Video Analysis: Identify and Fix Common Pitching Mistakes

Myndie Berka has trained hundreds of successful pitchers. Her pitchers have:

• earned scholarships at over 60 different colleges and universities
• competed at the Women's College World Series at the NCAA DI, DII, NAIA and JUCO levels
• been named collegiate All-Americans
• been collegiate national strikeout leaders at both the NCAA DI and DII levels

Pitching is a complex skill that must be performed correctly for the pitcher to maximize her power and control. Because each movement in the pitching motion builds sequentially on the prior movement, any flaw or inefficiency can cause the pitcher to lose power, accuracy, or even result in injury.

Myndie Berka provides a great understanding of what the proper mechanics and key checkpoints in the pitching motion are by using slow motion video analysis software. She discusses correct pitching mechanics, then shows pitchers with inefficiencies and identifies 12 common flaws in the pitching motion. Coach Berka also offers 25 drills to help correct the flaws.

Correct Mechanics

For any motion, it's helpful to know what the correct mechanics look like in order to learn and successfully execute the movements. Coach Berka uses video to identify key checkpoints within the pitching motion from the set up, weight shift and load, and upper and lower body position at toe touch. She then works through the pull down phase into the release and finish position, again identifying key upper and lower body checkpoints. With each movement, Coach Berka explains why it's important to the overall pitching motion.

Lower Body Mistakes

Coach Berka identifies eight common pitching mistakes associated with lower body mechanics and four mistakes pitchers make with their upper body. Some of the mistakes covered include:

• The weight shift and load
• Drive foot problems
• Glove arm problems
• Balance problems
• Locking out the pitching arm
• Arms and legs not in sync
• Tight or unnatural follow through

For each mistake, Coach Berka shows the flaw on video, fully explains the issue by identifying what happens when pitchers haveeach flaw and how it hurts them, and then offers several drills to correct the issue.

Drills to Correct Pitching Flaws

After identifying particular flaws in the motion, Coach Berka introduces a variety of drills to help correct each of them. These drills are done using live pitchers and provide appropriate progressions and cues to help pitchers feel what an efficient motion should feel like.

For example, one of the mistakes is when pitchers lock out their pitching arm, which makes their arm circle and subsequently pitch slower. To remedy this flaw, Coach Berka offers a bottle drill, which involves a pitcher holding a water bottle and performing their arm circle. If the pitcher locks out her arm (the incorrect movement), the water will spill out of the bottle, while the correct movement causes no spillage.

Coach Berka's simplifies the pitching motion into key checkpoints and then shows what poor pitching mechanics look like. You'll also receive drills to correct common flaws, making this one of the best pitching videos on the market.

73 minutes. 2016.