timing is off

halskinner · Feb 1, 2013

From what you are sayingnow, she uses the traditional leap and drag wind up, straight out of the glove into the forward wind up. I am guessing she is pulling the ball out of the glove while the glove is still close to her body????

If I am correct on those assumptions, here is what I want her to do;

As the stride foot comes forward of the rubber, keep the ball in the glove and bring them forward at the exact same time. Seperate the hands just short of full extension, keeping that bend in the throwing elbow and bring it up and back quickly.

If she is doing the 'shove the glove', thats OK Pull the ball out of the glove up and backl and a little before the glove elbow gets fully extended.

Perfect Circle · Feb 2, 2013

coach james said:
I get the arm position... what I am looking for is a way to correct the fact she is around 3:30ish when the stride lands. Her arm circle looked a little short, she would come right out of her glove straight up. I now have her driving out towards the catcher more with her arms and it helped, but not enough...

Here is Hal I showed DD that she was throwing her arm back, when she was supposed to be not even taking it back past her hip... I'll make a clock to reference Hals comment, and see where she is at at touch down...

perfect-circle-albums-my-pics-picture3085-1-30-2013-9-48-15-pm.jpg

Perfect Circle · Feb 2, 2013

She almost has it... need to have glove straight out at touch...she's within Hows guideline of 1:00-1:30 :{))

perfect-circle-albums-my-pics-picture3110-2-2-2013-2-41-58-pm.jpg

javasource · May 6, 2013

I have girls focus on two drills in my clinic when this problem occurs...

1) 2-step drill. Explain the motion in two parts; the front-half and rear-half of the circle. Have her step to the plate without a ball. Have her take her stride at normal speed and freeze when her stride foot contacts the ground. Arm should be at or close to the top of the circle. She has completed the front-half of the circle and can receive immediate feedback. Have her complete the pitch (similar to the standard K-drill. This is good for warm-ups.

2) Up and Over. I use a shoebox positioned at a distance equal to her foot size in front of (before) her stride landing point. The goal is to get her stride up and over the box AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Many pitchers that have timing issues tend to land flat-footed or heel first. I always check timing (arm position) once the weight has transferred to the stride foot, not on simple contact. If viewed on video, a right handed pitcher should be at 10-11 o'clock in the circle on weight transfer. With the box drill, have her focus on landing toe first. The goal is to teach her to get her foot down, but not shorten her stride - hence the shoe box. This drill usually fixes timing issues when added as part of her routine. Emphasize getting her toe down quickly.

Lastly, it sounds as if her arm circle has been corrected - but take a look at her starting point. Some pitchers stsrt the circle in front of the body. For those with timing issues, it helps to correct this by teaching them to change their motion so that the circle starts down by the hip. I typically don't teach wind-ups but if this is a problem, she might benefit from swinging both arms behind the body in her wind-up. Be sure she is not short-arming her front-half of the circle - the arm should stay loose and long.

Hope this helps,
Mike

Ken B · May 6, 2013

2) Up and Over. I use a shoebox positioned at a distance equal to her foot size in front of (before) her stride landing point. The goal is to get her stride up and over the box AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Many pitchers that have timing issues tend to land flat-footed or heel first. I always check timing (arm position) once the weight has transferred to the stride foot, not on simple contact. If viewed on video, a right handed pitcher should be at 10-11 o'clock in the circle on weight transfer. With the box drill, have her focus on landing toe first. The goal is to teach her to get her foot down, but not shorten her stride - hence the shoe box. This drill usually fixes timing issues when added as part of her routine. Emphasize getting her toe down quickly.

Like this?

halskinner · May 6, 2013

javasource said:
I have girls focus on two drills in my clinic when this problem occurs...

1) 2-step drill. Explain the motion in two parts; the front-half and rear-half of the circle. Have her step to the plate without a ball. Have her take her stride at normal speed and freeze when her stride foot contacts the ground. Arm should be at or close to the top of the circle. She has completed the front-half of the circle and can receive immediate feedback. Have her complete the pitch (similar to the standard K-drill. This is good for warm-ups.

2) Up and Over. I use a shoebox positioned at a distance equal to her foot size in front of (before) her stride landing point. The goal is to get her stride up and over the box AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Many pitchers that have timing issues tend to land flat-footed or heel first. I always check timing (arm position) once the weight has transferred to the stride foot, not on simple contact. If viewed on video, a right handed pitcher should be at 10-11 o'clock in the circle on weight transfer. With the box drill, have her focus on landing toe first. The goal is to teach her to get her foot down, but not shorten her stride - hence the shoe box. This drill usually fixes timing issues when added as part of her routine. Emphasize getting her toe down quickly.

Lastly, it sounds as if her arm circle has been corrected - but take a look at her starting point. Some pitchers stsrt the circle in front of the body. For those with timing issues, it helps to correct this by teaching them to change their motion so that the circle starts down by the hip. I typically don't teach wind-ups but if this is a problem, she might benefit from swinging both arms behind the body in her wind-up. Be sure she is not short-arming her front-half of the circle - the arm should stay loose and long.

Hope this helps,
Mike

Javasource,

If you work with pitchers the term "Loose and long' is a major red flag. This ia a term instructors that teach throwing with a locked elbow and the most arm extension possible (straight arm). This has been deemed as unsafe for many years. They will be throwing with all shoulder and placing the rotator cuff at great risk.

You need a small bend in the elbow through the entire motion. Iff the elbow istraight and locked, you lock out the large muscles of the upper arm from contributing to arm / ball speed.

Just FYI.

halskinner · May 6, 2013

coach james said:
I have a 14yr old pitcher on our tb team who is struggling with her timing. Ideally, the ball should be around 1 o'clock when the stride foot lands, but she is closer to 3 or 4, and her speed and movement are less than desirable to be nice. I've made sure the stride is in sync with the hands and I have her driving out more than up. Now Im looking for possible drills to help correct the timing. Please and thanks, James

I hate to sound like a broken record here but, how tall is she, what is her stride length and what wind up does she use?

coach james · May 6, 2013

What you call a 2-step... I call the pause drill...
It does help but since HS ball started I havent been working with her. Last week she pitched live bp and holy crap. Her speed has dropped at least 4-5 mph since I was working with her through the winter. All the bad habits are back. Huge crow hop, big long pause in the top of her circle, drive foot is turning almost sideways right before the launch... her dad was supposed to be working with her, focusing on quality habits... oh well looks like she's dropping down to #3 on the bullpen order.

halskinner · May 6, 2013

My youngest sister was over when I was watching this video some tim e ago. She has never played softball. She watched it for 20 seconds and asked what they were doing. I told her that coach said doing that helped with power and speed. My sister almost fell over laughing and said "That's the stupidest thing I ever saw".. MKyy sister has been to many of my of my other sisters, my dads and my tournaments asnd has seen lots of pitchers.

I have to agree with her, one of the dumbest things I have ever seen too!

Ken B · May 6, 2013

This is the closest I could find the the K/Pause drill:

timing is off

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