Change Up with IR/BI

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Jan 10, 2019
14
0
My pitcher has been getting better every scrimmage with yall's help. I think we are ready to progress to a change up. What are key points to throwing a change up from the established mechanics. She learned a flip change with her HE coach but it confusing for her to try it with IR. Should we throw with same mechanics and change grip?
Coach McCombs
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
The easiest two points are to stiffen the wrist and look to brush the thumb on the thigh.

The cue I use is "come into release like you are throwing a glass of water at the catcher."

Essentially you are just looking to shut down the whip action from 9:00 into release.
 
Dec 5, 2012
4,143
63
Mid West
The whole point in I/R and brush is to whip... the change should not have whip.
here's a basic rule of thumb...
Fast... have the tip of the thumb oriented upward at 9:00, ball facing somewhere between 3B and the sky. This will allow the elbow to lead and create whip
Slow... have the tip of the thumb oriented downward at 9:00, ball facing down. This will place the ball in front of the elbow, thus eliminating the whip. The release will resemble splashing a cup of water onto someone
 
Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
"The whole point in I/R and brush is to whip... the change should not have whip."

James, I'm going to argue that you may have that whip with a knuckle-change, and it's even desirable with that pitch. While many experts abhor the knuckle-change, a main advantage is that you can throw it full speed with arm-whip. It will not throw fast. So, while some would argue that the batter will see the raised fingers, I would argue an offsetting advantage is that full speed arm-whip release. And, if were not talking about D-1 or top elite travelball, I don't see all that many batters who are able to identify the raised fingers. While some hate it, the knuckle change is one of the easiest (maybe the easiest) change-up to throw.
 
Nov 8, 2018
774
63
"The whole point in I/R and brush is to whip... the change should not have whip."

James, I'm going to argue that you may have that whip with a knuckle-change, and it's even desirable with that pitch. While many experts abhor the knuckle-change, a main advantage is that you can throw it full speed with arm-whip. It will not throw fast. So, while some would argue that the batter will see the raised fingers, I would argue an offsetting advantage is that full speed arm-whip release. And, if were not talking about D-1 or top elite travelball, I don't see all that many batters who are able to identify the raised fingers. While some hate it, the knuckle change is one of the easiest (maybe the easiest) change-up to throw.[/
[MENTION=2324]Doug[/MENTION]e Romrell that is interesting. My DD throws the knuckle change and throws it more of a hand shake. I figured normal whipping action would create too much speed. Is there something special about the release?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sep 28, 2015
150
18
My pitcher has been getting better every scrimmage with yall's help. I think we are ready to progress to a change up. What are key points to throwing a change up from the established mechanics. She learned a flip change with her HE coach but it confusing for her to try it with IR. Should we throw with same mechanics and change grip?
Coach McCombs

Although none of the CUs use IR (knuckle does?) it is important to remember that the CU still needs a trigger point for a consistent release (kinda brush). My DD throws a backhand CU which only works if she keeps the same drive, arm speed, and swipe across the front WITH the same FSR!!! Symptoms such as a late release, back leg anchoring, and bent front knee usually are seen because they lost the trust and are trying to aim the ball. They lose the timing of all the parts coming together with the force necessary to have the same release point.

We do CUs during the walk throughs just for this purpose.

Now...to IR a knuckle ball how big of hands would that take?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

Top_Notch

Screwball
Dec 18, 2014
512
63
It's in the grip. Do not slow the arm speed down. It tips off the batters and is less effective (and more difficult to be consistent) anyway. Practice, practice, practice.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
Regardless the grip, if you do everything "wrong" you will lose speed. Push the ball down the back of the circle (towards 2B), squeeze the ball, lead with the hand instead of the elbow, and bury the ball back in the palm. All of those things will kill the whip, which will take off speed. After that, experiment with various releases.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,478
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top