DD struggling- New mechanics vs Old Mechanics
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I have never understood the stopping the motion at the release point. I have never heard of that being a way to gain speed. To stop at the release the arm is going to have to start slowing down prior to stopping.
I don't know why on earth he is wanting her to stop her follow through. Do you do that on the overhand throw? No. Look at the pressure that the 3rd pitch puts on her shoulder. Pitch, release and just relax the shoulder and let the arm fly. I don't snap, slam or power through anything. When the girls get it right and the pitch comes easy, they will see the speed go up and a light will go on in their head.
I wish I knew how much your current guy is charging.
I wish I knew how much your current guy is charging.
100 0210 iPhone cell - YouTube
Watch this video of my DD pitching back in the spring. No she is not perfect but I think you can see that your DD, if anything ,is (snapping) way too soon.
I don't get the stopping the hand at the hip thing either. If you watch top-level pitchers they are smooth and free-flowing. To stop at the hip you first have to slow down. It's the same as stopping right on first base v. running through it. In order to hit first at maximum speed you have to run through it. In order to deliver the ball at maximum speed you have to drive the hand through the release point.
I don't understand why he would want her to slow down in the back half of the circle either. You want to go up easy on the front half of the circle so your arm isn't out of control and you're not wasting energy trying to get it back under control. But once you've reached the top (12 o'clock), you want to start accelerating all the way into release.
The way I teach it, you're using a two-piece arm. The first piece is from the shoulder to the elbow. You want to pull the upper arm down until the elbow reaches a point between the back hip and the belly button. (Also known as leading with the elbow.). Once you hit that point, the forearm and hand whip through the release zone. You are thinking of acceleration throughout this process, because the ball will goes as fast as the hand is going at release.
97, your daughter's shoulder looks tight in the circle. This may be caused by the effort of trying to stop the hand at the hip. I see it in the first two pitches as well as the third. Also not a lot of leg drive. I would have her work on being more relaxed and free-flowing in her motion, which seems to be the opposite of what the new PC is telling her.
Changing mechanics can be a struggle in any case. You have worked toward one way of doing things, and get comfortable with it, then you have to get back out of your comfort zone and change it.
I have done this with pitchers before. I usually use backward chaining to do it -- start with the end of the pitch and work your way back to the beginning. I wouldn't waste time with wrist snap drills. I would start with the ball overhead, facing toward third base (for a right-handed pitcher) and work on that two-piece arm thing. Depending on what you're trying to change you may have to work the arm from a standing position, with the feet spread out so you're not dealing with lower body issues. Then work into a full circle from the side, then into the full pitch.
I agree with ArmWhip on the value of doing it slowly if needed. I will have pitchers stand and face the catcher, then step forward and go through the motion nice and easy to get the feel of all the pieces working together. You'd be amazed at how well that can work. Working in front of a mirror, shadow pitching, all of that has been helpful both for new pitchers and kids re-learning their mechanics.
I don't understand why he would want her to slow down in the back half of the circle either. You want to go up easy on the front half of the circle so your arm isn't out of control and you're not wasting energy trying to get it back under control. But once you've reached the top (12 o'clock), you want to start accelerating all the way into release.
The way I teach it, you're using a two-piece arm. The first piece is from the shoulder to the elbow. You want to pull the upper arm down until the elbow reaches a point between the back hip and the belly button. (Also known as leading with the elbow.). Once you hit that point, the forearm and hand whip through the release zone. You are thinking of acceleration throughout this process, because the ball will goes as fast as the hand is going at release.
97, your daughter's shoulder looks tight in the circle. This may be caused by the effort of trying to stop the hand at the hip. I see it in the first two pitches as well as the third. Also not a lot of leg drive. I would have her work on being more relaxed and free-flowing in her motion, which seems to be the opposite of what the new PC is telling her.
Changing mechanics can be a struggle in any case. You have worked toward one way of doing things, and get comfortable with it, then you have to get back out of your comfort zone and change it.
I have done this with pitchers before. I usually use backward chaining to do it -- start with the end of the pitch and work your way back to the beginning. I wouldn't waste time with wrist snap drills. I would start with the ball overhead, facing toward third base (for a right-handed pitcher) and work on that two-piece arm thing. Depending on what you're trying to change you may have to work the arm from a standing position, with the feet spread out so you're not dealing with lower body issues. Then work into a full circle from the side, then into the full pitch.
I agree with ArmWhip on the value of doing it slowly if needed. I will have pitchers stand and face the catcher, then step forward and go through the motion nice and easy to get the feel of all the pieces working together. You'd be amazed at how well that can work. Working in front of a mirror, shadow pitching, all of that has been helpful both for new pitchers and kids re-learning their mechanics.
Her motion looks typical to me of pitchers who have focused on the peel drop. For a peel drop it's fine, you get out on the front foot, stay tall, get your hand behind the ball early and pull up on release. Notice how her right shoulder comes up and forward as she comes into release. I don't like to use the word 'snap' when I give instruction, to me it gives pitchers the impression that they should be forcing the ball, I want them to stay smooth especially at release. I think that your daughter would benefit greatly from the football drill. Trying to throw an underhand spiral will force her to stay open, stay back, and delay the IR of her arm. This will give her the feel of a motion that is just the opposite of what she does now. Right now she internally rotates her arm early, gets her hand behind the ball and forces or snaps up and forward at release, that's OK for a peel drop. The football drill will give her a taste of a different way to throw the ball. Get one of those junior size, rubber Nike promotional footballs, start from 3 o'clock and progress to 12.
I believe that a lot of pitchers do not fully start to utilize IR until they start trying to throw rise or curve balls. With her current mechanic your daughter will not be able to throw either of those pitches, think of the football drill as a precursor to the rise and curve.
I believe that a lot of pitchers do not fully start to utilize IR until they start trying to throw rise or curve balls. With her current mechanic your daughter will not be able to throw either of those pitches, think of the football drill as a precursor to the rise and curve.
