How to Throw a Fastball in Baseball

If you’re going to be a successful pitcher, then you have to know how to throw a fastball in baseball. After all a strong fastball can make a curve ball or change up that much more effective because the batter is thrown off balance by the different speeds. Here is how to throw a fastball in baseball.

1. Grip the baseball. To learn how to throw a fastball in baseball, set a baseball down in front of you. Then with your pitching hand, place your middle and index finger on the baseball so that they are across the seams. Rest your thumb underneath the fastball for support.
2. Toe the rubber. In order to learn how to throw a fastball in baseball you must get used to "pushing off" the rubber as your legs will help drive a lot of the speed of the baseball.
3. Go into the wind-up. As you move into the wind-up and your front shoulder starts to align with the plate, your back foot will rest in the groove just in front of the pitching plate. There are two things to look for while in this position of the wind-up. The front shoulder should be aligned with home plate, and the back foot should be securely planted.
4. Point your glove hand toward home plate. To throw a fastball in baseball the alignment of the body has a lot to do with obtaining maximum speed from your arm. At this point in the wind-up, your glove hand will point toward home plate while the hand with the baseball will be outstretched behind you.
5. Plant your front foot. As your pitching arm drives forward, your front foot will land on the pitcher’s mound. This is the foot opposite your throwing hand. For right-handers it will be their left foot, and for left-handers it will be their right foot. Again your front foot should be point right toward home plate like your glove hand and shoulder previously were in the wind-up.
6. Push off on the front leg. Drive through the motion of the wind-up by using your front leg to push off. This will give the fastball a little extra momentum.
7. Release the fastball with as much force as possible. Release the fastball just above shoulder height and follow through with the rest of your body landing in the defensive position. You have just learned how to throw a fastball in baseball.

Remember that you’ll have to throw many fastballs during the game, so while you want the fastball to be fast, don’t throw your arm out on one pitch. Also work on locating the fastball. A fastball can be one of the easier pitches to hit, especially if your top speed isn’t blowing them away.