What's your pitcher's warmup routine?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

May 15, 2016
926
18
Drills should only be used sparingly to fix a specific issue or to introduce a new concept. The problem with most drills is that they do not replicate what happens in the actual pitching motion. The classic example of this is the wrist flick. A warmup routine is just that, a routine used to prepare yourself to pitch at full speed. Start with the core and work outwards to the extremities. My DD would start with the typical running, stretches, etc. and then move into long toss. By the the time she finished long toss she was more or less warmed up. Her core was warm and her arm was loose and relaxed. At that point she would go to the bull pen, do some walk throughs and then go to full motion to get her pitches working. Only then if she was having an issue with a pitch would she actually get close to the catcher and isolate on the release to fix an issue with the spin of a pitch.

Ok, that helps.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
If you are doing drills as part of your warmup routine there is a huge disconnect with truly understanding the task at hand. Which is the nicest way I know how to say you have no idea what you are doing. :)

If I had any idea what I was doing, I wouldn't be here asking for advice. :)

I shouldn't have used "drills" in the OP, since I agree with your later post that drills should be used to teach/fix only.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Her PC left for college and now I am trying to find another good PC. Can anyone give me some guidance on this one?

To be honest, I need help with this one as well! In my area, there are 2 who I would completely trust my daughter's development with, but both are booked solid (one only works with a select few and one is actually a hitting instructor...) I've been searching for 10+ years. I will say there are a couple I would take my daughter to who have played the game and would be great at teaching how to be a pitcher. DD recently asked me to work with her which has been great. She even assists with lessons which is awesome. I'd still love to be able to turn her over to someone so I could be just dad... I wish there were more good ones out there. I'm hoping the instructor pool will grow significantly once Fastpitch Foundations hits the air (I hear it's getting closer!) There are good ones out there and with a little more study, I hope you'll be able to find a good one.

Here's a basic idea of what to avoid and what to hope for:

"Hello Elbow" might look like these:
Softball Pitching: How To Pitch a Softball | Softball Drills & Tips Video Library | PlaySportsTV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc99t_g9RUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83tC79baMU0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDUC-B-eGA

Hello Elbow can be characterized by these points:
-Ball facing 2nd base at 12 o'clock
-Wrist cocked back--ready to snap
-Arm speed is critical
-Ball is pushed down to release
-Wrist snaps violently at the "release point."
-Hand/fingers peel up the ball
-Arm forcefully pulls up hard and finishes with the fingers touching the shoulder and elbow pointing at the target
-Hips snap through and face squarely to target after release


Arm whip (IR) looks like these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5X86nD_WS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmiG4ji3onQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6z39S19x8o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQz7CKn0SS4

Whip/IR might be characterized by:
-The ball is pulled around the circle
-Lower arm is loose and relaxed, resulting in a lagged lower arm and ball
-Palm is facing upwards from 9-8 o'clock
-Upper arm pauses at the ribs allowing the lower arm/ball to accelerate
-Upper arm internally rotates, elbow stays flexed
-Lower arm wraps/rolls/brushes around the hip--triggering release
-Lower arm/wrist/hand rotates from a palm up/supinated position to a palm downish/pronated position
-Overall follow through is relaxed and natural
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
...In my area, there are 2 who I would completely trust my daughter's development with...

I hear what you are saying, but the other PC's are just tools to help your dd get to where she wants to be. When it is all said and done the only ones with skin in the game are you and your DD. Don't ever turn it over to anyone else. Use whatever is available, and do what it takes to give her the best opportunity possible. :)
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Proceeding with caution... I think that CBD Syndrome contributed to my older daughter quitting. It was heartbreaking and I'd hate to be that dad again.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
DD does her dynamic stretches, running, etc. with the team. By the time that is complete, she typically feels pretty loose. When she is ready to begin pitching she plays catch underhand, nothing fancy. Moves into walk throughs. And then throws some full motion pitches. The pitching portion of this typically takes her 5 minutes or less. I have never been a fan of long warm up routines.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
My DD, who is brand new to pitching, was told 5 minutes before the start of the second game of a doubleheader, that she would be the starting pitcher. She felt she had not fully warmed up enough, and told her HC she needed, more time. I was impressed she was aware enough of her own condition that she knew she was not ready. I assumed it is best for a pitcher to judge her own warm up time. Any thoughts?
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
My DD, who is brand new to pitching, was told 5 minutes before the start of the second game of a doubleheader, that she would be the starting pitcher. She felt she had not fully warmed up enough, and told her HC she needed, more time. I was impressed she was aware enough of her own condition that she knew she was not ready. I assumed it is best for a pitcher to judge her own warm up time. Any thoughts?

I agree with you. Not only are players different, but weather can also have an impact on this. Playing high school ball at the end of March in Pennsylvania, DD definitely takes a little more time to get loose. At the younger ages, I judged the length of the warm up based on how she was performing. But as she gained experience, I gave that responsibility to her. Generally speaking, the more ownership a player can handle for their own development, the better.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Not ideal but DD used to get thrown in games with her 6 warmup pitches. She never complained about lack of warm up.

We had 1 pitcher that warmed up for 30 minutes, she was tired before she came into game.

DD has warmed up before even getting to field when coaches take over.

(Another thing about warming up, there is no guarantee you will pitch)
 
Last edited:

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top