Short Summary
- Various pitching drills are introduced to help pitchers improve their mechanics and performance.
- **Kneel of Fortune**: Pitchers practice upper body mechanics by kneeling and throwing from a distance, focusing on alignment and finishing their throw with arms outside their knee.
- **Balance Beam**: This drill involves pitchers tapping cones on the mound to enhance balance and stability during delivery, emphasizing a strong back leg and activated core.
- **Flamingo**: Pitchers practice throwing while balancing on one leg, using a chair or bucket for support, which helps develop strength and control essential for accurate pitching.
- **Towel Slap Pitching**: Without a ball, pitchers mimic their throwing motion with a towel, focusing on achieving a consistent release point and scoring points by hitting a target glove.
- **Rock and Roll**: This drill emphasizes balance and rhythm, with pitchers shifting their weight between legs during delivery to maintain control and reduce arm strain.
- **Delivery Steps**: Pitchers follow four steps in their delivery to ensure a complete pitch: starting in a split stance, striding, balancing, and combining all steps for a complete delivery.
- **Competition and Control**: Healthy competition among pitchers is encouraged, focusing on tracking strikes thrown and maintaining a steady head and locked eyes on the target to improve control.
- **Target Practice Game**: In “Right on Target,” pitchers throw 12 pitches aiming for different imaginary targets within the strike zone to enhance accuracy.
- **Knockout Game**: In “Knockout,” pitchers take turns throwing strikes, emphasizing the importance of accuracy over speed, as a pitch that is a ball can be knocked out by the next player throwing a strike.
- Overall, these drills and games are designed to help pitchers refine their skills, improve accuracy, and build confidence in their delivery without the pressure of facing batters.
