Need help with speed

Edy said:

I believe it's fair to say the thread should be "Need A LOT of help with my bad mechanincs"...

It's amazing how I think I'm doing everything right until I watch my own video and discover I'm far from what I consider adequate...
I see lots of hard work ahead! LOL

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You are very close. I think you'll be able to feel and measure the changes immediately and the work will be: creating muscle memory and adjusting to to the changes in control. I don't think it will be more than a couple weeks on the FB and not much more to sight in the other pitches. Don't worry about spin until you feel good about the overall mechanics.

Maybe it's the camera angle but it sure seems like you are stepping way right of the power line. It would also be time well invested to get a more explosive push off of the pitching plate.

Here's a simple list of what I'm seeing.
1. Weak drive
2. Premature pivot
3. Arms are in sync with the torso during drive
4. Glove swim
5. No use of glove side on the pull
6. The torso is rotating through the release, needs to be solid and firm in order to pull against.
7. I/R in lower arm looks very forced, shoulder seems okay.
8. Stride lands heel first. May cause lower back pain.

Something I have my pitchers work on in trying to feel a difference between the 3 phases of the pitch. We call it 1-2-3...
1 is the forward drive and stride. 2 is the landing and firming up of the body in sequence, foot, knee, hips, torso, and a strong flex of the core. 3 is the pull of both arm together, palms up, with focus on the stored energy exiting the finger tips. (its important that the torso and hips are firm and still during the third phase)
This may help you, as I see a blending of the phases in your clips.

Do you feel that you are throwing with the plant/ground or against the plant/ground? Do you feel any twist in your lower spine vs. turn?
To paraphrase riseball: core, core, core. Right now, I feel that your arm is dictating what your body does instead of your body being in charge of your arm. Of course, those thoughts and $12 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. Merry Christmas and keep having fun.

CLM265 said:

Maybe it's the camera angle but it sure seems like you are stepping way right of the power line. It would also be time well invested to get a more explosive push off of the pitching plate.

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You're right. I'm definitely stepping way across the power line.
Need to fix that too!

As for the explosive drive, should I focus on building muscles or it's something related to mechanics?

Coach James,

I really appreciate your comments. Thanks a lot!
If possible, I'd like to have more words on some of the points you stated

1. Weak drive => agreed... I really need to work hard on that! Just don't know how though. Build muscles?
2. Premature pivot => please, can you give me more details on that?
5. No use of glove side on the pull => that's one of the points that I really get confused. I'm not sure I know how the glove side should be like.
6. The torso is rotating through the release, needs to be solid and firm in order to pull against => I guess part of this is because my arms are coming to release too soon and the torso needs to rotate to sync the delivery. Just a guess though.. need to fix that anyway
8. Stride lands heel first. May cause lower back pain => feeling the pain already

Well, from all I read this far, it's clear to me that I am focusing too much on the throwing arm and too less on the core/torso/drive group.

I'll try to make the adjusments and I'll keep you posted.

Thanks!

abbygale said:

Do you feel that you are throwing with the plant/ground or against the plant/ground? Do you feel any twist in your lower spine vs. turn?
To paraphrase riseball: core, core, core. Right now, I feel that your arm is dictating what your body does instead of your body being in charge of your arm. Of course, those thoughts and $12 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. Merry Christmas and keep having fun.

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Abbygale,

To be honest with you, I don't feel anything at all... LOL
It's like my core is stuck along the entire sequence. I have the impression that my body doesn't have enough time to make his job because the arm is already getting to the hips...

As you have well said, I'm stressing too much on the arm and the rest of the body is trying to catch it..

Thanks for the input. Merry Christmas!!!

Breezy said:

[video]Men's Fastpitch: http://youtu.be/5bENCKbCluc[/video]


I'll play

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Don't ask me why, but in my area they don't alow us to have the back foot away from the plate.
Both feet must remain in contact with the plate just like the girls do

[video=youtube_share;5bENCKbCluc]http://youtu.be/5bENCKbCluc[/video]

Edy, You need to watch this.......think aunt Jamimas pancakes,without her syrup......

I/R without adduction is like the spring without the fall. There's only one thing worse, in this universe, and that's no internal rotation at all........

[video=youtube_share;2sZ-pR3gotA]http://youtu.be/2sZ-pR3gotA[/video]

You understand I/R. You don't understand adduction.......yet......

Edy said:

Coach James,

I really appreciate your comments. Thanks a lot!
If possible, I'd like to have more words on some of the points you stated

1. Weak drive => agreed... I really need to work hard on that! Just don't know how though. Build muscles?
2. Premature pivot => please, can you give me more details on that?
5. No use of glove side on the pull => that's one of the points that I really get confused. I'm not sure I know how the glove side should be like.
6. The torso is rotating through the release, needs to be solid and firm in order to pull against => I guess part of this is because my arms are coming to release too soon and the torso needs to rotate to sync the delivery. Just a guess though.. need to fix that anyway
8. Stride lands heel first. May cause lower back pain => feeling the pain already

Well, from all I read this far, it's clear to me that I am focusing too much on the throwing arm and too less on the core/torso/drive group.

I'll try to make the adjusments and I'll keep you posted.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Weak drive...More quad muscle and less hamstring. Feel your right foots ball and toes driving out.
Premature drive foot rotation... a better forward drive will cure this. A rotated drive foot will use the small groin muscle, rather than the big quad.
The glove side should mirror the ball side once the body gets into the "T" position. Picture a birds wings in flight. They must be balanced and in sync with each other to maximize their efficiency.
Body rotation through delivery.... you can't shoot an arrow accurately or hard with a weak bow. Imagine your upper body as the bow and your arms are the string. Stay firm and still so that the two halves of the string (arms) are pulling strong and even onto the bow.
Your heel striking looks to be a result of the weak drive, your left leg isn't doing much. Kick it outward harder. This kick will help pull you off the rubber as well as opening your hips. This will rotate your hip socket internally and you'll land on your toe/ball first. This will soften the landing and save the jolt into your lower back.