9 yr old working on I/R feedback please

[Gudystash24]

[video=youtube_share;iziaPeQFBg0]http://youtu.be/iziaPeQFBg0[/video]

Hi we recently started working on I/R after finding this board and all of you!!!!

Any feedback on her mechanics would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Gudy

 

[JJsqueeze]

This is pretty technical so I hope I don't lose you....

WOW!

 

[Rick Pauly]

Gudy
For a 9 year old your DD is very explosive and athletic.
The I/R you refer to is mostly relative to how the arm acts/reacts in the pitching motion....your DD's arm is working correctly. However she has a few other things going on that you should check.
1. Her arm backswing is a bit much and actually is partially causing her shoulders to turn off parallel with the rubber......you could easily cut the swing down so the arm only goes back to the 9 o'clock position....probably a little less stress on the shoulder joint also.
2. Her stride length appears to be excessive.....for a beginning pitcher the general rule of thumb is a stride length the same distance as she is tall........remember, "it is not how far off the rubber you get, it's how fast you get off the rubber".
3. Stride again...she is getting a very high leg/foot drive which is causing a problem. Note how long it takes her to get that foot down on the ground plus how straight down into the ground the foots energy is directed. This is causing some timing issues such as at foot plant her spine/posture is basically vertical.....well it is difficult to stop all her great linear energy from this posture (notice how she walks out of the pitch after release). If she lowers that leg/foot drive height it will get on the ground earlier and allow her to land with some backward spine angle (7-8 degrees would be normal)....thus allowing her foot/landing leg to better provide resistance (stop the forward linear energy) and thus turn the linear energy into rotational energy. Note that the ball is at about 10 o'clock when the foot lands, that is when she needs the 7-8 degree spine tilt......then by the time her ball hand gets to release her spine angle will progress to something closer to 1-2 degrees behind vertical. (This is a whole long discussion about the 4 Points of Resistance to save for another thread).
You will notice that she is very upper body dominant.......need to get the lower body/hips involved in some rotation before the upper body/shoulders.

This young lady appears to have the natural explosiveness to be a very good pitcher.......a little refinement will make a huge difference for her.

 

[Perfect Circle]

The I/R you refer to is mostly relative to how the arm acts/reacts in the pitching motion...

I like it RP... Can you agree with I/R= influenced reaction ???

 

[nanotech14]

need to get the lower body/hips involved in some rotation before the upper body/shoulders.[/QUOTE]

please explain, your not talking slamming the hip shut before release are you?

 

[Rick Pauly]

Here is what I am referring to....this is the hip action followed by the shoulder action I am suggesting.
Note the hip rotation stops at about 45 degrees to the powerline and then restarts after release of the ball....similar action as the shoulders which begin their rotation slightly after the hip rotation begins.
The cue "slamming the hip shut before release" is not indicative of the resistance required for effective pitching.

need to get the lower body/hips involved in some rotation before the upper body/shoulders.

please explain, your not talking slamming the hip shut before release are you?[/QUOTE]

 

[Ken B]

Gudy,
Can you post a couple more videos? Another from the side, but staying on her and not panning to follow the ball? It would help if you stood a little more down range (closer to the catcher about 3 steps.) Also, one from behind?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[nanotech14]

[
The cue "slamming the hip shut before release" is not indicative of the resistance required for effective

I know that, just wasn't sure where you were going with it, just wanted to clear it up and see what you teach. Thanks

 

[Ken B]

Rick,
Would you say that hip rotation is an active, intentional movement, or is it a natural response to the resistance of the plant and closing of the legs?

 

[Gudystash24]

Gudy,
Can you post a couple more videos? Another from the side, but staying on her and not panning to follow the ball? It would help if you stood a little more down range (closer to the catcher about 3 steps.) Also, one from behind?

Sure I will get some clips of her tonight. Thanks everyone!