Looking for a little more speed... who isn't I guess. :)

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Oct 6, 2015
55
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She is doing really well with accuracy and spins but is looking for a few more mph. Looking for any feedback or tips from this in-game vid. Two different angles in the vid. Thanks in advance.

 
Last edited:

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
a) Hand should be behind the ball at 12 and under the ball at 9.
b) Needs to work on lower body mechanics. Go through the thread entitled "Drive Mechanics".
 
Aug 21, 2008
2,359
113
Mountain, the 2 things that jumped out at me were: #1. she has no "load" of her legs with the arm swing back. While i'm not a fan of the arm swing back, if it's going to be done, she needs to be leaning forward as the hand/ball make it's backward/negative movement. The FRONT knee and waist should be flexed so she's getting the top 1/2 to load the bottom 1/2. Right now, swinging her arm back isn't helping to generate any momentum forward. The weight should be leaned in at it's furthest point when the ball is at it's furthest point in the arm swing. #2. From what I saw, there's not much in the way of an elbow snap or whip. in fact, she almost looks as if she's stopping her hand on purpose instead of having a follow through. I would recommend a relaxed follow through that lets the arm finish the pitch after release instead of stopping. There are some potential injury worries in doing that. It takes a lot of tension to stop an arm that is moving in a fast circle. I think those 2 things will add significant speed for you.

Bill
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
Bill touched on the overlapping aspect of the body coming forward as the ball is loading back.... I agree 100%, but to add on to this, there are a couple opportunities to overlap that shes missing. Bill mentioned the first. The second and most important IMO, is the separation between the hips and shoulders. There must be a torquing action of the involuntary hip snap that'll pull the torso into rotation.
This takes us back to Bill and Sluggers comment about a lack of drive. This lack of drive will negate the resistance, simply because the energy required to stop is weak. She now doesn't have the potential energy to create the hip snap. This snap is simply the hips seeking the angle of the front foot in a kinetic chain reaction...
1. Weak drive equals weak resistance.
2. Weak resistance equals weak kinetic transfer
3. Weak kinetic transfer equals no hip snap
4. Weak hip snap equals no offset timing and overlap (as well as an inefficient brush)
5. No offset timing equals slower speeds

Hope this helps, James
 
Oct 6, 2015
55
8
Maybe?? :) I'm not sure. She was warming up before the inning started so there wasn't a pitch called out. My guess would be that she was throwing a fastball though.
 
Mar 28, 2014
1,081
113
This advise will slot the arm into a whipping position much more naturally.

the video makes it appear as though she is pretty darn close to palm up at 9 o'clock and she is leading with her elbow so she already appears to be in good whipping position. Was curious why the noon position would matter if she is in the right position at 9?

palm up Capture.JPG
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
Curious, how does this help speed?

There are a couple of things going on.

The fastest movement a body can make, other than blinking, is the internal rotation of the dominant hand.

Try it...If you a rightie, extend your right hand in front of you with your thumb pointing to the right. Then rotate the hand quickly so that the thumb is pointing to the left. Pretty fast, isn't it?

There is a game you used to play where you put your hand under another kid's hand. You flip your hand over and slap the top of the other player's hand. The other player tries to pull his hand away. The rotation of the hand is quicker than pulling the hand. (If you want to have your hand beaten to a pulp, play this game with a D1 pitcher. You don't have a prayer.)

Next, get open, put a ball in your hand, and put your arm behind you at 9. Put the ball facing down. Now, flip the hand so the ball is up. Feel the biceps stretch when your hand is under the ball as opposed to the hand being on top of the ball?

Essentially, the bicep becomes a rubber band for the arm. To propel rapid internal rotation of the arm.

The whole thing about "ball up at 9" is to stretch the bicep so that during the release phase the forearm rotates as fast as possible. If the timing is right, the ball is thrown with greater velocity.
 

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