Three Basic Guidelines For Beginning Pitchers

No one is able to walk out to a pitching mound and be an ace pitcher right off the bat. Pitching a baseball is a combination of mental and physical preparation and endurance. It takes hours and hours of practice to hone one's pitching skill and pitching mechanics to peak perfection. Before starting to pitch, there are some basic guidelines to follow.

1 – Never get on the pitching mound until you are completely warmed up. This means the upper and lower body. Do some light running and stretching to get the legs and lower back loosened up. Throwing on flat ground is good to start loosening up the arm. Eventually work on extending the distance into a long toss. Keep the ball on a line.

2 – Once on the mound, take your time going through your pitching mechanics. Do not get on the mound and expect your pitching mechanics to be smooth from the start. Do not worry about your velocity when you first get on the mound since it will improve once your pitching mechanics get in sync.

3 – Pitching isn't all about arm strength. Many of the hardest throwers generate a lot of their velocity from the lower half of their body. Having a strong arm helps, but it's an important cog in the "pitching machine," not the only piece. After many of my games, my arm never hurt, but my lower back was stiff for a day or so. This was significant since it meant I was using my entire body when pitching instead of throwing with just my arm. Work on getting your entire body involved in your pitching mechanics. I'll discuss some ways to do this later.