When to Start Practice Pitching
Summer League/Travel Team
When should you start to practice to prepare for a summer league or summer travel team?
If you are real serious, you should be working year round. The out of season months are a great time to perfect your pitching form and stay in shape. At the very least, to prepare for the season beginning in late April or early May, a pitcher should begin throwing at least twice a week in March, work their way up to three times a week by the first of April and finally about 4 times a week at least a couple weeks before their season starts.
If you are only pitching in the league twice a week and limited innings, you need not throw four times a week, however, if you wish to get better simply pitching 1/2 of a game twice a week will not help you improve your game. Pitchers that advance in their skill level and accuracy throw at least 3 days a week if not more. Your goal is to increase your pitch accuracy as well as increasing your stamina.
If you are a pitcher who pitches in league and on a weekend traveling team, it is important you work on your form, accuracy, stamina and pitches prior to the start of the season. Once the season starts you have little time to perfect pitches or form, when you are playing two nights a week and also every weekend. I would recommend devoting one of your off days in the middle of the week to a good pitching workout. The Monday after a tournament weekend is a good time to take a day off and let your body recover.
Trust your body and your arm to tell you when you need a break or a rest. With proper mechanics you should be able to have lengthy pitching practices. A half hour or more to warm up and a good hour of pitching. I like to have my pitchers pitch simulated games to prepare them mentally for certain counts, runners on base, and dealing with walks. Plus it makes the practice more interesting.
When to Start Practice Pitching
School Team
When should you start to practice to prepare for a school team?
If you are real serious, you should be working year round. Your typical high school pitcher in Wisconsin starts their high school season in mid-March, then league and travel team from May/June to end of July or mid August, then possibly a fall league. I like to have my pitchers take a month off, usually October or November. It helps rest their arm, but also rest their mind. They usually come back with more drive and determination.
Sometime in November or December start throwing, concentrating on fine tuning your mechanics and possibly working on a new pitch or fine tuning a pitch that has been troubling you. When January rolls around you should be pitching at least twice a week. February you should be three times a week, and by March four or five times a week. You want to be ready for the mid-March season to begin in full game pitching mode.
Trust your body and your arm to tell you when you need a break or a rest. With proper mechanics you should be able to have lengthy pitching practices. A half hour or more to warm up and a good hour of pitching. I like to have my pitchers pitch simulated games to prepare them mentally for certain counts, runners on base and dealing with walks. Plus it makes the practice more interesting. What are your thoughts?
It is easy to create an indoor practice area if you have (1) the height to throw and (2) about 15 to twenty feet. You may practice your pitching form and mechanics on a pitching length shorter than your usual 35,40, or 43. Sometimes this is an advantage because the pitcher is not focused purely on pitch location.
Creating a wood frame attached to the floor joist in a basement gives you a quick and easy frame. Purchasing a plastic or canvas tarp from a local hardware store will knock down the pitches. Securing the tarp with rope or bungee cords will finish the target.
If need be, draw the power line on the floor or use tape. A wood board cut to the dimensions of a pitching rubber and duct taped to the floor will complete your indoor practice site.
Jenny Finch pitching mounds can be purchased from On Deck Sports. They manufacture the mounds so will be able to give you the best price.
The Myth of "The Farther You Stride, the Faster You'll Throw"
In general the harder you push out and farther you stride, the faster you will get. But like any other excess, this will reach the point of no return.
If you cannot "close" and follow through, your speed will actually decrease. Without the ability to spin and finish your pitch, your speed will decrease.
If you fail to get your weight over your landing foot, your weight will be on your rear "push" foot and this will work like a boat anchor to slow your "close" and finish.
How to determine how far out you can stride and work on your balance.
Without a ball, practice driving out and landing so you are able to balance on your landing foot without having your "push" foot drag or touch the ground.
You may do a simulated pitch by using your arms and finish by slapping your thighs.
Your throwing arm should go drive up through the catchers mitt and simulate a pitch.
Your glove should by able to drive out and pull down to slap your glove side leg.
If you fall backward you are striding too far. If you fall forward you are striding too short.
If you are falling left or right, you do not have your stride foot right under you.
This will give you a good idea of where you should be landing.
Measure how far you stride out by counting the number of your shoe lengths by heal, toe from the front edge of the mound.
Then mark that length in the sand, or if indoor a piece of tape or a water bottle.