Week 2
Arm Whip
For week 1, the focus is all about leg drive and using your lower half of your body to create energy.
Below I have posted 3 drills that are focused primarily on legs.
You will find a written description, with the basic outline for the drill, as well as a video demonstration from YouTube.
Week 5
Breaking Pitches
Week 5 you will work on your breaking pitches, and their movement. The prior weeks, you were allowed to incorporate breaking pitches if wanted. But, I really wanted those drills to be focused strictly on mechanics, and not the path the ball travels.
Your main goal should be spin and the correct axis, when working on your breaking pitches. The ball may be moving the correct direction without the correct axis, but I guarantee it will not break as hard or as sharp as it would with a correct axis.
Below I have posted 2 drills that will help with the development of breaking pitches.
You will find a written description, with the basic outline for the drill, as well as a video demonstration from YouTube.
Rope drill
See the ball and the breaking point - vertical pitches!
Sorry for the poor video quality....but you get the idea of the drill.
This drill can be used for both drop and rise balls. It can also be used for your change-up if you're working on making it drop.
The ropes are used as a visual, so you can see your ball breaking and the movement. As you get comfortable using the visual, make it a challenge and see if you can get the ball to break earlier or later, depending on where you move the ropes.
This drill should be 100 pitches, after you warm up, walk-throughs are included int eh count. You choose to delegate your 100 pitches however you choose.
cone drill
See your lateral pitches move!
I could not find a video for this drill... which makes me think we should make on for YouTube in the fall next year.
This drill has the similar idea and concept as the rope drill. The cone is set on home plate, either in the middle or slightly off-centered to make it a little more challenging. This is a great visual, because you will see the pitch break (if it does not hit the cone) or you will see if the pitch has no movement (hits the cone).
To vary levels of difficulty, you can move the cone in different locations on the plate.
