How to do the drill
- 1
Stand sideways, glove shoulder at the target, feet close together, like pitching from the stretch.
- 2
Lift your front knee to belt height with your head over your back foot. Hold it 3 seconds.
- 3
Do 10 holds with no ball, setting your foot down between them.
- 4
Then do 10 with a ball: lift, hold for 2, stride straight at the target and throw at half speed.
- 5
Land with your front foot pointing at the target. Count every hold with no wobble, out of 20.
Coaching cues
- Head over your back foot.
- Hold it, then go.
- Stride straight at the target.
What good looks like
A still head, a quiet leg lift, no wobble, and a stride on a line to the target.
Safety
The 10 throws count toward the day's pitches. Pitch Smart (MLB and USA Baseball) says players 7–14 need no rest day after 1–20 pitches and 1 day after 21–35. Skip this the day after pitching in a game, and stop if the arm hurts.
Why this drill
Most young pitchers rush toward the plate before they are balanced. Holding the top of the leg lift teaches the body to gather before it goes.
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