Wrist Flips for the Win

So just a little conversation I overheard this past weekend. We have three pitchers and two catchers on our team. Two of the pitchers spend a lot of time doing wrist flips and the under the leg flips at the beginning of their warm up routine, my DD does not. I think my DD may be the first pitcher they've caught for that doesn't spend a lot of time doing those first.

So i hear one of the catchers, who had warmed my daughter up the previous two games, yell out to one of the pitchers doing wrist flips "why do you do these all the time?" and she replies "because they help me ummm . . . help me. . . ummm let go of the ball the right, and . . . ummm . . . lots of other things! - they're really good!"

So there you have it more wrist flips for all.

Ha! DH and I were just talking last night about how our kid is about the only pitcher we know who doesn't do wrist flips.

My daughter does wrist flips before every game. She will sometimes skip the K drill in warm-ups but she never skips the wrist flips.

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Indiana softball Dad said:

My daughter does wrist flips before every game. She will sometimes skip the K drill in warm-ups but she never skips the wrist flips.

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Curious if you can give the reason for doing wrist flips?

4 girl's dad said:

Curious if you can give the reason for doing wrist flips?

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It loosens up the wrist, help with spin and release point.

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They will get laughed off the field in college. It is amazing how once they get to that level all of the nonsense quickly goes by the wayside. For my DD it is long toss, walk throughs, and then get down to business with a full motion. If she struggles with a pitch she may get close to the catcher, isolate her lower body and work on the release/spin for a few minutes.

Too many pitchers spend valuable warmup time doing pointless drills. I spent some time last weekend with a Big 10 coach who was a fixture in the mens game. Talking pitching, he knew of my DD and asked how much time I had her and my other students spend on drills? When I told him next to none it was obvious that he was pleasantly surprised.

I think the best response to the wrist flip question is from Bill Hillhouse when he demonstrates an overhead wrist flip while asking why they do not do that before throwing overhand.

Indiana softball Dad said:

My daughter does wrist flips before every game. She will sometimes skip the K drill in warm-ups but she never skips the wrist flips.

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4 girl's dad said:

Curious if you can give the reason for doing wrist flips?

Click to expand...

Indiana softball Dad said:

It loosens up the wrist, help with spin and release point.

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First follow up question:
Have you ever reviewed video and seen her in a "K position" during her actual pitching motion?

Second follow up question:
Do you think it is a good idea to perform a drill utilizing a motion that is not consistent with her actual pitching motion?

riseball said:

First follow up question:
Have you ever reviewed video and seen her in a "K position" during her actual pitching motion?

Second follow up question:
Do you think it is a good idea to perform a drill utilizing a motion that is not consistent with her actual pitching motion?

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I have watched her on video is her "k position". My reasoning for not using the K drill is she has a a tendency to get into a negative. Position in the k drill like she is hitting. I do have her do a slow motion walk through her motion. This forces the K position but doesn't make starting point which seems to be the issue.

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Indiana softball Dad said:

I have watched her on video is her "k position". My reasoning for not using the K drill is she has a a tendency to get into a negative. Position in the k drill like she is hitting. I do have her do a slow motion walk through her motion. This forces the K position but doesn't make starting point which seems to be the issue.

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So help me understand - When you break down her motion the ball is at 12, her stride foot is down just 3 feet from her pivot foot, and her glove is above the shoulders?

Same here my daughter is the only pitcher on her team who doesn't do wrist flips. I want to ask why they do it but its none of my business.