Hip rotation really is a core muscle movement.....so it is what causes the legs to close. This is one of the reasons I suggest not putting any focus on having a beautiful toe drag. The leg/foot/toe are just along for the ride.......the mid-section/core creates all the rotational torque and if it is ample it drags the toe where it is supposed to go.
As coaches we sometimes have pitchers do drills that are counter to good core rotation...or the pitcher misinterprets the intent of the drill and uses muscles other than the core to try to achieve rotation. You see it in pitching and in hitting.
Most athletically inclined pitchers will naturally use their core and create rotation....if we let them. In young pitchers especially we overstress them by making them pitch from full distance off the mound or by using a 12" ball....you will help develop good mechanics if you start from short distances and break the motion down with drills like BoardMembers I/R drills.
There are some really bad cue words/drills that are totally opposite of what the body wants to do: 1) "Get the hips out of the way so your arm can get through" 2) "Keep your hips and shoulders on the powerline" 3) "Your hand needs to get past the hips before you rotate"....etc.,etc.
Often, especially with very young beginning pitchers I will conclude their lesson with a 14 ball rapid fire drill ( feed them balls as quickly as they can throw them....even forgetting about doing a full wind up and definitely from a short distance). During the lesson you can see them working hard on the drills but being very mechanical or unsyncronized. When you do this rapid fire drill you will notice that about the third or fourth pitch their mechanics look amazing....basically their natural body mechanics take over and it is a thing of beauty.
I have a lot of drills that I think are the greatest, but this one is truly the greatest.
As coaches we sometimes have pitchers do drills that are counter to good core rotation...or the pitcher misinterprets the intent of the drill and uses muscles other than the core to try to achieve rotation. You see it in pitching and in hitting.
Most athletically inclined pitchers will naturally use their core and create rotation....if we let them. In young pitchers especially we overstress them by making them pitch from full distance off the mound or by using a 12" ball....you will help develop good mechanics if you start from short distances and break the motion down with drills like BoardMembers I/R drills.
There are some really bad cue words/drills that are totally opposite of what the body wants to do: 1) "Get the hips out of the way so your arm can get through" 2) "Keep your hips and shoulders on the powerline" 3) "Your hand needs to get past the hips before you rotate"....etc.,etc.
Often, especially with very young beginning pitchers I will conclude their lesson with a 14 ball rapid fire drill ( feed them balls as quickly as they can throw them....even forgetting about doing a full wind up and definitely from a short distance). During the lesson you can see them working hard on the drills but being very mechanical or unsyncronized. When you do this rapid fire drill you will notice that about the third or fourth pitch their mechanics look amazing....basically their natural body mechanics take over and it is a thing of beauty.
I have a lot of drills that I think are the greatest, but this one is truly the greatest.
Can you agree with I/R= influenced reaction ???
