Rush Arts Softball: PITCHING Handout
Summed up in short:1) Warm up and loosen up
2) Take your position on the pitcher’s mound and present the ball
`3) with proper stance
4) Receive the signal from the catcher
5) Study the target
6) Present the ball to the batter
7) Use the proper mechanics
8) Prepare to field the ball
1) Warm up and Loosen up (taken from the Rush Arts Warm up handout)
General
1) Light jog from foul line on your team side to opposite outfield fence (or approximate same distance) back and forth 4 times2) Knee up->Hip out (out from line) continuous and Knee up->hip in (back)
3) High Front kicks (alternate, jog back)
4) Walking Forward lunges up (jog back) / 5) Circle up or group up:
Large Arm circles 50 front, 50 back
6) small arm circles 50 front, 50 back
7) Shoulder stretch
8) Tricep stretch across front of body
9) behind back 2 arms
10) QUAD Stretch 15 seconds each. Same arm out, opposite hand up. / 11) Lean to side with toe grab
15 seconds each
12) Modified Hurdle 15 seconds each
12) butterfly stretch 15 seconds each
13) Back twist 15 seconds each
14) Wrist rolls on the way back to line
15) 5 sprints about 20 yards out (fast acceleration then slow to jog and jog/walk back
Pitcher specific : if batting practice is being taken, perform your hits prior to below
1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart hands on hips. Turn hips to left as far as possible w/o moving feet. Point right elbow at left foot. Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat on other side.
2) Stand with feet shoulder width arms down at sides. Raise arms sideward (T) and up palms pointing up until they touch above head. Pull arms back as far s possible hold for 5 seconds, release and go backwards through full motion. Repeat at least 2 more times
3) Toes raises with arms pointing up…hold 2-3 seconds and repeat 10-15 times
4) Stand with feet shoulder width arms down at sides. Straddle legs slowly knees straight as far as possible without discomfort. Touch left foot, then right foo then center (palms touch ground)
5) Sit legs apart knees straight. Bend forward and try to grab soles of feet. Hold at least 15 seconds. Repeat opposite. Then bend towards middle. Touch head to floor if possible
6) Stand erect. Beginning swinging throwing arm back and forth in a pendulum front and back (with or without a ball). As you do this gradually gain height up and back until you are ready to do a full circle. Make 5 circles gradually increasing speed of each set of circles
7) Play soft toss with another pitcher or a catcher or a sub about 25 feet. After 2 minutes or so, gradually back up until you are at 46 feet distance from person (about) . Follow through completely with each toss.
*= If you know of additional or substitute exercises to loosen arm up, stretch back, etc..please feel free to add them to this warm up routine.
8) After 46 feet soft toss, begin pitching motion with a catcher. Gradually increase speed to full speed. Take your time!
2) Take your position on the pitcher’s mound and present the ball
NFHS sports require softball pitchers to approach the pitching rubber from behind with your hands apart, at your
side….preferably have the ball in one hand, the glove on the other
3) with proper stance
a) comfortable
b) standing tall, with your shoulders back, and your feet far enough apart for you to be balanced
c) hands at your side (ball in one, glove on the other),
d) your neck and upper body muscles feeling totally relaxed.
e) Feet placement:
1- the front (throwing arm side) “push-off” foot must be placed at the front of the pitching rubber, and at least half of it must be on the surface of the rubber. This is called the pivot foot.
2- The rear (or “stride”) glove-side foot can be touching or behind the rubber.
3- Both must be within the width of the pitching rubber
4) Receive the signal from the catcher
a) stare at the catcher and take your sign (type of pitch and/or location of pitch) or simulate the sign
b) do this even if you are not using signs.
5) Study the target
a) Stare at the target.
b) visualize the precise trajectory of the ball as it leaves your hand and enters the catcher’s glove
6) Present the ball to the batter
a) hands at your side (ball in one, glove on the other), up until this point
b) bring hands together in front of body about waist level for at least 1 second but no more than 10 seconds
c) grip the ball for the type of pitch you are going to throw
7) Use the proper mechanics: (to throw the ball)
a) Backswing: Typically, most pitchers will bring the ball out of their glove and swing back to a point where the
arm is approximately level. If it feels more comfortable, take the arm back somewhat slower
b) Forward swing and weight transfer – After your arm does its backswing, as it starts coming forward, so will your
body. It should lean toward home plate naturally. Try not to bend at the waste. The lean is to start the weight transfer from your rear leg to the forward “push off” foot. Also, keep arm straight throughout arm swing and in a straight line.
c) open body: This is the most difficult part of learning to pitch. As your arm is approximately ½ way through it’s
forward rotation, turn your glove hand hip towards the side of your body the ball is on which causes your body to almost twist on the mound
d) stride: glove side leg swings forward in air in a big step. This is different for each pitcher. Generally, the
longer the stride, the faster the pitch (coupled with quick arm rotation). Typically, a stride should be anywhere from 2 inches less than a pitcher’s height to 5 inches longer than the pitcher’s height.
e) Close and drag: When the stride is occurring, the glove side hip will begin to turn back to it’s original position
rather than “open”. At the same time, a pitcher with a long stride will be pulled off the mound or pitcher’s plate. It is illegal to have both feet of the ground at any time therefore, a pitcher must drag their pivot foot.
f) Release the ball: At the precise point of release, snap the wrist forward, fingers behind ball
g) Follow-through: Find 3 different resources (book, website, pitching instructor) how to do a follow through and
they will likely have 3different answers. So in my opinion, allow your arm to go where it wants to
go naturally. Most pitchers will have their arm go straight but loose and naturally after the release
8) Prepare to field the ball:
Right after you release the ball guess what…you have to be ready to field. It could obviously be a bunt, slow ground ball or pop up you are responsible for and you will need to react quickly. However, it may be a hard ground ball or line drive hit back up the middle and if you don’t field it or get out of the way, it could injure you. So…as soon as you finish your release, assume the ready position to field