Curve spin

[Nunya]

I wanted to bump this thread. My daughter is 12 and learning the curve ball. She is being taught the "palm up" curve ball but, in reality, it is a corkscrew curve ball. Does a true palm up curve exist? Any video of it?

 

[Ken B]

A flat 9-3 spin is pretty rare at full speed. Most turn into a crise or a turned up spiral.

 

[Nunya]

Maybe I'm seeing this wrong but it looks like IR mechanics and the corkscrew curve to me. When I think of the the palm up curve, I think of the elbow blocking at the hip and the palm/wrist extending away from the body while keeping the palm facing the sky. Any palm up video from the front view?

 

[SB45]

I think of the elbow blocking at the hip and the palm/wrist extending away from the body while keeping the palm facing the sky.

I guess I could see someone explaining it like this...but in reality I don't think you could throw this way. The posted videos are what I would see as a palm up curve.

 

[Ken B]

I wanted to bump this thread. My daughter is 12 and learning the curve ball. She is being taught the "palm up" curve ball but, in reality, it is a corkscrew curve ball. Does a true palm up curve exist? Any video of it?

With any spin, what matters most is where the last fingertip comes off the ball. With a palm up curve, the middle finger pulls/whips around the outside of the ball and last touches the ball at about 3 o'clock--nearest the body. The middle finger releases at about the same spot for a corkscrew.



I think the corkscrew is much easier to master for smaller hands. Littlejohn, Osterman and the old guy above are long and lanky, which is an advantage with the PU curve. I think the PU curve offers a little more speed and spin, but it's hard to get good spin without a lot of work. For me the trick is getting the wrist cupped enough to stay on the 9-3 path to keep spin flat. Avoiding bullet spin requires twisting the hand back (thumb back and down.) Many have suggested that a crise spin is better than a flat spin. Both of these spins require IR of the upper arm while resisting pronation of the forearm (for me the corkscrew is actually more of a supinating/twisting feel.) Both can benefit from upper arm lock and brush.

If you must have a curve, try both. The process of trying different things encourages feel/awareness for how to manipulate a ball's spin--and it's fun!

 

[Doug Romrell]

Ken B,

You do understand, don't you, that every time I see these two clips of you throwing that curveball, I'm mesmerized for over an hour. VERY NICE DEMONSTRATION!

 

[Ken B]

Ken B,

You do understand, don't you, that every time I see these two clips of you throwing that curveball, I'm mesmerized for over an hour. VERY NICE DEMONSTRATION!

Is it the really cool attire, the haircut or my gut?

I'd much rather watch this guy:

 

[Doug Romrell]

Is it the really cool attire, the haircut or my gut?

It's the nice slacks, shirt, and the full head of hair. I, myself, have no hair on top. And, you are clearly a younger fella from my perspective.

 

[Ken B]

Young at heart! I actually look at other people's walkers and wonder how I could trick them out. I'm talking LED lighting, shocks, bigger wheels and of course, a handlebar dinger!

 

[chrispots]

Is it the really cool attire, the haircut or my gut?

It's the catcher's glove that does it for me

CP