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Technical Details

  • Variable Type: Discrete Metric
  • Data Type: Boolean
  • Units: True/False
  • Column Name: closing_front_or_back
  • Measurement: Side-to-side trunk angle relative to pelvis
  • Threshold: Deviation > 20° from vertical between max knee raise and foot contact

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Description

Closing front/back is a binary indicator that flags excessive trunk tilt during the stride phase of the pitch. It occurs when the pitcher’s side-to-side trunk angle relative to pelvis deviates more than 20 degrees from vertical between max knee raise and foot contact events. Closing the front or back is an indicator of off axis alignment between the pelvis and trunk segments.

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Use Cases

  • Posture evaluation

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Corrective Drills

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1. Dowel Rod Lateral Tilt Check

Place a dowel rod across the shoulders (behind the neck, resting on both shoulders). Perform the stride phase in slow motion and monitor whether the rod stays level or tilts more than slightly. A coach or video from the front can confirm if excessive side-to-side tilt occurs. Perform 15–20 slow-motion reps, correcting tilt each time. Search YouTube: baseball pitching dowel rod shoulder level tilt drill

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2. Hip-Shoulder Stack Drill

Stand in front of a mirror and perform the stride with a focus on keeping the trunk stacked directly over the pelvis in the lateral plane. Cue “nose over belly button” or “keep the shoulders level” to prevent the trunk from dipping toward the front or back. Practice 20 reps at walk-through speed before moving to full-effort throwing. Search YouTube: baseball pitching hip shoulder posture alignment drill trunk tilt

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3. Resistance Band Posture Drill

Anchor a light band at hip height to one side. Perform the stride and delivery while the band provides a lateral pull — this forces the pitcher to actively stabilize the trunk in the frontal plane against the resistance, building the core strength needed to prevent excessive tilt. Perform 3 sets of 8–10 reps on each side. Search YouTube: baseball pitching resistance band core stability trunk posture drill