How to Throw Major League Pitches

Pitching is a fundamental aspect of tbaseball, and it can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat. It involves a fierce one-on-one battle to happen every time a batter steps to the plate. Major League pitchers spend years honing their craft, as well as countless hours in the gym to deal with the physical demands of pitching. Only by mimicking the dedicated practices of the professionals can one hope to throw pitches like a Major Leaguer.

Things You'll Need

  • Baseball
  • Free Weights
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Instructions

  1. Throwing Major League Pitches

    • 1
      Bench pressing will increase your pitching speed.

      Work out your whole body. Focus on your upper body and core. In order to generate the power necassary to throw 90-100 miles per hour pitches you must have tremendous arm strength. Your lifting should include bench press, incline bench press, and curls to ensure you build up your arm muscles. Pull-ups are another excercise designed to build arm strength. A strong core will also help you generate power in your pitches. Perform crunches and dips to ensure a powerful core. Lunges and squats will round out your exercise to ensure a strong base.

    • 2

      Choose four to five pitches to perfect. Though there are many types of pitches, you should only focus on four to five that you wish to perfect. These should include a fastball, one or two kinds of curveballs, a change-up, and one or more specialty pitches such as a slider, splitter, or knuckleball. Choose a pitching style and stick with it. This could be either overhand, side-arm, or submarine style. All of these styles have been used in the Major Leagues.

    • 3

      Throw pitches several days a week. This will build muscle memory and allow pitches to come naturally with practices. Either practice with a catcher or create a mental target analogous to a batter's strike zone. Vary the height of your pitches to practice for the differing strike zones of batters. Whenever possible, practice using an actual batter.

    • 4

      Palm a baseball when relaxing. This can be done while watching TV or reading a book. Switch your grips to match the pitches that you throw, such as a four-seam fastball or circle change-up. This will build muscle memory and allow you to naturally hold the baseball prior to releasing your pitch. Make sure to focus on proper gripping techniques for the pitches you throw.