This article teach you how to throw a baseball as well as cover a few tips that can help you throw with greater accuracy and less strain on your arm. While it is a very simple task in theory, and once mastered, improper throwing can lead to injury-either to the thrower or the catcher.
The Eyes Have It
It may seem cliché, but it's always a good idea to focus your eyes on your intended target-be it a glove, catcher's mitt or bull's eye marker. This will help your follow through and improve your accuracy.
Leg Up!
Even though you're throwing with your arms, your legs serve as the foundation for a good throw. When winding up, lift your front (and glove-side) leg slightly off the ground, rocking off of your back (throwing side) leg. When you come down on your front foot when you throw, make sure it is pointing at your intended target.
Think Opposite
Believe it or not, an accurate throw of the baseball actually begins with where you aim your "off" elbow. When throwing fully over your shoulder, as you would when pitching, position your elbow at the target with your glove tucked into your body, and follow through with your throwing arm into that spot.
Elbow Grease
While you don't want to put too much pressure on your elbow, it is still a necessary element to throwing the ball. Your arm should bend slightly so that the ball is up over your head, past your ear when you are throwing it. Otherwise, you will put a great amount of stress on your shoulder and more of a looping motion than a real throw. Your elbow should be at about a 45 degree angle as you come down to follow through.
Coming to Grips
When you are pitching, your grip will vary vastly depending on the type of pitch you are throwing. However, a good rule of thumb when throwing in any circumstance is to throw using your index and middle fingers and your thumb, spreading your digits out slightly and holding the ball in place with your thumb. As you throw, give your wrist a slight but fluid flick to give the ball the extra bit of jump into the mitt of your catcher.
Sidearm
Particularly if you're an infielder, you may be forced to throw sidearm on more than one occasion. Sidearm refers to throwing the ball by sweeping your arm from your back hip to your front, releasing the ball from your side rather than over the top. Generally speaking, this throw is only encouraged if you are on the run and trying to get a player out on a bang-bang force play. In this particular case, it is imperative that you get a food flick of your wrist as you throw.
At the Hop
If you're an outfielder, you'll probably have to get the ball back into a base or home plate to get a player tagged out. When you do, make sure the ball reaches three-fifths to three quarters the distance of the throw, so that it bounces up into the recipient's tag position.
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