Pitching Basics
Correcting a “Swimming Glove” in Pitchers
Poor glove hand movement is a very common problem among windmill pitchers, especially young ones. It usually takes the form of the glove hand flying way out to the side, or “swimming,” instead of remaining on line with the catcher. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easier problems to address. All you need is a simple drill.
Read MoreSticking the Finish
In today’s video, I’m going to show you a great self-help tool that will enable you to diagnose your own pitching mechanics. NOTE: this method should be reserved for practice only. For safety reasons, in a game you must quickly prepare yourself to field your position after releasing the ball.
Read MorePre-Game Warmups for Pitchers, Part 2
A continuation of last week’s post discussing pitcher warmups. This week I’m sharing some examples! More in the video…
Read MorePre-Game Warmup for Pitchers, Part 1
When you’re warming up to pitch before a game, it’s very important to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically. Check out the video for more!
Read MoreCorrecting Excess Shoulder Lift While Pitching
Last week I got a great question in the comments of one of my posts. I replied to the comment, but since the question addressed a problem that is EXTREMELY common among pitchers—lifting the shoulder, or allowing the shoulder to engage and control the arm circle—I decided that it would be beneficial for everyone to see my answer.
Read MoreA Breakdown of Arm and Hand Position in the Windmill Pitch
I’ve received more than one question about what position a pitcher’s hand should be in at various points around the arm circle. Today I’m going to break that down, and also point out the overall arm position at various points in the motion as it relates to timing.
Read MoreUtilizing Ground Force in Pitching
Maximizing your push off the rubber is EXTREMELY important for generating speed. In today’s video, I explain why. For a more in-depth explanation of the physical principles behind windmill pitching, read Joe’s post about it here.
Read MoreHow to Practice Pitching Safely During Injury Recovery
One of the most difficult things about being injured for an athlete is the time spent inactive during recovery. While you definitely shouldn’t push yourself, there are some simple windmill pitching drills that are likely safe for you to do while you’re recovering. They’re not intense or complicated, but they can be enough to keep you sharp.Today’s video will take you through an easy routine. ALWAYS ask your doctor before proceeding to work out.
Read MoreTroubleshooting Common Pitch Location Problems
When you’re learning windmill pitching for the very first time, the ball is probably going to go everywhere… and that’s normal! Once you sort of get the hang of it, however, you may notice that when you miss your pitch location, it is often in the same spot, or the same two spots. I find myself constantly reminding my students WHY pitch after pitch lands inside, outside, high, or low; I tell them to memorize the reason so they can self-correct in games and practices. Whether you’re a parent trying to teach your daughter to pitch and you’re not quite sure how to troubleshoot location issues, or you’re a Fastpitch Power student already and you need a cheat sheet to help you remember, this post is for you!
Read MoreShould the Stride Foot Land on the Power Line?
The question of landing on the power line has come up a couple of times now among Fastpitch Power readers, so I want to share my response with all of you. Many people assume that to throw a strike as a windmill pitcher, you want to land on the power line—sounds right, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not quite right. Today we’ll discuss more specifically where you SHOULD be landing.
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