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    This time of the year

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    By on Vern Gambetta's Blog
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    This is the time of the year when you hear a lot about pitchers getting their arms ready for spring training. I always have to chuckle when I hear this. Is it really their arms they need to get ready? I am amazed at the amount of attention given the arm and shoulder. Certainly science and practice has shown that you do not throw with your arm. (I defy Roger Clemens to throw a 95 mile an hour fastball from a kneeling position) The key to a good arm is strong legs and hips, great hip mobility (like a hurdler) and a strong back. The arm and shoulder follow, they are among the last links in the kinetic chain to be engaged. It is ironic that those pitchers who are getting their arms ready are now out jogging 30, 40 or 50 minutes to build up their endurance. Pitching is a power activity. It is a burst of explosiveness. This demands explosive training, not endurance work which detracts from explosiveness. Pitching coaching has as many gurus as strength and conditioning. They all have different opinions. Some wrap themselves in pseudoscience, but the bottom line is that there is good science to direct us how to prepare a pitcher to pitch. Pitching is a kinetic chain activity, it is part of the throw push continuum. That speaks volumes. It is not a mystery, but if you want to be a guru you must make it mysterious.

    Vern Gambetta

    Vern Gambetta

    Director at Gambetta Sports Training Systems
    Vern is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several MLS teams as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men's World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. He has lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe and has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He has a BA in teaching with a coaching minor and an MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.
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