Too Much Quad, Not Enough Glute: A Common Problem for Young Pitchers

The most common disconnect I see in young baseball pitchers is an inability to load the glute.

Many pitching coaches will refer to this as “an inability to use the lower half.”

Whether it be a lack of strength, a lack of mobility or kinesthetic awareness issues, failure to load the posterior chain can cause a number of disconnects in a pitcher’s deliver. It often directly leads to a “quad-dominant” delivery and causes the pitcher to get “over-rotational,” which can cause them to leave breaking balls hanging and place excess stress on the elbow and lower lumbar.

The biggest red flag we typically see indicating a “quad-dominant delivery” (as opposed to a glute-dominant delivery) is the back knee coming out over the back foot as the pitcher comes toward home plate. Take a look at this video for a more in-depth look at this video and some details on the issues a quad-dominant delivery can cause:

Photo Credit: Denis Poroy/Getty Images

READ MORE:

• 4 Things That Every Young Pitcher Should Address
• 10 Great Ways to Increase Your Pitching Velocity in the Weight Room
• 7 Steps to Mastering the Glute Ham Raise Exercise