How to Start Practicing Pitching Alone? Coach’s Guide

Last Updated on June 24, 2023

Either batting, fielding, or pitching, practice is the main catalyst to becoming a master. If you are a pitcher, there is no alternative to practice a lot. 

Though practicing with a companion is easy and feasible, you can’t do it always for valid reasons. That is why learning how to practice pitching alone could be a great solution. 

There are many ways you can do it. You can use techniques like canvas catcher, football crossbar, blanket, ball catcher, plywood, brick wall, hitting net, and many more. 

Alongside them, there are things to learn and drills to develop body mechanics and baseball skills. 

As a youth coach, I have vast experience in developing mechanics for youngsters. I hope, this guide will be helping you to develop your pitching skills throughout practice alone. 

How to Start Practicing Pitching Alone?

You might think that regular gameplay is enough to develop and keep the shape of pitching in sound condition. But, no. Even during the off-season, you must continue to put in the hours of practice.

There is no other option except to continue practicing to get to the next level of abilities.

Often, you might need to do that alone. Here, I will show you how you can keep practicing your pitching. Let’s check them. 

Practicing with Canvas Catcher

Purchase a canvas catcher. You would find a cutout area parallel to the strike zone on the canvas catcher. A bucket should be attached to the catcher under and behind the cutout area. Your pitched balls will be gathered there. 

This is very reliable as the ball will be gathered together and will not be scattered. You can easily recollect them for the next cycle. 

Practicing with Hitting Net

Like a canvas catcher, you can use a hitting net to pitch. You will find the hitting net with a standard stand and associated hole net. The associated net with the main net will gather your balls.  

It is the most common technique for both pitching and batting practice. 

Practicing with Blanket Technique

You can use a blanket which will be used as the artificial catcher. Take a large blanket, and tie this between two trees. Then throw the balls toward it. 

By the way, don’t use a new blanket. It will be needed in the coming winter. 

Practicing with Football Crossbar

You can use a football crossbar as your pitching area. Sting the football crossbar net and throw balls 60 feet away from the crossbar.

Practicing with Batting Cage 

A batting cage could be another great way to practice pitching alone. Set the batting cage behind your home and throw the ball from 60ft away from the cage net. 

Make precise throws to develop your accuracy skills. Quick pitches with constant practice will enhance your physical strength and throwing accuracy in the right manner. 

By the way, you might check out some good batting cages along with different price ranges and features in our guide on “best home batting cages.”

Practicing with Plywood Board

You may use a 5-foot by 6-foot straight plywood. Use a stand, or you can place the board on your home wall. Use an old or leftover carpet on the plywood board to lessen the pitching sound.

Attach the plywood to the wall tightly so that it can’t be displaced. Keep your footstep at least 60 away from the plywood board and start practicing. 

Practicing with Brick Wall

The simplest way to practice pitching alone  is to find a brick wall. Just mark an area for the strike zone and practice. Also, use colors for the corners and target them.

By the way, a brick wall will decrease the ball’s life with so many pitches. 

Additional Read: Softball Swing VS Baseball Swing | Things You Don’t Know

Practicing with Socking Technique 

Take a sock and put your baseball into it. Tightly ties the other side of the sock. You may use scotch tape or a plastic zip tie to tie the sock end. 

Now, tie the sock end with your wrist tightly. Use a long rope.

Throw the ball with the full throwing power of your hand. You don’t need to collect the ball separately. 

Benefits of Practice Pitching 

You must know more practice makes a baseball pitcher perfect. So, there is no doubt about getting perfection while doing a lot of practice on your own. You will notice the following improvements in your pitching skills as a pitcher after doing much practice regularly with a proper plan. 

Develops Throwing Skill

When you put a lot of time into pitching practice, it implies you put in a lot of throwing time.

On the other hand, baseball pitching provides a great deal of throwing since it is one of the main jobs in baseball.

To produce a hard and flawless pitch, you must ensure that the throws are intriguing and repeating. It is necessary to do so to prevent any embarrassing situations on the baseball field when throwing.

Throws that are repeated repeatedly build your forearm muscles. Also, your lower body is involved in the pitching action when the ball is thrown.

A pitcher may continue to practice in his comfort zone by implementing the strategies outlined in the preceding section. This includes repeated throwing helps to make the overall pitching technique more comfortable. It also helps to improve the accuracy of throwing.

You may alter the distance at which the ball is thrown and the pitching manner used. Frequent throwing sessions will undoubtedly raise your throwing ability to a higher degree.

Enhancing Pick-Off Skills

As a pitcher, you must work on improving your pick-off abilities. Remember that to stay in the game as a pitcher, you must be proficient on the field. Picking-off talents will ensure that your worth as a baseball player remains stable. You must follow a standard practice schedule to achieve this.

When you develop your pick-off abilities, you will compete on the same level as the best baseball players. It also helps you improve your other abilities, such as speed, and field area sensing when fielding, and fielding accuracy.

You will be a fantastic pitcher on the squad if you have these fielding abilities.

You may utilize a bucket to help you perfect your pick-off technique. The bucket must be pulled up to a suitable height for you, and the balls must be pitched toward it. Maintain your target in the center of the container.

On the other hand, the pick-off is a kind of fastpitch with outstanding motion. Pick-off practice will improve your accuracy in the game if you do it on a regular basis.

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Developing Of Hand-Eye Coordination

It is the collaboration of throwing flawlessly with the correct vision that is known as hand-eye coordination. When your hand-eye coordination is not optimal, achieving a higher level of performance isn’t easy.

As a result, you must guarantee that your hand-eye coordination is at its optimum. If you don’t, you won’t be able to hit the bullseye, much alone the target. This may hinder your growth as a great pitcher.

Throwing many balls is one of the most effective strategies to improve hand-eye coordination. You can toss the ball with the full throttle of your hand to the highest point. After you’ve thrown the ball, catch it with one hand as it comes towards you. This should be repeated 100 to 150 times each day.

One further objective is to toss a ball against a stiff wall again and over again. Maintain a straight line between your hand and your vision line, and throw more and more. This will make the development of hand-eye coordination much more straightforward.

Hand Drills Development

Hand drills are a must-done job if you want to be a successful pitcher. You may improve your pitching and throwing techniques accurately by hand-drilling. 

With the many throwing styles available, you may continue to practice pitching while building hand exercises. You’ll need a straight surface, such as a stiff wall, as well as a ball to do this. It is possible to practice a variety of different styles.

You can get advice from pros, watch tutorials, and ask for assistance from other gamers who have played the game before. Straight sprints, steal starts, adder workouts, and other techniques may help you advance to the next level of competence.

The most important aspect to note here is that you do not need any extra peripherals in order to continue your exercise.

In addition, short and long hops, forehand and backhand throws, and other hand drills should be included in the hand drilling session. Hand drilling exercises with friends and family members might be a great way to improve your technique at home.

Fundamental Baseball Drills for Pitching Alone

Think you are the most important player in the diamond with a ball to pitch. You are such a player who gets credit after winning or losing the game. You are focused on the entire game. 

How do you feel? Great, or tense? 

However, you must understand your responsibility of yours to the entire game, I guess. Because there is no doubt that a pitcher turns the game into results. 

So, make sure you are at the peak of your confidence and ability. Throw the balls with speed so that you can degrade the batting of the batter. 

All of these need to improve your drilling practices. So, how to practice alone for the drilling at home? You should do the following drilling practice at home yourself.

Drilling for Balance

Drilling for balance is intended to help you create balance in your pitching, as indicated by the name. It entails striking a balance between windup and pitching. This is something you might perform on a baseball field with your throwing rubber. Alternatively, you may utilize a portable pitching mound, which requires no additional equipment.

Prepare by lifting your lead leg in the same manner as you would in the game. Ten seconds or more should be spent keeping the leg in the raising posture. Repeat this process at least 10 times.

It is possible to maintain a wind-up posture for a lengthy period of time using this technique.  If you do not work on this, you may find yourself unable to pitch with proper balance.

Drilling for Tap

Tap drilling is comparable to the balancing drill in terms of technique. It helps to enhance the balance between pitching and speed.

Do the same thing with your lead leg as you did with your balancing exercise. Hold the leg in place for a few seconds before lowering it to the ground. Along with this, tap your toes on the ground behind the driving leg to keep the pitching motion going.

Now, raise your lead leg, lower the lead leg to the ground, and touch the ground in front of the lead leg with your toes to complete the movement. Complete the throwing action with the help of your legs and hand. This should be done while your throwing momentum is at its peak.

Additional Read: Why Are Baseball Coaches Called Managers – Hear From Coach

Drilling Down Angle

It is one of the most fundamental drills for pitching. No need to use the same procedure for the tap and balanced drilling. When you toss the balls, you should designate the down angle with a marker at which you wish to pitch them.

Create a zone on your home’s wall or anything along those lines. Simply rise to your feet on the pitching mound and hurl the ball over the downward path to the wall. Do this for at least 10 minutes every day.

This video may help you how to practice pitching down angles.

Drilling in the Wall

The goal of the wall exercise is to demonstrate your throwing velocity. By using all of your pitching techniques, you just need to throw balls one after another to a wall in order to get the maximum throwing velocity possible.

Instead of a hard wall, you may utilize a net, as I indicated before in the practice starting portion of this article. Grab a few balls and throw them with all of your might and velocity.

After you’ve completed one round, collect the balls and repeat the process. Continue doing this for at least 15 minutes, if not longer. After completing them on one day, take a day off.

Pitchers’ Fielding Training

As a pitcher, you could be apprehensive about participating in fielding practice. And I understand that it is unpleasant for a pitcher. However, it is undeniable that in order to be a successful baseball player, you must also possess certain fielding abilities.

However, it is not that unlike the wall drilling you are used to. Simply use a net to toss the balls in a bouncing manner. Change the ground positions on a regular basis. In comparison to pitching practice, this is a significant distinction.

Continue tossing for at least 15 minutes, if not longer, to get accustomed.

Benefits You Will Get Doing Practice Pitching Alone

When you master the skill of how to practice pitching alone and get used to long, arduous sessions, you will reap significant benefits from your efforts.

There is no question that more practice will make you a better player in baseball. You will learn that you have a profusion of advantages. Putting a lot of effort into your baseball pitching practice will provide you with the following significant advantages.

Increases Your Ability to Be Patient to an Extraordinary Degree

The game of baseball is, without a doubt, a time-consuming activity. It is exhausting and stressful at the same time. To develop into a good player, you must have patience. You must set aside at least 30 percent of your daily time for throwing practice, if not more.

When you practice having a good time at home on a regular basis, you will find that your patience will improve with time. If you bring your younger members of the family, the practice session will also help them to become more patient.

Increases the Development of Motor Aptitudes

The ability of the body’s muscles to do certain activities is referred to as motor aptitude. Sports, baseball, in particular, are known for developing the motor abilities of the player’s body.

Individual muscles, such as those in your upper body and legs, are developed via these workouts. It makes no difference whether you are an adult or a youngster. With your body movement, you will get stronger and more balanced.

You will also be able to manipulate your own body, which will aid you in improving your abilities while playing the game. It is assumed that you will be able to prepare yourself for other games as well as this one.

Additional Read: Learn How To Play Catcher In Baseball Like A Pro

Aids in the Development of Your Self-Confidence

It is obvious that extra practice will help you maintain and improve your abilities. When you practice alone and recognize your progress, you must develop a sense of self-assurance.

You get mentally stronger as a result of your passion. This will also prevent you from deviating from your objective. In addition, your self-confidence will prevent you from ever giving up the practices completely.

Improves the Efficiency of Motor Planning

Pitching in baseball requires skill and thoughtful planning to achieve significant outcomes. Practice alone is an excellent way to learn and improve various abilities. It demonstrates some purposes while pitching, such as when you should offer a particular pitch.

You must put yourself through a great deal of practice to improve your planning skills. Consistently practicing alone can help you significantly enhance your motor planning ability.

Improves the Ability to Concentrate and Pay Attention

Because of the amount of time involved, I’ve previously said that baseball is a game of patience. Whether you’re pitching or fielding, you must pay close attention to minor details of the game.

You must focus throughout the game to strike out a batter or keep them from running. You may also have to wait a long time before making a breakthrough in the game.

It is possible to become more attentive and concentrated over time by engaging in more and more practices.

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Increases Your Enthusiasm for Teamwork

The primary goal of any game is to foster a sense of solidarity among players. Baseball, more than any other sport is unquestionably a team sport. In a team, some players fulfill a variety of roles. They contribute to the team’s success.

As a result of your solo practice, you should have realized that the team is more than the individual. As a result, you will learn to work as a team member rather than as an individual superstar.

Baseball is also popular with children and teenagers, who can appreciate the significance of the team from an early age. This fact motivates them to work as team players from the beginning of their professional careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is a Practice Pitching Mound?

The pitching mound is where the pitcher stands to toss balls to the hitters during a baseball game. On the other hand, practice pitching mounds are artificial and portable mounds that pitchers utilize during practice sessions.

In addition to using it as a warm-up, they also display their throwing methods. Pitching mounds for practice assist pitchers in simulating the actual game environment during their practice sessions.

2. How Do You Practice Pitching Without a Catcher?

Practice without a catcher is not a difficult task. You have many options to do that. You can use a wall to throw the balls. Besides this, you can use a canvas catcher, net catcher, football crossbar with net, sock technique, and so on. 

3. How Can I Resolve My Poor Head Movement Issues During Pitching?

You should put more effort into the mechanism. Maintaining eye level with the target should be your priority. Keep the target in place.

Maintain your composure by using intelligent psychology. Pitching is a duty that is performed on a rotating basis. Continue to rotate your body in conjunction with the pitching action. It will make it easier for the wrong head movement to be corrected.

4. How Can I Fix My Poor Elbow Alignment?

It is all about putting in the time. Make use of anything that is both holdable and lightweight. Make 20 or more repetitions of the arm motion with the weight. Pay attention to the strength of your hand.

This may be accomplished without the need for a baseball. Concentrate only on the action of your arm.

Final Note

As a baseball player, you are well aware of the need for consistency. It might be exhausting and isolating to undertake practice sessions by yourself. However, when you get used to how to practice pitching alone, it will have a positive impact on your overall performance.

Practicing alone helps you become more self-sufficient. You do not need to depend on anybody else to practice. I assure you that it will improve your self-esteem and self-confidence. 

Putting yourself through your paces can assist you in identifying your weaknesses and help to develop automatic coordination.

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