Thread: Practice Routine

Is there a routine your pitchers do before a game or practice (wrist snaps, knee throws etc.)? If so what do they do? Also when you have pitching practice what sequence do you throw your pitches?

There was a thread about pre-game warmups. It varies depending upon the level of the pitcher. First, they need to warm up enough to get their muscles loose and the shoulder lubricated (the body actually provides a lubricant to the joints). This is necessary so the pitcher doesn't hurt herself in the game. Second, the pitcher has to get confident in her control so that she can throw a fastball for a strike at any time. Third, the pitcher has to get her breaking pitches working.

GAME WARMUP: The pitcher does some warm-up drills. I personally like it when a pitcher just plays pitch and catch underhanded for a while with the catcher standing up. The pitcher then gradually increases her speed up to about 50 mph, and then the catcher gets down in the crouch. The pitcher then throws until she is throwing at maximum. She then works on her breaking pitches until she gets them working.

For less advanced pitchers, the pitcher should do the drills that have proven to be the most helpful for her.

PRACTICE: In practice or in a game, you do the same routine to get loose. So, it is whatever you want, as long as it involves some easy throwing for several minutes before throwing the ball hard. After she is loose, the sequence of pitches is based upon the goal of the practice. Why are you there? What is she practicing? Form, endurance, speed, location, breaking pitches?

At the end of the practice, no matter what you worked on, you should do some games that emphasize location. (In order to get in the game, the pitcher has to be able to throw strikes.) It could be something as simple as "throw 10 strikes in a row" or it could be a "hit the mitt" game where the catcher moves the target all over the place.

One tip: throw practice pitches that alternate between high/low or inside/outside. This will require the body to change positions at release in addition to the wrist/finger snap changing its release angle.
To often a pitcher will warm up 20 drop balls and then warm up 20 rise balls. Well, that is not likely to mimic what will happen in a game.
Ensure the body can change with every different movement pitch/location.
"Around The World" is a great way to end your pre-game warm-up.
Rick

I simply begin with a dynamic warmup, overhand throw, and then I begin with relaxed underhand throwing. I like to progress into long and then work my way back to the mound. I spot a few drops (my fastball), alt a few drops and changes, alt a few curve/rise/screw, and then let my catcher run through a sequence mixing up pitches and spots. I don't like seeing kids waste time with too many flips and k's, etc. I think you need to use the entire motion to get the blood flowing. Just throw! Leave the flips and spins for practice if thats what you like to do.

Dynamic warmup for the legs, shoulders, and arms. Overhand throw and underhand throw. Long toss and make sure the shoulder is loose and warm. They can do a short set of whatever drills they like if they feel it helps them. I try to keep the actual full speed pitching down to 40-60 pitches with younger girls. I never saw the point of pitching an entire game's worth of pitches before they pitch the actual game.