Pitching Stance

How are you supposed to stand when pitchig a bag? There is no right or wrong way, everyone seems to do it differently. In this post I will discuss some of the most common types of stances that players use today.

The most common stance is probably the step-shot. In this stance the player steps with their opposite foot while throwing the bag. For example, if the player is right-handed they will step with their left foot as they throw. Some players feel more comfortable stepping with the same side- right hand, right foot. If you choose the step-shot I recommend the opposite foot, but players should choose whatever they are comfortable with. An advantage of this shot is that the legs give the shot some extra power. This comes in handy when throwing an all-day tournament because it keeps the arm from wearing out.

Another common stance involves no step, and can be referred to as the stationary, standstill, or fixed stance. In this stance, the player put their right or left foot forward with the other foot dropped back (similar to the end result of the step-shot). There are a few advantages to this approach. First, it involves less movement of the body; only the arm moves. Also, it brings the player closer to the front of the box. It seems like the boxes are closer together when this stance is used, compared to the step-approach. However, the extra power from the legs is lost in this stance, and more muscle is needed from the arm to get the bag down to the other board.

All in all, it does not really matter what type of stance you use. What really matters is the arm motion. Usually if you can throw a consistently straight bag, you're in good shape. Once you are used to a particular stance, keep it and practice making different types of shots.