Complete Pitching Clinics
Pitching 101

THE BASIC SKILL OF THE PITCHING MOTION

I thought I would start off my first newsletter with some thoughts on the pitching motion itself. Then I've added some beginning drills with some examples of how I teach the basic skill of pitching to an absolute beginner. These same drills would benefit an advanced pitcher that has strayed from sound fundamental mechanics as well. I hope this is helpful to all of you parents and coaches in the outlying areas that don't have the luxury of a pitching coach near by like many of us enjoy.

In my beginning clinics first I employ drills that help what I conceder the most important part of the motion, the natural whipping action of the arm.  The whipping action of the arm, just prior to the release, is responsible for no less than 20% of the speed production.

These first beginning drills are used not only to improve the flexibility in the arm but to also keep the body stable. These other key elements of the pitching motion; the upright alignment of the body providing a stable platform for the arm when the stride foot lands, or the open position at release, are a key element in allowing the whipping action to best take place, and without it speed is drastically diminished.

The new or even advanced pitchers become familiar about what isolated parts of the pitching motion feels like without the pressure of having to perform as they would at a faster pace. The stable platform the body provides helps transfer the force of the resistance to momentum the legs produce and transfers that impact to amplify the action of the arm.

Sometimes it's hard for a young aggressive, go for the gusto, go getter type pitcher because most times they don't take the time to learn, they are too busy pitching. They are in such a hurry to be successful they don't take the time to develop coordination in the many different parts of the pitching motion. So they develop habits that in time become permanent and extremely hard to break if not corrected. When trying to learn new mechanics in a pressure situation where they are performing instead of learning, old habits take over and they just do what ever there coordination using old muscle memory automatically does.

At a young age, if the pitcher is coordinated, big and strong, they can overpower most young batters even with bad mechanics. Their parents and the young pitchers see no reason to change because of their obvious success. However at the older ages and higher competitive levels the pitchers with sound pitching mechanics will overtake them. Developing sound mechanics or

changing incorrect mechanics sometimes is a slow process but the long term the rewards are greater and well worth the effort.

A dilemma for a beginning pitcher and their parents are in being able to recognize what the good mechanics are. With so many different ideas on what is important from so many different pitching coaches out there a young pitcher and their parent are easily confused. My advice regarding this is to do your homework. Get videos of our finest pitchers, not just the top pitchers in your area. Are our finest pitchers doing the things your pitching coach is saying? Do your homework and get readily available videos of out Olympic pitchers and slow down the motion to see exactly what they are doing. Especially at the point in the motion just before, and at the time they release the ball.

The biggest difference around the country is whether you use the hips as an active part of producing force to the pitch or not. I believe the legs are the power; others believe the hips provide the power. I believe the hips are use primarily to hook the legs to the torso and nothing more. Others believe they are actively used. Don't trust me, and don't trust the others. Do your homework.

In some areas, with no advanced pitchers to emulate, many young beginning fast pitch softball pitchers start off with a bowling motion. The bowling motion means that the pitching arm elbow is on the trailing side of the circle when the arm is coming down in the back, and it stays there while the ball is released.

The elbow of many bowling pitchers is locked. Their shoulders usually point toward first base and third base. Consequently, if they pitch with a full circle using the windmill style, the ball comes out of the circle at the same speed as their arm goes around in the circle since they don't have the advantage of the whipping action of the arm.

They also stand a good chance of damaging the rotator cuff when the arm goes over the top, if the arm stays in the line of force with the body in a closed position (facing home). Usually what happens when a bowling type pitcher is facing home is, as the arm goes over the top, the arm then goes away from the body, out of the line of force then extra energy has to be used to get the circle back in line with the vertical line of the plate. More energy has to be used to pitch less effectively.

Consequently, if the body is aligned so the natural whipping action occurs, the pitcher will be able to pitch more games, faster, with more pitches.

We do exercises #1 through #3 while keeping the body and feet motionless and balanced. The only thing moving is free flowing circle of the arm as it goes in a motion up through home and down through second while in an open position (facing third RHP).

EXERCISE #1

Begin WITHOUT A BALL and do not windmill. Extend both arms as high as possible, and without the elbows locked. A pitcher should develop a habit of using the glove arm. This action of the glove coming down will provide a little extra leverage. Using all the little pieces of leverage, each added together, will give a pitcher just that much more speed.

RELAX and let the arms fall of their own weight with the arms long without being locked. The forearms will stop when they hit the sides of the leg, a fraction of a second before the hands hit the sides of the legs. Do not let the arms go past the hips. Let them collide into the body and bounce. Don't force the arms down or make the arms drop slowly. If muscles are used to control the arm in any way, flexibility is lost. Continue this exercise and practice it until the student has a feeling of performing the exercise without effort.

Make sure the arm path is in the line of force from second to home. Sometimes the girls want the arms to drop out in front of them.

Make sure the arms are long without being locked. Sometimes a girl will bend at the elbow as the arms drop.

EXERCISE #2

The next thing is the most important speed generator, the whipping action of the arm. I drill them in a few progressive steps, looking for hints from the little aggressive buggers of them using any part of the muscles in the upper body to do anything else but just make the arm go around loosely. It is extremely important to notice this part of the progress because over using the big and strong back and shoulder muscles overpowers the quicker muscles in the lower arm.

We start by keeping the legs still and separated at a comfortable balanced position. Then I have the arm go around 5 times, keeping the upper body still (which starts the process of having a solid platform for the arm to catapult off of). I also look at the finish expecting a smooth and unforced follow through.

EXERCISE #3

Then after a time, they can use a ball in the same motion as in drill #2, releasing the ball smoothly and unforced, at a close distance. If you increase the distance, they will have to throw hard to make the distance, and they will start throwing with their old habits.

Most of the students I get, that are willing to give up their valuable play time, are the go getters with go getter parents. The biggest problems I have is them trying too hard and trying to guide the ball. Have them SLOW DOWN and let the arm move through the circle like it wants to without any aggressive influence. If you don't do anything as the arm travels through the circle, the arm and hand will be in the correct position.

Well worth repeating is the problem area. Overusing the back and shoulders. These are the strong and powerful muscles that will over power the quicker muscles in the lower arm. If the back and shoulder muscles are aggressively used, before the quicker muscles at the extremities of the arm are used, those quicker muscles are quiet. The leverage should be applied in sequential order, starting at the fingertips working its way up. If you use the shoulder or back muscles before you use the finger and wrist, it will cancel out the finger and wrist.

I have them release the ball on the 4th revolution go around again after the release for the 5th time to promote some resemblance of a relaxed and unforced follow through. Make sure they don't force the follow-through.

We do this drill decreasing the number of revolutions prior to release, and eventually eliminate the extra revolution after the release.

The problems I run into are:

Their aggression. Trying to throw too hard tightening up the muscles

Keep the distance close. Increasing the distance only makes them start throwing harder

The aggression of the parent indicating to the student to try harder.

Don't put any emphasis on being fast or accurate at the start. Speed automatically comes with correct mechanics. Accuracy comes with a coordinated and consistent motion that only can be developed in time. (Repetitions) (Practice)

The lack of the catcher catching the ball which makes them try harder to be accurate: In their attempt to be accurate, the forced motion of guiding the ball takes away from the free flowing, natural action of the arm.

Use a wall, have the pitcher close their eyes, or convince them that accuracy isn't important.

The lack of a parent's ability to catch the ball: Forcing the student to increase the distance, which makes them throw harder to make the distance.

Keep the distance at a close distance so the pitcher can relax through the motion. Get another catcher, or throw into a wall.

The absence of a parent or long term coach.
The parent learns about what to look for right along with the student.  I have never had a succesful pitcher without the ongoing support of a parent.  Even when the young pitcher stops listening to them.

EXERCISE #4

The arms follow the direction of the stride leg.

If the arms are back (like in a rocker motion) the stride leg is back.

When the arms go forward, the stride leg steps forward.

When the arms go up, the stride knee goes up.

When the arm comes down in the back, the stride leg comes down.

Relax and don't throw hard.

In the first beginning clinic the change up is introduced. Then somewhere in there, if the students are advanced enough, the rise is explained.

Then we come up with silly games, and drills to ease the boredom of practicing.

Well that's the long-winded short version of a two-day clinic. What we are trying to do is eliminate old habits by developing new ones. With any luck the new pitcher and parent will have the patients to take the time that is needed to learn a new habit. This new habit will in time, take their place of the old habit or tendency. Developing muscle memory, or an automatic coordinated movement, takes time. Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent. The practice of perfection makes perfect.

I think that every one with opinions on pitching has pet territories or theory's they tend to revolve around. The territories I think are the main contributors to speed and being able to throw a variety of pitches are the 3 S's. At and through the mystical release point a pitcher should stand up Straight, stay Sideways and have a Solid platform (against resistance) at the release.

At first, with any luck, the pitcher will be throwing easily so the resistance to momentum will come later when they move back and start throwing a little harder. I never ask them to throw harder until I feel there motion is consistent and effortless. What I have them do is move the step at a faster pace. The arm will have to go faster to keep up with the speed of the step, and if the motion stays intact speed is automatic.

With some coaches the hips are always mentioned. With others it's the wrist snap, stride length, trunk, etc.

Standing up straight allows the arm to come down to a position near the centerline of the body. This allows the arm and hand to be in a stronger position (in close and near the vertical centerline) to use strength to assist in the release. Up straight with the arm in close and lightly brushing facilitates a smoother and more natural whipping action of the arm, which in my opinion is the #1 producer of speed. Standing up straight allows the upper body to be and over the legs and in a line with momentum, so the entire body's forward movement can be blocked, when the legs resist that forward momentum. This crisp and sharp action of the leg sends a force from the legs, through the body to the arm coming down in the back. This impact amplifies the whipping action of the arm. (Land with the stride leg slightly bent and then aggressively extend the stride leg).

Being sideways before the arm goes over the top decreases the possibility of damage to the rotator cuff. Staying sideways until after the release allows the arm to pass smoothly by the front of the body. This will put the body in a position so the natural bow of most girls arm will miss colliding with the hip.

Staying sideways allows the arm to stay near the centerline of the body longer, as opposed to facing the batter where the arm goes away from the centerline immediately, even before the release.

Staying sideways puts the arm in a naturally stronger position to use strength (from pivot hip to stride hip) to assist in the release.

Staying sideways allows the hand and arm to be in a position to throw the rise.

Having a solid platform is nothing more than having good resistance, or good blocking to momentum. The only instance where it would be beneficial to teach a less aggressive stride is where the pitcher is rather large and heavy. They may or may not lack the coordination to drive aggressively off of the mound.

Resistance to momentum is one of the important pieces that effect the amplification of the action of the arm. The more momentum a pitcher has, the more resistance to that momentum. However really getting out there takes a lot of athleticism and coordination and the step needs to be quick. I would rather have a shorter quick stride than a long slow stride.

Not everyone will be under control going out further so many quit pressing and stay within a more comfortable stride. They need to expand their comfort zone with an aggressive stride after the other elements are in place.

The leverage travels from the foot up the leg and through the trunk. This catapults the arm up to and through the release. Then at the release, the leverage is applied in sequential order by the fingers then the wrist then the forearm, biceps, shoulder, and back to the trunk.

You have 3 different elements involved at the release. Consequently the better the athlete the more capable they are to pull it off.

1. The legs are strong and powerful, and they are performing a very aggressive action by stopping the momentum they just created.
2. The upper body is stable, and solid, transferring the impact of stopping to the shoulder.
3. The arm is loose and flexible and the only muscles used are to make it go around. After a pitcher becomes proficient, muscles are used assisting in adding leverage to the release.

There in lies the problem with a newcomer. If you are using the legs aggressively everything wants to be aggressive. It takes a lot of coordination to be loose, stable, and aggressive all at the same time.

I like the arm to roll or brush the body as the arm goes across the front decelerating the upper arm and accelerating the lower arm even more. This brushing is also a timing mechanism helping accuracy. It sets up a rhythm with the step and release. First the landing, then comes the light brushing (or rolling by) the front, then the release. Subconsciously being in tune with rhythm helps know when to release the ball.