Taking speed off the changeup

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Jun 19, 2014
846
43
Raleigh,NC
While DD pitching speed has increased in game, so has her changeup. We had used all type of cues to take speed off but she is getting too much whip.

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shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
While DD pitching speed has increased in game, so has her changeup. We had used all type of cues to take speed off but she is getting too much whip.

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk

Timely thread, we're in the same boat you are. My dd's not getting her hand turned soon enough. Fingers are still behind and not beside the ball.
 
May 13, 2012
599
18
Timely thread, we're in the same boat you are. My dd's not getting her hand turned soon enough. Fingers are still behind and not beside the ball.

Sounds like she's throwing horseshoe. DD is fingers between ball and 3rd at release. Throw it harder than fb and let the grip take the speed off.
 
Last edited:
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
If you knuckle pointer and middle finger they can't push the ball and the ring and pinkie will work around the ball. It will slow down with side and down spin. Just 1 option.
 
Apr 5, 2013
2,130
83
Back on the dirt...
Change up

Grip
More fingers on the ball
Deeper in the palm
Horseshoe, Circle, knuckle


Finger pressure.
Tight finger pressure,
I like stiff fingers. Takes the speed off the whip.

Hillhouse back hand flip:
Turn the hand inward with stiff fingers, release out of the backside of the hand/fingers , pulling the back of the hand up to the left shoulder for a RH pitcher.

Make it look like every other pitch

Recently, I saw one posted here that feels like throwing a cup of water on the fire. Horseshoe grip, fingers pointed down, thumb inside towards thigh. A little back spin on it and keep it low.

Try them all and see what works best for your DD.
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
While DD pitching speed has increased in game, so has her changeup. We had used all type of cues to take speed off but she is getting too much whip.

Sent from my LG-H810 using Tapatalk

I don't see the problem. If her maximum speed is up it's ok if her change up speed has increase as well (i.e. difference in speed is the key). Even a change up 5 - 7 mph slower than the fastest pitch can be effective. If you want to take some speed off the change up, you can always add more skin to the ball (more friction = less speed). You can also tuck a knuckle on other pitches, for example, a curveball to take some speed off the pitch. How fast is her changeup compared to her fastest pitch?
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
In my opinion, it is difficult to have a good arm-whip pitcher focus on removing or reducing arm-whip for a change-up. For me, the focus with the change-up should be in the grip and the hand and finger action into release.
 
Last edited:
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
In my opinion, it is difficult to have a good arm-whip pitcher focus on removing or reducing arm-whip for a change-up. For me, the focus with the change-up should be in the grip and the hand and finger action into release.

I agree. The secret isn't to NOT whip, it is to find a way to shut down a portion of the whip. Pauly's suggestion of just paralyzing the fingers accomplishes exactly this.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a lot of people screw up the change up by trying to take too much speed off it. About 15 to 20 percent of max speed is sufficient. Too many people cruise at 55 then try to drop their change down to 30. It just doesn't work.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
A slight bend in the elbow as you go into release does wonders. That and leading the ball into the release zone instead of having it trail behind as in pitches with whip.
 

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