pitching arm could all be completely closed by the time he is chronologically six year old.   Then, he could start my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Programs in time for he eight year old fall baseball league. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 168.   Just stumbled on your site.   Some parts are very technical but I am not afraid.   I will process all of the info and I normally use a dictionary when I do this type of research.   My son's well-being is most important.   I admit I am not a doctor or physicist.   See, that wasn't that so hard to admit. I enjoy baseball and my one son who is 15 and average size work at it.   He is a golfer and he likens baseball to having a good time and is a good player.   I have been involved with my local Little League for the past 20 years as a volunteer only, now.   They came up with an absurd rule to be a coach awhile back and I wasn't interested. They used to get frustrated when I would have all pitchers on my team and win.   I wasn't trying to win but minimize the young player's exposure to physical and biological growth affects I knew nothing about.   I didn't even jockey for position in the draft.   I didn't care about who was on my team.   I coached to protect my son (selfish me). You are absolutely correct about kids would rather lose and play than sit and win (well-balanced kids that is). My son stopped playing Little League to play travel ball at 10 years old.   He may have pitched his one inning twice a week or less in Little League at 10 and no pitching but practice mechanics from 11 to 14 years old.   I just didn't know enough about it and information was varied in the market.   We do travel ball to work on his hitting and fielding. Because of this, his fundamentals and mechanics are ahead of others in his grade and size.   Now that he has grown, he has an exercise and diet regimen and gained some weight over this winter.   He is a freshman and has been working out with his schools Varsity High School team by invitation of the coach. It looks like he is going to make and possibly start on the team.   He started pitching late last year on his travel team but we he won't play on this team in the fall, instead he will play on the school's golf team.   Our coach on the travel team is a pitch counter and controls all aspects of the arms on the team regardless of game situations.   Just about all 13 of the boys are pitching to some extent now.   That's what was good about the travel team.   We were building fundamentals and protecting the players. I believe if he is to have success at baseball, his career is just about to start and I stumbled onto your site in good timing.   I don't believe he has missed any glory playing on All-Star teams or any of that. It was very easy to convince him to walk away when we would talk about where he wanted to be in years to come when other kids were burning out or getting injured.   Baseball is a slow growth sport to me and patience, proper training and mindset are very important.   He has never thrown a piece of equipment or questioned an umpires call and I attribute this to changing his environment. I say this because I am a High School/Little League umpire and things are not getting better with some of the things I see. I appreciate your site and information and I can see why the mainstream is so very irate with you.   I now have additional information to compare to traditional wisdom. Besides you providing this, I guess you must take the additional criticism due to the obvious fact that you are a free site.   Ah, the almighty dollar that is slipping away from the others.   And they blame you, which has nothing to do with baseball or the well-being of the Player.      Mr. Carroll refers to you being out of the mainstream and they have cast this monetary curse on themselves in an effort to spite you, who probably couldn't care less. I have Dick Mills's videos that a friend gave me and other resources.   I just couldn't get comfortable with everything and I always err on the side of moderation or get more facts.   I plan to get your video and take it apart and compare it to information I already have and I am sure you would want me to do this. Who knows, my friend may have spent $200 on how not to train a pitcher which also would be as well spent money as my $100 for your video.   It looks like your info will fill the void we were looking for to continue his growth and health in baseball. P.S.:   Nobody could figure out why I didn't let my son play baseball in a conventional setting for the past 5 years and they thought he was a good player and would be missing out.   Little did time tell that he probably won't miss anything he didn't want to miss and had fun doing it!   It has nothing to do with being a Cy Young winner. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I look forward to your critique of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 169.   I am 23 years old. I would like to try out for an independent team.   I know some of your previous students have pitched for independent teams, I just cannot get a straight answer from anyone on how the tryouts are run and how I can get to one. How, where, and when can I try out for the independent leagues?   Or can you put me in touch with someone who has played or is planning on attending tryouts. Also, I am going to be in Florida the second week of March and would like to drop by for a visit.   I can get you a more specific date and time if you would like. It would only be for a day, but I would love to see what is going on and see how you and the guys work. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      To find out when and where the Independent Leagues hold their tryouts, you check their websites on the internet.      For example, for the Northern League tryouts, go to NorthernLeague.com.   It says, "The Northern League of Professional Baseball's 2006 Open Tryout will take place on Monday, March 20 and Tuesday, March 21 at Red McEwen Field on the University of South Florida campus in Tampa, Florida."      That is less than thirty minutes from my Pitching Research/Training Center in Zephyrhills, FL.      We start training at 9:00AM and finish about 10:30AM.   Everybody is welcome to visit at any time.   The last day of this year's forty week session is the fourth Saturday in May. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 170.   My father is 79 and has emphysema.   He has not smoked for 22 years but is on oxygen.   He has between 4 and 5 liters of oxygen levels in his tank.   He has the use of about 1/4 of his lung. At the hospital tonight a therapist told him he has to relearn how to breathe correctly.   Evidently, we breathe correctly as babies then unlearn it.   The only thing I can think is that we, perhaps, should fill our stomachs when we breathe.   Do you believe the therapist is correct?   Is there anything you can recommend to get more oxygen into the lungs lungs. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The trachea carries air to the lungs.   To get as much air into his lungs as possible, he has to use the muscles of inspiration.   The Diaphragm is the major muscle of inspiration.   By depressing the contents of the stomach, it enlarges the chest cavity in which the lungs expand.   But, with three-quarters of the alveoli of his lungs destroyed, he needs higher concentrations of oxygen than is in our atmosphere.      The esophagus carries food to the stomach.   Unless you like to burp on command, you do not want to use the esophagus to carry air to the stomach. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 171.   Before I go too much further, I would like to know if you respond to email.   If you answer this or not, I will get my answer.   I have read your on-line book, glanced over all of your data, and I am interested in your methods, not convinced but interested none the less. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If I answer what?   I don't see a question in your text.   However, in your subject window, it says, RE: arm angles.   Therefore, I will assume that you are asking me about arm angles.      Baseball pitchers cannot raise their pitching upper arm any higher than parallel with the line across the top of their shoulders.   'Traditional' baseball pitchers raise the longitudinal axis of their pitching forearm higher than the longitudinal axis of their pitching upper arm.   Therefore, the only thing that changes the angle at which 'traditional' baseball pitchers release their pitches is how much their lean their shoulder line to their glove side.      In other words, for 'traditional' baseball pitchers, there is no such thing as different arm slots.      However, because I teach my baseball pitchers to powerfully pronate the releases of all pitches, they do separate the longitudinal axis of their pitching forearm from their pitching upper arm.   As result, my pitchers can achieve vertical forearms at release. P.S.:   If you had read any of my Question/Answer files, then you would know that I always answer all emails. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 172.   I am familiar with your work and am attempting to learn more about it.   In particular, I am interested in the theses you did at Michigan State, your master's and Ph.D. dissertations.   Are either of those studies easily available, either on line or through you? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      In 1967, I completed my thesis for my degree of Masters of Arts at Michigan State University entitled:   An Investigation of the Association Between Sexual Maturation and Physical Growth and Motor Proficiency Norms in Males.      In 1978, I completed my dissertation for my degree of doctor of philosophy at Michigan State University entitled:   Comparison of an Estimate of Skeletal Age with Chronological Age When Classifying Adolescent Males for Motor Proficiency Norms.      My doctoral dissertation is on file in the library at Michigan State University.      My 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video is my doctoral dissertation on baseball pitching. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 173.   My son is 13 yrs. old and injured the growth plate on his elbow last May and had to sit out the season.   He has now been cleared by the Doctor to go out for the school JV team next week.   Someone just told me that I should inform the coaches not to play him at pitcher this entire season in order to give the growth plate time to strenghten and then let him pitch again next season.   That is 2 years.   What do you think? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The first thing that you and your son need to know is his biological age.   To learn this, you need to have X-rays taken of his glove and pitching arms from mid-forearm to mid-upper arm from the front and side views.   Make copies and send them to me.   I will determine his biological age and check on how his growth plates are maturing.      The second thing that you and your son need to know is that the 'traditional' pitching motion destroys pitching arms.   Therefore, he needs to master my pitching motion.   I recommend that he does not pitch competitively until he masters my pitching motion and the growth plates for his radial head and medial epicondyle completely mature.      If you and your son do these two things, then maybe when he is a junior in high school, he will be able to pitch without further injury and insult to his pitching arm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 174.   I pitched college baseball and did some coaching.    I am a student of pitching.    I spent a lot of time working with well-known pitching coach.    But I am not locked into that method.    I am always looking for new information that will lead to maximum efficiency.    I've read a little bit on what you are teaching and I am very curious to know more.    I have always had a rubber arm but I felt that the traditional way held me back a little bit in some areas.    Whenever you have a chance I would love to talk more on this subject.    I don't play anymore only coach part-time, but baseball is still the biggest passion in my life. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      My 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video is my doctoral dissertation on baseball pitching.   After you study my video and my Coaching Baseball Pitchers book, I would greatly enjoy a collegial debate.   Also, everybody is welcome to visit my Pitching Research/Training Center in Zephyrhills, FL.   We start the third Saturday in August and train every day until the fourth Saturday the following May. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 175.   I want to go back to last year and follow up on question and answer 1057:   I referred to a study done by 5 scientists on all baseball hitters from 1870 to 1992.   I concluded that your conclusions were similar to their findings, and now after 2 weeks of spring practice with my pitchers and hitters and evaluating them in high speed film, there is one UNDENIALABLE FACT.   WHICH IS YOUR FORCE COUPLING THEORY IS BEYOND REPROACH. Tthe report refers to most swings by all those players fall into 2 categories, a two hand double pendulum swing dominated by the bottom hand or a two hand double pendulum swing dominated by the top hand.   The success of the swing depends when the dominated hand intervenes on the swing, meaning that the  swing is started by the bottom hand and depending on the power of the batter's top hand is where the top hand takes over the swing. This is exactly how all my hitters start their swings, the bottom hand start the swing forward and the top hand takes over creating a double pendulum swing with 2 radius, however, your force coupling swing starts the swing forward with the top hand PERIOD THEREFORE THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE PENDELUM MOTION AND ONLY A SINGLE RADIUS. After checking the swing of some famous batters on high speed film their success is that they actually push back with their bottom hand and then automatically start forward with the top hand in charge.   This is exactly the same as your force motion concept. I now teach your force motion concept in hitting and pitching instructions, with tremendous success, and immediate feedback.   HOWEVER YOU MUST FILM THE BATTER AND PITCHER AND PLAY IT BACK IN HIGH SPEED FILM PREFERABLY 250 FRAMES SEC OR AT LEAST 60 FRAMES A SECOND. I FEEL THE PROBLEM WITH MOST HITTING AND BATTING INSTRUCTORS IS THAT THEY ARE UNINFORMED AND LAZY.   THEY TAKE TOO MANY SHORTCUTS, AND THEREFORE SCREW UP THE TIMING AND RHYTHM OF BOTH THE BATTING AND PITCHING MOTION.   I HIGHLY  RECOMMEND TO ALL PARENTS THAT THEY GET THEIR CHILDREN FILM IN AT LEAST 60 FRAMES PER SEC FILM OR  PERFERABLELY 250 FRAMES A SECOND FILM.   OTHERWISE ALL THEIR EFFORTS  ARE WORTHLESS. I HAVE BEEN COACHING FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I WAS WRONG FOR THE 1ST 30 YEARS.   THE LAST 5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOU. I CALL MY METHOD THE SINGLE PENDELUM HITTING AND PITCHING METHOD BASED ON YOUR FORCE COUPLING THEORY.   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am glad that it is working well for you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 176.   I am a HS coach in the northeast.    Our contact time with our athletes is limited to the season (about 10 weeks).    Most of what I have read about the weighted baseball workouts is for off-season.    Is there any application for in-season training?    I plan to use total body work with med balls every day. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I do not use weighted baseballs and recommend that nobody else does either.   I also do not use medicine balls and recommend that nobody else does either.      I do recommend that biological sixteen year old baseball pitchers complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.      Whoever limits your contact time with your baseball pitchers to ten weeks contributes to their pitching injuries.   Your pitchers need solid off-season training programs wherein they learn my pitching motion and injury-proof the bones, ligaments and tendons in their pitching arms. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 177.   Thank you for giving Jeff my number.    We had a great conversation.    He told me that I could call him anytime to talk about pitching and I thought and I feel really lucky to be able to do that, it's awesome. I am looking forward to hearing about how his tryouts go. The question I had for you is can you describe for me the in season maintenance with the 10lb wrist weights and 6lb iron ball? Jeff told me that you will not be at your training facility this summer.    Where are you going to? I think that I am going to plan to train with you as soon as the season ends, if that would be alright with you. So thanks again for having Jeff call me, it opened my eyes even more. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The choice was his.   He deserves your appreciation.   Despite everything that the professional 'traditional' pitching coaches, General Managers, Field Managers and so on have done to him; he not only continues to train hard every day, but he still remains available to help others.      That teams do not sign him immediately after every tryout he attends only shows the ignorance of those evaluating him.   They have absolutely no idea what the pitches of a true pitching artist look like.      From the fourth Saturday in May until the third Saturday in August, I am doing other things, including a couple of vacation trips with my better half.   After spending every day since 1999 working on my Pitching Research/Training Center and completing my video doctoral dissertation on baseball pitching, I plan to take these days off every year.      After less than two months into my 280-Day Adult Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program, for me to describe an in-season maintenance program for you is silly.   At this point, your body has not received sufficient stress to force it to make any physiological adjustments.      Nevertheless, with my Pickoff with Step Slingshot drill, you should at least understand the proper ways to straight line drive your glove and pitching arms.   And, I hope that you have some idea of how to pronate the releases of all pitches.      At only ten pound wrist weights and a six pound iron ball, I recommend that you stay at those weights and complete forty-eight pitch specific repetitions every day.      If all professional baseball pitchers wanted to become the best pitcher that they can be, then the day after their seasons ended this year, they would all be in Zephyrhills, FL ready to bust their butts every day of the off-season.   If they start on September 01, 2006 and report on March 05, 2007, then they could complete three of the four training cycles of my 280-Day program.   One more year and they could finish the entire 280-Day program and two of my six Recoil Cycles.      All they have to remember is that it is their career, not their pitching coaches and take charge.      To reserve a space, these pitchers will need to sign my Professional Baseball Pitcher's Lifetime Partnership Agreement and put down a non-refundable deposit.   I only train twelve pitchers per session. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 178.   I certainly enjoyed watching you pitch for the Dodgers and was amazed at your longevity, pitching as much as you did!    I know that you are an expert in your field.      My son had a very good little league pitching career, struck out 101 batters as a 12 year old.    Last year he moved up to the big diamond at 13 years old and pitched bull-pens with his coach but never pitched in a game.    This season will hopefully be different and he has been back working with his pitching coach since X-mass and we have high hopes for his success.    He is now 14 and has grown to 6’ 2” tall. My question is this; if my son plans to play football in September as a freshman quarterback, would this effect his pitching as a freshman in baseball in the spring?    I’ve watched Stanford University baseball players warm up throwing a football around before pre-season practices to warm up.    Is this a good idea?    Is the throwing motion compatible for baseball? I do like the cross-training idea.    I would also like to purchase your 2006 training video and book when it’s completed, can you tell me when it’s ready? Thank you for your advice and teaching of young people the correct ways of training and excelling at pitching.   Keep up the good work! P.S.:    Is there any hitting or fielding instruction at your camp in Florida? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The first two things that you and your son need to know are; what is his biological age and has all the competitive baseball pitching he has done prematurely closed or otherwise damaged the growth plates in his pitching elbow?      Then, he needs to stop using the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   To do that, when he is biologically sixteen years old, he needs to complete my 120-Day High School Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program.   Until then, he should complete my First, Second, Third and Fourth Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs.      Because 'traditional' baseball pitchers will still have 'Late Pitching Forearm Turnover,' 'Reverse Pitching Forearm Bounce' and 'Pitching Forearm Flyout' when they throw footballs, for baseball pitchers to throw footballs that spiral has absolutely no value.      However, in my baseball pitching drills to learn the skills, to learn how to achieve the perfect spin axes for my pitches, I have my baseball pitchers throw footballs, such that the end-over-end movement of the footballs provides immediate feedback.      Cross-training is the wrong idea.   Specificity of training is the right idea.   If you want your son to excel at baseball pitching, then he needs to master the skills of baseball pitching.      As we speak, I am having the masters prepared with which I will have the DVD and VHS copies of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   In the future, I am going to have to get the software and knowledge to do this myself.   I completed my video over two weeks ago and am at the mercy of the time of others for this step.      When I have copies in my hands ready to ship, I will change the icon on the home page on my website to read 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video, rather than 2004.   This video is my doctoral dissertation on baseball pitching.   After seeing it, nobody will ever use the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion again. P.S.:   At my Pitching Research/Training Center, I teach baseball pitching. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 179.   I was really impressed by your article in Baseball America.   I went to your website to acquire the proper materials and not all of your links are working correctly.   Would you please tell me what you recommend that I purchase in order to train an adult?   Videos, books, etc. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      My apologies.   I am in the process of preparing for my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   That will show blank until I have DVD and VHS copies in hand ready to mail.      At the same time, I reworked my Pitchers Training Programs.   Now, I call them my 2006 Baseball Pitcher Interval-Training Programs.   Unfortunately, I forgot to change my home page referrals.      I did the same thing with my Free Coaching Baseball Pitchers Book!!! and Baseball Pitching Instruction.   Hopefully, I have corrected those problems.      To train adult baseball pitchers, you should copy my 280-Day Adult Baseball Pitchers Interval-Training Program and get my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 180.   I was recently reviewing your 2006 280 day training program, and I noticed that you use football throws over the entire time frame.    I thought that the purpose of the football throw was to teach the proper spin axis for your pitches and nothing more.    Shouldn't a pitcher have the spins down quite early in the program?    And once they do, what is the point of continuing with the football throws?   Congratulations on finishing your 2006 instructional video.    I look forward to being able to see it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I love to watch them throw their footballs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 181.   At the end of Chapter 36, when you introduce your various skill acquisition programs your starting age is 8 years old.   In your your 2006 Motor Skill Acquisition Programs on the front of your web site, you have the starting age as 10.   If your starting age is now 10 what do you recommend kids younger than 10 do? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      If youth baseball pitchers start doing my four 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs at chronological eight years old, then they will complete them at chronological eleven years old.   If they are equated or delayed maturers, then they will have to wait until they are biologically thirteen years old to pitch competitively.      Therefore, I am trying to find a way to start everybody when they are biologically ten years old.   However, the bone development signal that they are biologically eleven years old is the appearance of the tiny piece of bone in the center of the growth cartilage of the olecranon process.   The lack of this tiny piece of bone means that they are not yet biologically eleven years old.   They could be ten, nine or eight years old.   Maybe, I should have youth baseball pitchers wait until they are biologically eleven years old.      In any case, we need to know their biological ages.   I want youth baseball competitions based on biological age, not chronological age.   All youth baseball leagues need to do is to contract with a Radiologist to take X-rays within one week of the youth baseball players' birthdays and the technician can determine their biological ages.      For youngsters less than ten biological years old, I recommend that they, like all position players, complete my four 60-Day Youth Baseball Pitchers Motor Skill Acquisition Programs without my Maxline True Screwballs and Maxline Pronation Curves.      However, until they are biologically ten years old, they cannot use two and one-half pound wrist weights and two pound iron balls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 182.   Generally when a young man describes shoulder pain associated with the Subscapularis, he points right to the attachment at the lesser tuberosity. A young man recently described pain that started at this same spot, but he said the pain sensations were about 1-1/4 inches in width.   The pain sensation seemed to go from the lesser tuberosity horizontally toward the chest (medially?).   Do you think this is still the Subscapularis or is it a different muscle? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      To feel confident about answering this question, I would like to know this young man's biological age.   It is possible that the growth plate for the lesser tuberosity is the problem.   However, if that is not the case, then I would give the following answer.      There is no muscle that goes from the lesser tuberosity of the head of the Humerus bone medially.   This means that you have missed your landmarks.   You are either too high and the muscle is actually the Pectoralis Major muscle or you are too low and the muscle is actually the Anterior Deltoid muscle.      If it is the Pectoralis Major muscle, then he might be pulling his pitching upper arm across the front of his body.   While this would be a biomechanical flaw that he needs to correct, it is not an injurious flaw.      If it is the Anterior Deltoid muscle, then he is using it to help inwardly rotate his shoulder joint and that is good.   With more training, this discomfort will go away. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 183.   I am a 24-year old graduate assistant baseball coach at a Division I university.   Considering my young age I am still looking for exactly what is the best way/ways to teach my kids how to throw and why.   I have read some of your theories, only unfortuntely I just ran across them today because of an ESPN article I found yesterday.   I have a few questions that you could possibly clear up for me because the last thing I want to do is hurt a kid's arm.   I played four years of college baseball and I know plenty about arm injuries. #1:   Pronation.   I understand the theory of pronation and agree, however, before you speak about pronation you warn against "inwardly rotating the shoulder."   When I go through the motion, pronation automatically causes an inward rotation of my entire arm.   Barring I am not missing a few important muscles, am I misinterpreting what you are saying? #2:   Tall and Fall.   Drop and Drive.   I have been taught both and I do not think either do justice to what needs to be done at the top of your balance point in order to accelerate with all force going over your front toe.   I simply teach to drive off the back side while keeping your shoulders "equal and opposite."    (I teach the body should end with a hypotenuse triangle, head over chest, chest over knee, basically from the back of your drive foot to the tips of your fingers should be the longest side of a triangle.   Is this correct? Any suggestions you have for me would be greatly appreciated, I take constructive criticism very well so feel free to let me know.   I am dying to learn anything that can make my players better, injury free, and make me a better coach. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      The problem that you are having in understanding what I teach is that when you go through your pitching motion, you are going through the 'traditional' baseball pitching motion.   To understand my baseball pitching motion, you need my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video. 01.   Pitching Forearm Joint Pronation and Pitching Shoulder Joint Inward Rotation do go hand in hand.   It is not possible to pronate the pitching forearm and not inwardly rotate the pitching upper arm.   However, the direction of the inward rotational force makes the difference.      'Traditional' baseball pitchers reverse rotate their hips, shoulders and pitching upper arm seventy or more degrees beyond the line from home plate to second base.   This action takes their pitching elbow several feet laterally behind their body.   Then, from this position, they use their pitching upper arm to pull their pitching forearm forward.   As a result of their pitching elbow returning to the pitching arm side of their body, they generate horizontal centripetal force to the pitching arm side of their body.      When their pitching elbow finally returns to the pitching arm side of their body and starts to move toward home plate, like the 'crack the whip' game that ice skaters play where the last ice skater in the line flies laterally away from the group, the pitching forearm flies laterally away from the body.   I call this, 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'      If 'traditional' baseball pitchers powerfully pronate their pitching forearm during their 'Pitching Forearm Flyout,' then they will prevent the olecranon process of their pitching elbow from slamming into its fossa.   However, during the deceleration phase, the concomitant inward rotation of the pitching upper arm brings the pitching forearm laterally across the front of the body and downward.      When 'traditional' baseball pitchers inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm, such that their pitching forearm goes from laying horizontally backward to beyond horizontally forward, they exceed their inward rotation range of motion.   This is the moment when they unnecessarily stress the attachment of the muscles that inward and outward rotate the head of their Humerus bone of their pitching upper arm.      With my pitching motion, baseball pitchers do not generate horizontal centripetal force.   My pitchers do not use their pitching upper arm to pull their pitching forearm forward.   My pitchers drive their pitching hand straight forward.   Therefore, they do not have 'Pitching Forearm Flyout.'   Therefore, they do not pull their pitching elbow across the front of their body and downward.   Therefore, they do not inwardly rotate their pitching upper arm beyond the inward rotation limit of the muscles that inwardly rotate the head of their Humerus bone of their pitching upper arm. 02.   No.   You do not understand the purpose of the baseball pitching body action.   To satisfy Sir Isaac Newton's second law, the law of acceleration, and achieve their genetic maximum release velocity, baseball pitchers must apply as much force toward home plate over as great a time period as possible.      Newton proved that force equal mass times acceleration.   Because acceleration equals the change in velocity divided by the time required for the change in velocity to occur, release velocity equals force multiplied by time divided my the mass of the baseball.   Therefore, if we increase the time period over which baseball pitchers apply force, then we increase their release velocity.      As a result, the reason why baseball pitchers move forward off the pitching rubber is to maximize the distance over which they apply straight line force to their pitches.      What you teach stops the center of mass of the body from moving forward.      To maximize the length of their driveline, baseball pitchers must continually move the center of mass of their body forward from the start of their acceleration phase to the end of their deceleration phase.      a.   After they pendulum swing their pitching hand and baseball to forty-five degrees behind their body, baseball pitchers must first step straight forward with their glove foot,      b.   When it lands, they must use their pitching foot to drive their center of mass forward and their glove foot to pull their center of mass forward,      c.   Drive their pitching knee forward and inward toward their glove knee,      d.   After the center of mass of their body moves in front of their glove foot, they must pivot and hop straight forward off their glove foot while their forwardly rotate their body, such that their pitching foot lands in a straight line in front of their glove foot.      As soon as I have it available, you need to get my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video.   It is my doctoral dissertation on baseball pitching. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 184.   I am a former collegiate baseball player just 2 years removed from the game.   Throughout my playing days I routinely experienced shoulder and elbow problems that originally started when I was 12 and had problems with the growth plate in my elbow.    By the time I was in college I had to learn to throw submarine in order to continue to compete.    I am now helping coach a group of 11 year old All-Stars.    Like the coaches that worked with me growing up I have been teaching these kids the traditional mechanics for pitching and for their arm action.    I don’t want to be doing the same damage to these kids as I had to endure.    Do you have some tips for me? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Yes.   To learn how to not pass on your pitching arm problems to these unsuspecting, eager kids, get my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video and follow the Youth Baseball Pitcher Programs that I recommend. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 185.   I am excited that you are about to release your 2006 training video.   I ordered your 2004 video and used the drills with my son last summer.   I understand that you will be sending copies to those who have purchased your past videos.   Please send a DVD copy to me.   If you let me know what your cost is to send out the video, I will gladly compensate you for your time, expense, and effort. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When I receive copies of my 2006 Baseball Pitching Instructional Video in my hand ready to ship, I plan to send copies to everybody who has my 2002 and 2004 videos.   I am only interested in getting this information into their hands.   I will leave it to the recipients to reimburse me for the costs and my efforts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 186.   I don't know if you heard this already, but I thought that I would let you know just the same.   There was an article in the Chicago Sun-Times today that said that the unnamed source who reported on Mark Prior's Achilles problems last year has said that Prior is now having shoulder problems and that's why he hasn't thrown off the mound at spring training yet. Of course, Prior and the Cubs deny it, like they would admit to it.   Just thought it was kinda funny because of what you have said regarding Mr. Prior.   I wouldn't be surprised if at some time during the season or even sooner, he has the same problem with his shoulder that Kerry Wood went through.   I guess pro pitching coaches or professional baseball will never learn, or at least take a long very long time to come around. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      While I hope that these reports are wrong and Mr. Prior and Mr. Wood have corrected the injurious flaws in their 'traditional' baseball pitching motions, if Mr. Prior is using Tom House's latest injurious flaw, the 'fast arm' nonsense, then he will destroy his pitching shoulder as well as his pitching elbow.      What a waste of baseball pitching genetic superiority.      Before they will take the time and intellectual energy to examine what they are doing, 'traditional' baseball pitching coaches will fight to the last healthy pitching arm that they can destroy.   And, before they will protect the pitching arms of their pitchers, professional baseball General Managers, Player Development Directors and Pitching Coordinators will protect their paychecks.   In the end, it the fault of the owners who continue to let these failures to continue to fail. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 187.   I am a regular visitor and contributor to the High School baseball web, www.hsbaseballweb.com. I have a son who is 6'6" and a left hander who is throwing at 90mph and is a junior in high school.    He is starting to get recruited by all the big Universities in America, scouts are talking to us and have already have had 3 sports agencies get in contact with us. My son's future looks very bright and we hope it continues.    One of my biggest fears is injury to his left arm.    I go to the hs baseball web site for good info and help with whatever questions I might have knowing full well that not all the people on there are experts, but people that might be in the same situation as me. There is one person on this site with the screen name of Coach Chris he is from St. Louis.    He has been on the site in recent months touting you and basically taking over any thread that has anything to do with throwing or pitching.    Chris self admittedly has had no real coaching experience past his 11 year old sons team and not sure of his playing experience. May I suggest you go to this site and look at some of his postings?   He has made a complete idiot of himself and offended many people using your good name.    To be honest I would be very reluctant to use any of this info on my son and I know many others feel the same. I know that there are folks out there that might look to you for help, at this point you probably can forget about any hsbaseball websters being a customer of yours in the near future thanks to a self proclaimed "coach." Ken Rice -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Nobody should assume that Mr. O'Leary speaks for me.   Nobody speaks for me.   However, our constitution gives him the right to make a idiot of himself.   Nevertheless, I will forward your email to him.      If anybody has any questions for me, then they should send those questions to me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 188.   My son is currently on a nearby college baseball team.    He is a freshman.   He is there on academic, not athletic scholarship.    He is a left-handed pitcher who started pitching as a sophomore in high school.    So far, his pitching career has been a struggle.    But, he has moments of success. I am interested in him attending your camp.   We live about ten minutes from you.   I was wondering if the rate would be less since he would live at home.    Also, I wanted your professional opinion about when do you just give up on pitching. As an example of his frustration in not succeeding, he was on the list for the travel team today and as he was loading onto the bus his college coach informed him he had made a mistake and he wasn't going today.    My son had to take the walk of shame back to his vehicle.    What do you think about this or is this just the way it goes in sports? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      When baseball pitchers give up on baseball pitching depends on how important it is to them to find out how good they can be.      All first year baseball pitchers who train with me live in the apartments on site.   During their optional second year, they can live wherever they want.   However, they have to have an attendance and tardy deposit, such that if they do not attend or arrive late, they pay double.   I cannot run a training program when participants are not present or arrive late.      The coach said that he made a mistake.   I don't see where your son had any blame or shame.      If, to find out how good of a baseball pitcher he can be, your son is interested in working as hard as he can every day for a minimum of two hundred and eighty days, then I suggest that he visit my Pitching Research/Training Center and watch those who are doing just that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 189.   Instead of sending him (Chris O'Leary) my email to you, which I never intended for you to do, why don't you write your own email?.    That is exactly what a reputable Doctor would do to protect his good name, not forward someone else's email. I think I am starting to understand exactly what you are about.    The word Quack is starting to come to mind. Unsigned (Ken Rice) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I am sorry.   I did not realize that you wanted to avoid having to admit that you wrote me an email.   When I criticize someone, I tell them to their face.   Everybody deserves the right to face their accusers.   That is also in our Constitution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 190.   Ken, Relax.   You got your wish. I was just banned from the HSBaseballweb. Also, I never brought up Dr. Marshall's name on the HSBaseballweb site and had no intention of doing so (I have seen doing so create problems on other boards). Instead, a disciple of Paul Nyman "outed" me as being a fan of Dr. Marshall (which Nyman evidently views as a sin worse than death) and then tried to libel both Dr. Marshall and me.   I was then forced to explain why I found Dr. Marshall's ideas to be interesting. It's too bad, but not surprising, that the people on that board cannot carry on a civil discussion of Dr. Marshall's ideas, much less tolerate the mere mention of his name. They might learn something. Finally, I'd love to know what I said that you found to be incorrect, misleading, or dangerous. Chris O'Leary -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      I appreciate that you copied me with the email that you sent to Mr. Rice.      You saw my response.