When your child takes the mound, you’re probably watching the scoreboard, the batter, following the pitch count or, heck, maybe even capturing a photo. But what if you started watching their windup instead?
While none of us – athletic trainers or parents included – consider ourselves pitching experts (and that’s okay), you don’t need a professional pitching coach to recognize when something looks off. In fact, understanding just a few key elements of the pitching motion can go a long way in keeping your child’s arm healthy.
Why Mechanics Matter
We’ve said it before and we’ll continue to repeat that the act of pitching is one of the fastest and most violent/complex movements in all of sports. It requires the body to work as a synchronized system (Kinetic Chain concept)—from the legs driving off the rubber, to the hips rotating, to the arm accelerating and decelerating through the throw. When even one part of this system is out of sync, stress gets shifted to the wrong places and most often lands within the shoulder or elbow.
The Role of the Athletic Trainer
This is where Athletic Trainers come in. Athletic trainers are trained in both biomechanical observation and clinical evaluation. We can spot subtle breakdowns in movement patterns that could lead to injury, and we want to empower you, the parent, to begin to do the same. If we cannot help ourselves, we’re the ones that can get you under the direction of someone that can help your child.
We want parents to understand that they’re not alone in trying to protect their child’s arm. Your observations—combined with clinical expertise—make a powerful team.
Let’s start with a quick breakdown of the pitching motion so you can better understand what to look for.
Understanding the Windup and Delivery
The pitching motion can be broken into five main phases, each of which plays an important role in how safely and efficiently a pitcher throws:
1. Windup
This is where it all begins. The pitcher starts from a set stance, lifts their lead leg, and coils their body in preparation for forward movement. The windup positions the body to optimally generate the forces and power necessary to reach peak throwing velocity. This is where the kinetic chain becomes the key to everything from a performance and injury prevention standpoint. More on the kinetic chain later!
- Purpose: Generate rhythm, momentum, and balance.
- Key Features: Controlled leg lift, stable posture, good tempo.
2. Stride (Early Cocking Phase)
This is the transition from coiled energy into forward movement. The front leg strides toward the plate, while the throwing arm starts to move into position. The lead leg must land at home plate or slightly “closed” (i.e. towards third base for a right handed pitcher or first base for a left handed pitcher).
- Purpose: Build velocity and direction toward home plate.
- Key Features: Hips rotate, arm begins to rise, lead foot lands pointing toward the target.
3. Arm Cocking
Once the stride foot hits the ground, the throwing arm should be in a “loaded” position—elbow up, shoulder level, forearm vertical or slightly behind. It is at the near end of this phase that maximum valgus torque is placed on the elbow and the muscles around that elbow must generate a counter varus torque. We’ll get into valgus and varus later but it’s very important to understand this key element/concept!
- Purpose: Prepare the arm for explosive acceleration.
- Key Features: Strong shoulder positioning, body begins rotation.
4. Acceleration
This is the fastest part of the delivery. The body rotates, the arm whips forward, and the ball is released.
- Purpose: Generate maximum velocity and accuracy.
- Key Features: High-speed movement, transfer of energy from lower body through the trunk to the arm.
5. Deceleration & Follow-Through Phases
After the ball leaves the hand, the pitcher’s arm and body continue moving forward to dissipate energy and the athlete has entered a fielding position. The Deceleration Phase is the most violent phase of throwing. For us, we emphasize the wind-up phase to really set the table for your body to efficiently manage the deceleration phase.
- Purpose: Protect the arm by slowing down safely.
- Key Features: Smooth finish, full-body control, balanced landing and ready in fielding position.
What Should You Be Watching For?
Once you’re familiar with the pitching phases, you’ll be surprised how much you can notice just by watching with intention. Here are a few simple cues that can indicate poor mechanics or increased injury risk. Remember, you don’t need a biomechanics degree to start spotting these:
⚠️ Balance and Posture During the Windup
- Does your child maintain a strong, upright posture throughout the windup?
- Do they have poor balance or wobbling during the leg lift?
- Are they rushing through the motion without control or collapsing their back side early?
- A loss of balance early on can throw the rest of the delivery out of sequence.
⚠️ During the Stride/Arm Position at Foot Strike
- Does the front foot land open (pointing toward 1st or 3rd base)?
- When the front foot lands, the throwing arm should be up in a strong “L” shape (elbow at shoulder height or slightly above).
- If the throwing arm is still low or lagging behind as the foot hits—that’s a red flag. This is called “late arm action” and can lead to shoulder or elbow stress.
- Is there excessive trunk lean or twisting?
⚠️ During Arm Cocking and Acceleration
- Elbow drops below shoulder height at ball release
- “Inverted W” position (both elbows high behind the body)
- Obvious strain or grimacing during throw. Non-verbal cues can speak volumes. If your child frequently grabs their elbow, rubs their shoulder, or shakes out their hand, don’t ignore it!
⚠️ During the Follow-Through
- Do they finish with control or are they falling off the mound dramatically to one side?
- Is there a wild or inconsistent finish or lack of balance? This can be a sign of poor energy transfer and a potential overuse compensation.
⚠️ Other Signs to Watch
- Drop in velocity or control. A pitcher who suddenly can’t find the strike zone or seems to have lost some “zip” on the ball may be compensating for discomfort or fatigue.
- Complaints of soreness that lasts more than 24 hours
- Avoiding warm-up or post-throwing routines
It’s Okay to Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to bring up your observations and/or concerns to the coach or consult an athletic trainer. You are your child’s biggest advocate—and often, the first one who knows when something “just doesn’t look right.”
Athletic trainers don’t just treat injuries—we help prevent them through proper movement analysis, strength programming, and education. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Final Thoughts: Watch the Pitcher, Not Just the Pitch
Youth pitchers don’t need to be ready for the big leagues. What they need is to develop strong, safe habits early on—and that starts with education and observation.
Our advice? Watch more than just the pitch count. Watch the pitcher—how they move, how they recover, and how they look while doing it. And if something doesn’t feel right to you, don’t wait to get it checked out.
We, at Country House Athletics LLC, are here to help—not just when there’s an injury, but to prevent one in the first place.
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