The Bucket Pitching Drill helps players understand what proper hip and shoulder separation feels like.
Setup
A bucket is needed to perform this drill. A baseball bucket works well for adult players, but a shorter bucket may be needed for youth athletes. The bucket is going to be placed behind the player. The player is going to place their back or driving leg on the bucket with the shoelaces pointed down towards the top of the bucket. The player should walk their front foot out until they are in a wide stance. The front or lead foot is going to be pointed towards the target.
Drill Instructions
- The player should get into the position they would if they just finished a throw.
- From there, the player will bring the upper half of their body back and rotate the trunk as if they are going to make a throw.
- The shoulders should be closed but the hips should still be open towards the target.
- The player should hold the rotated position so they can feel what proper hip and shoulder separation feels like.
- Next, the player can make the throw or do a dry throw.
Coaching Tips
Make sure that the player’s hand is pronating the correct direction after throwing. On the finish, the eyes, nose, chin, and chest should all be lined up and positioned over the front knee.