I was at a clinic recently and was shown "the proper way" to throw a baseball. When reaching back with the ball in your bare hand I was shown to turn the ball away from your target at full extension prior to comming forward. See photo 3 in the diagram http://www.qcbaseball.com/skills/pc_throwing2.aspx

This is news to me as I have ALWAYS just came straight back, up and forward (by skipping diagram 3)

Does this extra step add velocity to your throws? anything else?

Thanks.

I learned thumbs down and palm back as shown. I also prefer the elbows to be shoulder height (equal and opposite), not exactly as shown.

Does it add velocity? I'm not an expert on that but I would think so.

Throwing by bringing the hand back with the palm facing the throwing target is known as a "pie thrower", not good throwing form and should be corrected.

Often some positions do not reach all the way back, such as a catcher, but the thumbs go down and palm back.