Can't Throw a Strike? Try This.

If you're wondering why so many batters are charging the mound on your pitchers, a bad arm circle is likely the culprit. If your pitcher keeps accidentally pitching inside and hitting players, you need to read this.

Poor accuracy most commonly comes from an arm circle that is off-line and varies every time.  To be a consistent pitcher, mechanics must be exactly the same pitch after pitch.  Accomplish this by building a simple easily-repeatable motion (come to lessons) and then try to duplicate it outside of games (practice) about a million times. The more times your pitcher duplicates a perfect arm circle, the more she can repeat it under pressure. The same goes for an imperfect circle.

Below is what a good arm circle looks like.  This is Rachel Eiden, a pitcher at Lane Tech in Chicago.

Below is Rachel in 2016 with an arm circle that went way behind her back. “Behind Your Back” is a term we use when the catcher cannot see the ball at the 9’oclock position because the pitcher’s body is in the way. Instead, a pitcher needs to keep the ball visible to the catcher at all times.

Above you’ll see the ball disappear for a very long time until it reappears and flies way inside.  Pitchers have this tendency because 1) girls are flexible, and 2) the arms naturally rests at the hip, not in front of it.  Going behind the back decreases velocity because pitchers must take time to correct the mistake. When releasing such a pitch, it adds pressure on the shoulder (labrum & scapula) at the release because pitchers must avoid hitting their hip. In navigating around the hip girls commonly follow through with a "chicken wing" where the elbow flies out towards third base.

The improvement here takes daily work and purposeful practice. Pitching 40 pitches in five minutes to a target "somewhere over there" with no intention is going to get girls nowhere fast.

Here are two great drills to improve the arm circle.

Pitching Into A Mirror

This is the drill that will get pitchers the best results. In this video we don’t have a mirror, but we are using our reflection in a window at night. Stand in front of a full-length mirror and pitch into it at full-speed.  Make sure the pitcher can see the ball the entire pitch. If she isn't sure if she saw the ball, it's incorrect. Players usually correct themselves after 5 - 10 pitches. After the correction is made, throw 20 perfect pitches to build neural pathways.  Try and look like Rachel in the first video.

Other variations include using a foam ball or socks rolled up into a ball and actually pitching them into a mirror. You can also place a net in front of a mirror and pitch a real ball into the net. At pitching school I stand next to the players and encourage them to copy what I look like.

The video above is great because it shows common mistakes the girls have and how quickly they can correct them. Athletes need to know what they are supposed to look like before they can correct their errors.

Arm Circles Against The Wall

Have your pitcher stand with her body perpendicular to a matted wall about one inch away. Slowly perform a fake pitch while keeping the ball touching the wall. This will help her feel what it's like to have a perfect circle. Below is a video with in which I am teaching Katie how to execute this drill properly. It's a great video because I correct common mistakes. Coaches and parents can help correct them, too.  With arm circles against a wall a girl can feel where her arm is supposed to be in relation to her torso and feet. The torso and feet move in different directions while the ball stays on the same plane, hence it feeling a bit unnatural. Now you know why having a great arm circle isn't easy!!!

Great corrections, Kate! I know that was a lot of talking!

Be careful not to allow your pitchers to over-rotate their torso. Most do not need to turn their body a full 90 degrees open to accomplish a good arm circle. They only need to “open” enough to get their arm circle online and their hips to produce torque. Young pitchers are very flexible (sometimes too flexible) and their arm naturally wants to create the incorrect circle.

Players from ages 7 through 100 must constantly check and double check their arm circles. These drills are not confined to young players who are just learning for the first time. 

Good luck!