How do you hit spots?

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Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Whip (IR) feels out of control at first. Control can be a distraction. Trying to hit a target while learning to whip will make the process MUCH more difficult and delays proficiency greatly. Like Doc said, just play catch. Don't sit on a bucket until the ball is mostly doing what she wants. Even then, keep extra balls nearby and remember that the partner is a fetcher more than a catcher. Once she's hitting the torso regularly, move the glove around, but still without pressure to drill it. Honestly, she should be able to do this once her eyes are closed once she's got the hang of it. If she struggles, throw into a net.

Then you can play four corners from whatever distance she can have success (count how many throws it takes to hit four corners.)
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
That's a good idea thanks for the tip., but I was more or less asking about the mechanics of it, is it a step towards the spot or is in the hand/snap?
Well there you go. I'm a hitting guy and posted in the pitching forum. I should have stayed in my lane. LOL
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
When utilizing an IR and brushing approach, you need to understand that the brush acts as a trigger. It creates a slight kinetic chain triggering the release. The slight angle variations of the torso as well as minor finger manipulations will make the balls location very accurate. We shoot for a goal of having a consistent release point on every single pitch!! This is the advantage to brushing.
IR, in and of itself is simply allowing the humorous to internally turn inwards, its the brush across the thigh that'll add accuracy
 
Oct 1, 2015
22
3
You learn to hit spots the same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

This, to me, is the correct answer.

Another thing I like to do, is occasionally do location practice with a variety of ball sizes and weights to really force the focus. Slightly underweight, slightly overweight, 11" ball, 14", 10", baseball, etc. A bucket full of them, 1 pitch each.

I find this takes out the all the guessing, aiming stuff, and forces the pitcher to rely on the proper triggers to hit a spot.

It isn't fun to catch though.:)
 
Last edited:
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
One thing that helped dd some when she was young was more of a demonstration than a drill. I've had other girls do it and it seemed to help them as well. Again, not a regular drill, just helps them feel and see what they can do. Have her stand 12 inches to the right of the rubber and throw to the catcher who is set up off the plate outside while striding as straight ahead as possible. Repeat the same thing to the opposite sides. It's just meant to show them that they know how to throw the ball to each side of the plate and if they can do it in this exaggerated way they can certainly do it under normal circumstances. It's not necessary (probably not even desirable) to do it often.
 
Oct 2, 2018
205
43
Georgia
My DD says she hits the spots with her eyes and her body reacts to what she is focusing on. And she can do it just as well with her eyes closed. She loved to pitch with her eyes closed when she first learned to pitch to see if she could throw strikes. She is visual learner and i guess thats the reason. When i explain mechanics and techniques, she tells me i talk way too much and just show me what you want me to do. In the beginning we just played under catch and we still warm up with 1 overhand then 1 underhanded throw trying to hit each others glove without moving it. Then move the glove around to different spots trying to hit glove without moving it. This is when she tells me about how her day went as we play target catch and its probably the most enjoyable time i spend with her. Because there is no pressure, its fun, and just talking. But she gets a lot of target practice before we even move on to drills. So, my answer to how you hit spots is practice hitting spots all the time.
 
Oct 4, 2018
4,611
113
The more you try to "do" to hit spots the harder it is. I tell kids to "think" it to the spot. Has worked surprisingly well. In fact, I wouldn't emphasize anything except to hit the glove wherever it is. The adjustment is so small that trying to make any real physical adjustment to move from inside to outside normally results in flawed mechanics or far too large of a change in location.

Good point.

The pitching mound and plate are ~40 feet apart. For a pitch to be 6 inches off the center of the plate there is almost zero difference at release.
 
May 7, 2008
174
18
I have been at this a long time teaching and pitching. the change in hand position from 40/43 away is so minute so small ( about an 1/8 to 1/4 inch rotation of wrist) nobody i know can ever control that with some sort of measured intention. I always tell my young students that inside and outside is a result of magic mind control. see the glove, use your mind to move it over there. Not easy i tell them to be a mind control wizard but eventually it will work. And it does. eventually it become automatic or reasonably close to that so they can hit 70-80%+ IMHO the most important is keeping the feet and legs and hips doing the exact same thing every pitch day in day out when they are young. With that consistent base their brain does learn to make it go where they want. if the lower half is all over the place the mind control never has enough consistency to kick in. Its also one of the reasons I avoid the screwball as long as i can or at least unitl they can return to a down the power line foot position on command like a robot.
 

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