The Harm of Throwing 'Over the Top', Part 2
June 5, 2015
(Click here for a 1-page .pdf of this newsletter)
In 2014 I wrote a newsletter on why teaching kids to throw "over the top" is a bad coaching concept because of how it changes upper body position and puts more stress on the elbow:
Now a new study again proves this to be true:
In the study, the average shoulder tilt for each pitcher was 24 degrees. And while velocity increased by 1.5% (1.1 mph) for every 10 degrees of shoulder tilt over 24 degrees, shoulder stress increased by 3.2% and elbow stress increased by 4.8%.
For the researchers, this increase in arm stress WAS NOT worth the price of the extra 1.1 miles per hour:
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because the elbow ligament ("UCL") is already very close to injury and adding stress by tilting more will bring the elbow too close to injury;
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They concluded:
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So...what throwing drill can help a pitcher minimize shoulder tilt?
It's called The 2-knee drill and a video of this drill is available in my Baseball Video Library.
To subscribe to my video library, click here.
Have A Question About This Newsletter?
Contact (631-352-7654 / PitchingDoc@msn.com) Dr. Arnold!