Softball Pitching Workout Drills on Winter Break

A lot of my pitchers are on a 6-8 week break during the holidays. But many ask what they can be productively doing during this time.

Here is a helpful list of softball pitching workout drills for winter break!

First, fix that mechanical flaw!

Air thru on a powerline in front of a mirror and work on your weakness. Video yourself to help see it and feel it.

Get your stride leg higher by doing air thru’s over GTee’s elastic set at 16”

Most pitchers have a dreadful drag foot.

Live in the drag box to get the heel up and toe dragging down the powerline. Place ball of foot inside a headband.

Drag headband out of the drag box with top of your toe. Very hard to do if you leap!

Place a power pod inside your drag box and spring off.

Memorize the J-Band workout by doing it daily!

Balance! 

No shoe on stride foot. Use Airex mat and pitching plank. First drill is:  Step kick. Second drill is full motion. Hold balance 5 seconds at end of air thru.

Basketball half toss – this is a perfect off-season drill as there’s no windmill!

Basketball sit & snap under right leg

All 4 gloves snaps
Paddle whips
All 5 finger scrapes

Ankle bands – air thru your motion focusing on stride length, stride leg height, power foot quickness

Power cord
1.  with belt pulling from behind you, air thru full motion pitches focusing on pushing hard with power foot, hip lead, knee drive and step back
2.  with belt pulling from in front of you, focus on reverse posture, knee drive and step back, fast feet and fast arm

Finally, master juggling!

Grip strengthening:
Power bag flips 15x
Rice bucket drills
5lb weight on dowel roll ups
Power webs
Power putty
Dynaflex pro gyro
Gripmaster
Chinese therapy balls

Measure vertical jump, creek jump, broad jump, 1-legged broad jump

All drills on Bosu ball:
Both knees
One knee
Big x and freeze on top
Balance on top on right leg
Balance on top on left leg in figure 4
Spring off drive leg
Spring off stride leg

Air Thru’s

Walk into pitch, kick and step back 3 steps

Air thru skaters, split squats, scissor kicks, star jumps adding a pitching motion at the end

1000 rise spins using mix of: zip ball, ball on stick, double ball, Spin Right Spinner, 16”, 14”, 12”, pod, 8oz heavy ball and cannonball.

Change up self spins, self windmills, half tosses, slow windmills using
Spin Right Spinner, 16”, 14”, 12”

Double ball drills for fastball tapeline:
Self flip
High self flip
High self windmill
Half toss to catcher at 15 ft
Windmill to catcher at 15,20,25ft

Weighted vest air thru’s

Stretch
Core workout
Sprint workout

Softball Pitching Workout Drills

We hope this quick list of softball pitching workout drills for winter break helps remind your pitcher what can be worked on outside of team practices. 

For more guidance on the use of these tools, you may also find these two online videos helpful for your pitcher’s development:

1. Online Basic Video: Pitching My Way
2. Online Advanced Video: Spin It Like You Mean It