push off foot, Glove throw etc.

[stickpile39]

Trying to understand the proper sequence of the push off foot during the leap and landing. One problem DD is having is hitting her thigh with the pitch a high percentage of the time. I'm pretty sure she is closing too soon, but I am also wondering about the path the push off foot needs to take before ending up with the front foot in the figure 4. For a righty should there be a conscious effort to drag the foot to the left during the opening of the hips? I'm wondering if instead of just closing too soon, she might just not be getting open enough to begin with, which I feel from my reading could cause this problem. Should there be a conscious effort to get the drag foot left, and the glove hand right?

I hope someone can understand the correlation I am making to the hip hitting (and bruising)

 

[halskinner]

There was a video on here a little while back. Showed a hs age (?) pitcher get a line drive to the face. Sadly, she was a leg slapper and her glove had only gotten as high as her belt when she ate the ball.

It is more a self-defense problem than anything else.

Get some cheap pairs of bright colored socks. Roll them up Stand ten or twelve feet in front and to the throwing side as she pitches.
hAVE A ROLLED UP PAIR OF SOX SHOLDER GIGH AND AT THE READY. Tell her she can only catch or block them with her glove. Then the instant she releases the ball fire the rolled up gloves RIGHT AT HER FACE. She will hate thjis drill.

If she does not take it seriously, use wiffle balls and do the same thing.

Dont give her time to slap her leg.

Thats one way.

Here is another hard core approach. It will require a couple thumb tacks and a piece of duct tape.

Push the thumb tacks through the duct tabe throught the sticky side so they stick out the non-sticky side. Now stick the duct tape on the exact spot on the glove where it comes in contact with the leg when she slaps it. She will ask you if you are crazy? Tell her "Not me! I'm not the one slapping my leg and bruising it all up. If you get a few little holes along with those bruises, so what?"

Trust me, not slapping the leg will be her top priority in her pitch.

Take a roll of duct tape to the game. If you see her start doing it, yell and hold up the roll of duct tape. She'll get the hint.

 

[robertc3]

If I am understanding your post correctly your daughter is hitting her thigh with the ball not her glove. I have a player on my team that does the same thing. She had a bruise the size of a volleyball on her thigh after an especially poor pitching session. I don't know if the issue is not opening enough or closing too soon in your DD's case, but it certainly is an issue with being too closed. One would think that this would be something they would correct on their own because it hurts so much, but I have not found that to be the case. We have worked on staying open longer with our pitcher, but have not tried getting open farther which may be the ticket. I think the pivot foot leg can take any path it wants to the finished position as long as the ball is safely in front of it.

 

[Ken B]

Video would be very helpful.

 

[eastcoast]

Things which used happen with my DD and she used to brush the ball to thighs. Very painful indeed.
1. She used lock elbow and push the ball down on down phase. So ball was infront many times hit or brushed her thighs hard during release.
we corrected this by pulling the ball ( ball facing third base on down motion).
2. Locked elbow. we corrected with slight bend in elbow ( like 5 degrees or so). So now elbow leads on downswing
3. Beat the hips. Many times it used occur when ball was lagging before closing. Now her forearm brushes her tummy during release.

I hope this makes sense. I dont remember she is hitting her thighs anymore.

 

[stickpile39]

If I am understanding your post correctly your daughter is hitting her thigh with the ball not her glove. .

Yes, sorry Hal this was what i was trying to say. I have video of her pitching but not of it happening. My question about this push off foot was in regards to it getting to the left which maybe gets the hip out of the way or assists in staying open. When I look at this gif, this is what I thought might be happening

 

[inde53546]

I have heard the drag marks described as a banana or Nike swoosh. What does your daughters look like?

 

[Carly]

For starters, I'd get rid of the figure 4 finish. The example GIF you posted is great; have her try that. My understanding of "figure 4" is bringing the drag leg up off the ground and crossing it behind the landing leg. If she's NOT doing this, please correct me.

I don't like a figure 4 finish for a young pitcher because with one foot off the ground it becomes very hard to stay balanced and maintain front leg resistance. Some advanced pitchers can get away with it if they're so strong in the legs and core that picking up the drive leg does not affect their balance and resistance, but I think it's detrimental to young pitchers 99% of the time.

In your daughter's case, her thigh could be getting in the way when she moves it up to the figure 4 position.

 

[stickpile39]

I have heard the drag marks described as a banana or Nike swoosh. What does your daughters look like?

This is not an area we have focused on until now. You can view the video I have posted of her on her thread.

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/12710-9-year-old-dd-learning-pitch.html (you can skip the first few pages as she had never pitched at all)

I think the above motion will be good for her. Thanks Carly!