The second "h" and the kick-out

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Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
Javasource, Just as I expected, you posted yet another FANTASTIC post, rich with valuable information/description. For me, your reiteration of "If you really think about it... everything that SHOULD occur between 3 and 9 is 'effortless'... you should be disconnected from the ground... free, gliding, or whatever you want to call it." was very intriguing to me!
 
Nov 12, 2013
417
18
maritimes
so does the second h just happen when mechanics prior to it are good? or is there something to look for to help bring it out? for dd trying to think about it and do it have not helped.
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
Your answer lies in the following...

The second h means that the drive leg has exhausted the push. It wasn't posting for a stride leg to swing around, it was working. When you watch the best of the best, you'll see that this results in disconnection from the plate prior to even reaching three. It's a great model of learned coordination and efficiency in involving the lower half for something other than standing. When it's the other way around... the force is lessened, the timing typically suffers, the fall is vertical (if not negative), and the base is too damn wide to efficiently recover.

I've noticed that when the pitcher kicks out before the drive leg has exhausted the push does often result in the stride foot coming straight down (or even backward) rather than forward into the ground. This is why I think this second h is important. Avoiding a premature kick-out seems to help get the landing more forward into the ground rather than straight down or even backward from maximum stride length.
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
so going for distance off the plate with the stride foot could help improve this?

I think it's more a matter of thrusting more explosively with the drive leg with a bit less of a rush to kick the stride foot out. Seems to me that most young pitchers get the idea of the kick-out before they fully understand the importance of and explosive thrust with the drive leg. It may be because it's quite a bit less effort to kick out than it is to explosively thrust. Thus, we see so many young pitcher who kick out too soon as a result of not focusing a bit more on the explosive thrusting of the drive leg. I would simply focus on getting a more explosive thrust with the drive leg. It's tougher to do, thus the need for it to be focused on.

I've also notice that many young pitchers kick the whole stride leg out rather than focus on getting the stride knee out and up as an initial action prior to the actual kick out of the stride foot.

Just like some kids are too quick with their back-swings relative to where they are at with the initiation of their leg drive (because it's easy to move the arm quickly relative to the legs and body), kids seem to start out too quick to kick out and too weak or too slow with the thrust of the drive leg.

I dunno, maybe I'm off base.
 
Nov 12, 2013
417
18
maritimes
dd has been thinking "leg, knee, foot" (right leg, left knee, left foot) in her head but seems stuck. maybe we will try to just concentrate on driving that right leg and maybe try to hold or slow down the left.IMG_7576.jpg
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
dd has been thinking "leg, knee, foot" (right leg, left knee, left foot) in her head but seems stuck. maybe we will try to just concentrate on driving that right leg and maybe try to hold or slow down the left.View attachment 11043

I don't know about slowing down the left....... knee, but I would say she's got that left leg straight as a post and she hasn't spent all there was to spend with the pushing of her right let. Given the position of the ball (her right arm), I would say that she should be further along with that right leg (more explosive). This is sort of what I was talking about -- pitchers seem to more easily learn the kicking out of the left foot than they do thrusting explosively with the right leg. It takes a lot more effort to thrust than it does to take a step (or kick out).
 
Nov 12, 2013
417
18
maritimes
i agree, and kicking out the left foot early also feels like it helps because it kind of pulls the body forward. that pic is from last year and she has improved some since.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
dd has been thinking "leg, knee, foot" (right leg, left knee, left foot) in her head but seems stuck. maybe we will try to just concentrate on driving that right leg and maybe try to hold or slow down the left.

I may be oversimplifying or butchering this, but I think that the key to sequence is sequence. If something is out of sync from the get go, the rest will be also. Get the feel down for a quick, but smooth "push-push." Transfer the weight to the heel while simultaneously driving/leaning forward, unweighting the pivot leg then driving into the front edge of the rubber when you you're about to fall on yer nose.... that's the ticket! Don't let the hips go back or the weight get balanced on the back foot. Think "bang bang!!!"

Use both legs and lean to GET THERE NOW!!!



Don't try to make the second h happen, set up the proper sequence for it to be a result.
 
Last edited:
Nov 12, 2013
417
18
maritimes
her first h is good so it is not out of sync from the start. her left foot just shoots out way early. this is down time for softball here so am looking to work on this over the winter.
 

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