Hand position at 3 O'-Clock?

What would be interesting is to hear Rick or Bill(others as well) chime in on absolutes versus style. Amanda and Jennie are handshake position (if that's what we want to call it) Cat and Monica are palm down but everyone is elbow locked out fully extended. After looking closely lots of pitcher seems to have little twists or slight rotations of the ball as it comes to 12 more are in sync and at 9 almost everyone looks the same. I'm not saying the overall mechanics and body positions aren't musts but if the ball moves slightly from 3 to 12 to 9 how much does that matter if at 9 everything is OK...or are some elite pitchers compensating in ways that pitchers who do it correctly don't have to?

BadMonkeys said:

I don't know if it's an absolute though or even what it means. There are images of Scarborough and Finch reaching the top of their back swing with a locked elbow and palm facing catcher and Ueno with her elbow locked and her palm facing down.

Click to expand...

I am not saying it must be done, just that it helped my DD and may help others.

shaker1 said:

Next time out throwing bp, or just goofing off, try ball going up handshake position, then palm down. I feel more stress in my shoulder palm down, hardly any with handshake pos. May just be me.

Click to expand...

My preference is something that results in palm down-ish at 3 o'clock. My cue (not que or queue) is, "pull the ball around the circle." To me, it seems like the most natural and relaxed. Palm up at 3 probably makes some kinda sense to some because the palm maintains the same orientation relative to the humerus if this position is maintained through 7:30.

The efficient path is palm down at 3. The requirements of the shoulder in passing overhead, keeping momentum going in the circle, wellness, and general physiology all support this strongly.

It's also advisable to keep the ball in-line with the shoulder, or no further inward than the midline during the upswing.

I want to add this to Javasources response and one of my previous ones. The optimum position of the hand at 3 o'clock is palm down/knuckles facing the catcher....however, what is important is what happens when the ball/hand passes over the top of the circle. As Java stated, it is best from a health standpoint if the ball/hand passes over the throwing shoulder......as Boardmember has described it so amply, the hand/ball is optimum when it is in the "show it" position. When these two things happen there will typically be enough bend in the arm that the humerus will be at about a 45 degree angle as it passes over the top......and thus not have interference with the acromion....this is the big health/safety reason. See the pic above.....the old adage of "have a nice long arm circle" will typically put the humerus near vertical and thus big time interference with the acromion.....big health safety issue.....can you say torn rotator cuff or torn labrum????

Rick Pauly said:

View attachment 12360
I want to add this to Javasources response and one of my previous ones. The optimum position of the hand at 3 o'clock is palm down/knuckles facing the catcher....however, what is important is what happens when the ball/hand passes over the top of the circle. As Java stated, it is best from a health standpoint if the ball/hand passes over the throwing shoulder......as Boardmember has described it so amply, the hand/ball is optimum when it is in the "show it" position. When these two things happen there will typically be enough bend in the arm that the humerus will be at about a 45 degree angle as it passes over the top......and thus not have interference with the acromion....this is the big health/safety reason. See the pic above.....the old adage of "have a nice long arm circle" will typically put the humerus near vertical and thus big time interference with the acromion.....big health safety issue.....can you say torn rotator cuff or torn labrum????

Click to expand...

This was the heart of my question...you can find elite pitchers that have a different (handshake) position at 3 oclock but as you get to 12 oclock they almost all look the same. I think for the health reasons you mention if you are starting to teach someone optimal would always be best.