Any difference in pitching mechanics between Women vs. Men?

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Should women and men be taught different pitchng mechanics based on their gender and body type differences? If so, what are those differences. I could be wrong, but my inclination is to try to emulate the best pitchers in the world, regardless of gender.

AAU 2011 - Adam Folkard vs. Giants Batter - YouTube

 

[nanotech14]

I think you should try to emulate the best pitchers and the best hitters in the world.I have read some of Hillhouse older news letters on his web site.He makes perfect sense.Why not learn to throw like the best in the world.We do know that the men can come off the ground when pitching,but the mechenics are the same.

 

[curiousgeorge]

Rules are different among men and women but the general mechanics are not. Hillhouse does a presentation on this very topic. People sometimes confuse the rule differences with the mechanics. Going off memory here: Bill said that the ISF rules are the same for men and women but ASA rules are different. Males and Females are allowed to do what is shown in the Youtube video here now. In ASA softball, women are not allowed to leap or crowhop.

Incidently, Bill's team is in the winners' bracket final of the World championship tonight. The guy in this video (Folkard) is on the opposing team, although both he and Bill are injured at the moment. Not sure either will pitch tonight. You can watch and or listen at <www.ballparkradio.com> Bill is with Chi/NY, Folkard with Jarvis. Those two teams shared the ASA Major National championship last week, being co-champs due to final being rained out.

www. ballparkradio dot com

 

[curiousgeorge]

I have disagreed with a lot of what screwball has written in the past but this one takes the cake. "Men do not use their legs"... are you kidding me? What do you think leaping/crowhopping is? Go see an ISC or men's open level game (not the beer league in your hometown) and come back to say that.

Bad mechanics is not gender specific. Dallas has bad mechanics, pure and simple. And she gets away with it because of the strength you mentioned Screwball.. just as men with bad mechanics get away with it too because of muscle. But take a guy like hillhouse, it's obviously not about muscle when it comes to him. His mechanics, and what he tells pitchers, are about how the body is designed to work and how to generate the most from it, regardless of gender.

Now I agree with you that women have never lept. The problem is, the rules never allowed it. Now the ISF DOES allow it. Soon, others will follow suit (ASA, NCAA, etc). But the pitching rules for men did not change until the early 1980's, allowing them to step off with 1 foot, etc. Prior to that the rules were the same.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

It is well known that men rely on upper body strength and that women rely more on their legs. Sorry but this topic is an old one and I can't believe it is still around.

The reason I wrote the OP was that my DDs PC said that men and women use different pitching mechanics because of the body-type differences. I'm not so sure I agree with this. If we use the best hitters in the world for guidance on hitting, why not for pitching too?

For example, one thing I have changed with DD is in the back swing she now hides the ball with her glove hand on the back swing instead of both arms separated and back to the sides. The goal is to not tip off the batter on pitch grip and selection until the last second. Seems most elite men pitchers use this technique, while it is used a lot less in the women's game. Doesn't seem to effect velocity at all with DDs pitches. It also helps with getting the front shoulder and glove arm driving more straight down the power line during push off.

Another area for improvement in the women's game could be in focusing on vertical movement and change of speed on pitches (drop ball, change up, riseball) vs. horizontal movement (curve, screwball) that have less downward movement. Just food for thought?

 

[curiousgeorge]

BTW: Crowhopping is getting closer to the batter and is often on the toes, not a powerful part of the body. It is usually done because there is a hitch in the arms and the pitcher is trying to get the timing together. Often it stays because the pitcher realizes the advantage of getting closer. You do bleed power from your legs off that way.

It is well known that men rely on upper body strength and that women rely more on their legs. Sorry but this topic is an old one and I can't believe it is still around.

Screwball I guess you and I will just have to disagree. You lump "men" into one catagory and women into another. That is very sad to see considering you are one of the 'experts' here. There are both men and women who teach bad mechanics, period. Because you watched some men in a beer league 20 years ago doesn't mean that's how the best in the world do it. It's amazing how women like you "profile" and generalize.

 

[Hillhouse]

In my experience male coaches do not teach much about the legs. It is not where their focus is. Leaping a few feet closer helps alot in really not have to explode. Now try that within the women's rules. You need your legs.

sb, any coach male or female who is not teaching the legs is stealing from their kids. I agree with curiousgeorge though that you seem to lump men into one group and women into another. I know plenty of coaches in both genders who teach awful mechanics, and I would actually go the other way and say most women don't teach legs properly. EXAMPLE: a lot of kids I see are TAUGHT to do the back arm swing (rocker motion). And yet when they do that, they only have 1/2 of their body pushing forward as they go off the rubber. That is NOT using the legs to the fullest!! If the hands are together and pushing forward together, then obviously the legs will get more "ooomf". Think about it, when you jump up in the air, do you use one arm or 2? Probably 2. When you run, do you use one arm or 2 to help your legs? Probably 2. So why in pitching are girls taught the back arm swing which not only locks the elbow and shows the ball but it also only makes them push forward with one arm as the glove hand is usually not helping in the slightest??

I'd be curious to know who the pitching coach was that you attended several of his seminars... maybe I know him?

Bill