Effort = Velocity: 4 Drills to Help Your Pitcher Move With Intent

Hey There, Friend!

Does your pitcher have solid mechanics…
…but struggles to fully attack every pitch?

Does it ever feel like she’s holding something back with her effort?

Do you know she could throw harder if she were just a little more aggressive off the rubber?

If you’re nodding along—this one’s for you.

In this week’s article, I’m sharing four simple things you can start doing in the bullpen that will help your pitcher learn how to drive her body forward with more intensity—and start gaining velocity as a result!

The Link Between Leg Drive and Whip

Did you know the speed of your pitcher’s stride foot landing directly impacts how quickly the rest of her body moves?

The sooner she sets her stride foot,
👉 the faster her arm accelerates,
👉 the more whip she generates,
👉 the more velocity she can create.

Let’s talk about how to help her make it happen…

1. Assisted Harness Work

(Click to watch: Stride Leg Harness | Full Body Harness)

Training with an assisted harness forces the body to move with more urgency, especially the legs.

Start with a stride leg harness to help your pitcher feel what it’s like to land her front foot decisively. As she builds strength and coordination, you can progress to using the full body harness.

⚠️ Hold off on the full body harness until her mechanics are consistent and solid.

2. The “Load & Explode” Drill (Click to watch: Load & Explode)

This drill is a go-to in my training sessions—and a staple in many of my pitchers’ pre-game routines.

It teaches them how to launch forward with power and helps them feel that a quicker stride foot landing = a quicker pitch to the plate.

We often turn this into a competition: Who can land their stride foot the soonest and most cleanly?
(It’s simple—but super effective.)

3. Over the Elastic (Click to watch: Over the Elastic)

This is one of the best drills to improve lower body EFFORT and timing.

Start with some “dry” reps—have your pitcher go through the motion without a ball to get the feel of the drill. It may feel a little different at first to lift her stride leg up to go out, but those no-ball reps will help her understand the movement before adding a pitch.

This drill trains her to get her stride foot over the elastic and set as quickly as possible. It’s also great for helping her feel her back leg “close the gap” by squeezing the elastic between her knees at the finish of her pitch.

⚠️ Important: Be sure to use elastic, not a rigid rope, so if your pitcher steps on it, it gives (and doesn’t trip her!).

BONUS: Here are some extra tips on this drill I gave during one my course, “Small Habits to BreakThrew Moments” (Click to watch)

4. Effort Ranking with a Catcher (Click to watch: Effort Ranking)

This one’s straightforward and powerful.

Have your catcher rate the visible effort behind each pitch using a 5–10 scale. It creates real-time feedback that helps your pitcher understand how much she’s giving—and challenges her to push harder.

Check out the video for a look at 10U pitchers using this system. It’s simple, but it works at every age.

Wrapping It Up

Once your pitcher has a solid foundation with her mechanics, help her learn to EXPLODE into her pitch with more intent!

The sooner she lands her stride foot, the faster her arm and backside will engage to stay on time—and the more velocity she can develop.

Try one or two of these drills in your next bullpen. And if you do?
I’d love to hear what helps your pitcher the most!
You can message me anytime right HERE.

Talk to you again next week—same time, same place. 😉

All my best,
Myndie