A stride adds power to the windmill. The pitcher steps forward with the back leg while the arm circles. This is where the motion becomes a real pitch.
What you need: A mound or flat ground, 10 soft baseballs (12”), catcher at 40 feet.
Setup: Pitcher on the mound or flat ground. Catcher at 40 feet.
How to run it:
- Cue: Set, Wind, Whip, Release.
- Set on the rubber (or mark) with feet parallel.
- As the arm begins the Wind, the back foot steps forward.
- The stride foot lands just as the arm completes the circle.
- Do 10 strides with no ball. Check timing: foot and arm finishing together.
- Do 10 more with a ball. Focus on releasing toward the catcher.
What to watch: Does the stride foot land before or after the arm finishes the circle? They should land at the same time for balance.
If they’re struggling: Have them do wind-ups without the stride first. Add the stride after 5 reps.
If they’ve got it: Increase stride length. Add a rest day rule: no pitching back-to-back days. Track pitch counts: max 35 pitches per day for youth.