3-DIMENSIONAL KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF BASEBALL PITCHING IN ACCELERATIONPHASE

To examine the relationships of pitching performance to maximum extern al rotation of the shoulder and to time in the acceleration phase, 3 m ale baseball pitchers were tested using three-dimensional cinematograp hy. Analysis indicated that increasing maximum external rotation of th e shoulder at the very beginning of the acceleration phase would help to generate a higher pitching ball velocity since a greater linear and angular displacement could be used to accelerate the throwing forearm . Slowing the wrist action just before ball-release may be a key techn ique to increasing pitching velocity of the ball.