Tips For Learning To Pitch As An Adult

If you're an adult and you want to learn how to become a pitcher in baseball, these pitching tips will help. It's important to learn basic throwing competence first before applying it to pitching from a mound. For more, check out danblewett.com/courses
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[@maguirelin]

47 years old, learning to pitch for 1.5 years, started with 49 miles and now can throw 61 consistently, touched 64 only once. It has been very hard to gain velocity; but it is so fun to gain a mile or two along the way. I think the key to throw faster is to shape and fix the proper mechanics. My mechanics have been changing all the time, each change throws me back a couple of miles to start with, before gaining it back. Pushy arm action was a major problem in the beginning; now is hip and shoulder separation; I don’t think I can throw 70 miles ever, doubt I can maintain that competent pitching speed of 65 lol. I now just hope to find the right mechanics so that I can pitch for longer rather than injuring my shoulder.

[@DanBlewett]

throwing medicine balls is a great way to help improve that. good luck!

[@WhydTheyChangeOurNames]

I just turned 29, havent played baseball since i was maybe 12, and just started playing Blitzball with friends to get out and stay active. While very different balls, ive found a lot of the same mechanics still apply. I topped out at about 70 before a Labrum tear. It's actually been a very fun journey to develop my offspeed pitches as my speed has gone down. Never been a Baseball fan even when playing but pitching has become VERY interesting to me. Good channel and keep up the work.

[@stuffthatworks7867]

Thanks for this. I'm 5 years into this trip after a 35 year break. I've gained about 10 feet of throwing distance a year so far... It can be frustrating at times so the tips are very valuable and it is great to see some online content aimed at the, uh, more mature player.

[@DanBlewett]

glad it was helpful!

[@rexxis6086]

Just started back into baseball at 27, stopped playing as a kid at 14. Great tips here, and a good reminder that the road ahead is long. 70 mph here we come 🫡

[@Ninjaa320]

This was really helpful for establishing realistic baselines and goals for velo in adult leagues. Many pitchers have no idea what their velo is; They'll throw out a number that's +/- 15 mph lol . One thing to mention; in older people adult leagues the hitting and running is much less competitive as well. So that does balance things out a lot. Even if the pitcher is topping out at 40, the guy on 1st with the huge belly isn't really thinking of stealing 😂.

[@DanBlewett]

yeah, its much more of a base-base game. Which is also an opportunity for those who want to stay in good shape and run the bases like a young buck.

[@Ninjaa320]

@@DanBlewett yeah there's always one or two of those guys. Them, and catchers with a gun are highly valued (after good pitchers; there's never enough of those).

[@user-oe5th5qf9o]

I wanted to be comfortable holding the baseball and moving between grips effortlessly so I started holding a ball while at the office and in the house, hours a day, changing grips and tossing it up to work on the release/spin. It sounds goofy but I found it helpful. I would also recommend people watch your video on what soreness after throwing is good or bad. Keep up the great content. Appreciate your insight. All the best!

[@DanBlewett]

great addition to this - thanks for sharing, lots of players do this.

[@JSustain]

I am learning to pitch to help my son. I needed this video for a reality check

[@tedturner9054]

I tried to learn how to pitch in my 50's lol! I got pretty good throwing strikes, and it was fun!

[@arnoldhamptonjr9787]

I'm 54 and have been playing again for the last 3 years. I was always a pitcher in my younger days and coached when i wasn't playing. Coach your assessment of velocity i have to disagree with you , as i sit around 55mph on my fastball and in the mid to upper 40's with my secondary pitches. Granted, i'm not going up against ex professionals, but still very effective. Specially since i am ambidextrous. I will agree, to pitch at a later age would be difficult if one has never done before. Mechanics alone are so key in performance. Great stuff, I enjoy your videos.

[@jdm894g]

Im a JV coach. I never played the game of baseball in any organized fashion. Your videos are helpful. Half of my team is new to the game and lacks fundamentals or even being athletic.

[@DanBlewett]

Good luck, that’ll be a challenge

[@themartialartsapproach8786]

I played in a field behind my house as a kid. Couldn't find anyone to play with after that. Now I'm in Korea and was invited to join an amateur league just over two years ago. I was an embarrassment and a failure the first year...and the second year but thanks to this channel and a LOT of practice, this year I'm doing pretty well, and playing is just enjoyable again. Pro tip, if you crumple aluminum foil into a baseball shape, you can practice at home. As it compacts, add more layers. It'll get heavier and fly faster. Mine recently exploded into bits when it had quite a bit of mass, and I let loose my best fastball. So it does have its limits.

[@Xander_Vaughn]

The SBL is a lot of fun out there in Korea, hopefully you enjoy it!

[@themartialartsapproach8786]

@@Xander_Vaughn it's crazy fun :)

[@tjwitBH]

thanks bro💯

[@va960]

As someone who wanted to learn how to play from their childhood but never got the chance until now, I find this really helpful Also, is it okay for adult beginners to learn breaking balls?

[@DanBlewett]

its okay, but they won't work very well for quite a long time (I think I touched on this in the video)

[@rogacz25]

I played growing up and into my late teens, always had a great arm and loved long toss, but never pitched much and never had access to a radar gun so i had no idea how fast i was throwing. Now that I'm coaching little League i thought it would be fun to check, and bought a radar gun. I topped out at 70 which was pretty disappointing given how easy the pros make it look, but after watching this video i feel a lot better about it!

[@DanBlewett]

70 is crisp - most infield throws are in this range. There's a lot more oomph on 80mph than people realize, and 90+ just tears through the air

[@ignaciocompilation5069]

Been coaching, playing and umpiring for years. Great video. 🙏🏽🔥⚾️

[@deanfleischer6239]

Thank you. I am 44 and started baseball / pitching last year. I love it. Do you think that doing a lot of stretching of the muscles around the shoulders will help with pitching? Having more flexibility of the shoulders, would that help with velocity or control?

[@DanBlewett]

it may help generally, though I wouldnt expect it to help any specific aspect more than another. the best thing, far and away, is just more throwing (within reason, of course)

[@DW-jk6xd]

Question coming from someone who never played baseball as a kid...does throwing a football a lot as a kid cause the same bone changes? I'm learning together with my son who is 9....love your videos

[@DanBlewett]

yes, it probably would. just throwing, generally, while young, helps build that. not limited to any type of specific ball, as far as im aware, though i know this was most heavily tracked in baseball players

[@DeltaBird2269]

Hey Dan! Been watching your videos for a few weeks, I finally bought my gal and me new gloves and we’ve been playing catch the past week or so. I’m 25, never played as a kid, but played a lot of catch in the backyard and used to help my buddy warm up his pitches before his games. Been working on my mechanics and getting my shoulder used to whipping again haha obviously it isn’t as loose as it was 10-12 years ago, but it’s getting more comfortable. I know I can throw a lot harder, but my gal is scared to catch the higher velocity ball, naturally. So my question is, is it better to hit higher velocities and test out the mechanics at full speed, or focus on control and accuracy with slower mechanics? I feel as if I’m not getting enough out of doing all the mechanics and then shooting a soft throw, or am I wrong? Thank you, keep up the awesome content!!

[@DanBlewett]

you have to do both

[@davidyielding8539]

I'm 44 played little league through high school. Hadn't touched a baseball in over 25 years until my younger son wanted to start playing. I decided to get into coaching when his coach asked if anyone had any knowledge of baseball and wouldn't mind helping out with rec league ball. I volunteered my time and have continued to do it for the last 4 years. I throw most batting practices and can still touch mid to upper 70s if I get good and warmed up. Is it possible for me to get close to 80? I am starting to get into an adult baseball league and I was wanting to pitch but don't want to get lit up. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@jkohler70]

I’m nearly 54 and pitch in a men’s senior league. I’d guess my fastball is in the 60’s. But I throw what might be the best curveball in the league. It’s a little loopy but I get on top and put a lot of spin on it. The batters at this age don’t have the same bat speed they once did either. We older guys can be effective at slower speeds against slower bats.

[@spo0kers233]

What can an athlete who is mature (just past college) but still not at their physical peak of their late 20s expect? I played baseball until I was 11 and went on to go D1 in a skill sport as well as competed in olympic weightlifting - is that boat still missed or can I take advantage of still physically and athletically maturing? Love all your stuff coach, always excited for every upload!

[@DanBlewett]

I really dont know what you're asking but I wish you luck

[@nofurtherwest3474]

I'm 48. I hurt my right shoulder playing goalie in soccer. So now I'm learning to throw with my left. It's actually going quite well. I play catch with my kid and I only use my left to throw. Took months to get comfortable with it.

[@DanBlewett]

yeah i learned to throw with my left during my tommy john rehab. I could throw and generally play catch, but i could not imagine ever possibly throwing a breaking ball or changeup with that arm/hand. I had no dexterity compared to my right and poor accuracy, at best.

[@stoneyj1a1]

I'm 44 and trying to get back into the game. I played in HS and was pretty good. But after 15 years sitting a desk but still hitting the gym, my throwing arm is horrible. I don't know if it's the yips or if I need to warm up more, or if its bad mechanics but I'm constantly throwing into the ground. After many many throws I can usually get better, but by then my arm is sore. I need to fix my release point. What do you recommend?

[@DanBlewett]

This video is what I recommend - I dont have specifics for individuals

[@kyfiss9176]

Any advice for someone in their early 20s that played baseball growing up? I ended up in the military and now I’m about to go to college and I have been thinking about getting into pitching. I’m 6’2 and threw pretty hard when I was in highschool. Just not sure if getting back into pitching in my 20s is possible.

[@DanBlewett]

it's doable if you played as a kid, but difficult for the reasons I outlined here

[@mattpassarelli1830]

Thanks soooooo much Coach Dan!!!! I’ve been looking for a while!!! Giving me the confidence at 38 learn!!!

[@MrChuckwagon55]

Would love to see you do a dedicated video on your thoughts, experiences and advice on just the pro level and how to rise to the top. I’ve lived this life, and it’s very different than college or HS. I actually quit because of my ex wife gave me an ultimatum despite being one level away from the show (my biggest regret in life) however I would really like to hear your thoughts on professional baseball.

[@DanBlewett]

I'll consider it, but most of my audience here are parents of youth players

[@MrChuckwagon55]

@@DanBlewett - I totally understand.

[@bucciarato]

Started playing baseball when I was 23 after watching a MLB match, which gave me a passion to become a pitcher and dream of throwing a pitch at about 80mph. Now, after a year of practice, knowing that it will never become true. Reality hit so hard.

[@DanBlewett]

lol. sorry bout that, but reality checks help up redirect our energy to more fruitful endeavors. Also, it's not a "match" - "baseball game" is the term 😀

[@tracywheat4560]

If a 14u pitcher pitches from the set position and uses a rocker step as part of every delivery that is similar to a windup, can he pick off to third?

[@DanBlewett]

what youre saying doesnt make sense

[@rom.6.23]

Coach, I'm 30yo I played baseball from 7yo coach pitch til 18 in highschool after high School never played again also, I was a pitcher and first baseman. My kids have started playing now and so I've started fooling around and I'm only touching 60mph. Kinda hurt my feelings lol. Any advice on someone who has played but not for a long time, I just want to throw hard again without hurting my elbow or shoulder

[@DanBlewett]

I mean, the tips were in this video

[@Caudata_]

Dan, my kid is working on learning pitching but he's really struggling to get the concept of getting his back leg around and getting over his front leg at release. He's 10 so doesn't understand his body enough to just tell him about it, and I am struggling to find ways that he can experience it and learn. Is this a towel drill opportunity? Any ideas?

[@DanBlewett]

i think the towel drill sucks, but just tinker - try different drills, be encouraging and dont worry too much about - most young kids have legitimate body control issues that resolve only with age, patience and time,

[@Caudata_]

@@DanBlewett yeah, I knew you didn't like the towel drill, just was only thing that came to mind. Trying to teach him to throw well has exposed so many flaws/laziness in my own mechanics that he's picked up, too!

[@DanBlewett]

I have other drills spread around this channel if you search, and also my beginner pitching course has step by step coaching instructions + drills for his age. All on my website - danblewett.com/courses

[@Ninjaa320]

Thanks for the video,. love the adult baseball content. Question: What would you say is a realistic velo goal for a (non baseball history except some little league) adult 45+ who is very athletic overall? Great mobility, flexibility, and strength; has been working out routinely for years?

[@DanBlewett]

60-65 is my educated guess

[@connor5837]

I believe I can fly.

[@taylorbertok3823]

You’re in the DC area? I play in the DC mens baseball league. I’m always looking for a throwing partner as an adult player. Shoot me a message if you’re interested!