Fascia The X Factor To Increase Pitching Velocity

Fascial slings are made up of chains of fascia that stretch throughout the whole body and influence movement. They have recently received a lot of attention in anatomy, biomechanics, and sports science. It is hypothesized that these complex networks of connective tissue assist in transferring energy through the kinetic chain, enhance pitching velocity and reduce the risk of injury. Pitching is an extremely dynamic and elastic movement skill that depends on the coordinated work of the kinetic chain to translate energy from the body into pitching velocity. The fact that fascia potentially helps connect and coordinate these muscle groups makes a strong case for their possible effect on pitching velocity. Pitchers may be able to unlock an elusive X-factor that increases their velocity by training and utilizing the elastic properties of these fascial links.

What Is Fascia?

Whole books have been written on this topic and if you’re interested in some of the deeper science behind fascia, I’d encourage you to read Thomas Myers book "Anatomy Trains" and Bill Parisi’s book "Fascia Training: A Whole-System Approach" (2, 3). Fascia is a complex network of connective tissue that covers the entire body. It encompasses and connects the various body parts. This is achieved by creating a web-like framework that the body uses for support, force transfer, and movement coordination amongst various body components. For many years, we have focused primarily on the muscles for their ability to move the body and produce force, but have given little recognition to the connective tissue (fascia). However, recent research into fascia has drastically increased and is beginning to shed light on fascia’s role in movement, force production, injury prevention and performance enhancement. Keep in mind that this is a growing science and more research needs to be done.

In real bodies, muscles hardly ever transmit their full force directly via tendons into the skeleton, as is usually suggested by our textbook drawings. They rather distribute a large portion of their contractile or tensional forces onto fascial sheets. These sheets transmit these forces to synergistic as well as antagonistic muscles. Thereby they stiffen not only the respective joint, but may even affect regions several joints further away. The simple questions from musculoskeletal textbooks regarding “which muscles” are participating in a particular movement thus become almost obsolete. Muscles are not functional units, no matter how common this misconception may be. Rather, most muscular movements are generated by many individual motor units, which are distributed over some portions of one muscle, plus other portions of other muscles. The tensional forces of these motor units are then transmitted to a complex network of fascial sheets, bags, and strings that convert them into the final body movement. (4)

Fascia, Elasticity & Pitching Velocity

We have long understood that pitchers utilize the stretch shortening cycle. Commonly referred to in the pitching delivery as hip to shoulder separation. This has long been primarily thought of as muscles stretching, but fascia has some exciting characteristics with elasticity and elastic recoil. Fascia’s ability to store and release kinetic energy is what pitchers should be very excited about. Fascia has a unique ability called elastic recoil that allows it to stretch and spring. Think of a slingshot using rubber bands to stretch and then fire a projectile. This is called “the catapult mechanism” and it has obvious applications for increasing pitching velocity! It is also very trainable.

It has been shown that fascial stiffness and elasticity play a significant role in many ballistic movements of the human body. First discovered by studies of the calf tissues of kangaroos, antelopes, and later by horses, modern ultrasound studies have revealed that fascial recoil plays in fact a similarly impressive role in many of our human movements. How far you can throw a stone, how high you can jump, how long you can run, depends not only on the contraction of your muscle fibers; it also depends to a large degree on how well the elastic recoil properties of your fascial network are supporting these movements. (4)

Timing & Sequencing

Scarborough, D. M., Bassett, A. J., Mayer, L. W., & Berkson, E. M. (2018). Kinematic sequence patterns in the overhead baseball pitch. Sports Biomechanics, 1–18. doi:10.1080/14763141.2018.1503321

Pitching is a complex athletic movement transferring energy from proximal to distal segments of the body. This requires proper timing and sequencing of the kinetic chain. Fascia has been linked to being an incredibly powerful communicator in the body. Working in conjunction with your central nervous system to coordinate motor control, kinematic sequencing and timing of movement. It is theorized that the fascia communicates with your body 3x faster than your central nervous system (8)! If true, this is a vital component of athletic training, increasing pitching velocity and reducing the risk of injury.

A baseball pitch is a highly coordinated whole-body activity requiring transfer of kinetic energy from the lower extremities up to the torso, and outward to the throwing hand. This sequential transfer of energy between body segments is referred to as the kinetic chain. The change in multiple sequential body segment position and velocity over time drives the kinetic chain and can be described as a kinematic sequence. (7)

Training & Application

Everything you do trains the fascia. From the moment we are born until we die, the stress and strain we place on our body is training our fascia. The good news is that fascia is highly trainable. The bad news is that research also indicates that it can take 6–24 months for a complete fascia overhaul. Fascia has a remarkable ability to remodel itself, but you have to incorporate specific training techniques to focus on improving athletic qualities. It is essential to remember that fascia research is ongoing and that the training of fascia is still being explored. In my opinion, fascia training is an outside-the-box look at how we currently train athletes to improve athletic performance. I personally see it as an add on to current training models and not a complete reinvention of the wheel. Although, my thoughts could change as more research comes out.

The basic takeaway I get from fascia training is everyone should be incorporating this into their training, but you may already be doing it without realizing it. Another takeaway for training baseball athletes is understanding the individualization of each athlete's training needs. For example, some athletes are faster than they are strong, and some are stronger than they are fast. Both athletes require a different training stimulus to create adaptation. In the same way, some athletes are great fascia movers and others are extremely tight and immobile. A player like Jacob Degrom comes to mind as a great fascia mover. He is very elastic and likely borders on hypermobility, which may be creating instability and leading to his injuries. On the other end of the spectrum, a very tight, hypomobile athlete will benefit from creating more range of motion and building more elastic quality in his tissue. Both athletes would benefit from fascial training, but different techniques would be utilized to cater to each individuals needs.

Here are some of the current techniques for fascia training to add to your pitching velocity training.

Mechanical stimulation & dynamic stretching techniques: Myofascial release (self massage), dynamic stretching (not static stretching)

Pulsing, oscillation, plyometric exercises: rhythmic jumps, med ball exercises, perturbation training

Whole body movement variability: use lighter loads with med balls, kettlebells, or aqua tanks through different planes of movement, challenge the whole body, and alternate the speed of the exercise.

Training for improved elasticity requires short, cyclic, quickly repeated motions, like bouncing, jumping rope, or running on the balls of your feet. - Tom Myers

Conclusion

Understanding fascia's role in pitching velocity may help expand our training options beyond traditional training techniques. Fascial training helps coordinate, transmit forces across the body, improve elasticity, sequencing and timing. It may unlock the X-factor in pitching velocity improvement. Pitchers and coaches can use fascial training by appreciating the body's interconnection and fascia's impact on movement patterns. Myofascial release, dynamic stretching, and whole body movement variabality exercises improve fascial viscosity, elasticity, and plasticity. As research continues to uncover fascia's function in pitching, taking advantage of its potential can help athletes maximize pitching velocity and reduce their risk of injury. Fascia may influence how pitchers train, perform, and improve velocity.

References

1) Schleip, Robert, and Divo Gitta Müller. "Training principles for fascial connective tissues: scientific foundation and suggested practical applications." Journal of bodywork and movement therapies 17.1 (2013): 103-115.

2. Parisi, B., & Allen, J. (2019, January 22). Fascia Training a Whole-System Approach.

3. Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. 3rd ed., Elsevier, 2014.

4. Findley, Thomas. (2012). Fascia science and clinical applications: a clinician/researcher's perspectives. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies. 16. 64-6. 10.1016/j.jbmt.2011.11.001.

5. Findley, Thomas, et al. "Fascia research–a narrative review." Journal of bodywork and movement therapies 16.1 (2012): 67-75.

6. Gonzalez, Carla Alessandra Avila, et al. "Frontiers in fascia research." Journal of bodywork and movement therapies 22.4 (2018): 873-880.

7. Scarborough, D. M., Bassett, A. J., Mayer, L. W., & Berkson, E. M. (2018). Kinematic sequence patterns in the overhead baseball pitch. Sports Biomechanics, 1–18. doi:10.1080/14763141.2018.1503321

8. Frederick, A., & Frederick, C. (2017, May 17). Stretch to Win-2nd Edition. Human Kinetics.