The reason most pitchers struggle to improve leg drive is simple… They focus on the legs instead of the hips.
And with all the information out there and pitching mechanics breakdowns available, I can see why you’re confused as hell. Most pitchers are sadly taught to:
And that’s a major problem for several reasons.
Watch the changes this pitcher made after learning to Corkscrew his Hips versus “Loading the hips”.
Video 1: Vertical Shin/Stable Foot vs Back knee inside foot and unstable foot:
Think about it this way…
The hips/pelvis are the fuse box which connects the lower-half to the upper half. You’ve heard the old saying, you’re only as strong as your weakest link, right? Well, the same goes for movement.
Poor movement quality anywhere affects the quality of movement everywhere.
Truth is… I’ve seen pitchers with tree trunk sized legs throw 70 – poop because they were unable to control and move through the center of their body.
With that said, here’s what we’re going to cover inside this post:
Plus, I’m going to share with you a few Core Velocity Belt drill progressions to improve your ability to Corkscrew the Hips.
First things first… Hitting and pitching are almost identical.
Really the biggest difference is the hitters’ surface is flat versus a pitcher throwing from a mound. Take a look at the video below.
Here’s what I want you look for:
Now, let’s watch the video below and after watching, I’ll share some training tips and Core Velocity Belt drills to help you see results pretty quickly.
Next up, is the Core Velocity Belt Corkscrew Progression…
Here’s the #1 pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, Casey Mize, sharing one of the progressions he likes to use.
Trust what you FEEL!
My 16 yr old just tore his ucl. Tj on the 29th. We will be ordering a CVB in early February. We are interested in a 3 day camp but I just dont know when would be the right time to do it. His throwing program should start in 4 months. Should we wait until he is at 100%? My concern is he will not have fixed his mechanical issues and his arm might get sore or hurt again. Thoughts as to when we should look to attend a camp.
Hey Jeff,
Hate to hear that buddy. Yes, I’d wait to maximize the time spent and investment. Here’s a good video which might help you guys.
https://youtu.be/3qwx0GZV4CA