So since my recent posts on the benefits of a good curveball, I’ve been getting a ton of questions from guys looking for coaching tips on how to throw a good one. If you missed them, you can check them out here:
Why Most Young Pitchers Should Learn to Throw a Curveball
5 Ways a Good Curveball Can Make You a Better Pitcher
So in today’s Video Lesson I show you…
[h5]3 Musts for Throwing a Good 12-6 Curveball[/h5]
(and don’t miss the 4:40 mark, where a bee basically flies right in front of my face and lands on my head. Notice I’m completely unfazed… I’m in the zone!)
One of the things that really helped me in my career was having a good 12-6 curveball. In this video I go over the 3 basic things you must have to throw a good, traditional big league curveball. The 12-6 curve is great for a lot of reasons. It changes planes, is a good change of speed, and gives the hitter a totally different look.
Where does it get it’s name? Think about the hands on a clock – the curve is generally a north/south pitch (or 12 to 6 on the clock). Now it’s also worth mentioning that in most cases, the action on the traditional curveball isn’t really 12 to 6… depending on your arm angle, the action is usually more 1 to 7 or even 2 to 8.
The biggest problem with the traditional curveball is that many young pitchers never learn the proper way to throw it. A lot of people think the curveball involves twisting or snapping the wrist. This leads to all kinds of issues that I highlight in the video.
If you want to have a nasty 12-6 curveball (and throw it as safely as possible) it really comes down to three things: 1) a good grip, 2) good hand position and wrist position, and 3) a strong middle finger. In the video, you’ll also see the killer mistakes you want to avoid when learning to throw this pitch.
Hope you enjoy it! And if you do, I hope you can do me a favor… Share this post with anyone who could benefit from learning to throw a curveball the right way!
And for more Free Curveball Training, head over to CurveballMastery.com for a Free Video where I’ll show you my #1 Coaching Secret for throwing a Big League Curveball.