PITCHING MECHANICS

Balance • Direction • Launch • Weight Transfer • Finish

Steps & Checkpoints

John R. Ellsworth, MA

Protex Sports

www.protexsports.com

1. Keep head over pivot foot throughout the entire

delivery

2. Do not start forward momentum toward home plate

until lift leg reaches its apex.

3. Lift, do not kick – leg into its maximum height

(Checkpoint #1 - Balance)

4. Hold hands at the center of gravity – belly button to

upper chest level

5. Maintain same upper body posture you achieve in the

balance phase. Always adhere to “tall and fall” (Tall

and fall toward home plate in a tall posture) (No

dipping –as this flattens the body out) The taller – the

more leverage and downward motion

7. As you move toward home plate, be sure your entire

front side – foot, hip, elbow, and glove – is aligned w/

home plate. This is a CLOSED compact delivery. Hips

must stay directional toward home plate until the

landing leg hits; all hip rotation takes place after this

point. Final thrust is with hip rotation.

8. Land with your front side directional, but your landing

foot “closed off” – a right-hander’s left big toe should

point directly toward third base side of home plate; a

left-hander’s right big toe should point slightly toward

the first base side of home plate – blocking off your

forward movement. This transfers your forward

momentum up through the body and into the arm at

your release point, and ultimately ensures a less

stressful deceleration of the arm.

9. (Checkpoint #2 – Release) Do not throw the ball

until your landing foot hits the ground. The foot hits

the ground – then you deliver the pitch.

10. Finish with landing leg down, rotation at the hips,

chest is out over the stride knee (over shoe laces),

the arm comes through its slot (power L), down –

reaching out over the stride leg and finishing as low

and across the body as possible. When finished you

should find your self balanced with both shoulders

“square” with the plate.

NOTE: Basic mechanics are the same for all pitchers.

The difference from pitcher to pitcher from this point

comes from natural ability, natural style, body type, etc.

Essentials

of Pitching

5 The