Abbott 9-12-3-6--Putting it all togehter

1) Great arm-body synchronization. Lead foot is up at 12. Nice point toward target. Body is almost completely open. Arm bent.
2) At 3 (well, really 3:30), the palm of hand is mostly under the ball, ball is mostly on top of hand...perhaps 80% or so. Ball is in great position for IR.
3) At 3, front side resistance has formed. Lead leg and leading side of torso almost perfectly aligned.
4) At release, glove is being pulled down.
5) At release, hand is at the trailing hip.
6) Brush resistance is great...the left arm is somewhat behind the left hip.
7) Follow through...hand and arm have turned over, indicating great IR. Glove touching front of right hip.

Saw her pitch live for the first time in a while down here in Orlando. She really has modified her motion since college and got rid of allot of the dramatic bend-over she used to have. I must say that was the most impressive speed I have seen live in the womens game....

hard to tell from still images, but in the 2nd frame is monica's stride foot landing heel first? shouldn't it be ball to heel?

FastPitchCat said:

hard to tell from still images, but in the 2nd frame is monica's stride foot landing heel first? shouldn't it be ball to heel?

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You would have to see the full clip these are taken from. It does look like heel first in that still, but her actual landing is a very nice transition from that position to the ball of the foot. She sets her landing gear down real well. Very firm brake.

I think this is the clip Ray used for the pics. When you slow it down, it appears she lands nearly flat footed....maybe just a little heel to toe. The norm is to land toe to heel but as you can see the reverse works for Abbott. Who is going to argue with the fastest thrower in the women's game? She tends to drive out with a more "stiff/locked out" leg than most and that may be the reason for her foot landing posture.

FastPitchCat said:

hard to tell from still images, but in the 2nd frame is monica's stride foot landing heel first? shouldn't it be ball to heel?

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What is the benefit of sliding the pivot foot across the pitching rubber prior to pushing off? I recently read on another thread where Boardmember asked someone to have their DD give it a try.

looks like a 'flat-foot' landing. DD's PC said ball to heel and DD's had some bad habits this past few months landing heel first - causing some knee pain.

The intent is to get the push foot more centered on the body so the push is more balanced.......versus keeping the push foot under the armpit and pushing just one side of the body.

MK37 said:

What is the benefit of sliding the pivot foot across the pitching rubber prior to pushing off? I recently read on another thread where Boardmember asked someone to have their DD give it a try.

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Abbott lands with her stride foot pointed almost straight at the target, as does Ueno. It's very difficult to land toe first when the stride foot angle is low. javasource talks about stride foot angle here:http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/17307-drive-mechanics-9.html#post219199

Rick Pauly said:

I think this is the clip Ray used for the pics. When you slow it down, it appears she lands nearly flat footed....maybe just a little heel to toe. The norm is to land toe to heel but as you can see the reverse works for Abbott. Who is going to argue with the fastest thrower in the women's game? She tends to drive out with a more "stiff/locked out" leg than most and that may be the reason for her foot landing posture.

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While I agree with (the very respect-worthy) Rick Pauly, there a a ton of stuff I like with what Abbott does! She's certainly one of my favorites, together with Sarah Pauly, Cat Osterman, Ueno, et.al., in what I try to have my pitchers emulate.