Backswing and center of gravity.

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Jul 12, 2008
159
0
Tuscola, IL
Java, First off let me say that your drills are outstanding and I use them with the girls I coach. My question regards the girls that don't have a back swing. My DD who pitches in college hides the ball and when I had her demonstrating the two step drill to a few of my girls, she told me she had a hard time with the timing of her glove and throwing arm coming back as her body was moving forward. I am sure it is just a timing issue but would love some advice on this if you get the time. Keep up the great work.
 

javasource

6-4-3 = 2
May 6, 2013
1,347
48
Western NY
Java, First off let me say that your drills are outstanding and I use them with the girls I coach. My question regards the girls that don't have a back swing. My DD who pitches in college hides the ball and when I had her demonstrating the two step drill to a few of my girls, she told me she had a hard time with the timing of her glove and throwing arm coming back as her body was moving forward. I am sure it is just a timing issue but would love some advice on this if you get the time. Keep up the great work.

The pitcher that I used to illustrate the drill was not a 'backswinger'... this is why I used her as the model pitcher for that drill (that... and she's an absolute phenom). If you really look at the single-pump (a la 'cradle the baby')... and take away the forearm at the elbow... tell me what it is you see... I see a backswing (when cradling) without extension of the forearm at the elbow.

Remember, the Pushback is a drill... the 2-Step is pitching (IMO). If you did the Lock-It-In Drill without the reverse chaining... it wouldn't be the Lock-It-In Drill. I'd recommend that you do the DRILL as prescribed... as this is the best way to get a girl to feel overlap. Once she's comfortable with that feel... and understands what it takes to create overlap (early lean during transfer rearwards, delaying the pump/wind-up, etc.)... then she can apply this skill to the single-pump in the 2-Step... if they truly prefer it. So... LEARN IT LIKE THIS FIRST:

ConsciousFastAlligator_sm3_zpszq3udncq.gif


I think MANY realize that the single-pump is less preferred once they feel the stretch and overlap that results with a minimal backswing. I prefer the cradle-then-drop... if a girl is really 'sold' on hiding the ball. To me... this next gif is what you're after... she still single-pumps (but then drops the ball out), not letting STYLE get in the way of getting off the rubber:

34j9euh.gif


I think a lot of people bite on the 'hide the ball' benefit of a single-pump... and I'm not going to beat that dead horse. I will say this... it's NOT an absolute, and I'm not sold on it. Some of the largest proponents of hiding the ball have pitchers that do not. Furthermore, I don't see many (if any) of what I view as the best pitchers in the world using that STYLE... so I think it should be kept to 'preference' of a particular pitcher... and not something that changes the drill.

I would really recommend that you have your DD and any other single-pump pitchers copy that pitcher in the Pushback... do it EXACTLY like she does it IN THE VIDEO (first gif)... and then... and only then... apply that understanding and feel to the single-pump/cradle-and-drop.

Hope that helps! Thanks for the kind words!
 
Jul 12, 2008
159
0
Tuscola, IL
The pitcher that I used to illustrate the drill was not a 'backswinger'... this is why I used her as the model pitcher for that drill (that... and she's an absolute phenom). If you really look at the single-pump (a la 'cradle the baby')... and take away the forearm at the elbow... tell me what it is you see... I see a backswing (when cradling) without extension of the forearm at the elbow.

Remember, the Pushback is a drill... the 2-Step is pitching (IMO). If you did the Lock-It-In Drill without the reverse chaining... it wouldn't be the Lock-It-In Drill. I'd recommend that you do the DRILL as prescribed... as this is the best way to get a girl to feel overlap. Once she's comfortable with that feel... and understands what it takes to create overlap (early lean during transfer rearwards, delaying the pump/wind-up, etc.)... then she can apply this skill to the single-pump in the 2-Step... if they truly prefer it. So... LEARN IT LIKE THIS FIRST:

ConsciousFastAlligator_sm3_zpszq3udncq.gif


I think MANY realize that the single-pump is less preferred once they feel the stretch and overlap that results with a minimal backswing. I prefer the cradle-then-drop... if a girl is really 'sold' on hiding the ball. To me... this next gif is what you're after... she still single-pumps (but then drops the ball out), not letting STYLE get in the way of getting off the rubber:

34j9euh.gif


I think a lot of people bite on the 'hide the ball' benefit of a single-pump... and I'm not going to beat that dead horse. I will say this... it's NOT an absolute, and I'm not sold on it. Some of the largest proponents of hiding the ball have pitchers that do not. Furthermore, I don't see many (if any) of what I view as the best pitchers in the world using that STYLE... so I think it should be kept to 'preference' of a particular pitcher... and not something that changes the drill.

I would really recommend that you have your DD and any other single-pump pitchers copy that pitcher in the Pushback... do it EXACTLY like she does it IN THE VIDEO (first gif)... and then... and only then... apply that understanding and feel to the single-pump/cradle-and-drop.

Hope that helps! Thanks for the kind words!

Java, Thanks for the reply. I know exactly what you are saying and I actually teach my students the single arm pump. My DD on the other hand has been hiding the ball for so long and has done very well so she is reluctant to change. She has tried the dropping the arm in the past but always seems to go back to hiding the ball. We have never seen any speed difference between the two styles, but I will say she has not tried the two step drill while dropping the arm out. Again this will help me with my students. Thanks again for all you offer.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Many great pitchers of the past and today do not use a backswing. No men use a backswing and they never have (I have watched many, both men's FP, women in college and adult FP, and several young ladies at our state HS championships before Finch). It is not necessary. It basically makes the pitcher feel like she is getting momentum, but as you post, the velocity is the same.

Mike Piechnik obviously doesn't count...

 
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