Overstriding

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Mar 24, 2014
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Looking for input on optimal stride length. Is there such a thing as overstriding? My DD gets way out but sometimes seems to not get the weight transfer, other times seems like not enough stride and tends to loose the front side resistance.
 
Jun 23, 2013
547
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PacNw
Both of my girls tend to "bend at the waist" if they overstride. Personally, I think the stride length is only as good as the core stability will allow, and not necessarily a cookie-cutter equation you can measure out based on height, etc....

I know some coaches think maximum stride is essential at all costs, but I'm more concerned with focusing on proper posture and release, with the intent of developing stride length and power as the core conditioning and strength training begins to pay off.

Did I mention core stability??
 
Jan 7, 2014
972
0
Western New York
Looking for input on optimal stride length. Is there such a thing as overstriding? My DD gets way out but sometimes seems to not get the weight transfer, other times seems like not enough stride and tends to loose the front side resistance.

After a Sunday afternoon with Java working on this (but NOT in terms of optimal stride length)...in that light, I will say this...

JS will correct me if I'm wrong (I'm the HC just keeping the train on the tracks in between visits) but I'm not sure if there is an "optimal stride length algorithm" that we can plug physical dimensions into and receive an "optimal stride length range."

There are other mechanical considerations as well...things that come to mind to look at (this is stuff I've picked from JS, Rick Pauly and BM - really I isn't that smart to fig-ure this stuff out :p)

What's the glove hand doing? It can act like and anchor and pull the whole torso forward
What does her timing and overlap look like? Sequence can throw everything for a loop...Rick has an arm\body sync vid here:


Video her...does her "push leg" straighten before her "stride leg"

My point to this is make sure you are identifying the root issue before looking at other stuff upstream of her stride...CP
 
Mar 9, 2015
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Rick Pauly has said, "It's not how far you stride. It's how quick you get there." But what I think he means is that it's not how far you stride as much as it is how explosively you stride and how abruptly you convert that energy into the pitch with your landing. All too often we all see pitchers who land to loose with that front landing leg. I think it is very rare to land on a leg that is too locked. The cue that seems to work for my pitchers is "Make sure you PUSH BACK AS you land rather than after, so as to put more of the energy into the pitch (velocity and ball rotation).

I would say that if the pitcher is getting a firm landing after 9:30, they are striding too far and/or their arm is getting ahead of their legs. But don't do anything to cut back on the explosiveness of the leg drive.

This is one of those times we want Javasource to chime in. Is there ever a time we don't?

My DD tried to push back tonight at our lesson. Looked like she was falling back and ball was sailing high. Any drills or video clips to illustrate pushing back? Maybe she was just overdoing the push back.
 

javasource

6-4-3 = 2
May 6, 2013
1,347
48
Western NY
Have her focus on pushing back after release.

I think CP is on the right track... as well as WaSpeed.

Measuring stride length is not really helpful, IMO... with younger pitchers. A better focus would be to measure their drive foot drag distance. Turn the focus from reaching out... to driving out. A handy way to do this is to have them do a couple of walk-throughs... measure that drag distance... and have them try to match it on a regular pitch.
 
Mar 24, 2014
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Relayed the above recommendations to my daughter and worked on the front side resistance. Didn't get a chance to video her pitching motion but looked more consistent. Think maybe she has been trying to muscle the ball lately to get more mph and negatively impacted her mechanics. Will continue to monitor.

Still looking for other recommendations. Thanks for your help.
 

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