How to do the drill
- 1
Fold a hand towel so a hand's length (6 inches) hangs past your fingers. Hold it like a baseball.
- 2
Set a chest-high target one step past where your front foot lands: a chair back, tee or parent's glove.
- 3
From the stretch, lift to your balance point and hold it for one second.
- 4
Stride at the target and snap the towel down onto it out front, using your pitching motion.
- 5
Finish with your chest over your front knee. Do 3 sets of 10.
Coaching cues
- Same motion as a pitch.
- Snap it out front.
- Finish over your front leg.
What good looks like
A sharp pop on the target out front, a firm front knee, and your chest over it at release.
Safety
There is no ball, so it is easy on the arm, but it is still a full-speed motion. Warm up first, stop at 30, and clear lamps and siblings out of the way.
Why this drill
Pitching coaches use the towel drill to work on stride and release without adding throws to a young pitcher's count.
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