How to Teach Kids to Throw Properly

Co-authored by Isaac Hess

Last Updated: May 2, 2023 References

Throwing is a big part of many sports, and being good at it can make you a better player or competitor. Learning how to throw can be tough at first, so if you have a brand new or inexperienced thrower, have them start out with a simple underhand throw. Once they get a little better and more confident, you can move to the basics of the overhand throw. But while learning the motions may be relatively easy, the key to a good throw is lots and lots of practice, so find different ways to get your students out there and throwing.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Simple Underhand Throw

1
Ask them to face toward the target holding the ball like a lower case “l.” Have your thrower start by holding the ball in their throwing hand so it hangs down at their side to form the shape of a lower case letter “l.” Get them to stand comfortably with their feet about shoulder-width apart and face directly at the target or direction they’re aiming to throw towards.^{[1]
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- You can use almost any type of ball to help teach the underhand throw. Baseballs, basketballs, footballs, rubber balls, or even balls of yarn are all effective teaching tools.
2
Have them swing their throwing arm back when they’re ready. Tell your thrower to start the throwing motion by bringing the arm that’s holding the ball back behind them in a swinging motion. Make sure they bring it far enough back to give some power to the throw, but not so far that it strains their elbow or causes them to rotate.^{[2]
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- On the flip side, make sure they don’t bring the ball back just past their hip. A super short backward swing won’t generate enough power for a decent throw and they could get frustrated.
- Tell them not to start the backward motion until they’re ready to throw. You want them to have 1 smooth throwing motion that begins with swinging their arm backward.
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3
Get them to step the opposite foot as their throwing arm moves forward. As they move their throwing arm backward, help them feel more stable and generate more power into their throw by stepping into it. Make sure they step forward with the foot that’s opposite their throwing arm so they’re balanced.
- Give them verbal and visual cues to help the motion stick. Demonstrate the throwing movements yourself and say something like, “Swing and step, swing and step.”
4
Tell them to release the ball when it’s between their knee and waist level. Get your throwers to open their hand when they’re ready to release the ball. Have them wait until the ball is at their side, right between their knee and waist, before they release it so it travels forward instead of going straight up into the air or down into the ground.
- The trick is to swing the ball back, step forward, and throw the ball in 1 fluid motion.
- Help them understand the motion by saying something like, “Swing, step, throw. Swing, step, throw.”
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Overhand Throw Basics

1
Have them stand up straight with the ball in their throwing hand. Get your throwers to take a comfortable stance with their feet about shoulder-width apart and face towards their target. Give them a ball and have them hold it at their side with their throwing hand.^{[3]
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- You can use a baseball, tennis ball, squash ball, Wiffle ball, or any other smaller throwing ball to help your students learn.
- If you’re teaching really young or really inexperienced throwers, try using something light like a Wiffle ball or a ball of yarn.
2
Position their feet so they’re standing sideways to the target. Turn your throwers sideways about 90 degrees away from their target or the direction they’re throwing. Make sure their throwing arm holding the ball is back and they’re looking at their target.^{[4]
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- For instance, if you’ve got a right-handed thrower, have them turn 90 degrees to their right so their throwing arm is back behind them. Do the opposite for a left-hander.
- Standing at an angle allows the thrower to rotate into their throw and generate more power.
3
Bring their arm up to make an uppercase “L” shape. Start the throwing motion by having your thrower bring the ball up so it’s about in line with their ear. Make sure their hand is away from their head so their arm forms an uppercase “L” so they’ve got the right position.^{[5]
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- Visual cues like the uppercase “L” can help the teaching points stick.
4
Have them step forward with their opposite foot and twist their body. Keeping their arm in the L-shape, have your thrower put their body into the throw by stepping into it with the foot that’s opposite their throwing arm. Get them to twist their body forward toward the target so they rotate and add more power to the throw.^{[6]
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- The rotation is key to making a good overhand throw.
5
Get them to move their arm toward the target and release the ball. Have your thrower move their throwing arm forward in a quick, snappy motion to add their arm strength into the motion. When the timing is right, have them open their hand to release the ball and send it flying.^{[7]
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- It takes lots of practice and repetition to find the best release point for a good throw.
- Get your thrower to work on combining the arm raise, step, twist, and throw into 1 fluid motion.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Working with Your Throwers

1
Let them visualize the throw if they’re beginners. If you’re working with really young or inexperienced throwers, let them practice without throwing a ball at first. Have them go through the throwing motion to get used to it. Get them to visualize and imagine the throw to help them get ready for the real thing.^{[8]
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- Visualization is a great tool for you to use to make corrections before your throwers even pick up a ball.
2
Focus on distance and velocity rather than accuracy at first. When they’re starting out, have them practice trying to throw the ball far and with good technique. Accuracy takes lots of time and practice, so don’t worry so much about it in the beginning so your new throwers don’t get discouraged.^{[9]
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- As your throwers get better, you can start challenging them to throw more accurately.
- Some coaches prefer to focus on accuracy and mechanics first, then to build speed and power from there.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  Isaac Hess
  Baseball Coach & Instructor
  
  Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.}
3
Correct any mistakes that you see while your students throw. Use the practice to watch your students as they throw their balls. Whenever you see a mistake or an error in their technique, gently correct them so they can improve.
- Practice is a great opportunity for you to fix their throwing technique in real-time, right in the moment.
4
Keep it fun and be patient with your throwers. Refrain from correcting younger kids around age 6 or 7 too much and have them focus on just throwing and having fun. Make gentle corrections to older kids and adults so they don’t get discouraged. Be patient with them, everyone is going to make mistakes at first!^{[11]
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- For example, if you’ve got a teenager who’s just learning the proper throwing motion, whenever they make a mistake and send a wild throw, try saying something like, “Not bad! You’ve got the right idea, but what you want to focus on is releasing the ball at right time.” Then, you can show them the right technique and let them try again.
- Younger kids will naturally want to get better at throwing, so just sit back and let them practice and get used to the basic mechanics.
- Teach kids that it's all about their attitude. Even if they're not great at pitching, they should tell themselves, "I can pitch, and if my coach needs me to pitch, I will!"^{[12]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Isaac Hess
  Baseball Coach & Instructor
  
  Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.}
5
Give them a variety of balls to throw. Place a bunch of balls out for your throwers to use such as basketballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, and footballs. Have them try out throwing all of them to practice with different sizes, shapes, and weights.^{[13]
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- If you’re working with a bunch of folks, you may not want to use harder balls like baseballs or golf balls, just in case there’s a wild throw that could hurt somebody.
6
Set up targets for them to aim at to make it fun. Use a bunch of different targets such as buckets, baskets, and hula hoops and space them out over the practice area. Have them throw balls at the various targets to help improve their throwing ability and to make it a little more fun for them.
- For instance, you could have them try to make a ball land inside of a hula hoop or knock over a cone.
- Making practice fun can be especially helpful for younger throwers.
7
Play games to add challenges and competition. Play tag by throwing balls at each other, or try out a classic game of dodgeball. Play different games and look up new ones online. Let them play fun games that challenge their throwing ability and give them a little bit of a competitive push.^{[14]
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- Try out a game called monster ball. Divide them into 2 groups and have them throw a bunch of smaller balls at 1 large exercise ball. Whichever team can hit the ball to the other side wins.^{[15]
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- You can find all sorts of fun and inventive throwing games online. You can also make them up yourself!
- If you’re playing a game that involves hitting other people with a ball, make sure you use a soft, padded ball so it doesn’t hurt.
- Do exercises to help strengthen your players, like push-ups. Older players can also do dumbbell exercises or use resistance bands.^{[16]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Isaac Hess
  Baseball Coach & Instructor
  
  Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.}
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Question

What kind of exercises can improve throwing?

Isaac Hess
Baseball Coach & Instructor
Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.

Isaac Hess

Baseball Coach & Instructor

Expert Answer

The best thing you can do is just to throw the ball over and over. However, push-ups can help improve your upper body strength. As you get a little more into the game, you can do basic dumbbell and resistance exercises, as well.

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Tips

When you're working with young kids, it's a good idea how to teach them to play every position, so teach them to throw from different angles and differences. That way, they'll be able to play second base one day, center fielder another, and so on.^{[17]
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Expert Source

Isaac Hess
Baseball Coach & Instructor

Expert Interview. 14 April 2020.}

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Learning to throw takes time, so don’t get frustrated if your new throwers aren’t able to get the motion down on their first couple of tries.

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Warnings

Don’t use really hard balls like baseballs and golf balls if you’re teaching a large group or if you’re playing a game that involves throwing balls at each other.

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