Slam the door dead?

[HornetsCoach]

I though 'slam the door' was dead? Half the rec team went up to a pitching clinic sponsored by the local high school coach yesterday and came back to tell me the "K-T-I" with a Dorothy of Oz heel click that I was trying to show them was all wrong.

I told them the same thing I always tell them in situations like this "What do you expect? I wrestled in college."

Last year I was trying to show them slam the door, and got hooted down like a dinosaur.

what gives?

 

[marriard]

Not dead. Many still teach it - and hey, there is not one way to do everything and there are plenty out there who have been successful with this technique and with a bunch of other techniques and ideas. It would be boring if everyone pitched exactly the same way. Also many people are set in their ways and are not going to change even if they are shown something better.

Despite what many people seem to believe here, there is no softball-wide consensus on the 'best' mechanics.

(My DD does pretty much what the Hillhouse DVD and examples does - it suits her and feel and looks natural. It might not suit everyone. I do believe the Slam/Shut-the Door technique is not the best long term but you are going to see it a lot)

 

[wannahit]

watch d1 games and count how many pitchers are step and slam the door type, not too many, and I doubt if leap and drag is just a fad without an advantage over the out dated slam the door mechanics.

 

[Ken Krause]

Yes, unfortunately it's still taught, and taught widely. In my area it's taught enough that unknowing parents think you're wrong if you don't say it. But that's ok. My students get to enjoy blowing the kids who do it away.

 

[Jojo]

Predominately taught in my area as well. Like Ken says, I enjoy my pitchers blowing away the other kids, but even so, some of my parents realize I am the "different" coach, and since I'm not like all the rest, I must be wrong, and take them to the slam the door instructors. Oh well.

 

[halskinner]

Look up the 'Steadman - Hawkins report to coaches'. Print it out and read it. Then give a copy to your HS coach and let him / her know that if what they are teaching causes an injury, they can be held liable, uninformed or not!

 

[halskinner]

The report came out in 1997 and it outlined what the safest angle is for the female shoulder complex. Did it specifically say anything about slamming the door being dead? But having the door closed at release was noted.

The report clearly shows the angle the elbow needs to be bent also. I would be VERY surprised to see any report on a softball pitcher that indicated a straight arm (locked elbow)was a good thing. Are you sure you are thinking of the correct sport here?

I have a copy of the report on my computer and so do many others involved in this sport.

The Steadman-Hawkins Institute is still the worlds leading authority on sports injury prevention. Not just softball, ALL SPORTS!

 

[halskinner]

Exact quote from Werner:

'A "longer" arm also helps reduce the stress on the throwing shoulder and elbow. Many pitchers who bend their elbows too much (short arm) tend to get their arms out away from the body during the downswing. This requires an abnormal rotational component of force on the upper arm in order to deliver the ball.' Understand my confusion when you get to Steadman Hawkins and she says bending is safer.

I see no mention of the door closed or opening and closing the door in the copy of the report that I can find. However, she is quoted in an article about the report that makes it sound like she want the hips closed. Like I stated above, it does show on a graph that many pitchers even then were already open, so I am not sure why they then say being open is dangerous.

I understand people are experts but we look to new research, not something from 1997 done with a sample of 24 pitchers. Just like the experts used to say other things that are now debunked. Pitching has changed a lot since then, in both how many are doing it and their styles. For example, most pitchers stride 100% of their height, while the report claims 90% is safe. 100% means even more open.

You are adding things that are not what was stated, again. Read the report again. The report says at the top of the circle the elbow should be nearly straight, IE a slight bend in the elbow.

It is a very well written report and is accurate, IMO.

I now have a copy of that report on my computer also. The opinion of throwing across the body was very interesting also.

 

[Ade's Dad]

Is it my computer? The screen is blank at the link.

Check your downloads.

 

[abbygale]

Is it my computer? The screen is blank at the link.

Look in your downloads folder. It is a word doc.