How to Throw a Curve Ball or Breaking Pitch

Curve balls and other breaking pitches are designed to throw hitters off balance by changing the speed and motion of the baseball when compared to fastballs or other straight pitches. Curve balls move downward, sideways or a combination of the two, depending how they are thrown. Learning to throw a curve ball requires instruction, repetition and practice for pitchers to become comfortable with the grip, arm motion and the control factors of breaking pitches.

Things You'll Need

  • Baseball
  • Tennis ball
  • Mitt
  • Wall
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grip a baseball in your throwing hand. To throw a curve ball, place the ball between your middle finger and your thumb using the seam as a grip for your middle finger. Lay your index finger on top of your middle finger or next to it on the ball. Your thumb and middle finger should create almost a full circle around the midpoint of the baseball. Gently squeeze the ball between your middle finger and thumb. Your index finger should barely touch the ball if at all.

    • 2

      Practice the arm motion necessary to throw a curve ball. Perform the same kick and stride used to throw any pitch. Bring your arm behind your body as you would to throw a fastball. Allow your elbow to lead your arm forward keeping your throwing hand near to your ear as it passes your head. As your hand reaches your head begin the snapping motion which creates the break in your breaking ball.

    • 3

      Turn your wrist so that the outside of your throwing hand faces the batter and snap your middle finger while pulling downward sharply so that the ball comes out of your hand through the slot formed by your middle finger and thumb. The pressure placed on the ball by your middle finger should turn the ball over as it tumbles out of your hand and create the ball rotation necessary to cause downward movement as it approaches home plate.

    • 4

      Repeat the motion as many times as it takes to become comfortable with the release point, the pressure points on the ball, the arm motion and the elbow snap. Once you have mastered the pitch and can hit what you are aiming at within reason, work on your arm speed. Your arm should move as quickly through your pitching motion when you throw a curve ball as it does when you throw a fastball. The idea is to make the batter think a fastball is coming until it breaks down and out of the strike zone. Ideally, all of your pitches will look the same to the batter coming out of your hand. Faster arm speeds also result in harder break.