Posted by: Doug () on Wed Oct 1 16:10:08 2003

Bret,
> >
> > I would check out www.nationalpitching.com. It is a site that talks about five absolutes for biomechanic efficiency. It is by Tom House and Gary Heil, in conjunction with their disciples, Nolan Ryan and Mark Prior, among others. House provides a tool kit of non-teaches, or a series of if-thens that really simplify the mechanics. Enjoy this site, it is great.
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> I would again urge caution in buying in to too much of a cookie cutter/simple algorithm approach.
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> This is explained well in Nyman's open forums as well as in Ron Wolforth's newsletters.
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> For example,in a recent pitching central(Wolforth) newsletter,Brent Strom (primarily a House type) made the comment that kids are far better left alone to figure things out on their own as opposed to being exposed to the wrong ideas/methods/"cues"(limits motor learning).House has revised his ideas totally several times.At least he has apologized for those he limited prior to revision (Nolan Ryan's son for one).But who is to say that the "latest" version isn't limiting a kids' potential? Mills can't even admit his shortcomings/revisions.
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> Nyman invokes the 80-20 rule.Just about any instruction will get you 80 % there( to your genetic potential).Getting to 100 % requires great mechanics as well as lots of other attributes.What Strom is seeing is how a generation of American kids has fallen behind pitchers from other countries(Domincan Republic,etc.) who just throw all day for years.He notes that American pitchers have "lost their athleticism" largely because of the limiting effects of popular instructional methods(and lots of distractions competing for their time).There is also the trend in American society to want to be "risk free".Baseball is an inherently dangerous(at least to the arm of pitchers) game and the potentially overprotective approach of pitch counts(ASMI) or artificial mechanical assumptions(Mike Marshall)needs to be looked at objectively.I doubt things like this will get you something(approach 100% of potential) for nothing(no risk of injury).Making sense/being logical is no substitute for data about the effects of these approaches,and there isn't good data yet.If you don't throw enough and well,you will not be competitive at the highest levels.If your goals are lower than this,then most any path will get you there.
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> House is currently refining the posture/balance instruction in a way that makes little sense.The way he restricts posture will interfere with motor learning in some if not most.I would be interested in his other(latest version) essentials.They keep changing.A recent example is the realization that "rushing" is a sequencing problem (Nyman had been making this point for some time).Prior to this understanding,the "fix" for rushing was to slow everything down,even to the point of creating a static "balance point".This made perfect sense except for the lack of understanding what was "really" happening.Slowing it down had little to do with encouraging the right sequence,and the slow tempo to the point of a pausing ruins power development in most.Another study shows that kids actually try to do what they are told.This becomes a big problem when the poorly constructed "cue" violates the necessary reality.Motor learning suffers,and before you know it you have lost the window of opportunity(get too old to successfuly learn-this happens at about the age where you can no longer learn a foreign language with a "native" accent-maybe age 12,14 at the latest).
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> For now,you may be lucky enough to have a talented kid and an experienced coach you can trust who will get results and not have to worry/understand how(only get in trouble if you try to create a method for others to follow).Of the available how to teach info,Wolforth's is the only one that is near adequate,but it is also evolving.Using Nyman's ideas has made Ron's results even better.
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> Good luck,you are in a difficult spot,but at least you recognize this.

Tom, Did I not understand, or are you saying that hitters/pitchers can't successfully learn how to hit/pitch after the age of 12/14? If that is the case, what good are instructors to an 18 year old who has flaws in his delivery/swing?

Doug