Softball drill
Wall arm path drill
A slow, no-throw drill with the throwing shoulder beside a wall, so the arm cannot swing wide behind the back on the way up. It teaches a compact arm path that leads with the elbow.
At a glance
- Sport
- Baseball and Softball
- Skill
- Throwing
- Ages
- 10U to High school
- Players
- Any number, one per spot on a wall or fence
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- A ball and glove per player, A wall, dugout wall or backstop
- Indoors
- Yes
When a thrower's arm swings wide and long behind the body, the ball gets away from them: it comes out late, sails, and puts more strain on the shoulder. Standing right next to a wall takes that option away. The wall is a guide the player can feel, so the arm has to come up close to the body and forward with the elbow in front.
Nobody throws a ball in this drill. It is a slow-motion feel drill that a whole team can do along a dugout wall or backstop in a couple of minutes before catch, and a good one to send home for players who need extra reps.
Setup
- The player faces the wall and puts both forearms flat against it to measure the distance.
- Without moving the feet, they turn 90 degrees so the throwing shoulder is next to the wall.
- Ball in the throwing hand, glove on, feet a little wider than the shoulders.
How to run it
- Break the hands apart and lift both arms out, with the glove arm pointing along the wall toward the target.
- Slowly bring the ball up into the throwing position, with the forearm upright. The ball should brush the wall, not swing out behind the body.
- Start turning forward slowly, leading with the throwing elbow, until the ball touches the wall again.
- Stop there and hold for a second. The player should feel a stretch across the front of the throwing shoulder.
- Back to the start and repeat, slowly, eight to ten times.
Coaching points
- Slow motion only. This is a feel drill, and speed hides the arm path.
- Close enough that the ball skims the wall. If it never touches, the player is standing too far away.
- At the stopping point, the elbow is level with the shoulder and a little ahead of the hand.
- Hold the stretch gently. Never force the arm past the wall.
Common mistakes
- Standing too far from the wall, so the arm can still wrap behind the back.
- Rushing and banging the ball or knuckles into the wall.
- Letting the elbow sag below the shoulder as the arm comes forward.
- Skipping the forearm check at the start, so every rep is at a different distance.
Printable drill card
Take this drill to the field: the setup, steps, coaching points and equipment on one card, with the video's address to find it again. Free, no account needed.
Print the drill cardSmaller: half page or quarter page (PDF).
By age
10U and 12U
Check every player's distance from the wall and guide the arm through the first two reps by hand, so they know what the right path feels like before doing it alone.
14U and up
Use it as a self-check before throwing, especially for a player whose release point has been wandering, then go straight to short catch and look for the same compact path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do players throw the ball in the wall drill?
No. They hold on to the ball the whole time and stop when the elbow leads forward and the ball meets the wall. Follow it with short catch so the feel carries into real throws.
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