Every baseball pitcher wants to improve their game. Whether you're a young pitcher just starting out or working toward high school success, the right drills make all the difference.
The Short Answer: There are 5 fundamental types of pitching drills that every pitcher needs.
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Mechanics and balance exercises
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Lower body power development
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Control and accuracy training
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Arm strengthening routines
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Recovery and maintenance work
To get started, you'll need baseballs, a flat ground or pitching mound, and ideally a practice partner. The key to success is focusing on perfect form over high repetitions. Start with 15-20 minutes of these drills before your regular throwing practice.
Foundation Building: Mechanics and Balance Drills
Building proper pitching mechanics starts with strong fundamentals. These drills focus on balance and control, creating the foundation for a more powerful and accurate pitching delivery.
Balance Beam Basics
Start with the balance drill - it's simple but crucial. Stand sideways on a line, like you're on the pitching rubber. Lift your lead leg to knee height and hold for 10 seconds. Your back leg should stay strong and stable. If you wobble, you're learning where you need to improve. Practice this until you can hold steady.
The Pause and Hold
This drill breaks down your pitching motion into key parts:
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Start in the stretch position
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Lift your leg to throwing position
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Pause for 3 seconds at the highest point
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Drive toward home plate
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Focus on shoulder separation as you move forward
Do 10-15 repetitions, keeping your upper body quiet and controlled.
Stride Direction Training
Many young pitchers struggle with stride alignment. Here's a simple fix: Place a rope or line from the pitching rubber straight to home plate. Practice your motion, making sure your front foot lands in line with your target. This creates muscle memory for proper direction and helps prevent throwing across your body.
Hip-Shoulder Connection
A good pitcher needs their lower half and upper body working together. Stand sideways with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold your throwing arm at shoulder height. As you rotate your hips, let your shoulders follow naturally. The power starts from the ground up.
Tips for success:
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Keep your back foot planted until hip rotation begins
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Lead with your hip movement
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Let your arm naturally follow your body's rotation
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Focus on smooth, controlled movements
Practice these drills for 10-15 minutes before moving to more complex exercises. Remember, solid mechanics help prevent injury and build the base for better pitch velocity.
Power Development: Lower Body Focus
The secret to a strong pitch isn't all in your arm - it starts from the ground up. Many young pitchers focus too much on their arm motion while ignoring the true power source: their legs. A strong lower half creates the foundation for both velocity and control.
Drive and Hold Fundamentals
The Drive and Hold drill builds the fundamental power you need. Start in your normal stance on the pitching rubber, then move into your leg lift while keeping your back straight. Drive toward home plate but stop at foot strike, holding this position for 5 seconds.
Key checkpoints for the Drive and Hold:
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Back leg stays strong and stable
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Front foot lands in line with target
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Chest stays upright throughout
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Hold position for full 5 seconds
Resistance Training for Power
Resistance band work takes your power development to the next level. By attaching a band to a fence at shoulder height, you can practice your pitching motion against resistance. This builds explosive strength while reinforcing proper mechanics.
The key is choosing the right resistance - you should feel challenged but still able to maintain smooth, controlled movements. Start with lighter bands and progress slowly. Many pitchers rush to heavy resistance, but this can harm your mechanics more than help them.
Medicine Ball Rotations
This drill connects your lower body power to your pitch. Using a light medicine ball (2-4 pounds), work through your pitching motion focusing on explosive movement from your hips. The medicine ball helps you feel how power transfers from your legs through your core.
Control and Accuracy Training
Power means nothing without control. Developing accurate pitches requires consistent mechanics and focused practice. The key is starting simple and gradually adding complexity as you master each level.
The Grid Game
Create a simple target grid on your backstop and start close, about 30 feet away. The beauty of this drill is how it combines mechanical repetition with measurable results.
Grid Game progression:
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Start 30 feet from target
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Pick spots before throwing
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Move back after 7/10 successful throws
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Track results to measure improvement
Long Toss Development
Long toss builds both strength and precision when done correctly. Start at 60 feet, focusing on hitting your partner's chest. After five accurate throws, move back 15 feet. The crucial point here isn't distance - it's maintaining line drives rather than high arcs.
Common long toss mistakes to avoid:
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Throwing high arcs instead of line drives
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Rushing your mechanics as distance increases
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Sacrificing accuracy for distance
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Not returning to shorter distances when control slips
Strike Zone Mastery
Practice hitting specific zones with intent. Work the corners systematically, starting with fastballs before mixing in other pitches. Track your accuracy but pay attention to how your body feels when you hit your spots. This awareness helps you repeat successful movements and identify what's different when you miss.
Essential strike zone focus points:
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Start with fastball command
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Work corners systematically
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Keep consistent arm speed
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Finish toward target
Remember, control comes from consistent mechanics. Every drill should reinforce proper movement patterns. Take your time, stay focused on quality repetitions, and trust that the velocity will come as you master your control.
Protecting Your Arm While Building Strength
Every pitcher knows the importance of protecting their arm, but many overlook the simple tools that can help extend their pitching career. As you work through these drills and develop your mechanics, proper arm care becomes crucial for both performance and longevity.
The Role of Compression in Pitching
Compression sleeves do more than just look professional on the mound. Quality arm sleeves help regulate muscle temperature during your throwing program and provide the support your arm needs through repeated movements. They're especially valuable during long practice sessions when you're repeating pitching motions dozens of times.
How BRUCE BOLT Can Help
BRUCE BOLT's premium arm sleeves provide targeted compression that helps maintain muscle warmth between innings and during practice. This consistent muscle temperature is crucial for preventing injury and maintaining proper pitching mechanics throughout your session.
Key benefits of BRUCE BOLT arm sleeves:
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Maintains optimal muscle temperature
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Supports consistent pitching mechanics
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Helps prevent arm fatigue during long sessions
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Aids in recovery between practices
Think of an arm sleeve as essential equipment, just like your glove or cleats. When you're spending time perfecting your mechanics and building power, you need gear that helps protect your arm through every repetition.
Don't wait until you feel soreness or fatigue to think about arm protection. Make it part of your routine from the start. Check out BRUCE BOLT to find the perfect arm sleeve for your needs and give yourself the protection you deserve while working toward your pitching goals.
