5 Questions to Ask Yourself Next Time You Play Catch
May 11, 2023
Direction is the fundamental building block of accuracy. How aware are you of what your lower body is doing on every throw? How well do you stay on your target line?
THOUGHTS:
- Drive your back foot through the ground & towards the direction of your target.
- Imagine a rope tied from your front hip to your target, let the rope pull you forward & keep your hips on that imaginary line as long as possible.
2. Is My Tempo Consistent?
One of the great causes of inaccuracy is the speeding up or slowing down of body mechanics throughout a throw. Staying “smooth & relaxed” is more beneficial in catch play than “maxing out” your intensity.
THOUGHTS:
- The rhythm I start my throw with is the rhythm I finish my throw with.
- No speeding up. No slowing down. Stay in control & consistent.
3. What is My Optimal Intensity Level?
At what percentage of intensity do you throw your most accurately? Most pitchers will find that number is somewhere between 75-95%. Experiment with different levels of intent and see which number works best.
THOUGHTS:
- 85% intensity is generally the magic number. Think “85% Intensity”.
- I’m still on the gas, but have more in the tank. Controlled aggression.
4. Where is My Tension?
It is vital that you are aware of where the tension in your body is, pre-throw. Think of your body like an electrical system, where are you directing the power? “80% in my back leg - 20% in my throwing arm” What are your #’s?
THOUGHTS:
- Ideally, we want to direct a vast majority of our energy to our back leg (70-80%).
- The more energy we can direct into our lower body, the looser our arm will be and the more it will achieve that whipping action we want.
- The less you think about your arm the more natural it will work.
5. What Are My Eyes Actually Looking At?
So many times when you ask a young pitcher what they are targeting when they play catch they tell you “my partner” the issue is that your partner is a general space that is often a window of 6ft by 6ft. Training your mind to focus on a specific visual is hugely beneficial to increasing accuracy. We are not throwing to a general space, we are throwing to a defined point.
THOUGHTS:
- I want to throw this ball THROUGH the logo on my partner's chest.
- I want to throw this ball THROUGH the logo on the inside of my partner’s glove.
- I want to throw this ball THROUGH the right shoulder or left shoulder to work on hitting inside and outside spots.
