Arm trainer for catchers

[iMlearning]

Joe Wilkins,catcher, using the Baseball Arm Train…: http://youtu.be/i6-GB2pgc24
For $39.00 what are your thoughts on this for helping "shorten" the throw?

 

[Greenmonsters]

At best, it seems like a sure fire way to get your throwing hand broken with a foul tip. Interestingly, the product doesn't seem to be available from Joe Wilkin's website Joe Wilkins Catching

 

[iMlearning]

Yeager designed it and doesn't teach the hand there in the stance but that was part of drill. I believe you can only get it from Iso baseball or his arm trainer website.
DD is now throwing in the low 60s but they say she needs to shorten up her throw. .. it extends past 90 degrees (not by much though)
Didn't know if this would help. Any suggestions then? Maybe just using a mirror again?
Thanks Green for always helping a catcher newbie

 

[Greenmonsters]

Look at the NFCA camp overhand throwing results. Less than 10% average 60+ from the full windup. 60+ from the crouch is even less common.

Regardless, the money number is the pop time, which is a function of velocity (the time it takes the ball to travel to 2B) and the transfer time (glove impact to release). Mentally sacrificing a little velocity (i.e., shortening the throw/limiting the wind up) can lead to a quicker transfer and may result in the optimal combo to produce the best pop time, but everyone has their own "sweet spot".

I don't know how short or long she actually is, but the way my DD was taught to think of it was that the ball gets taken more up than back to get into position. However, for the best feedback, NECC can do a video eval and advise

 

[Greenmonsters]

Why make something simple to do, demonstrate, and explain require a gadget? Looks like torture. Just work on it....

We are really in a helicopter world. The kids do not need this much help!

If no one steals on your catchers and they don't have sore elbows, you are in the minority (once again!) and should count your blessings that someone else taught them well.

 

[iMlearning]

I guess we are feeling the pressure to learn quick as possible as we just lost our #1 catcher. DD still had only caught one game in the last year or so.
I had Austin look at her throw from third last summer and he didn't have much to add but I may do NECC review. Her throw was timed with a crow hop... it hasn't been timed from the catching position yet.

 

[YOCOACH]

Sorry IM, I just don't understand the question. If the minimum requirements for team USA is a 55 mph throw and your DD is in the low 60's, what's the problem? With that kind of throwing speed, your DD, with the proper technique, should be popping around 1.6-1.7 S or so for a throw down to second. Why spend the money on this? Even if she were a tad bit long in her throwing motion, not even Usain Bolt could beat it in a 20 yd dash.

 

[iMlearning]

Sorry IM, I just don't understand the question. If the minimum requirements for team USA is a 55 mph throw and your DD is in the low 60's, what's the problem? With that kind of throwing speed, your DD, with the proper technique, should be popping around 1.6-1.7 S or so for a throw down to second. Why spend the money on this? Even if she were a tad bit long in her throwing motion, not even Usain Bolt could beat it in a 20 yd dash.

I'm just going by what her coaches are saying. .. That she brings her arm back too far. She was also told that in a catching clinic but it wasn't too bad... Just an area that could be improved on. We had been working on a smaller jab step as i thought that was a bigger issue.
For 39.00 if it was effective, that's cheap but I'll pass.

 

[guero_gordo]

You could try this with a couple feet of theraband and see if there's any merit to it.

 

[YOCOACH]

I'm just going by what her coaches are saying. .. That she brings her arm back too far. She was also told that in a catching clinic but it wasn't too bad... Just an area that could be improved on. We had been working on a smaller jab step as i thought that was a bigger issue.
For 39.00 if it was effective, that's cheap but I'll pass.

I'm assuming that you have Austin's ebook on HLT. Since he didn't say much during the evaluation, I have to assume that her throwing motion is pretty much in line with what he teaches. That being said, how can you get much better. It takes every bit of what he teaches in order to achieve the speeds your DD is reaching. Maybe, it might be beneficial as GM pointed out to have Jay do a video evaluation on her technique. I would think that the opinions of 2 of the highest level professionals that specialize in their craft would outweigh the opinions of some local rec/TB/HS coaches.