Bent Wrist at Windup

[Tiger30]

Recently I watched a very dominating pitcher at the Ohio State Championships win the title with a windup where she started with the wrist tucked or bent with the ball prior to starting the windup. When the ball was overhead she extended the wrist and completed the pitch. My 12 yr old daughter has begun doing this and it has given her a 5-7 mph increase in speed as she seems to be able to spin her arm faster. Interested in anyone's opinion on this. Looking at physics you can swing a short stick faster than a long stick, so with a tucked wrist it may be easier to start the windup.

 

[Ken B]

Like this?

 

[CoachFP]

Recently I watched a very dominating pitcher at the Ohio State Championships win the title with a windup where she started with the wrist tucked or bent with the ball prior to starting the windup. When the ball was overhead she extended the wrist and completed the pitch. My 12 yr old daughter has begun doing this and it has given her a 5-7 mph increase in speed as she seems to be able to spin her arm faster. Interested in anyone's opinion on this. Looking at physics you can swing a short stick faster than a long stick, so with a tucked wrist it may be easier to start the windup.

The speed of the pitch will not be affected by cupping the wrist. You daughter is probably getting stronger and better naturally and with hard work and the bent wrist just happens to be a part of it.

 

[Tiger30]

Thanks for the responses, the photo above shows what I am talking about, for some reason she throws way harder with the wrist bent, if it helps her and it produces strikes we will stick with it. Thanks for everyones response.

 

[sleepwalker]

My dd, who hasn't taken any pitching lessons, started cupping her wrist around 14 years old. The reason that she started cupping her wrist, as seen in the picture posted by Ken B, was that it helped her to maintain a tight arm circle when bringing the ball up from the glove to over her head. Prior to cupping the ball, her arm circle would get two to three feet away from her body. When she started cupping the ball, her arm circle became tight automatically or naturally.

Cupping the ball also helped her to hide her changeup better. Prior to cupping, her exaggerated arm circle away from her body to slow her arm down was a definite tell to the hitters that a changeup was coming.

Just my observation with my dd as I sit on my bucket.

Would love to hear others thoughts on cupping the ball.

 

[Ken B]

Each kid seems to find their own way after the adults mess with them. They often find their own cues, feels, grips, thoughts, etc. I've seen kids find something that clicks for them, then the parent/coach/PC says it's wrong and needs to be corrected!

I remember a few years ago when my older DD started telling new kids to "lock" their elbow to the side during release. No one told her this and at the time, it didn't make sense to me. It didn't click until a PC named John Gay explained it to me. (Glad I didn't try to talk it out of her!)

 

[Madsdad]

Ken,

Don't leave us hanging please explain why

 

[CLM265]

Ken B can be the one to clarify but saying to locking the elbow at the hip is a way to get across the point that you want the IR to happen quickly with the elbow at the hip and not let IR happen in a lazy manner through the release..

 

[Ken B]

Madsdad,
Hoping you're asking about locking the elbow and not why/how kids find their groove!

I think it helps to clarify that elbow leading then pausing (locking) at the side, is the primary contributer to whip. The upper arm must I/R when the elbow leads and pauses. Adding I/R to the lower arm makes the whip even more efficient.

It's possible for the lower arm to E/R while the upper arm I/R's. This is a palm-forward, down and through release. Rita Lynn Gilman advocates for this method.

It's also possible to use I/R without achieving good whip. Think palm-up and a straight arm down and through release.

The best whip is achieved by leading with the elbow and the palm-up down the back side, elbow pausing (locking) at the side, allowing the lower arm to do it's thing.

When a kid figures out how to "lock," it's a magical thing.


Hope that makes sense,
Ken

 

[halskinner]

Madsdad,
Hoping you're asking about locking the elbow and not why/how kids find their groove!

I think it helps to clarify that elbow leading then pausing (locking) at the side, is the primary contributer to whip. The upper arm must I/R when the elbow leads and pauses. Adding I/R to the lower arm makes the whip even more efficient.

It's possible for the lower arm to E/R while the upper arm I/R's. This is a palm-forward, down and through release. Rita Lynn Gilman advocates for this method.

It's also possible to use I/R without achieving good whip. Think palm-up and a straight arm down and through release.

The best whip is achieved by leading with the elbow and the palm-up down the back side, elbow pausing (locking) at the side, allowing the lower arm to do it's thing.

When a kid figures out how to "lock," it's a magical thing.


Hope that makes sense,
Ken

You are speaking only of open mechanics correct?