Water Bottle Drill Question

Since it was mentioned in another recent "Softball Training" thread - I have a question on the Wasserman Water Bottle Drill (WBD - or maybe the WWBD?).

I downloaded the pdf, and am wondering about the right-side image shown on page 6, labeled "Step 1: Initial Movement". It shows Wasserman with a bent arm (flat, v-shaped), elbow shoulder height pointing behind, with the ball/bottle level with the armpit (Position B).

However, the left-sided image on the same page shows the starting point with the arm hanging nearly straight down at his side, with the bottle/ball about 2-3 inches away from his hip (Position A).

To get from A to B, it looks like he just brought his hand straight up the side of his body (while allowing for what I think is some external rotation of his forearm due to moving his elbow backward as his hand comes up).

Maybe it's due to my own shoulder issues (shoulder impingement), but I've found it less stressful (i.e. painful) to bring my arm back in more of a circular arm path (with a lower hand-break / starting point) than to bring the ball up the side of my body, as it appears is being shown in the WBD. When doing the drill in this pattern, I end up keeping the water at the bottom of the bottle throughout the entire range of motion (which I thought, at first, was the goal of the drill).

Am I missing the point/benefit of this drill entirely with this modification?

Hi Gags,

This jist of that drill is to help develop the natural biomechanical steps to a good throwing motion. I wouldn't over-analyze it too much. If your talking about the slow step of dropping the arm down into a position that looks to be a straight arm, that's just a combo of exaggeration & a 3-lb water bottle fighting with gravity. In a full speed motion, it should come together in more of a natural circular pattern.

Infield, outfield, small circles, big circles. Infielders & outfielders will have different variences in the drill that you referenced. But, it is a great starting point for teaching young players, or those with non-athletic movements.

That little backside circle that your trying would be a completely normal progression within the drill.

Chris

Thanks for the reply. I tried the drill last fall with a few of my 2nd graders, I may give it another shot once the snow melts. I have found slightly more success with teaching a circular hand path than the "L" - if nothing else, they throw the ball harder b/c they're using a full range of motion.


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Sure, just make sure the water bottle isn't too heavy.

When you mention the "L" in that drill, I think that's just a teaching step process meant to duplicate the action of transfer from glove to the throwing hand starting position. Go with it, and suggest to really breakdown the linear & rotational process involving the legs, torso & upper body. It's a closed kinetic chain energy movement, where power begins with footwork.

As they advance, their throwing angles will change relative to position & type of play. Just be careful not to over-emphasize bringing the throwing hand to high above shoulder level, or too far back behind the shoulder. That can become a non-natural athletic movement, which can negatively affect performance & promote injury. Let the joints (hinges) work freely, bends in elbows & keep as compact as is possible.

Have fun with it!

Are they selling 3 pound water bottles in Wisconsin? Thats almost a half gallon!!! No wonder Suzies bat bag weight 60 pounds!

Well, this is the last gas stop before the northwoods. Our ladies like blaze orange & are good arm wrestlers!

Your arm should be relaxed coming from the break from the glove into the cocked behind the ear position. It doesn't matter how you get there, but you shouldn't waste energy trying to use momentum from a big circle. Even if it's not working for them in the beginning, if they stick with it they'll be able to build more arm strength after a few months

Something we learned the hard way...

Make sure the back of the shoulder (scap) is getting loaded during the bottle-tipping process, and that tension is maintained as the torso rotates and the arm whips forward. In my ignorance, I didn't realize the importance of this, and my DD created a pattern of pulling with the muscles on the front of her shoulder. This created an imbalance in her shoulder that started irritating her ulnar nerve, which lead to a shut down and 10 weeks of physical therapy before she could throw well enough to play catcher.

Eric F said:

Something we learned the hard way...

Make sure the back of the shoulder (scap) is getting loaded during the bottle-tipping process, and that tension is maintained as the torso rotates and the arm whips forward. In my ignorance, I didn't realize the importance of this, and my DD created a pattern of pulling with the muscles on the front of her shoulder. This created an imbalance in her shoulder that started irritating her ulnar nerve, which lead to a shut down and 10 weeks of physical therapy before she could throw well enough to play catcher.

Click to expand...

Try to squeeze a quarter between the shoulder blades was effective advice from Jay to my DD