Release point

[NewBucketDad]

Javas advice is spot on. Your daughter need to learn the wip instead of pushing guiding. Dont even worry about the leg drive yet. My DD pitched the same way when she started I switched pitching coaches to an I/R style. The first thing her PC did was took her legs out of it and had her kneel on her back knee her front leg was straight out towards the catcher(good old Dad). Then he backward chained the arm and ball position. He started out how the ball would roll of the fingers, Then he put her at the 9 o'clock position ball to the sky, then 12 ball toward catcher, 3 holding the ball like your holding a mug. We did this the first week by the end of the week she was throwing harder on her knee then if she was doing her full pitching motion. We also did the Football drill which is great because it gives instant feedback, no spiral with the tip of the football pointed up then shes doing something wrong. My DD hated the Football drill at first but know she can throw better spirals underhand then most boys her age throw overhand.

 

[NewBucketDad]

BTW Java since we started using your 2 step my DD's speed increased 2mph thanks.

 

[javasource]

You'll probably laugh when I tell you why: When I stand with my arms to my sides, my palms face backwards. It's a family trait. All those videos of pitchers who basically have the back of their hands brushing their thighs? My arm doesn't want to do that. Been meaning to check with DD to see if she inherited that. Would getting out from behind the ball even a little bit be better than not at all?

What you describe is quite common, I know my palms face inwards when resting. Standing completely sideways to your target... like you should be... makes it a lot easier. If you can turn your palms to the sky in front of your body with your elbows bent at 90... all it takes is dropping your hands to your side. You then allow your forearm to pronate at release. It sounds like your trying this too square to the target... and trying to hold this position and releasing the ball in front of your rear leg in this supinated poisition. The release happens at the rear leg... during pronation... not in the slot, and not off the front leg.

 

[Cowdogz]

Standing completely sideways to your target... like you should be... makes it a lot easier.

I was.

If you can turn your palms to the sky in front of your body with your elbows bent at 90... all it takes is dropping your hands to your side.

It's uncomfortable. Torques my elbow and shoulder. I am barely comfortable doing curls with a straight bar. Anyway, it's not me that has to be able to do it; I was just trying to imitate the videos and not having much luck. I'll try to find somebody local who can demonstrate. Katie Burkhart has some kind of affiliation with one of the local training centers, and Hillhouse comes here in the winter sometimes. Just remembered that one of DS #2's coaches is a sports PT who works with baseball pitchers, I'll ask him if he or anyone at his facility knows about SB mechanics.

 

[Curveball King]

Of course, the following is a FANTASTIC clip for a great thing that should be happening with the "drive mechanics"

Java

I have read your thread on drive mechanics and it's great. Buuuut I'm not so sure I'm liking this drill. Why is this non realistic and or legal footwork drill better than the rthyme drill or rocking drill that you do with your feet in a legal way. Can you explain why this is better than just doing the footwork the way you would do it with an actual pitch. I'm not seeing the benefit here. Can you clarify why this is better than what I just described, thanks and I don't wish to argue only to get clarification and pick your brain and get your thoughts behind this drill, also is their a part two that will include a pitch. Thanks

 

[Ken B]

Part 2:

 

[Curveball King]

Ken I have that video also, has nothing to do with what I was saying about the drill. Now if you posted the vid for OILFIELD who disputes that the rocking action occurs then I fully understand the point of this video, I am not claiming that the rocking does not occur in most pitchers. I am only slightly challenging the effectiveness of the drill and really I'm not even doing that. I am just looking for clarity. Will this lead to bad habits? Gym foot. Stepping back off the rubber?

Can someone also define gym foot.

 

[Ken B]

Ueno and Finch, no matter how great they were, are of a previous generation.

Why do you choose not to look and learn? I'm trying hard to understand your perspective and I keep looking for some sense in what you say. It's difficult because you claim to have no experience in pitching other than what your assistants tell you, yet you offer advice as if you've pitched (like Screwball...) The stuff you say would be easier to swallow if you posted as Screwball, because at least we would know that you were preaching from actual experience.

The two step is a tool for teaching weight shift, load and explode seems to make sense to kids needing to improve their drive. Like many drills, you might start with a slight exaggeration to get the feel going, then fine tune soon after. In the kids I've tried this with, we were able to move on as soon as they got the idea.

 

[Curveball King]

Ken


Do you find it interesting that most men do not use the rocking action, they plant and weight the back foot, can you explain why? Different rules that allow for more hopping maybe?

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

 

[Curveball King]

The next question is what about your sliders? Rick Pauley teaches his students to slide their drag foot across. Another way of doing it. I don't agree that rocking while throwing a pitch causes gym foot. Or is illegal, when you rock your feet stay on the rubber, clearly this is the case.