The balance beam is the best training aid for my own personal practice and lessons for a variety of reasons.  First of all, the beam trains pitchers to use the balls of their feet throughout the delivery. This trains optimal balance and strengthens the leg muscles at the same time. Secondly, the beam gives you instant feedback since it is straight and stationary. Falling off the beam or landing on either side of the beam tells you that something is wrong in your delivery.  Lastly, the beam magnifies every flaw in your delivery. Because of the instant feedback and small margin of error, the pitcher is able to instantly recognize the strengths and weaknesses in his delivery.

Many other reasons exist for the beam being my top training aid recommendation. The beam trains pitchers to take their body in a straight line towards home plate while at the same time training lateral balance. Its practical value like versatility and cost effectiveness also make it appealing. Using the balance beam with my other pitching drills enabled me to achieve maximum efficiency and get the most out of my body. With all of the hype on the balance beam you may now be wondering what its weaknesses are?

The main downside to the balance beam is the fact that you can’t drive with your lower half during your motion. Since the board is flat and can slip, pitchers tend to develop a lazy lower half leg drive when using the balance beam exclusively. To counteract this, make sure you focus on a few of the lower half pitching drills listed on this site. The second and relatively minor weakness of the balance beam is the inability to use it to practice in the windup position. This is a minor flaw since the “step back” and “pivot” are the only steps missing when throwing out of the stretch. Below is a typical balance beam and mirror pitching practice station.

Using the mirror balance beam combination is the best setup for mechanical practice.

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It is crucial that pitchers break their hands on time – especially younger pitchers. A proper hand-break involves quickness but also means being early. Starting your hands before your leg goes below waist high/parallel will allow your arm to get to the “L” position on time. This helps pitchers with accuracy and achieving a downward plane ball flight. Most importantly, it helps maximize your body efficiency giving you increased velocity.

Pitchers should get to a proper balance point as shown above. The knee should be at minimum waist high with your foot in line with your kneecap. Your leg lift should split your body evenly in two and your shoulders should be level.

Since these drills build on themselves, you should incorporate the correct armpath we covered earlier – “C’ to an “L” position, leading with the pinkie and breaking below the waist. The key to this drill is breaking early. You should start your armpath (break) BEFORE your leg drops below your waist. The picture above shows what an early hand break looks like. Although this may seem VERY early, in game situations

After breaking early let your lifted leg drop right where it came from. Keep the majority of your weight on the backside (right foot). If you have trouble with this never let your left foot touch the ground. Let it hover above the ground keeping 100% of your weight on your back foot.

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