thought you all could use a chuckle

[knightsb]

Sorry...I just can't buy into over stepping the power line as good mechanics. I don't see Cat doing it I don't see Keilani doing it. I don't see how it can do anything but make control more difficult and rob speed. The kids entire motion is flowing to her right then she throws the pitch left. how is this good?

Doug Gillis advocates stepping slightly across the power line to reenforce throwing across your body.

In this video clip, Abbott really steps across the power line to throw her curve.

[video=youtube_share;c0U6hbojyoY]http://youtu.be/c0U6hbojyoY[/video]

 

[bucket pinata]

When I'm talking crossing the power line I'm talking just over, not a big step, What I have found especially in young pitchers It helps them stay tight into their body and promotes brush resistance along with keeping the arm close in to the body on the curve ball pitches. In my experience this helps with power and spin. after a few innings most young pitchers, especially the ones with long levers have a tendency to let their arm drift out start stepping out and the pitch becomes less accurate and effective because the spin drops way off. Its just a tool I use to get the pitchers to feel internally what it feel like to be tight, in close and powerful with IR. In reality during games most of them are not stepping across but they are not stepping out either and that's the goal. If you re watch the video the girl demonstrates the tendency perfectly, couple good tight in the zone pitches and then in a effort to get more curve she gets away from her body, the instructor has to tell her to bring it in and with it comes more good pitches.

 

[JJsqueeze]

I like the well reasoned thoughts BP and the clip from Ken. I still don't buy overstepping the power line though . I sure as heck would not be teaching a kid to throw a drop curve like this out of the gate. I actually think it would mess with the brush because it puts that lead thigh in the way of the pitch. Some of my DDS most painful misfires were from when she over rotated and pitched into her own lead thigh. Ouch, glad that phase is over.

 

[NewBucketDad]

I took my DD to a lesson with Doug and he told her to step a little over the power line like knights said. He said for him its an absolute. Here is one of the drills for it to build muscle memory. In the drill he wants her to go slow and exaggerate the step so then when she goes full speed it will only be a little over.

 

[Conan the Grammarian]

I took my DD to a lesson with Doug and he told her to step a little over the power line like knights said. He said for him its an absolute. Here is one of the drills for it to build muscle memory. In the drill he wants her to go slow and exaggerate the step so then when she goes full speed it will only be a little over.

where is this? it looks familiar

 

[NewBucketDad]

where is this? it looks familiar

i found this video on google but its the same drill he did with my DD.


I would like to hear what BM and JS have to say about the crop.

 

[Ken B]

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/14585-crop-2.html

 

[Ken B]

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/16917-roll-over-drop-drop-curve.html

 

[ejg70]

gillis did the exact same thing during DD's lesson. In fact he had a progression drill called scissor walks instead of straight walkthroughs in order to reinforce the feeling of being slightly over the power line.

 

[Ken B]

I went out and gave the crossover step a try. The only thing I liked is that it gave me a feel of brush on the hip only and took the thigh out of the way. I kind liked that. Other than that, I didn't really find it helpful.