Drag foot question

[andynayrb]

Well, here is my first attempt to add a video. This video is on turf, so it might not be the best example.

I guess she is getting out there about 6 feet, and she is only 5'6", so maybe I am making a deal about nothing, idk

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/media/img_1459-mov.29/

 

[Jeffrey]

Well, here is my first attempt to add a video. This video is on turf, so it might not be the best example.

I guess she is getting out there about 6 feet, and she is only 5'6", so maybe I am making a deal about nothing, idk

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/media/img_1459-mov.29/

Other than burning through shoes, I don’t have a problem with it inherently. She could play with driving up more and then a little shorter, and landing firmer too, and see how it goes. Without seeing all her results I can’t offer what an in person coach can see. Her timing looks good so I’d start with getting the stride foot down with more of a mid foot strike rather than reaching out with the toe.

 

[Fury_Mike]

Well, here is my first attempt to add a video. This video is on turf, so it might not be the best example.

I guess she is getting out there about 6 feet, and she is only 5'6", so maybe I am making a deal about nothing, idk

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/media/img_1459-mov.29/

There is a lot to like there, but her some opportunity to improve. When the ball gets to 3:00, her drag foot is still attached to the rubber. Work to get her hips to drive off together with less focus on stride leg extension. You can see in the last picture that her hips are almost fully open. This is working against her sequencing, and as another poster mentioned, the foot now acts as an anchor.

 

[DNeeld]

Normally, I'd say don't worry about this as the issue is very, very minor. But you stated previously, you are into the nitpicking stage with her, so here goes.

This is the point where her anchor occurs:


@Fury_Mike has it right, her leg thrust is a little weak. The anchor happens because her back hip is getting left behind as the front leg reaches. Another way to put it is she is more reaching with the stride leg than thrusting with the drive leg. This is forcing her hips to open too much which causes the brief foot anchor before she corrects it. She needs to work on driving with both hips, actually trying to stay square to the catcher. Tatum Edwards is a great example of this concept:

Compare and contrast the drive hip action of Edwards to your pitcher. Specifically pay attention to when and how the hips open. Edwards opens to ~45 degrees midway through the drive. This isn't a forced action, its the natural biomechanics of the body.

 

[andynayrb]

Thanks for the insight all. That all makes sense. Possibly something we can look at after the summer travel season, that and firming up her upper half on her front side resistance.

 

[Jeffrey]

Thanks for the insight all. That all makes sense. Possibly something we can look at after the summer travel season, that and firming up her upper half on her front side resistance.

You don’t have to wait to start incorporating a better push. Add the “skip in” @Fury_Mike suggested or search this site for other tips on drive mechanics. My students are always working on something in their warmups to get better. Why waste any throwing session not getting better?

 

[Shawn]

First time posting, long time reader. I have learned tons of information from this site. My answer is probably somewhere on here, I just probably haven't found the correct terms to type into the search.

So my DD has a really heavy drag foot. She digs out a serious trench when she pitches. It is her toe that is dragging, not the whole side of her foot like some girls do. I have been thinking about this a lot. I see a lot of pitchers where their drag foot glides gently across the ground, almost losing contact. My DD and I have wondered if she should try to come closer to losing contact with the ground, like almost hopping? Like jumping at a slightly larger angle? In my mind the heavy drag has to be slowing her body down, thus losing the potential for more power.

As I typed the above paragraph, another thought just hit me. Could this be more of a problem with what she is doing with her drive leg (push-off leg) as a whole, does it need to be actively brought forward sooner after the push off? I don't know, just thinking out loud.

Thanks,

John Gay was against a heavy drag. He saw it as slowing down the drive.

This pitcher worked with John. Back foot doesn’t dig in.

 

[DNeeld]

Why waste any throwing session not getting better?

Spot on! And this is a change this is not likely to disrupt anything mechanically.

 

[andynayrb]

We worked on this some, don't know if anything has really changed. It looks a little different. Not sure how I feel about it, LOL

What do you all think? Here is an update from yesterday.

https://www.discussfastpitch.com/media/video-7-23-mov.30/

 

[Tazman]

Normally, I'd say don't worry about this as the issue is very, very minor. But you stated previously, you are into the nitpicking stage with her, so here goes.

This is the point where her anchor occurs:
View attachment 27968

@Fury_Mike has it right, her leg thrust is a little weak. The anchor happens because her back hip is getting left behind as the front leg reaches. Another way to put it is she is more reaching with the stride leg than thrusting with the drive leg. This is forcing her hips to open too much which causes the brief foot anchor before she corrects it. She needs to work on driving with both hips, actually trying to stay square to the catcher. Tatum Edwards is a great example of this concept:

Compare and contrast the drive hip action of Edwards to your pitcher. Specifically pay attention to when and how the hips open. Edwards opens to ~45 degrees midway through the drive. This isn't a forced action, its the natural biomechanics of the body.

I also know a pitcher that strained her mcl essentially from this same mechanical flaw. There are also good pitchers that do it without problems. My DD picked up speed when she corrected it.