3 Easy Ways to Correct Pitching Mechanics
Softball pitchers will be correcting and maintaining their pitching mechanics throughout their entire career. Even the most advanced pitchers at the highest level have to continue thinking about perfecting and maintaining mechanics. If a pitcher doesn’t stay up on her mechanics, they will begin to deteriorate, and their form, speed, and movement on pitches will be lost.
It’s important that pitchers, especially during the off-season months, spend time breaking down their form and focus on proper mechanics. If you take a picture of any pitcher at the beginning of a season and another at the end, then compare the two, you will be able to spot many mechanical differences from start to finish. This is because games destroy pitching form, no matter how many hours a pitcher puts in perfecting the form. When pitchers throw in games, they aren’t focused on form, but instead doing whatever it takes to execute the pitch called.
Below are three easy ways to correct pitching mechanics during or after the season.
Powerline: This is the most important pitching tool for every pitcher at every age and the one that can always be reflected back on when focusing on proper form and mechanics. The powerline is the imaginary line that runs from the middle of the pitching mound all the way to the center of home plate. Pitchers who use the powerline and keep everything lined up on it will throw the pitch straight and will always have more speed on it. When things start to stray away from the powerline, such as the glove hand, feet, hip, or ball, the pitch won’t be as accurate and it certainly won’t have much speed behind it.
Drills: It’s also essential that pitchers stay up on their drills. This means during the season too. Pitchers should try to find at least one day during the week in-season where they focus on drills. On drill days, the pitcher doesn’t need to throw any full pitches, but instead spend time breaking down her pitch in drill form. Wrist flicks, T, K, kneeling arm circle, and standing arm circle are all drills that can be completed by the pitcher with emphasis on using the powerline. Every pitch a pitcher throws can be and should be broken down into drill form. Drills are how pitchers are going to maintain the correct body positioning and build the muscle memory that will be needed to execute the pitch properly.
Mirror Work: Not a lot of pitchers do mirror work, but they should give it a try! It can be helpful for pitchers to watch themselves go through their pitch in a mirror. If you don’t trust yourself to hold a ball while doing so, ball up some socks, so you have something to hold. Always wear your glove when doing mirror work. A full-length mirror is the most helpful because the pitcher can see her whole body move through the pitch. Mirror work allows pitchers to see some of the mechanical issues her pitching coach or parent may have pointed out. Sometimes as a pitcher, we can’t feel what we are doing throughout our pitch. The mirror is helpful because it allows pitchers to see it, feel it, and adjust to correct it.
