Mechanics Matter Most

I was inspired to write this post because lately I have been getting dozens of messages and emails from people I have never worked with and know nothing about, and they all asked the same exact question:

“Can you give me a drill or a pitching aid that will increase power and accuracy?”

To me, this question is similar to going into a dietitians office for the first time and asking “can you give me a magic pill to help me lose weight?” Unfortunately it doesn’t works that way.

Here’s the thing; power and command comes entirely from proper mechanics. If you are not performing the mechanics of the pitch correctly, you are likely going to continue to struggle with speed and accuracy. You can do as many power drills or use as many fancy pitching aids as you want, but if you’re still bending or rotating or pushing the ball instead of firing the ball, your speed and command are probably not going to improve.

Today we live in a world in which everyone wants a “quick fix.” It would be great if there was one drill that would fix all mechanical problems while also working on speed and command. There isn’t, and pitching is one of those things that has no quick fix. It can take months, even years to learn the optimal mechanics. This is why we start all new students, regardless of age, on the fundamental drills and really break things down from the beginning. Even if you come to us at 16 years of age and you have been pitching for 7 years, if you have mechanical problems, we are going to break everything down and build up new muscle memory so that you have the opportunity to learn the optimal mechanics and be the best pitcher you can be.

So when people I’ve never worked with before message me asking for a drill or a pitching aid to get more power, I can’t in good conscience tell them anything because I know it probably will not help. All I can do is explain to them that mechanics is what matters most when it comes to speed and command.

Now, I am not saying that power drills are not helpful. They are. Power drills are actually one of my favorite things to do with my students. However I do not introduce power drills to my pitchers until they have pretty much mastered the basic drills (forearm fire, end game, and reach, track, fire) and have the ability to maintain good body position and relaxedness throughout a full pitch. Once they have done this, we start focusing on power. Power drills are great for advanced students because they can definitely help build core and leg strength, and encourage pitchers to use their legs correctly when pushing off the rubber. These are all key components of getting more power. However, when power drills are done with girls who haven’t solidified the mechanics, they can actually do more harm than good.

Let’s take everyone’s favorite, the bucket drill for example. This is one of my favorite drills to do with my advanced girls because it takes them from a seated position straight into a the pitch. They have to work extra hard to get all the way tall and vertically stacked. They have to aggressively push off the ground but still maintain arm and drive through speed. Their glove work still has to be solid and they have to be able to stay tracked during the delivery. If the pitcher is still bending, leaning, or rotating while doing the basic drills, these issues are going to be even more severe during the bucket drill (or any power drill). At that point all they’re doing is reinforcing the wrong mechanics into the muscle memory and there is the potential for injury. Furthermore, being explosive off the rubber and gaining more power has a lot to do with using the correct muscles at the correct times. This can only be achieved when the pitcher is performing the mechanics correctly. When we see girls bending or leaning or rotating, they are not engaging the correct muscles, and no matter how many power drills they do, they will not be able to achieve maximum speed and command.

Then we get into pitching aids…things we have all started to see all over the internet and social media (I won’t name any specific brand names but I’m sure you know what they are). Things like spinners, arm accelerators, bands that go around your legs, little machines that push your foot off the rubber for you, and so many others. When people ask me if I can recommend a pitching aid, my response is always this: I don’t use any.

Why? Because none of them simulate real pitching. None of them duplicate what a real pitch actually feels like. It has been my experience that things like arm accelerators can actually make things worse because it encourages the pitcher to stiffen her arm and lift from her arm in order to try and stop. Things like spinners are not shaped like a real ball so they are not going to move the same way. As for bands around the legs…I believe time is better spent working with a trainer and getting strong in the pitching specific areas.

So what am I trying to say here? Mechanics are the #1 most important thing you need to focus on if you want to achieve maximum speed and accuracy. Sadly there is no quick fix when it comes to pitching and there is no drill or tool I can give you that will instantly make you throw harder and be able to put the ball wherever you want. It takes a long time to master pitching and the best way to do that is to get yourself with a really good, knowledgeable pitching coach who can break everything down and set you up with the optimal mechanics. Once you have a good grasp on those, you can come to me for as many power drills as you want! Until then, keep working hard, solidify those mechanics and the speed and command will come.