In this week’s video, I explain in more detail the role of the core muscles in maintaining optimal posture throughout the windmill pitching delivery. I redefine what “the core” is and demonstrate why old fashioned exercises like sit ups and crunches are a BAD choice for softball pitchers. I also give you three pitching specific, KILLER core exercise progressions.
Read MoreWelcome back to my series on the pre-motion part of the windmill pitch! I’m explaining the most common problematic pre-motion issues I’ve seen among windmill pitchers, and how those issues can set the stage for a sub-optimal pitch before the bulk of the pitching motion has even begun. In my last post, I discussed the load and the problems that can arise if you’re doing a reverse load. In this post, we’ll be talking in depth about a tiny little 3-6 inch movement in your load foot that has the power to destroy one of the most important aspects of the pitch: the drive through. Unfortunately, this is an extremely common problem. Does it affect you?
Read MoreIn this video blog, Coach Phil will tell you what the throw zone, or runway is in windmill pitching, how to establish it, and why it’s so important to your delivery. Watch and learn!
Read MoreTHIS IS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Well, maybe this is just what I’ve been waiting to write. My three upcoming articles will identify how specific muscles and exercises can contribute to optimal pitching technique. For this series, I’m breaking down the windmill delivery into three general phases, for each of which strength training has different benefits: acceleration, transition, and deceleration. The first installment will review the critical mechanics of the acceleration phase.
Read MoreThe very first thing you do when you set out to throw a windmill pitch is the pre-motion. Some of you may call it the wind-up, but they’re the same thing. Your pre-motion has a simple and very specific job to do: it must get you relaxed, get you loaded, and get you ready to throw the next pitch as effectively as possible. There are a number of ways in which a poor pre-motion can really diminish the effectiveness of your pitches, and in this series of posts I’m going to show you the most common ones. Unlike some other mechanical issues a windmill pitcher might have, the pre-motion is relatively easy to change with a little concentration, so I really recommend that you follow along and try to adopt these suggestions. We’re going to start with the most important aspect of the pre-motion: the load. I bet you all think you’re loading, but I guarantee some of you are not.
Read MoreAre you vertically stacked when you pitch? In this video blog, Coach Phil explains the meaning of vertical stacking and demonstrates why it’s such an important part of windmill pitching mechanics (and hitting mechanics too!)
Read MoreThis post is somewhat in keeping with my post from last week, which explained how to be smarter about what you take from watching NCAA softball games on TV. The example I’m about to give, however, is much more specific. Actually, it’s been a pet peeve of mine for quite some time, and I’ve been looking forward to writing about it for months. There is an iconic image of a pitcher that many of you may have seen. Many of you may even see it regularly. And frankly… well, it’s awful.
Read MoreWelcome! My name is Joe Bonyai, strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Fastpitch Power. I promise you will not find a better source of evidence-based skill, strength training, and injury prevention strategies for softball players than here on FastpitchPower.com. The initial posts on FP.com are a critical introduction to our language. It seems that too often, a language-barrier exists between coaches, trainers, and parents that ultimately only hurts the people we want to help the most: the athletes.
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