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FOUR steps to Great
Pitching Mechanics
What is the key to have good pitching
mechanics?
4 Steps to Great Pitching
1. Windmill methods:
The pitcher's arm starts in front of her body, winds
back, completes a full circle, releases the ball at the
hip, and then follows through.The windmill is more than
just an arm motion, however; it requires a long stride
that utilizes the legs and torso to generate more power.
Both speed and the shift of weight play an important
part in executing the windmill effectively, so pitchers
should practice the motion to develop a comfortable
rhythm. Maximum velocity and accuracy will only occur
if all of the movements are in sync.
continue...
2. The Fundamentals: Grip
In fastpitch softball pitching, the grip on the ball depends on
the type of pitch being thrown. How the pitcher holds the ball
will direct the rotation of the ball and the way the wind
interacts with the seams, which will in turn determine how fast
the ball travels. For example, to throw a four-seam fastball,
the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a letter "C,"
then place her fingers across the "C." For a two-seam fastball,
the pitcher will hold the ball so the laces form a "U." Her
pointer and ring fingers will each rest along a seam and the
middle finger will go in between the seams.With either
delivery, the middle three fingers will be on top of the ball,
with the pinkie tucked underneath and the thumb on the side
of the ball. The ball should be held securely in the fingers, not
against the palm of the hand.
Continue...
3. The Fundamentals: Stance
Begin by holding the ball in her glove and standing up
straight at the pitcher's mound. Her lead foot, or
throwing-side foot, should be on the rubber with the
toes extended over the front edge. The rear foot toes
should touch the back of the rubber. Her front leg
should be straight while the back leg is slightly bent,
and the feet should be just a little closer than
shoulder-width apart. The pitcher should square her
shoulders toward home plate, keeping her weight on
the balls of her feet.
continue...
4. Completing the Pitch
In order to properly execute the pitch, the pitcher
needs to develop her wind-up, stride, arm movement,
and follow-through. Once she is comfortable with her
grip and stance, continue the pitching lesson by
introducing the pitching motion. Players often become
overwhelmed at first, but by starting with the basics,
coaches can guarantee understanding before moving on
to developing more advanced skills, like an effective
change-up.
As you can see it is very important to be able to develop this
four fundamentals in pitching a softball. It is very important
to stay close to your body at all times. Also, very important to
follow this four steps to become a good pitcher.
In the next slide there is an example how to stay close with
your body while you pitch.
Here is a video of Jennie Finch in slow
motion of an example in how to use all
your legs. For example, dragging your
foot and having a strong finish through.
Jennie Finch Video Explanation
• As you can see Jennie Finch demonstrates that
she has a strong finish through. Both of her feet
are down the whole time. She never hops. Also,
She makes sure that her back foot is dragging.
She never opens her hips, Finch always keeps
them close and her arm is close to her body.