Hi all...looking for some help on how to teach/instruct my DD to hit spots high in the zone. Is it a matter of leaning back slightly? Or are there a variety ways to hit high and low in the zone.
Thanks,
T
Thanks,
T
Pitching High in the Zone
- Thread starter T.J.
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JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
I keep mechanical changes for location very simple.
Rule 1-Mechanics do not change, you still brush, you still release at the same point in the arm circle etc.
Rule 2-For left right control you just stride to the location (this is a matter of a few inches either way) and throw how you normally throw.
Rule 3- For high-low you do not change anything in the release, you just change where you feel the weight at release. Once again it is a minimal change (a few degrees from 40-43 feet= a lot of change in height of the pitch). Feel more stacked over the front foot for a low pitch, feel more nose behind the belly for a high pitch.
Then we teach this by having sessions of "no low" or "no high", this means that they can throw a ball in the dirt in a no high session but by no means can they throw a ball above the knees. For a no low session they can throw it over the backstop but cannot throw it below the chest. Once they have the feel of the gross adjustment then we alternate...hi-low etc and then just gradually squeeze it until they can throw knees and chest regularly. In both scenarios the waist high pitch is a failure.
Older DD is way past this point but this worked well for teaching her. The little one is in the middle of this part of her development and is working hard to get the feel of a low vs a high pitch. I kind of think this is a three month process of getting them to be able to command high-low reasonably effectively. Once they have it though then the fine tuning kind of takes care of itself with reps.
Rule 1-Mechanics do not change, you still brush, you still release at the same point in the arm circle etc.
Rule 2-For left right control you just stride to the location (this is a matter of a few inches either way) and throw how you normally throw.
Rule 3- For high-low you do not change anything in the release, you just change where you feel the weight at release. Once again it is a minimal change (a few degrees from 40-43 feet= a lot of change in height of the pitch). Feel more stacked over the front foot for a low pitch, feel more nose behind the belly for a high pitch.
Then we teach this by having sessions of "no low" or "no high", this means that they can throw a ball in the dirt in a no high session but by no means can they throw a ball above the knees. For a no low session they can throw it over the backstop but cannot throw it below the chest. Once they have the feel of the gross adjustment then we alternate...hi-low etc and then just gradually squeeze it until they can throw knees and chest regularly. In both scenarios the waist high pitch is a failure.
Older DD is way past this point but this worked well for teaching her. The little one is in the middle of this part of her development and is working hard to get the feel of a low vs a high pitch. I kind of think this is a three month process of getting them to be able to command high-low reasonably effectively. Once they have it though then the fine tuning kind of takes care of itself with reps.
- Oct 22, 2009
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For high, I work the weight back more, keep the release timing the same, feel the angle of the hips. I'm pre-training them for the riseball.
javasource
6-4-3 = 2
I agree with JJ, minus the stride L/R stuff.
Changing the angle of the torso, laterally, changes the trajectory of the pitch. That's your high/low.
Changing the angle of the torso, laterally, changes the trajectory of the pitch. That's your high/low.
- Jan 18, 2011
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I'm curious, I remember RP (Rick Pauly) stating a release zone. would that also assist in the high and low pitches?
JJsqueeze
Dad, Husband....legend
Are you sure you are not thinking of the "throw zone" from Phil at fastpitch power? Rick Pauly is a big advocate of using brush interference at release so it is more of a specific release point triggered by the interference than a zone.
JJ nailed it., IMHO.
The amount of adjustments are very, very small. It is more about teaching feel.
The amount of adjustments are very, very small. It is more about teaching feel.
- Jan 18, 2011
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It's possible, JJ. Don't get me wrong I truly believe in brush interference myself. Not doubting that. But I thought I remember him stating about a release zone in one of his videos. I don't know how or if you could even search videos.
I am getting older so maybe that has something to do with it.
But I sure I remember that. Hmmmmm - Jan 18, 2011
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It's from the AccraSpeed. I'm not losing it yeah.
