Youth Baseball
Foot Balance Drills for Under 12's
Economy of motion is one of the most overlooked aspects of great athletes. There is no better example than looking at the difference between a punch thrown by a lifelong boxer and a punch thrown by a complete amateur. The amateur will focus on using their arms and upperbody, swinging wildly and throwing themselves off balance. The lifelong boxer will take a tight, compact stance, and throw a punch of the same ilk – controlled, tight to the body, using his legs and hips to generate the power, leaving him perfectly balanced and ready to throw another punch immediately after. Can you take a guess which punch will have more power?
It’s the same with pitcher – learning how to stay properly balanced and controlled all the way through the pitching motion will ensure that all of the power they are generating is being used to propel the ball forward at it’s maximum velocity. While not glamourous, there is no doubt, that balance is one of the most important parts of the pitching motion. To help your players understand this, we’ve put together two drills that will clearly explain and really drive home this lesson.
1. Foot Balance Drill
Setup
Line the pitchers up with about 4-6 feet between them, facing the coach. Each pitcher has a glove and ball.
Execution
The drill begins with the pitcher in his stance. On the coach's command, the pitcher will go into the Pivot stage of his delivery, taking a rocker step with the stride foot, and squaring off the pivot foot so it's parallel to the rubber.
Following the rocker step, the pitcher will bring his stride leg up in a controlled motion, transferring his weight from the stride leg to the pivot leg. The pitcher will then hold this position for a count of five, then lower the stride foot back down.
Coaching Tips
- The pitcher's weight should remain on the inside part of the pivot foot during the balance hold.
- Make sure the pivot foot stays still and planted. Don't allow it to shuffle around or move
- The stride foot toe should be loose and hanging down, slightly below the height of the stride foot heel
- The height of the stride knee is up to the pitcher. Experiment with different heights and see what feels most comfortable
2. Stride Foot Balance Drill
Setup
Line the pitchers up with about 4-6 feet between them, facing the coach. Each pitcher has a glove and ball.
Execution
The drill begins with the pitcher in his stance. On the coach's command, the pitcher will go into the Pivot stage of his delivery, taking a rocker step with the stride foot, and squaring off the pivot foot so it's parallel to the rubber.
Following the rocker step, the pitcher will bring his stride leg up in a controlled motion, transferring his weight from the stride leg to the pivot leg. The pitcher will hold this position briefly, then separate his hands and stride toward home plate. Upon foot strike of the stride leg, the arms and body should form a "T" position, the glove hand forward and the throwing hand cocked back.
Simulate the release and follow through, bringing the pivot foot up off the ground and balancing on the stride foot only. Hold that position for a count of five.
With these two drills, your players will have no problem learning to stay balanced from the beginning through the end of the pitch. And this will not only increase velocity and accuracy, but it will also reduce the risk of injury, one of the most dangerous parts of working from the mound.
