Advanced Stone Skipping for softball pitchers to learn IR?

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sluggers

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Staff member
May 26, 2008
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Dallas, Texas
Skipping stones is used to help a girl get the feel for "the whip"...and it is also a lot of fun. (I still can't go near a lake or river without looking for a good "skipping rock".)

I don't believe it would be helpful for IR.
 
Jul 14, 2008
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Ok. I see it now after reviewing Amanda's vid. Now the big HOW to teach that?

Stay 45 Degrees (or more) sideways.......SPIN THE BALL TO THE RIGHT (pitchers view) BUT THROW IT STRAIGHT AHEAD..........Pretty simple to do with a little practice.........Like maybe 10-30 minutes........

GET THE BALL SPINNING TO THE RIGHT BUT THROW IT STRAIGHT AHEAD.............Don't over think this.........Lead with the PINKIE finger........GET THE BALL SPINNING TO THE RIGHT BUT THROW IT STRAIGHT AHEAD........

Throw a football spiral UNDERHAND if you must. But GET THE BALL SPINNING TO THE RIGHT BUT THROW IT STRAIGHT AHEAD......
 
Jul 17, 2012
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Throw a football spiral UNDERHAND if you must. But GET THE BALL SPINNING TO THE RIGHT BUT THROW IT STRAIGHT AHEAD......

Forgot all about this drill..... it helped DD attain the 7-1 spin and taught her to let the ball roll off her fingers instead or trying to push it.
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,800
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I was with you til you said

does get the ball spinning mean like a screwball spin (skipping a rock) or like a bullet spin (like a football spiral)

thanks

The football spiral is like bullet spin. I wouldn't concerned about bullet spin as a beginner who just can seem to figure out how to get the hand/fingers INSIDE the ball........It's MORE IMPORTANT that they learn to get the hand/fingers INSIDE THE BALL........

Most of the time leading with the pinkie leads to forward/inward spin........

No matter what.......Spin it to the Right........And throw it straight........Is the best way I know of to get someone to start feeling it when they just can't get it on their own.........
 
Jun 13, 2009
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Hillhouse constantly tells DD (and the lessons before ours or after ours) to think of skipping stones. But the context is for the whip motion, getting rid of the stiff elbow. He points out the difference is, skipping a stone allows the arm to be far away from the body where the "skipping the ball" needs to be done close to the ball. That analogy clicked for DD.

cg
 
Apr 30, 2011
180
18
Portland, Or
No matter what.......Spin it to the Right........And throw it straight........Is the best way I know of to get someone to start feeling it when they just can't get it on their own.........

Sorry, trying to make sure I fully understand. I see 2 interpretations for "Spin it to the Right..." I think you mean with a flat, screwball, 3-9 type of spin. I could be wrong and you could mean with a clockwise, spiral to the right from pitchers perspective. I have gone down the wrong path before thinking I understood and found out later I was wrong so I try not to make assumptions any more.

thank you
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
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safe in an undisclosed location
Lefties dad-

check the gear gif in the previous post in this thread. it is also all over a bunch of other threads. don't stare at it too long though or it will start rotating backwards like a rise curve (rurve?)
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,800
63
Ideally, this is what I mean from a catchers view from a RH'd pitcher......The spin would look opposite (spinning forward) with the same tilted orientation from the pitchers prospective.

wlu6i8.gif


I don't mean FLAT HORIZONTAL spin like a helicopter spin screwball........Which I don't think is possible anyway......

Another TRAINING spin would be bullet spin which is CLOCKWISE looking from the pitchers prospective.......Like a football spiral underhand..........

Maybe I should film the spin with a striped ball..........I don't have a high speed camera, but we should be ablt to see the stripe orientation and spin..........

If the weather clears by this weekend I'll see what I can do..........
 
Last edited:
Apr 30, 2011
180
18
Portland, Or
Lefties dad-

check the gear gif in the previous post in this thread. it is also all over a bunch of other threads. don't stare at it too long though or it will start rotating backwards like a rise curve (rurve?)

I would call that a crise, that's what RH hitters do when a lefty throws it ;)
 

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