1. Bent-Knee Hamstring Stretch (Quadriceps are a very important part in pitching, almost everything revolves around the legs of the pitcher)
Start with your leg bent. Extend your target leg with quadriceps (front thigh) muscles by pulling rope with both hands. Stabilize thigh with elbows if needed. End position with target leg straight. As flexibility improves, move knee closer to the chest. Return to start position and repeat.
2. The Pause and Balance Drill
This drill is particularly effective for pitchers who "rush" their motion, fall forward too soon, have trouble getting "on top" of the baseball into a high-¾ arm slot, or are imbalanced in the balance position.
A coach or another player is needed for this drill.
To begin, a pitcher will go through his full wind-up without the baseball. When he gets to the balance position, the pitcher will stop, hold, turn his head and wait for the coach to hand him the baseball.
Once the pitcher has received the ball from his coach from the balance position, he will turn his head again and throw to his target emphasizing a good follow-through.
3.The High-Cock Position Drill
To get the lower body ready to begin, the pitcher will spread his feet into a permanent throwing-position, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with the toes of the lead leg pointing to the target.
The back foot, whose only movement during the drill is to turn over to onto the toes when the baseball is released, stays in contact with the ground at all times.
The elbow of the throwing arm should be level with the shoulders which brings the entire arm into the high-cock position.
From this starting position, simply “pull” the glove arm back into the body while rotating the hips and pivoting on the back foot to release the baseball. Follow the motion all the way through after the ball is thrown to ease the stress on the arm.
A good follow-through consists of a pitcher bending his back and bringing his throwing arm elbow to the opposite knee.
