.I get this question a lot, “ the pitching windup vs stretch, what is better?” The problem is the windup is almost sacred to the game of baseball but it really has no purpose besides a kind of confidence builder on the mental state of the pitcher. The windup represents the old style of pitching from back in the day when the pitchers would use the windup to get their arms moving faster like in the video clip here of Dizzy Dean.

1. Pitching Out Of The Stretch
2. Pitching From The Stretch Vs Windup

Now that we have learned that doing this is destructive to pitching velocity, the windup has become just an extra step to throwing in the stretch.In this article, I will breakdown the pros and cons of pitching windup vs stretch, the science behind the two deliveries and why you should either pick just one or make them seamless deliveries. Does the Pitching Windup vs Stretch Decrease Velocity?This is the next question I usually get about the two deliveries. I will refer to the science on this one because that is the only way to answer this questions. Here is the results and conclusion from a case study called, “ Biomechanical comparison of the fastball from wind-up and the fastball from stretch in professional baseball pitchers.” It was performed at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, AL.RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the 2 pitch variations for the kinetic, kinematic, or temporal variables. To see this content.I also recommend, when in the stretch, to start with your head and hips just inside your drive foot. Have your feet past shoulder width and your lift leg hip ready to fire to the target. This will help you get your lower half moving even faster to the target which will allow you to build maximum momentum along with optimal speed to hold base runners on.It is important to remember that whatever you do to your delivery in the pitching windup vs stretch they must match each other once the hips begin moving towards the plate.

If this does not occur then it will be very hard to stay consistent mechanically through the entire game. This will have a big effect on your balls to strikes ratio.

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Pitching Out Of The Stretch

This approach isn’t new to the sports world but it is new to baseball.If you are serious about your career and are insanely driven to put yourself into an extremely small percentage of pitchers who are potential D1 prospects, top level draft picks or you just want to reach your potential on the mound then this program is the best chance you have to making your dreams come true.Learn more about the or get started TODAY adding 5-10+mph! The velocity difference was actually faster in the full windup by 0.2m/s so yes there is a difference.

Also this study was done on fully developed pros, whereas an adolescent can benefit from the added momentum much greater than a pro. Nolan Ryan averaged 127 pitches a game and even threw as high as 164 a game. 7 no hitters and all time strikeout leader, watching his windup it is clear to see how it can be an advantage. Not to mention if he could be clocked by today’s standards he would have hit 108mph.

I think ultimately it comes down to comfort for the pitcher. If it works for you then go for it. I just know for 4 generations of pitchers in my family the windup has brought no hitters, immaculate innings, perfect games and all around success. Nolan Ryan used the correct full windup in my opinion.

The act of bringing both hands behind his neck added to the backward momentum and then when reversed by hip rotation and the leg push against the rubber created more velocity. At the full height of the pitcher’s leg lift from the stretch, he can stop and maintain a balance. If you are using proper mechanics from the windup, there is no stopping because momentum from the rear is forcing that raised leg to go forward. It is called inertia.

Pitching From The Stretch Vs Windup

Look at shot putters – Discus throwing – javelin etc. And you will see that they all employ an initial backward motion to gain the maximum forward momentum. Since most pitchers today do not use this technique, there is virtually no difference between their bastardized windup and the stretch. If what you contend ( there is no speed difference between the windup and stretch ) then why would ANY professional pitcher use a windup? Why learn 2 different methods of delivering the ball if there was no benefit to the windup?

Go tell an NBA player to use different mechanics when shooting a free throw depending on whether it is the first half or second half of the game and see what they have to say to you. The fact is that a proper full windup will give you added velocity. Just ask Nolan Ryan. Wow, never read such uninformed information. Not only does a complete full windup help prevent the shoulder and elbow issues created by the Yankee no windup approach.

But velocity is significantly improved. The lack of velocity increase you are seeing is most likely a case of not understanding how to teach the full windup but also the simple fact of the pitcher not being comfortable with it. Worry less about pitch counts and more about the no wind up pitching style.

As the chems for recovery start leaving baseball you will see a return to the full windup. Not in this instance. The linear nature of the pitching move removes almost any pivot, which places a great amount of stress on the joints of young arms.

This movement is straight back and nearly straight forward, with the pitcher's chest facing the plate all the time, and the shoulders are almost square to the plate as well. Again, I'm talking about a manner in which we teach little leaguers the fluidity of the windup–the athleticism of pitching, IMHO–while getting them to understand the concept of a)loading up and release, and b)the focus of driving 'downhill' on the pitching motion. Hip shoulder separation is a component to velocity, it has to be, since it is the equivalent of loading up the right side (of a right handed pitcher),and release. However, I still maintain that the fluidity of the windup does load up the backstep as well as 'prep' the joints of the body, sheds stress from the body therefore increasing flexibility. Translation, in my opinion, is in greater velocity. Thank you again. Good Point, Brent.

Newton's second law indicates that the force that is loaded up in the backwards movement of the windup is translated to the forward part of the pitching motion, an equal and opposite force. That force, when transferred properly to the pitching arm and hand, should equal the loaded force on the back step and transfer of weight to the back foot. I'm speaking here of a simple, linear backward step which is then pushed off, transferred to the rubber foot in a straight line to the plate, rather than a pivot, kick, etc. This is the way I teach throwing and pitching–back and forth, like the golf swing of Bobby Jones or Mike Austin. The weight is loaded up on the back foot and then transferred in a straight line to plate, the result is a highly consistent, higher velocity, fluid-motion pitch utilizing the entire body rather than just the arm. Better for kids, IMHO. Thanks for your comments.

When there are no runners on base, pitchers take a 'fullwindup', which usually entails a lot of motion with the legs andarms; it takes a relatively long time for this windup to take placeand the ball to be released. When there are runners on base, theyare allowed to steal the next base and could easily do so if thepitcher takes his full windup. So to counter-act that, pitchers'work out of the stretch,' which means they stand with their backfoot parallel and adjacent to the pitching rubber. After gettingtheir signal from the catcher you will see them bring the ball totheir glove and come to a stop before pitching. From this positionthey can quickly throw to the base where the runner is to make surethey aren't getting too big of a leadoff. And when they do pitchthe ball they just take a fairly quick step forward and fire thepitch.

This step is much faster than the rocking motion they usewhen in the 'windup' and therefore there gives much less time forthe runner to steal a base. Many relief pitchers will always 'workfrom the stretch' even without runners on base.

Since they comeinto the game with runners on base often, trying to keep consistentwith two different pitching deliveries isn't worth it.