softball33

Cheri Kempf does concede that the shorter stride will decrease speed, but her emphasis on learning and teaching it is that you must have the correct angles.

Rick Pauly

Cheri and Michelle are correct relative to getting the proper "release angle", but I think they should study a little more frame by frame pitching video of elite level pitchers.

The elites land almost exactly the same length regardless of pitch-----they change their body (spine) angle by "hinging" at the waist line. The hinging action allows the upper body/spine get to a near veritcle position at time of release for the drop ball------note that the landing leg is not at that same angle as the upper body; it is still bracing at a significant angle to stop all linear movement by the lower half of the body and provide "front side resistance".

One key to reviewing video relative to this question is to ensure you check body position at the time of release----not after the follow through.
Rick

softball33

Rick, do you have any examples or clips you can post?

batsics1

Pitching, both overhand and underhand, is a systems problem and an intent problem. Cat and Finch are about the same height and both stride out around 8 feet, but throw at different speeds. My opinion is that this is primarily because they have different intent: one is a finesse pitcher and the other a power pitcher. Comparing them presents a number of difficulties similar to comparing Greg Maddox to Billy Wagner in their primes. One is trying to throw a 100 mph while the other is spotting pitches. You can look at the mechanics and spot similarities and difference, but what may appear to be a flaw in one may be a difference in intent. It is virtually impossible to discern intent from looking at mechanics alone.

The web page referenced earlier makes three points that are all reasonable, but really don't mean much as they are too vague. Pitching as a systems problem requires one to think of the whole system even when considering isolated parts of the system such as stride length.

Looking at the three points begs more questions than it answers.

(1) a powerful push-off from the pitching rubber: Someone competing in the long jump has a powerful push off, but they prepare their body differently and produce different results. So, a powerful push off is meaningless if you don't prepare the system properly.

(2) a strong, fast, and long stride: It is very easy to leap fast and long, but it doesn't guarantee you'll pitch faster. In fact, it can cause you to decelerate at release because you have spent your energy early and the system is out of synch at release.

(3) a push-back against the stride leg as the pitching arm comes down through the release point: I'd be willing to bet that this, by itself, could generate a dozen pages of discussion.

Additionally, looking at stills of pitchers at various points in the motion is of limited value because it doesn't tell you what the system is doing. A pitcher can stride out to 8 feet, look great at the 12 O'clock position and throw 50 mph. Did they break down after that point or did they never have a chance because of how they got to the great looking position while striding 8 feet.

The point is that the stride, just like in hitting and overhand pitching, should be viewed as a systems problem: the real purpose of the stride is to give the body time and space to dynamically prepare for the intent.

halskinner

Post your credentials on your profile.

Rick Pauly

Yes, but someone has to tell me how to attach a video clip----and it needs to be easy