Signs You’re Tensing Up When Pitching

1. You’re Absolutely Smoked After Every Start or Training Session

Pitchers who tense up often feel extreme soreness and fatigue after throwing. If you track your arm health pre- and post-game, you may notice a significant drop in retained strength. This happens because your lower half isn’t contributing effectively, forcing your arm and upper body to overcompensate.

2. You Struggle with High-Intent Throwing

If you have difficulty executing high-intent throws—like turn-and-burns or pulldowns—it’s likely due to inefficient energy transfer. When your arm engages too early in the movement, it prevents your lower half from doing its job, capping your velocity potential.

3. First Inning Hero, Second Inning Zero

Do you hit your peak velocity in the first inning but struggle to maintain it? Tensing up fatigues your arm quickly, making it impossible to sustain high-level performance. By mid-game, your body can’t keep up with the force demands of the throw.

4. You Rely on Adrenaline for Velocity

Some pitchers perform much better in games than in bullpens because they rely on adrenaline. However, an efficient throw should be smooth and rhythmic, not dependent on adrenaline surges. If your bullpen velocity is significantly lower than your game velocity, tensing up could be the culprit.

5. Your 75% Feels the Same as Your 100%

If you can’t distinguish the difference in effort between 75% and 100%, you’re likely muscling the ball. This lack of control means your arm is overworked and inefficient, limiting your ability to reach peak velocity effortlessly.

How to Stop Tensing Up and Start Throwing Smoothly

The first step to solving any problem is recognizing it exists. Once you’ve identified that tension is holding you back, here’s a four-step plan to fix it:

1. Recognize the issue. Identify when and why you tense up.
2. Create a plan to change. Implement drills that improve smooth, rhythmic movement.
3. Measure progress. Track changes in fatigue, velocity, and consistency.
4. Adjust accordingly. Adapt your plan based on results.

At VeloU, we use our FLOW Series to help athletes eliminate tension and improve their mechanics. These drills train the brain-body connection for smooth movement, gradually adjusting speed and constraints until your 100% effort throw feels as effortless as an 80% throw—but with vastly higher velocity.

Want to See the FLOW Series in Action?

🔹 Check out our athletes using these drills on Instagram: @velouniversity
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