BM's Arm circle drill

[halskinner]

Just a quick thought after looking at the video of your daughter. The pain may not be all related to the arm circle......she seems to display a long/forced follow through. Is this something she intentionally tries to do? The deceleration phase of the pitch is important and can be a source of pain issues....getting some brush interference with forearm and hip/thigh helps not only transfer energy, but also is a key to deceleration.

Hi Rick,

When a new softball dad would ask me about the forearm brushing the hip, I always compared it to the timing mark on an car's engine. Seemed they had all set the tioming on their car at one time or another. If the timing is off at all, the engine doesnt run as well and definitely not as fast as it could. Same thing for a pitcher, its a timing mark for pitchers.

Had to explain it differently to the kids but Dad caught on in a heartbeat.

 

[tjintx]

DD's arm is ok. We were working on an overhand throwing adjustment(wasserman style) and may have put strain on the muscle doing that. It's not a problem. Thanks for the concern all. We will post new video when we get time to shoot.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Great explaination......us old guys can remember how missing the timing mark on the engine tuning affected its performance.

The brush interference was really in full view at the NPF Championships this past weekend.....Cat, Abbott, and Rickettes all have significant forearm brush interference. Their ball movement, speed, and location is as good as it gets. I have heard lots of well meaning pitching coaches tell their students to get their hips out of the way so they can get their arm through......wow!!!!!! Just the opposite of what these elite girls do.

Hi Rick,

When a new softball dad would ask me about the forearm brushing the hip, I always compared it to the timing mark on an car's engine. Seemed they had all set the tioming on their car at one time or another. If the timing is off at all, the engine doesnt run as well and definitely not as fast as it could. Same thing for a pitcher, its a timing mark for pitchers.

Had to explain it differently to the kids but Dad caught on in a heartbeat.

 

[BoardMember]

I have heard lots of well meaning pitching coaches tell their students to get their hips out of the way so they can get their arm through......wow!!!!!! Just the opposite of what these elite girls do.

It's funny you mention this, because brush interference (your term) is more about POSTURE then anything else IMO........No one should have to be "told" to brush their side with the forearm IF posture and arm circle are correct.........However, just like I/R........Some get it and some don't..........So some have to be TAUGHT what the right mechanics are..........Whether I/R or brushing the side.........

I garantee you no one told the pitchers you mention that they HAVE TO BRUSH THEIR SIDES to throw a high level pitch......Their posture DICTATES that it happens naturally............

IOW......If you are NOT brushing your side.........Your torso/butt/hips are not correctly aligned through release.........

Firm up the COLUMN properly, and you WILL brush the forearm.......

Take a kid who sticks her butt out toward the dugout to "make room" for the circle..........Now tell her to "brush her forearm".......You'll just end up with an even worse arm circle.......

BUT.......Take that same kid and FIX HER POSTURE.......Firm up the COLUMN through release........And 9 times out of 10 her forearm WILL begin brushing her side..........Thus improving her timing as a result..........

JMHO on what "brushing" the forearm is really about..........CORRECT POSTURE/ARM CIRCLE through release.........And it's a great check-point for all of this.........

I believe Balswick is also an advocate for the forearm brush as well..........

 

[tjintx]

More focus on starting the ball in front of the deltoid and then working outward. She has a tendency to start outside the deltoid then come in and over the top.

 

[Nunthia1914]

boardmember that that is the way you pitch? It don't look exactly right to me. I feel better now about my pitching after watching you turn your hand over to pitch the ball off your front foot without the use of your lower body.

 

[Nunthia1914]

darned if I know what you mean. Is this called deltoid pitching. The deltoid is the rotator cuff with the sits muscles?

 

[Nunthia1914]

Skinner is exactly right about the deceleration. Has anyone heard of using isometric muscles in pitching?

 

[halskinner]

Skinner is exactly right about the deceleration. Has anyone heard of using isometric muscles in pitching?

Hi Nunthia.

Um, are you sure it wasnt someone else talking about deceleration? I pitched as a Leap and Drag pitcher and that is what I taught, strong fast and aggressive L and D. My release point, with the exception of a few different drop balls, was in front of the front hip. No deceleration until the ball was released. I did not stop my elbow at the back leg as many others teach.

I definitely brushed my hip with my forearm when pitching. However, the hairs on my arm would brush my uniform pants, it was not a bumping or collision of the arm and leg as some suggest.

I kept my foot on the gas pedal until I released the ball out front.