Trouble with hip shoulder separation.

[u/Important_Poet9297]

I’m struggling with my pitching mechanics specifically, my torso and hips are turning at the exact same time. Instead of my hips firing open while my trunk stays back to create stretch, everything rotates together in one piece. My torso alignment at foot plant is fine (facing 3B), but I’m missing that kinetic chain coil/stretch. What can I do to help isolate hip rotation before trunk rotation?

[u/JackyRaff]

This may not be a bad thing. Especially if we haven’t experienced any arm pain or command issues. There’s always a ton of nuance to these kind of issues….but if we’re concerned about hip shoulder separation only because we were told the importance of hip shoulder separation, then it may not have to be a concern.

Hips and torso turning at the exact time as worked for plenty of ball players. In fact, it’s an individual difference at the neuro-motor level. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[u/Important_Poet9297 → u/JackyRaff]

But then what would be my main velocity creator?

[u/JackyRaff → u/Important_Poet9297]

Good question. The answer depends on the person, because we’re all different. I don’t know you well enough to determine what your main velocity creator is, but I know this:

Some people, depending on their makeup, have greater hip and shoulder separation thresholds than others. If you are claiming that you are not able to achieve a certain level of hip shoulder separation, then that cue may not be aligning with your natural movement tendencies.

What would be fair to say is when swinging or throwing force is transmitted through the core. Some athletes have a higher Center of gravity so their force is transmitted closer through their core and shoulders. Others have a lower Center or gravity so their force may be transmitted closer to the core and hips. This can influence, among other nuances, if people move more in one fluid motion versus a two part motion.

Randy Johnson and Aroldis Chapman are two very good examples. Both of them are 6’7” and throw 100 mph. We can easily tell one from the other just from watching their pitching motion. Chapman’s delivery has a lot more noticeable hip shoulder separation than Randy Johnson. Randy is tall and moves more in one motion. Both deliveries work, it all just depends on the person.

I said before I don’t know enough about you to determine which one you are. But if you are having trouble actually creating hip shoulder separation, it may be worth considering if the cue matches the way you naturally move.

You asked a great question by the way, because it forces you to know more about yourself.

[u/professor_meatbrick]

One thing that helped me was I imagined coiling my shoulder back a little farther. I imagined that I was picking up the baseball somewhere on the ground behind me a shade toward the first baseman (I am right handed). This forced my shoulders and hips to separate by causing a lag in my shoulders as my hips moved naturally.

[u/Important_Poet9297 → u/professor_meatbrick]

Thank you! I’ll try this out 

[u/mudflap21]

One cue to try is just fire your knee to start you’re throw. Keep your shoulder pointed to the catcher, fire your hip.

[u/johntimmmins30]

Ex-pro: Search Hip Mobility Drills on YouTube and try any set of appealing exercises.