Rushing the Pitching Delivery: 3 Drills for Better Sequencing
The rushing pitching delivery fix starts with one idea: the lower half has to move first. When a pitcher rushes, the upper body fires early, the arm lags behind, and command and velocity both suffer. Here's how to spot it from the bleachers, why it happens, and three coach-credited drills that fix the sequence.
What is rushing the delivery?
Rushing happens when a pitcher's body segments fire out of order. Instead of the back hip loading, the lower half driving, and then the arm delivering last, everything leaves at once, or the top half leaves early. The technical name for the right order is the kinetic chain, and rushing is what breaks it.
The cost shows up everywhere: velocity that doesn't match how hard the kid looks like he's throwing, release points that wander, and an arm forced to do the work the legs should be doing. Sequencing and tempo are the two words coaches use, and both come down to letting the delivery unfold in the right order.
How do I know if my pitcher is rushing?
- The front side flies open early. The glove and lead shoulder open toward the plate before the back leg has driven.
- The back hip never loads. No sit into the back leg, so there's no lower-half power to sequence.
- The arm is late. The body has moved on, and the throwing arm is still dragging to catch up at release.
- Command is inconsistent. Missed spots and wandering release points, especially arm-side, because timing changes pitch to pitch.
If you're seeing the front side pull off the target and hard-thrown pitches that still miss, you're almost certainly watching a sequencing problem, not an arm problem.
Why does my kid rush the delivery?
Almost always: the pitcher is trying to generate velocity with the arm and upper body because the lower half isn't loading and driving yet. Young pitchers especially want to throw hard right now, so they leave early and hope the arm makes up for it. That's why the best drills below slow the tempo down and force the lower half to work first, in order.
What drills fix rushing the pitching delivery?
Back-heel-down hip load, by @kilzpitching
A mechanics breakdown that cues the pitcher to keep the back heel down and sit into the back hip during the leg lift. Loading the lower half first builds stability and power, which stops the body from leaving early. Annotated frames show exactly where the hip, leg, and foot should be.
Watch @kilzpitching's cue →The 3-count rhythm delivery, by @treydillardthrows
A tempo drill that puts a simple 3-count rhythm on the delivery so the pitcher stops rushing and lets each phase happen on time. Better rhythm means a repeatable release, and a repeatable release means more strikes.
Watch @treydillardthrows' drill →Resistance-band dry throw, by @pitchmechanics101
An overhead dry-throw drill using loop-band tension to force the body segments to fire in the right order. When the pitcher rushes and something fires out of sequence, the band gives immediate feedback, so the fix happens in real time instead of on video later.
Watch @pitchmechanics101's drill →Run one drill per bullpen, a handful of focused reps at a time, for two to three weeks. Sequencing is a rebuilt habit, not a one-session fix. Because this is pitching, keep an eye on arm health: work these in with a qualified in-person coach, and see a physician for any pain or soreness that doesn't clear. And credit where it's due, these drills belong to the coaches linked above. Go follow them.
When it's not rushing
Arm drags late but the tempo looks calm and the back hip loads fine? That may be an arm-action timing issue, not rushing. Front side stays closed and the sequence looks clean but strikes still won't come? That can be release consistency or command, a separate fix. If it isn't obvious, describe what you actually see in plain words and let the index sort it out. That's exactly what Fungo does.
Get the 3 drills for your pitcher.
The drills above are a sample. Our index goes deeper on rushing and sequencing across every age and level. Tell us your pitcher's exact version, their age, their level, and what you actually see on the mound, and we'll email the 3 best drills for them, within minutes.
Find your drills → Coaching a staff, or want a full weekly plan for your pitcher? See Fungo plans.