Understanding the "Timing" of The Hinge | Pitching Mechanics 

This is GOLD!!! BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR YEARS FINALLY!!!!

I really appreciate all the knowledge that tread has put out. Has helped immensely.

Can't thank you enough Ben. You are a gifted instructor. You really help people with these videos.

Made me more informed about the lower half after this video. Great work.

Wow, this is one of the most informative and helpful channels for pitching I've watched. Thanks!

Straight up spectacular explanation on the subject. I am clear. Thanks!!

Brilliant as always.

awesome video 🔥🔥

Excellent advice, / riding the horse, starting ,and exploding, to. second gear,

Amazing

Awesome

Can you talk about the foot position? The torsion of the knee is a big part and the foot is not flat on the end. Should you start with it somewhat inside, somewhat outside, etc?

Any info on the depth of the hinge? How bent should ones leg get?

Question? Keeping the weight 60/40 in the stretch. Do you keep 60 /40 as you lift your leg through peak leg lift then once you drop out of leg lift into hinge transfer 100 % weight to back leg? Or just 60/40 as you lift?

What are your thoughts on watching your own bullpen videos? I know it’s good to see your mechanics, but can it be bad to watch them too often and become obsessed with getting perfect mechanics? Is it good to get a feel of the mechanics and also video? What’s a good balance?

O.o peak at Nasty Nestor b4 he went on a tear this year

Drop and drive

Ok been I watch Lottie or videos why aren't you pitching in the mlb???

Sorry, but maybe the terminology I use and you’re using is different. “Hinge,” as I observe it, is not about “presetting” or even “dropping.” It is merely describing what happens to your upper body relative to your lower body at a moment in time. It is a result of being relaxed and static in the torso while something violent and dynamic is happening in the lower half. It is a function of driving the front buttock down the fall line toward the target. The upper body, having no driving force itself, “hinges” back, slightly, at the waist. It is a function of momentum differentiation at a moment before the torso becomes fully engaged. It is also a place where velocity can go to die if not preserved in the torso or released by conscious movement to the target. Think of the cause a “whiplash” injury to the neck in a car accident before head rests were invented. Without the support of a head rest, the force of the impact moved the body forward, while the head appeared to “snap” back, “hinging” at the neck. It is very apparent in slow motion video. The force of linear movement imparted by the seat back on the torso moves the torso and the lower body forward from a stand still at the same velocity of the car striking your car from behind (less, energy loss to crumple zones and seat springs, etc.). Yet the unsupported head, remains still until the cervical link brings the head and all of its considerable weight forward. You actually do a great job of explaining this basic concept. Listen to what you are saying during your description of all of the pitching clips your show in this video. You correctly describe them as having “relaxed” upper bodies. You also talk about many of them being in a neutral, balanced backside leg position right before you point out the “hinge” occurring. I fully agree with that description. Nothing forceful is apparently happening at that moment before the “drive” phase. I actually teach rotating the pelvis away from the target at this point (using the front knee, back pocket, and front heel, as guides) and THEN sinking into the back leg (by asking them to sink their weight into the back glute and quad), then, drive the front heal and pants pocket (or frontside butt cheek) down the fall line and target line using the energy stored in the back leg. It is at this moment when force is applied (in varying degrees depending upon the pitcher), that this “hinge” is observed. The upper body is literally static, yet the lower half has engaged in a violent movement toward the target. The reason I say we are literally describing a moment in time is because you must next also describe what happens after the “hinge” is observed. The upper half “flips over,” “snaps,” “whips,” or “unwinds” “over” (or, in the case of a low three quarters to side arm pitcher, “unwinds around”) that fulcrum point (the waistline above the pelvis). This is where the most “violence” or “active acceleration of the upper half” occurs. This action only further accentuates the “hinge” between the lower and upper halves occurring at the waist (the fulcrum point). This “fulcrum” point, by the way, is solidly established at that moment in time because the front foot is, by then, firmly planting itself or planted (hopefully directly) on the target line (albeit with some flexion in the front knee), and with the front toe pointing (hopefully directly) at the target. As a separate matter, that could take up an entire video, I use a discussion about angles for this concept of establishing a target line, and I ask pitchers to be very precise in their intent, since the difference in the angle of the foot plant between throwing inside and outside is very small at the mound - but it exists). I ask the pitchers to draw a line from the inside of their back arch to the location of their target. Then, the outside of their front heel, their front pocket, and their front arm, shoulder, elbow, glove (as the case may be) all travel to the target along this line throughout what you describe as the drift and drive phases. Finally, you refer to “tempo” or, “speeding things up” a bit in this video. I like to teach tempo beginning with the initial leg kick or other movement that starts off a pitcher’s delivery. Tempo changes (throughout the given range of motion - not truncated or abbreviated) will equate to increased (or decreased) tempo throughout the delivery. I typically do this from the stretch in front of the mound and use cues to begin and force the actions that set tempo for the pitching delivery. For example, I literally say “pick it up and put it down” quickly to force the pitcher to initiate his delivery and place his foot back to ground. In this, I am not looking for anything else but speed and efficiency of kinetic movement. In this one action, I find that many times the little things have a way of working themselves out with some pitchers. This is effective for smoothing out the deliveries of pitchers who are “too mechanical” or “thinking too much.” But it is also great for getting more drive, and a more differentiation between the lower and upper halves because things get faster. Think more “hinge” is created if you will, but is it is really more “whip” because we are encouraging them to put move linear drive in a shorter period of time into the delivery. Finally, this drill is effective in teaching pitchers who are slow to the plate with men on base, to maintain velocity without having to slide step or short step to the plate. Hope this helps.

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