How to Master Power in 4 Simple Drills
/It’s the beginning of preseason, which means players are feeling pressure to increase speed to ensure successful outings in the spring. Coaches want players to hit spots, of course, but that doesn’t mean speed doesn’t wow them. What can pitchers do to avoid mistakes that cost miles per hour? What drills should she be repeating weekly? First, we’ll go through which mechanics are our goal. Then I’ll give your 4 of my favorites drills that reinforce those powerful movement patterns.
The picture on the left shows what a pitcher should look like as she pushes off of the mound. This is when her arms are at her furthest point towards the catcher in the motion. We at Practice Pro call this the “plug” position, as she appears to be a three-prong plug entering an outlet. I thank a specific creative 9-year-old for this term.
The picture on the right shows the main mistake most girls make when they are learning. She is turned “open.” or “sideways,” at the 3 o’clock portion of the motion, which reduces speed. The longer and further a player can drive her momentum towards the target, the more powerful she will be. Many players get into this bad position because it’s what they perceive is happening when watching other pitchers. Others were taught to “get open” by some coaches. While it’s true, it can be a misleading cue because a pitcher shouldn’t get open until her arm is around 12’oclock. Others get in this bad position because they don’t or can’t de-weight their body with their stride. De-weighting her body is an extremely athletic move and takes time to learn.
Once we get to toe-touch, a pitcher’s body position will tell you if she’ll be able deliver it fast with any movement. If she is in the optimal position (left), she’ll be as fast as her strength allows her. She’ll have many options for pitch selection. If she’s in a poor position (right) she’ll never reach her maximum speed for her strength or be able to throw a riseball and have trouble with the screwball and curveball.
At delivery, both have now turned open, but the player on the right is leaning forward, signified by her nose being closer to the catcher than her hip and knee.
The photo on the left shows what a pitcher should look like if she harnesses the power she just created to transfer it to the ball. Her nose is in line with her hip and behind her knee. This is usually referred to as the “stacked” position. At release her head, hip, ball and back knee are lined up, or “stacked” on top of each other.
When learning, most players look like this the pitcher on the right: she’s leaning forward and her back leg has not moved towards the target at release. When a pitcher looks like the is throwing “all arm”, this is what is happening mechanically.
What’s more powerful, jumping forward or jumping sideways? Forward! Just as a sprinter leaves the block, pitchers are sprinters leaving the mound. The fastest way to run to the finish line is forward, not sideways.
If a pitcher can put herself in a good position at 3 o’clock (top pictures), she sets herself up to succeed in the rest of the motion. If not, it can be very difficult or impossible to correct her mistakes mid-pitch.
In my experience, two of the most difficult pitching concepts to learn are 1) the pitcher must eventually open her torso to allow her hips to powerfully close at the end (don’t do it too soon or too late), and 2) she must reverse her posture in the middle of the motion. This is where the difficulty comes in!
Here are the 4 drills to get your motion started off on the right foot. No pun intended. Remember, the correct 3 o’clock “plug” body position is:
Both arms reached out in front of her evenly.
Belt buckle is facing home plate.
Knee is facing home plate.
Chest is facing home plate.
Has initiated triple extension, that is, extension of the hip, knee, and ankle simultaneously.
Torso is a few degrees forward, but no more.
De-weighted body (advanced - don’t start this before you understand resistance).
1. Frankenstein
Begin the drill in the position a pitcher is supposed to be in. She must kick her strike leg up and out in order to de-weight her body so that she can get her right heel over her toe. Players who are not good at jumping have trouble with this drill. Pitching is like jumping, not walking.
2. Power Pod Progression
Prop up your push leg so the weight is on your toe. Practice your heel going over your toe and your hips facing the catcher.
Example of incorrect body position and weight distribution when leaping off the mound.
4. Do arm circle breakdowns facing forward.
Practice arm circle breakdowns with the torso closed instead of open (we usually do open in class at the beginning). This helps pitchers understand what their body should feel like in relation to their arms.
Like anything, mastering the initial part of the motion, what I call “bounce” or “plug”, takes time, practice, and patience. Add these drills to your lifting routine and you’ll see your speed improve!
