The glove (non-throwing) arm does more than most people realize. Early in the delivery it leads and points the front side at the target. Then, as the pitcher rotates, it should firm up and pull in tight to the chest, which helps him stay closed a beat longer (supporting hip-shoulder separation), rotate harder, and finish on a stable release point. The classic cue says it best: pull your chest to your glove, don't fling your glove away from your chest. A glove that flies open to the side pulls the whole front side open early and leaks both velocity and command.
Ask most people what a pitcher does with his glove arm and you'll get a shrug. All the attention goes to the throwing arm. But the glove side is quietly doing important work, and when it's doing the wrong thing, it drags the whole delivery down with it. It's one of the highest-value, least-watched parts of good mechanics.
“Pull your chest to your glove. Don't fling your glove away from your chest.”
The glove arm should stabilize the front side, not throw it open.What the glove arm should do
Through the delivery, the glove arm has a job at each stage:
Lead and point
As he strides, the glove and front shoulder point at the target, setting his direction and keeping the front side closed.
Firm up out front
As rotation begins, the glove firms up over the front foot instead of drifting or swinging away. It becomes a stable anchor.
Pull the chest to it
The torso rotates toward the firm glove, the chest pulling to the glove, which whips the upper body through and helps decelerate safely.
Done right, the glove arm helps the front side stay closed a beat longer (which supports hip-shoulder separation, a big source of velocity), gives the rotation something firm to work against, and steadies the release point for better command. Quiet, but it touches everything.
The problem: a glove that flies open
The most common glove-arm fault is letting it swing open and away from the body, out to the glove side, instead of staying firm out front. When the glove flies open, the rest of the front side tends to follow it open, and now you have early rotation, lost separation, and a wandering release. In other words, a flying glove is one of the main causes of flying open, which costs velocity and command at once.
| A firm glove side | A glove that flies open |
|---|---|
| Front side stays closed a beat longer | Front side pulls open early |
| Gives rotation a firm anchor to whip against | Nothing to rotate against, energy leaks |
| Stable, repeatable release point | Release wanders, command scatters |
How to fix it
The fix is captured in that old coaching line: pull your chest to your glove, don't fling your glove away from your chest. Instead of throwing the glove out to the side to "clear" it, a pitcher should keep it firm out in front and rotate his chest to meet it. Cue the feeling of the glove staying close and the body turning to it. Like most mechanics, though, you rarely fix it by isolating the glove alone, it's part of a connected front side, and it often travels with rushing or a soft front leg. Our overview of what good mechanics look like shows how the front side works as a unit.
Because the glove side moves fast and most eyes are on the ball, a flying glove is easy to miss in real time. Film one pitch from the side and upload it, and we'll break down his front side frame by frame, including what his glove arm is doing, and show you whether it's helping him stay closed or throwing him open. Smooth is fast, and a quiet, firm glove side is a big part of a smooth delivery.
See what his glove arm is really doing
Upload one video and we'll break down his front side frame by frame and show you what to work on. Free. For any pain, always see a doctor first.
Start the Free Evaluation →Takes about 2 minutes · See a sample analysis firstCommon questions
What should a pitcher do with his glove arm?
Early in the delivery, point the glove and front shoulder at the target to set direction and stay closed. Then, as rotation starts, firm the glove up over the front foot and rotate the chest toward it, rather than swinging the glove out to the side. A firm glove side helps him stay closed longer, gives his rotation something to whip against, and steadies his release point.
Why is the glove arm important in pitching?
Because it controls the front side, which affects almost everything above the legs. A firm glove side helps a pitcher keep the front shoulder closed a beat longer (supporting the hip-shoulder separation that creates velocity), gives the upper body a stable anchor to rotate hard against, and keeps the release point consistent for better command. It's quiet work, but it influences both how hard and how accurately he throws.
What does it mean when a pitcher's glove flies open?
It means the glove arm swings open and away from the body, out to the glove side, instead of staying firm out front. When the glove flies open, the rest of the front side usually follows it open, causing early rotation, lost separation, and a wandering release. A flying glove is one of the main causes of a pitcher flying open, which costs both velocity and command.
How do you fix a flying glove arm?
Use the classic cue: pull your chest to your glove, don't fling your glove away from your chest. Keep the glove firm out in front over the front foot and rotate the body to meet it, instead of throwing it out to the side. Since the glove side is part of a connected front side, it often improves alongside fixing rushing or a soft front leg, so it's best assessed as part of the whole delivery rather than in isolation.
Can the glove arm affect a pitcher's velocity?
Yes, indirectly but meaningfully. By keeping the front side closed longer and giving rotation a firm anchor to whip against, a good glove side helps preserve hip-shoulder separation and transfer energy up into the throw. A glove that flies open does the opposite, it opens the front side early and leaks the power the lower half built. So while it's not the engine of velocity, it helps decide how much of that energy reaches the ball.
Upload one video. See his delivery frame by frame. Free.
We'll show you exactly where his mechanics are costing him, and what to work on first.
Get His Free Evaluation → How it works · Sample analysis