Pitching Drills

For Increasing upper, trunk, lower extremity power:

For Upper Extremity: with resistance tubing harness.
1. Apply resistance harness around the athlete's waste.
2. Apply other end of harness to athlete's wrist on the throwing arm.
3. Have athlete perform full arm circle pitching drills with this resistance tubing harness.

   This drill will increase arm strength and velocity by always being challenged from the resistance tubing throughout the entire pitching motion. Muscles will respond to the demands that are placed on them and allow the motion to become stronger and faster and be able to handle pitches that require a lot of velocity in order to move in the strike zone. Resistance tubing could changed to a higher resistance tension when the athlete is able to progress. This will also teach the athlete to control arm speed and and keep the arm stable throughout the pitching motion against different types of resistance. This will also result in a stronger deceleration phase to increase wrist snap speed and release the ball. Even as the athlete progresses, the athlete will be able to handle the resistance placed on it and still control where the ball is being released.

For trunk: With resistance tube harness.
1. Harness is placed around the athletes waste.
2. Coach is standing behind athlete holding the other end of the harness.
3. As the athlete performs leg drive/hip close down drills, or full pitching, the coach pulls on the harness as the athlete tried to hold against the front landing foot.

    A lot of times, a pitcher will have mechanical problems because of the inability to stay against that front foot. The resistance tube harness pulls them back as they try to move forward. This will increase landing strength, hip strength and, stand against strength to improve placement of the ball and control of velocity, and also help prevent injury to the lower back due to leaning over the landing foot. Resistance band could be increased if the athlete really has trouble staying against that front foot.

For lower extremity: with resistance tubing/bands
1. Apply resistance tubing around both ankles.
2. Athlete performs leg drive drills or full pitching with resistance bands around ankles.


   This drill results in the athlete increasing leg drive strength and distance using the same principles as the above drills. This drill increases abductor and adductor muscle strength while also increasing hip close down speed and strength which is crucial in the lower extremity part of the pitching motion. Without the transfer of power from the lower extremity, the upper extremity loses a lot of power. The basis of pitching is made from the ground up- lower extremity to upper extremity. This resistance training will help enhance pitching motion power and velocity.

Hitting Drill

For Hand-Eye Coordination-

1. Coach/teammate lobs two or three different colored wiffle balls.

2. Athlete prepares to hit the ball.

3. Coach yells out which color ball to hit.

4. Athlete quickly reacts and hits that color ball.

  This drill allows the athlete to learn new motor patterns in the brain to

allow faster reacting time when the ball is thrown. You can increase the 

speed and distance of the ball thrown to have the athlete react faster.

The athlete will learn to time the ball when it is thrown and react to which

ball is to be hit. This will increase the athlete's ability to also control which 

direction the ball is being hit. The amount of swings taken during this drill

also allow muscle memory to take over when swinging the bat, this way,

when the ball is thrown most of the work is being put into timing and hand-

eye coordination rather than mechanics. 

Bunting Drill

For bunt control:

1. Coach or teammate lobs a softball.
2. Athlete prepares to bunt the ball as it approaches.
3. Coach or teammate calls out which direction to bunt the ball (down 1st, 3rd baselines, or up the middle)
4. Athlete reacts and make the proper adjustments to the bunting position.
5. Athlete bunts the ball in the called out direction.

    This drill can be done at greater distances and greater speeds to increase reaction timing and control. This drill can also be a "rapid fire" type drill so athlete bunts and reacts as a cycle. This drill will help with hand-eye coordination and control over where you want to bunt the ball according to different speeds, distances, and when the direction is being called out. The athlete will create new motor patterns to react quickly and gain control over the direction in which the ball is being bunted more efficiently.

Pitching

Pitching

- For Right Handed Pitching -

-Start in your stance.

-Present the ball by swinging both arms forward.

-Swing arms back, the left arm stops at the hip and the right arm swings back farther to prepare for the windmill.

-At this point, arms and legs are working simultaneously.

    -Swing arms forward, left arm pointing at the target and right arm swinging into the windmill motion.

    -Push off the mound rubber with your right leg and drive the left leg out as far as you can without picking up the       right leg.

-When windmill is completed,

    -Land and stand against left leg to cease motion and allow speed of release.

    -Snap the wrist to release the ball and follow through bringing the arm forward and up.

-After pitch is release take the fielding position.

Pitching Stance Phase

Stance Phase

Right and Left Shoulder Girdle:

- Neutral

Right and Left Shoulder Joint:

- Neutral

Right and Left Elbow Joint:

- Neutral

Right and Left Wrist Joint:

- Neutral

RIght and Left Hand Joints:

-Neutral

Pitching Prep Phase

Prep Phase

Right Shoulder Girdle:

-Concentric Downward Rotation/Depression

-Pectoralis Minor, Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids

Left Shoulder Girdle:

-Concentric Downward Rotation/Depression

-Pectoralis Minor, Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids

Right Shoulder Joint:

-Concentric Extension

-Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Lower Pectoralis Major, Posterior Deltoid

Left Shoulder Joint:

-Concentric Extension

-Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Lower Pectoralis Major, Posterior Deltoid

Right Elbow Joint:

-Concentric Flexion

    -Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

-Concentric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

-Concentric Pronation

    -Pronator Teres, Pronator Quadratus, Brachioradialis

-Concentric Supination

    -Supinator, Biceps Brachii

Left Elbow Joint:

-Concentric Flexion

    -Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

-Concentric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

-Concentric Pronation

    -Pronator Teres, Pronator Quadratus, Brachioradialis

-Concentric Supination

    -Supinator, Biceps Brachii

Right Wrist Joint:

-Isometric Neutral

    -Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis, Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus

Left Wrist Joint:

-Isometric Neutral

    -Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis, Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus

Right Hand Joint:

-Isometric Flexion

    -Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundus, Flexor Pollicis Longus

Left Hand Joint:

-Isometric Flexion

    -Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundus, Flexor Pollicis Longus

Pitching Movement Phase

Movement Phase

Right Shoulder Girdle:  Circumduction Windmill Motion

-Eccentric Downward Rotation/Depression

    -Pectoralis Minor, Lower Trapezius

-Concentric Protraction

    -Serratus Anterior, Pectoralis Minor

-Concentric Upward Rotation/Elevation

    -Levator Scapulae, Serratus Anterior, Upper and Middle Trapezius, Rhomboids

-Concentric Retraction

    -Middle and Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids

-Eccentric Downward Rotation/Depression

    -Pectoralis Minor, Lower Trapezius

-Release

Left Shoulder Girdle:

-Concentric Elevation/Upward Rotation

    -Levator Scapulae, Serratus Anterior, Upper and Middle Trapezius, Rhomboids

Right Shoulder Joint: Circumduction Windmill Motion

-Eccentric Extension

    -Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Lower Pectoralis Major, Posterior Deltoid

-Concentric Internal Rotation

    -Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Pectoralis Major, Subscapularis

-Concentric Flexion

    -Anterior Deltoid, Upper Pectoralis Major

-Concentric External Rotation

    -Infraspinatus, Teres Minor

-Eccentric Extension

    -Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major, Lower Pectoralis Major, Posterior Deltoid

-Release

Left Shoulder Joint:

-Concentric Flexion

    -Anterior Deltoid, Upper Pectoralis Major

Right Elbow Joint:

-Concentric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

-Eccentric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

Left Elbow Joint:

-Concentric Flexion

    -Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

-Eccentric Flexion

    -Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis

-Concentric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

-Isometric Extension

    -Triceps Brachii, Anconeus

Right Wrist Joint:

-Isometric Neutral

    -Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis, Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus

-Concentric Flexion

    -Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris

Left Wrist Joint:

-Isometric Neutral

    -Flexor Carpi Radialis, Palmaris Longus, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis, Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus

Right Hand Joint:

-Isometric Flexion

    -Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundus, Flexor Pollicis Longus

Left Hand Joint:

-Isometric Flexion

    -Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Flexor Digitorum Profundus, Flexor Pollicis Longus