Drills are a way to work on a specific area of technique. In this section the technique described is what I teach for a fastball with 12/6 spin to maximize the downward break. Drills for developing other movement pitches are shown in the SSW and Magnus Effect discussion.
I try to explain why I choose something different than others might use. The pitching motion delivers the best result when every part is coordinated with and supporting every other movement from the toes to the finger tips. The drills presented here all work together so that the pitcher can develop a powerful and efficient delivery while minimizing injury potential.
Here's some terminology I use. Q1, Q2, Q3 & Q4 refer to the 4 quarters of the circle that the elbow makes. Q1 is straight forward, Q2 straight up, Q3 straight back and Q4 straight down. A couple of closely related terms are circle peak where the ball reaches its highest point just a little after Q2, and release which occurs shortly after Q4 as the arm whip is fully unfolded.