Long Toss: Why Your Pitcher Should Be Doing It

Hey There Friend!

If you are new to the concept of long toss and are curious about how to do it and the benefits you can get from it, keep reading (and see links to videos on various ways to do it)!

Benefits of regular long toss:

1.  Strengthens the arm and promotes full range of motion through release

Throwing beyond normal distance helps pitchers feel how to WORK with the lower body while staying loose/relaxed THROUGH release with the upper body.

Many pitchers have difficulty understanding how it feels to keep the hand/arm moving forward after release. Long toss will make this mistake very obvious as pitchers that don't use that full range of motion will struggle to throw the ball up and out very far!

2.  Can help identify mechanical inefficiencies

Long toss can also help show pitchers the importance of a powerline and balance through release. Distance MAGNIFIES mistakes. If a pitcher isn't stepping where she is trying to throw OR is falling as she releases, she will have a difficult time throwing the ball STRAIGHT from longer distance.

3.  Allows pitchers to SEE progress

Have your pitcher step off how far back her max distance is every time she long tosses. If she commits to doing distance pitching consistently (and makes adjustments with any mechanical issues that show up) over time, she will be able to add more distance when she long tosses regularly!

Adding DISTANCE to long toss will almost always also show up as added VELOCITY to her pitches on a radar gun!

HOW should pitchers do long toss?

HERE is a video showing what long toss looks like.

Make sure your pitcher is warmed up before beginning a long toss session.

Step #1: Start at regular pitching distance and throw 1 pitch to partner or net. Focus on getting the ball to the target straight and in the air. Watch the pitcher in the first part of the video above and notice how she takes a couple steps and then throws each pitch. This should be a RELAXED routine that focuses on using the LEGS to create power!

Step #2: Take a few steps back and throw another pitch continuing to focus on getting the ball to the target in the air and straight. Repeat this process until your pitcher is unable to make it to the target in the air any longer.  NOTE: It shouldn't take more than 7 pitches to reach max distance. If it takes more than that, move back farther between pitches the next time.

REMEMBER, the farther away from her target she gets, the HIGHER she needs to throw the ball UP to be able to get the ball to the target in the air!

Step #3: Once your pitcher gets to her maximum distance, have her throw 5-10 pitches from that spot continuing to work to get the ball all the way to her target in the air.

Step #4: Work back in to regular distance. Just like working back to max distance, working in to regular distance shouldn't take more than 7 pitches. As your pitcher gets closer to her target, she will take some of the loft off the ball so that she is throwing the ball to the target, not over it.

Step #5: Throw 5 pitches from regular distance. Your pitcher should feel long, loose and powerful after going through this routine!

The total pitch count for the complete routine will be somewhere between 25-30 pitches (that includes the 5 pitches from regular distance to finish).

The routine looks like this:

• Working back to max distance (around 7 pitches)
• Throw 5-10 pitches from max distance with max loft
• Work back in to regular pitching distance (around 7 pitches)
• Throw 5 pitches from regular distance

How MUCH should pitchers do long toss?

Consistency is the KEY to seeing noticeable results with distance pitching.

When getting started with long toss, commit to throwing long 3 days a week over a period of 6-8 weeks.

The routine outlined above will take between 5-10 minutes to complete. It can be included within a bullpen or done as a stand alone workout. Either option works!

If you have limited space during the winter months and are looking for options on how you can incorporate long toss into a small space, check out these options:

Long Toss into a wall or batting cage net

Mini-Chutes

Give long toss a try if you are looking for an effective way to help your pitcher continue to work on mechanics, strengthen her arm and gain velocity!

Let me know if you have any questions my friend! I'm always only an EMAIL away! ; )

All My BEST,

Myndie