Do you have 5 minutes a day to get better?

“Simply put, when you teach your body how to do something—ride a bike, surf, strike some yoga poses, run a few miles—it creates a physiological blueprint” (Women’s Health Magazine). So, why does a physiological blueprint matter for a young pitcher? This is what helps young athletes create muscle memory. Every single time a pitcher completes their motion they are creating a blueprint for either poor mechanics or correct mechanics.

This is where dry pitches and mirror pitches come in. I spend an hour a week with my pitchers, and we get a lot done in that hour! It takes thousands of pitches to create mechanically correct muscle memory though, which we obviously cannot do in an hour. The most common excuse I hear from pitchers is “I don’t have a catcher, I can’t do this or that.” You don’t need a catcher. By completing dry pitches (throwing on your sneakers and your glove, and practicing your motion without throwing a ball) in front of a mirror or against a wall, pitchers can 100% focus on their mechanics and going full speed rather than whether the pitch is a strike or “fast.” Doing mirror work gives pitchers the opportunity to actually see how their body moves when they pitch and understand their mechanics better. There is a huge difference between a coach standing next to you and saying that your hips are closing too early and YOU seeing that your hips are closing too early. Throwing an hour a week with a coach doesn’t make you better. Taking initiative with what you work on and learn in that hour throughout the week is what makes you better. 30 dry pitches take five minutes. Do you have five minutes in your day to get better?