Throwing

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Mar 14, 2011
785
18
Silicon Valley, CA
Welp, I tried to get discussion going by posting some youtube vids in another thread. Oh well. Hopefully this vid will fare better in terms of starting some discussion. Thanks to Tewks for posting info on a subject that is sorely lacking. Wondering what others think of this. If Tewks is here, wondering how well this is working, and if this is step 1, so to speak, in getting kids to throw.

An initial worry is that it seems I am always fighting girls who throw facing their target and don't turn sideways and this drill seems to perhaps promote that.

 
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Mar 14, 2011
785
18
Silicon Valley, CA
I've been trying hard to get any sort of throwing discussion going. Not much interest I guess. This video is interesting. Another concern I have is with the extreme arm angle seen starting around 3:20 and the references to Lincecum. Do fielders really throw like this or is this a pitcher thing? I would say it's a pitcher thing. I'm pretty sure I don't throw like that but maybe I need to get my arm back in shape and video myself. Obviously many of the mechanics are shared between pitchers and fielders but not all, right?
 
Jul 25, 2011
680
16
Southern Illinois
I have seen some people throw like this warming up but never in a game. Why would you want your weight to shift in any direction not on line with your target. I worked with dd about stepping on line with her target not away from it. I think stepping off line and especially weight shifting offline would take away power.
Lincecum is a really good pitcher but i don't think I would want anyone to learn his motion.
 
Oct 13, 2010
666
0
Georgia
I'd like to see the other parts to this series of throwing steps. I have a hard time believing he would be saying this is how you throw. This must be a drill that leads to a feel, or motion to be incorperated into the proper throwing motion later on. (Kind of like Epsteins "torque drill" for hitting?) It does show how to get the elbow to lead the hand for arm whip during the throw, something alot of girls have problems with.
 
Jul 25, 2011
680
16
Southern Illinois
I'd like to see the other parts to this series of throwing steps. I have a hard time believing he would be saying this is how you throw. This must be a drill that leads to a feel, or motion to be incorperated into the proper throwing motion later on. (Kind of like Epsteins "torque drill" for hitting?) It does show how to get the elbow to lead the hand for arm whip during the throw, something alot of girls have problems with.
Perhaps getting the elbow to lead is the point of this drill. He does mention several times that it is an exageration. Still wouldn't want d stepping off line, even in a drill. Too easy to make it a habit.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Perhaps getting the elbow to lead is the point of this drill. He does mention several times that it is an exageration. Still wouldn't want d stepping off line, even in a drill. Too easy to make it a habit.

In the video I thought he was stepping offline too at first but he makes a point about stepping straight. Then he does show an exaggeration of stepping to the side and saying NOT to do that.

I can't say I was crazy about the drill myself and doubt I'll be incorporating it but it seemed like it was designed to get the proper weight transfer from rear foot to front foot throughout the throw.
 
Dec 13, 2011
105
18
Nashua, NH
Throwing is a movement pattern that needs to be taught. Changing the pattern is difficult and can take time, since most girls are often taught incorrectly. The title of this article below was to spark a conversation about wrist flicks but really focuses on proper throwing mechanics. There is some solid content about the throwing motion and a few drills that can help teach the proper patterns.

Why Your Softball Players Have Elbow Pain: Wrist Flick Edition
 
Mar 14, 2011
785
18
Silicon Valley, CA
Throwing is a movement pattern that needs to be taught. Changing the pattern is difficult and can take time, since most girls are often taught incorrectly. The title of this article below was to spark a conversation about wrist flicks but really focuses on proper throwing mechanics. There is some solid content about the throwing motion and a few drills that can help teach the proper patterns.

Why Your Softball Players Have Elbow Pain: Wrist Flick Edition

Finally a real contribution to the topic of throwing. Thanks!
 
Jan 14, 2009
1,591
0
Atlanta, Georgia
IMO the key to teaching the overhand throw is to understand how the front thigh and throwing arm are linked. The next time you throw, pay attention to what your front leg does during the stride, and just before your front foot lands. If you throw correctly naturally, you will find that during the stride your front leg/foot stays relatively closed or internally rotated. However, check out what happens just before your front foot lands. Your front thigh should roll over automatically. This is an unconscious action that few understand. It's so unconscious that most of us have no idea we do it. It only took me 48 years to discover it.

The secret to the overhand throw is to coordinate the rollover of the front thigh with the throwing arm. The proper sequence is to keep the front thigh and throwing arm internally rotated during the stride. IOW the throwing arm stays down and does not go to the "L" position during the stride. When the front thigh begins to externally rotate and roll over, the throwing arm externally rotates and goes up to the "L" position. Ideally you want to do this with no pauses.

A simple drill we do with the girls is to have them make sure they keep their hand and head back until they feel their front thigh roll over. As soon as they feel the front thigh roll over, they bring their hand and head forward over their bent front leg. This drill teaches them how to sync up their upper body with their lower body.

Coaches that teach the girls to take the throwing arm to the "L" position during the stride, like I used to; are putting the girls out of sync. When the throwing goes to the "L" position, it is considered to be externally rotated. When the throwing arm is externally rotated in the "L" position, there is very little slack left in the shoulder area. IOW the muscles and tendons in the shoulder area are already stretched or tight. If the front thigh rolls over with the throwing arm already in the "L" position, the shoulder complex gets stressed because there is little slack left in the shoulder area as the arm transitions to moving forward. It's equivalent to stretching a rubber band to it's max, and then suddenly trying to stretch it more.

If the throwing arm is kept internally rotated until the front thigh rolls over, the external rotation of the arm into the "L" position will be in sync with the forward turn of the torso, which dramatically reduces stress on the shoulder complex.
 

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