How to do the drill
- 1
Warm up with arm circles and K drills.
- 2
Stand 3 steps behind the rubber, feet together, facing your target.
- 3
Walk right, left, right (lefties: left, right, left): hands close on step one, hands up on step two.
- 4
Land step three with your pitching foot on the rubber, toes over the edge, and go straight into your windmill.
- 5
Throw 6 at about 80% effort, then 6 at full speed. Count every pitch that hits your target, out of 12.
Coaching cues
- Walk, walk, land, go.
- Hands up on two.
- Push out long.
What good looks like
One smooth motion with no pause on the rubber, a long stride, and pitches near the target at full speed.
Safety
Every walk-through is a full pitch and counts toward the day's total. Pitch limits by age: 8–10 at most 50 in a day, 11–12 at most 65, 13–14 at most 80. Skip the full-speed set the day after games or tournaments, and stop if the arm or shoulder hurts. If you work with a pitching coach, follow their cues.
Why this drill
Walking into the pitch builds momentum, so the legs do more of the work. It is the last step of most pitchers' warm-ups before they throw from the rubber.
Next pitching drill30-Pitch Strike Challenge →
