The Basics of Windmill Pitching + A Pitching Drill for Beginners!

To become a great pitcher, you have to take the time to learn every aspect of the windmill pitching technique, because in order to hit a high speed with your pitch, you will need to throw the ball with a windmill motion.   In today’s blog post, we are breaking down the windmill mechanics and demonstrating and awesome windmill pitching drill that you can use in your next practice!

The technique used with regards to windmill softball pitching is supposed to be one of the most efficient as far as energy goes, meaning that you could pitch several games if needed. It also decreases the risk of injury when done correctly.

There are three really important things that you need to remember when it comes to softball pitching: the wrist snap, the hip close, and balance. You have to have all three of those in order to be successful at pitching. You also have to be very determined and practice a lot.

First, let’s to talk about the position of the body. I’m going to explain the body in a full motion, in the open door position and in the closed position.

1. In the open door position, imagine that you have a dot on both shoulders, a dot at your hip, and a dot at your other hip. When you face the catcher in the very beginning of your full motion, all four dots are facing your catcher.
2. As you “open your door” for the open door position, you’re pointing your glove hand at your catcher, and no dots are showing to your catcher. When you do your backswing, open your door.
3. Then when you get ready to slam the door, you come down, snapping at your hip. Slamming the door means you bring your hip through where both feet are facing the catcher and all four dots are back to the catcher again. And you’re in a defensive position ready for the ball to come back to you. It’s going to look like a full motion, close door, swing it back, open door, release the ball, close the door again—or slam that door, which is what we call it because we want explosion there.

Check out this awesome Windmill Pitching Drill for Beginners!

Video Tutorial