This is a great drill for Baseball Pitchers but can be used for all positional players to feel the arm behind the body as the hips open.
This drill was posted in a previous article I wrote on Softball Throwing Mechanics in regards to eliminating the Wrist Flick drill. The Bat Drill is one of the most basic yet most effective ways to feel what it’s like for that arm/ball to stay behind the body as the hips are opening to throw while the trunk is turning back against the hips.
The Bat Drill
Using a bat to help feel what it’s like to have an object stay behind the body as long as possible will help create resistance in a throw and help create the proper sequence to maximize velocity and minimize shoulder and elbow pain. This is not implying that one must throw with an arm action as shown in the video. There are plenty of variations in arm action and sequence by position but the point of this drill is to feel what it’s like to create resistance in a throw!
Basic Sequence
The hips have to turn forward/open while the trunk turns back against the hips, while the arm is going into external rotation, leading with the forearm, NOT the ball. This will allow for an efficient throwing sequence, which will create velocity. As the hips turn forward/open while the arm is moving through it’s pattern allows for maximum Thoracic Extension, something that is not seen when teaching athletes to throw using the standard “L” position.
NOTE: Do not release the bat when performing this drill AND do not use an object that is too heavy in which the athlete cannot control the movement! This can cause injury to the anterior shoulder capsule! The point of this drill is to feel what it’s like to have resistance in a throw. Any object can be used as long as the athlete can feel the weight behind them, instead of out in front!
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