Pitching - Hips Open or Closed

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Nov 22, 2019
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The hips open and closed concept confuses me a bit. On these screen shots, does my 9-year-old DD have her hips open in any of them or are they all closed in the screen shots? Thanks for any input.
 

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Sep 19, 2018
928
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Neither. Completely Open is when the belly button is facing 3B. Closed is facing home. Hips should be at about 45 degrees at release.
 
Nov 22, 2019
297
43
Neither. Completely Open is when the belly button is facing 3B. Closed is facing home. Hips should be at about 45 degrees at release.
What degree are her hips at in the pics, which is right around the time of her release? Her foot is around 45 degrees, but are the hips?
 
Apr 17, 2019
331
63
Her hips look to me to be around 45 in all of them; but she's monkey-butting in 1,3, and 5. (and she missed the brush in 2, but that was probably just an oopsie.) Her hand position has me worried she might be pushing down the backside, but I'd want to see the frames leading up to those.
If it were me, I'd focus first on posture at landing; land tall, strong front leg resistance. It's hard to tell what her front leg is doing in those pics, but I'd wager there's a little too much bend in it. I'd fix that before worrying about hip angle.
(I'm just a coach, the professional pitching coaches here can feel free to tell me to suck an egg.)
 

fanboi22

on the journey
Nov 9, 2015
1,138
83
SE Wisconsin
As noted I would not worry too much on hip angle. IMO you should focus on brush interference and if that happens posture will be a non teach or less of one.

My DD is currently working on stride foot landing more mid foot to fore foot. Her heel strike landing was forcing a more open landing which was causing issues. We found if you have more of a fore foot landing it doesn’t allow you to land too open because the ankle isn’t strong enough to hold so it forces a better landing angle.

The next thing that helped was having her clench her butt cheeks thru the whole pitch. This keeps the hips from opening too much and ‘pulls’ the drag leg along and gets her too a good hip angle.

BI, forefoot to midfoot landing and clenched butt cheeks have allowed DD a more balanced smooth pitching motion and solid posture.

Again, just things that have worked for us. Good luck in your journey.
 
Apr 17, 2019
331
63
The next thing that helped was having her clench her butt cheeks thru the whole pitch. This keeps the hips from opening too much and ‘pulls’ the drag leg along and gets her too a good hip angle.

BI, forefoot to midfoot landing and clenched butt cheeks have allowed DD a more balanced smooth pitching motion and solid posture.
I like the buttcheeks cue; I'm gonna steal that. That might fix the posture issue.
 
Nov 22, 2019
297
43
Her hips look to me to be around 45 in all of them; but she's monkey-butting in 1,3, and 5. (and she missed the brush in 2, but that was probably just an oopsie.) Her hand position has me worried she might be pushing down the backside, but I'd want to see the frames leading up to those.
If it were me, I'd focus first on posture at landing; land tall, strong front leg resistance. It's hard to tell what her front leg is doing in those pics, but I'd wager there's a little too much bend in it. I'd fix that before worrying about hip angle.
(I'm just a coach, the professional pitching coaches here can feel free to tell me to suck an egg.)
As noted I would not worry too much on hip angle. IMO you should focus on brush interference and if that happens posture will be a non teach or less of one.

My DD is currently working on stride foot landing more mid foot to fore foot. Her heel strike landing was forcing a more open landing which was causing issues. We found if you have more of a fore foot landing it doesn’t allow you to land too open because the ankle isn’t strong enough to hold so it forces a better landing angle.

The next thing that helped was having her clench her butt cheeks thru the whole pitch. This keeps the hips from opening too much and ‘pulls’ the drag leg along and gets her too a good hip angle.

BI, forefoot to midfoot landing and clenched butt cheeks have allowed DD a more balanced smooth pitching motion and solid posture.

Again, just things that have worked for us. Good luck in your journey.

I'm confused, because we have a friend who is a D-1 pitcher who says she's not staying open so her hip is closing before her hand gets through. Is what she saying correct?
 
Jun 23, 2018
222
63
Texas
It depends on how your DD is being taught to pitch. If she is being taught to throw what is affectionately called HE or Hello Elbow here on this board, then keeping the hips open is important so the arm can come straight thru. If she is being taught to pitch with IR or Internal Rotation (see stickies under the Pitching page), then having a some interference for the arm to brush against is important.

How is your DD being taught to pitch? This makes a big difference in how your question is answered.

FYI, IR is the preferred style here and what you will get the most advise for. It is also the superior method in my opinion.
 
Apr 17, 2019
331
63
I'm confused, because we have a friend who is a D-1 pitcher who says she's not staying open so her hip is closing before her hand gets through. Is what she saying correct?
That sounds like 'Hello Elbow' "Open the door, close the door" instruction. You'd be hard pressed to find someone here who will encourage that method. I'd wager also that if you look at slow-mo vid of your friend pitching in-game, her hips will be at 45 when she's releasing. She may not realize it.
 
Nov 22, 2019
297
43
It depends on how your DD is being taught to pitch. If she is being taught to throw what is affectionately called HE or Hello Elbow here on this board, then keeping the hips open is important so the arm can come straight thru. If she is being taught to pitch with IR or Internal Rotation (see stickies under the Pitching page), then having a some interference for the arm to brush against is important.

How is your DD being taught to pitch? This makes a big difference in how your question is answered.

FYI, IR is the preferred style here and what you will get the most advise for. It is also the superior method in my opinion.
Her actual pitching coach throws more in a hybrid fashion, finishing across the body (maybe more like Hillhouse in that respect). It's not HE where the elbow is straight and to the catcher, but it's not IR either. The focus has been more keeping the arm loose and following through. She's about 8 weeks into pitching. Not sure if that helps.

I didn't really want to post a video as 8 weeks in I'm sure there are numerous issues (and it's not IR or HE), but here is a recent one.



www.flickr.com/photos/43444487@N00/49244666928/in/album-72157712281862253/
 
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