Towel Drills-good or bad?

It's a good drill for getting on top of the baseball.

I've seen them used by some of the very best college programs.  Draw your own conclusions........

The towel drill can be helpful at times.  However, If he is having you use the towel to extend/reach your arm towards the target, I have a problem with it.   You want your arm to move through it's arc as fast as possible.  Reaching out towards the target may make your arm path more linear, and cause it to decelerate. 

Torso extension toward the target is generally considered a good thing.  But, trying to extend the arm too far out probably isn't.  

Personally, I think the towel drill works better without actually slapping anything.  

Not a fan at all.....and because somebody "else" is doing it is not good enough reason IMO.

If you look at what gets the release point "out in front" it is NOT actively trying to do so, it is a by-product of something that was done beforehand.  As MTH says, you want extension to be a product of efficient rotation, first hip, then torso (one affects the other).  Towel drill actual hinders shoulder rotation, because it trains the arm to reach out on its own (inefficient IMO)....promotes disconnect, primarily putting emphasis that extension is derived from actively / consciously reaching with the arm (not the case).  When you see players with great extension into ball release, it is a function of what happened way before that. 

As fate would have it, this may be your answer, hot off the press:

http://texaspitchinginstitute....hool-pitching-staff/

LHP; In 2000 at our  Area Code clinic in Jack Murphy Stadium, Tom House presented the

towel drill. We also had the Navy Seals demonstrate how to land in black jump chutes on the Stadium outfield. The 350 players and scouts were very attentive.

Later I visited the
Texas Rangers pitching coaches and they use 10" wooden sticks instead of the towel.

Bob

There you have, the Texas pitching institute knows better then the Texas Rangers....or maybe not. This is why speaking in absolutes is so hard. 

The Rangers instructions were John Wetteland, Orel Hershirer, Moyer and observing the President of the Rangers Hicks.

bob

It puts stress on the elbow by impeding follow through.  The deceleration is too sudden.  Just go outside and throw a bullpen session.  And you can get better extension by working on your stride and shoulder rotation.  You should not try to extend by focusing on the release.  

From what I can tell if you come from the House school of pitching you like towel drill but it has to be done correctly.   Pitching ranch, and his disciples prefer to work on arm movements,   pronation, thru either throwing the soft weighted balls at different weights,  heavier and then lighter than a baseball.    Personally I think the latter are onto something.    especially as it comes to arm health.