Basic arm-body synchronization

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sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Sure...

Think about pitching as a funnel. Energy/momentum is generated by the various parts of the body...the legs, the arms, and the torso. All this energy is to be funneled into the ball. Additionally, you want all the energy to be used to propel the ball straight to the target.

Suppose a girl does the walk through drill and is moving forward or bringing her right leg (for a rightie) around. What does that mean? It means than not all of the energy was transferred to the ball during the pitch...there is some "left over". By requiring the pitcher to stand on one foot after the throw, the pitcher can tell *ON HER OWN* whether she transferred all the energy to the ball.

Suppose a girl does the walk through drill and falls to the right (for a rightie) and is "catching" herself with her right foot? That means that the momentum she generated is going at angle to the plate, meaning that she isn't throwing the ball as fast as she can.

When pitching, you will see some good pitchers "close" after release (Yukiko Ueno is a prime example). The close is done after all the momentum is transferred to the ball. (Slow motion videos of this have been a god-send.)

The question then comes up: Baseball pitchers rotate and fall forward after the throw. Shouldn't softball pitchers do the same thing?

First, go watch a video of baseball pitchers and study exactly what happens. You see the same basic pattern a softball pitcher uses: Generation of energy with the body, and then a "stop" of the pitcher at release.

After release, the baseball pitcher moves. Why? The release of a pitched baseball ball is in front of, above and two feet or more to the right (for a rightie) of the center of gravity of the pitcher. This creates all kinds of torque on the body, pulling the body to the left (for a rightie). And, of course, since the pitcher is throwing down hill as well, he will fall forward. (This isn't rocket science...just watch a baseball pitching video.)

In softball pitching, the release is below the center of gravity of the pitcher, and almost dead center (on the X and Y axis) with the center of gravity of the pitcher. The release point is inches, not feet, from the center of gravity. If thrown correctly, the forces are moving the pitching toward the plate, not to the left or right. There are no forces requiring the body to twist.
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2009
1,781
0
Reminds e of a video I saw of an instructor, maybe someone knows his name, I can't remember. He taught girls to finish like baseball pitchers. Claimed underhand was overhand just upside down and all the mechanics were the same.
 
Dec 25, 2010
242
0
Makes sense. Thanks sluggers

Sure...

Think about pitching as a funnel. Energy/momentum is generated by the various parts of the body...the legs, the arms, and the torso. All this energy is to be funneled into the ball. Additionally, you want all the energy to be used to propel the ball straight to the target.

Suppose a girl does the walk through drill and is moving forward or bringing her right leg (for a rightie) around. What does that mean? It means than not all of the energy was transferred to the ball during the pitch...there is some "left over". By requiring the pitcher to stand on one foot after the throw, the pitcher can tell *ON HER OWN* whether she transferred all the energy to the ball.

Suppose a girl does the walk through drill and falls to the right (for a rightie) and is "catching" herself with her right foot? That means that the momentum she generated is going at angle to the plate, meaning that she isn't throwing the ball as fast as she can.

When pitching, you will see some good pitchers "close" after release (Yukiko Ueno is a prime example). The close is done after all the momentum is transferred to the ball. (Slow motion videos of this have been a god-send.)

The question then comes up: Baseball pitchers rotate and fall forward after the throw. Shouldn't softball pitchers do the same thing?

First, go watch a video of pitchers and study exactly what happens. You see the same basic pattern a softball pitcher uses: Generation of energy with the body, and then a "stop" of the pitcher at release.

After release, the baseball pitcher moves. Why? The release of a pitched baseball ball is in front of, above and two feet or more to the right (for a rightie) of the center of gravity of the pitcher. This creates all kinds of torque on the body, pulling the body to the left (for a rightie). And, of course, throwing down hill makes them fall forward as well.

In softball pitching, the release is below the center of gravity of the pitcher, and almost dead center (on the X and Y axis) with the center of gravity of the pitcher. If thrown correctly, the forces are moving the pitching toward the plate, not to the left or right.
 
Sep 10, 2013
603
0
excellent thread.
@ 9 finch has ball facing 3rd. that's still good? cause my DD does the same.
9 o'clock ball to sky apply to all types of pitches? how about rise and back-flip change up?
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
@ 9 finch has ball facing 3rd. that's still good? cause my DD does the same.

No, that is perfect. That is where the ball is supposed to be. It shows she is using IR (internal rotation). Look at the excellent threads on IR such as "IR in the classroom".

how about rise and back-flip change up?

This thread is about the basic relationship of the arm to the body. Post a thread and ask some of the other people.
 
Had a recent question by a parent about landing posture. Note that all the demo pitchers Sluggers has put up have a posture tilt behind vertical at time of foot plant. Two primary reasons for this:
1. To help brace for the front side resistance required to transform linear energy into rotational energy
2. To enable the pitcher to have a posture for an efficient riseball......but do understand that if the pitcher is throwing a dropball the upper torso will "hinge" into a near vertical posture by time of release. The reason so many pitchers have difficulty throwing both rise and drop is because they either don't land with tilt......or they land with tilt but don't understand how to "hinge" at the waist for a drop.
 
Feb 5, 2010
222
16
Great thread Sluggers,

I don't want to see this get over complicated but I have to ask. If ball facing third is good at 9, where does facing the sky come in? Would this be considered a more advance move, personal preference or body type? As I have said, don't want to over complicate or cause a big debate but some clarification would be appreciated. I know what Bill teaches, I also know what BM like to see. I believe that with young girls, keeping them from pushing, should be the key early on. I like you almost tried to break my dd at an early age because she was not pushing. Now that she is getting older finding more speed and better spin are at the forefront and every little bit helps.
 
Jun 23, 2013
547
18
PacNw
To compliment the emphasis that sluggers and Rick have placed on the importance of body position at LFT (mainly front side resistance), here is a gif of Sarah Pauly that demonstrates the transfer of energy from linear to rotational.

111nfdh.gif
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Good timing on this thread! My 15yo DD has taken on the task of pitching for her HS JV team, and I need to learn how to guide her starting with most simple and basic movements. We're going to learn this stuff together.
 

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