Correct throwing mechaincs
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I like this youtube video.
What do others think about the video above. To me it's 50/50 whether it would do more harm than good. It has a better chance to lead young players down the wrong path of throwing. I don't like throwing drills or training that start square to the target. I work with youngsters all of the time so if others think this is good i would re-examine. I start people open so they have less of a chance of shot putting.
I do not like this video because what it teaches is based on myth not fact. This is another example of teaching an action based on how you think it is done not how it is actually performed. The only thing of value that it teaches is to get the fingers behind the ball at release so that the throw has good backspin. In reality you do not cock your wrist back and snap it forward yet I see this taught to girls all the time. I guess that it doesn't do a great deal of harm to teach throwing this way because instinct will overrule instruction or the body knows best and doesn't pay attention to what the mind is saying. You don't cock your wrist back to load it, the load takes place as the arm moves forward. Cocking the wrist back actually prevents loading. When a muscle contracts (the agonist) the corresponding muscle on the other side of the joint (the antagonist) relaxes, so when you deliberately cock your wrist back the muscle responsible for propelling the ball forward doesn't load it relaxes. The wrist snap itself is very limited, from load to release there is only about 30 degrees of forward motion followed by about 20 degrees after release, the wrist never actually 'folds over'.
1- backward chaining approach is good, starting with grip and wrist/hand/release action.
I like to backward chain and forward chain then progres to long toss/crow hop, then come in with burnout. here the progression immediately goes to forward chaining.
I like standing up for all drills to allow upper/lower body synch. In this case to resemble the full throw, I have then stand facing target with all weight on glove side foot then do wrist snap.
Next swearing in position facing forward, weight on front glove side foot arch the back,throw by driving back knee, flexing spine, external-internal rotation of arm the pronating extension/release.
Next sideways to target starting before handbreak, weight on postiong/throwing arm side foot, then break hands the way Hodge describes, symmetric arm action, arch back and do NOT pause at "high cock". work on synching leg action with arm action, internal rotation,m then abduction with stride the synched external rotation.
then back to crow hop to get sideways and throw, then max long toss then back to quick release burnout
2- Hodge forward chaining is best way to learn the arm action and synch with lower body.the way it is tuaght here (thumb to thigh,etc) is vague and encourages pause at high cock, has no upper lower body synch info and uases fron and back arm asymmetrically, all of which are problems). Aim and FFS have access to Hodge info in digital form. get sideways to target, break hands with internal rotaiopn and abduction, stride with synched abduction and external rotaion. in additon to this you can add the Nyman scap inch info "lift and pinch" prior to the synched external rotation. See also Wolforth "backward shaping" and other drills from pitchingcentral.com. then work on the rear leg turning down and in ahead of rear hip as with the swing in he nonbugsquishing high level way.
I much prefer the step behind/haraoke footwaork for crowhop to emphasize getting sidewats/rotation as opposed to the usual step in front which promotes more forward/linear momentum as opposed to coil/uncoil.
Also land with front foot open/toward target with firm flexed front knee.
Keeping back elbow up is a good cue (even though on video you see the elbow come down when it feels like it is staying up).
Nerf football with fin is a good way to see the right arm action (Hodge).
Additional Hodge advive for velocity is to keep head back over belt buckle until the shoulders start to turn forward, then bing head and everything forward as much as possible.
I like to backward chain and forward chain then progres to long toss/crow hop, then come in with burnout. here the progression immediately goes to forward chaining.
I like standing up for all drills to allow upper/lower body synch. In this case to resemble the full throw, I have then stand facing target with all weight on glove side foot then do wrist snap.
Next swearing in position facing forward, weight on front glove side foot arch the back,throw by driving back knee, flexing spine, external-internal rotation of arm the pronating extension/release.
Next sideways to target starting before handbreak, weight on postiong/throwing arm side foot, then break hands the way Hodge describes, symmetric arm action, arch back and do NOT pause at "high cock". work on synching leg action with arm action, internal rotation,m then abduction with stride the synched external rotation.
then back to crow hop to get sideways and throw, then max long toss then back to quick release burnout
2- Hodge forward chaining is best way to learn the arm action and synch with lower body.the way it is tuaght here (thumb to thigh,etc) is vague and encourages pause at high cock, has no upper lower body synch info and uases fron and back arm asymmetrically, all of which are problems). Aim and FFS have access to Hodge info in digital form. get sideways to target, break hands with internal rotaiopn and abduction, stride with synched abduction and external rotaion. in additon to this you can add the Nyman scap inch info "lift and pinch" prior to the synched external rotation. See also Wolforth "backward shaping" and other drills from pitchingcentral.com. then work on the rear leg turning down and in ahead of rear hip as with the swing in he nonbugsquishing high level way.
I much prefer the step behind/haraoke footwaork for crowhop to emphasize getting sidewats/rotation as opposed to the usual step in front which promotes more forward/linear momentum as opposed to coil/uncoil.
Also land with front foot open/toward target with firm flexed front knee.
Keeping back elbow up is a good cue (even though on video you see the elbow come down when it feels like it is staying up).
Nerf football with fin is a good way to see the right arm action (Hodge).
Additional Hodge advive for velocity is to keep head back over belt buckle until the shoulders start to turn forward, then bing head and everything forward as much as possible.
I am probably as guilty as anybody in teaching what is in the video but you raise some very good points. Instinct will overrule instruction. I guess the biggest problem for me is working against the "instinct" that has been coached into the girls over the previous years. I would imagine that if I did shoot video of different girls throwing i would see more of what you are saying and less of what the video is teaching.
The video represents what is commonly taught and what I used to teach. For those who grew up playing baseball, duplicate what is being shown in the video the next time you have a catch. Make sure and start your throw from the "L" position. Make sure and get to the "L" position during the stride just like how it's shown in the video. Does it feel a little strange throwing this way? Do you feel a little out of sync?
I don't throw this way and neither do any of my male friends. When my hands separate during the stride my forearms do not go above horizontal. You could place a broom stick behind my neck from one arm to the other and both forearms would be below the broom stick. Just before my lead foot lands on the ground, my lead thigh rolls over (lead leg externally rotates). The external rotation of my lead leg triggers my throwing arm and it externally rotates sending my forearm vertical into the "L" position. My throw is triggered before my arm gets to the "L" position not after it gets to the "L" position. The difference between the two as it relates to how the lower and upper body sync up, as well as the stresses placed on the shoulder and elbow, is big.
The important part of the throw happens before the throwing arm gets to the "L" position.
I don't throw this way and neither do any of my male friends. When my hands separate during the stride my forearms do not go above horizontal. You could place a broom stick behind my neck from one arm to the other and both forearms would be below the broom stick. Just before my lead foot lands on the ground, my lead thigh rolls over (lead leg externally rotates). The external rotation of my lead leg triggers my throwing arm and it externally rotates sending my forearm vertical into the "L" position. My throw is triggered before my arm gets to the "L" position not after it gets to the "L" position. The difference between the two as it relates to how the lower and upper body sync up, as well as the stresses placed on the shoulder and elbow, is big.
The important part of the throw happens before the throwing arm gets to the "L" position.
tewks started a pretty good thread going on this a while back:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-discussions/4484-softball-throwing-mechanics.html
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-discussions/4484-softball-throwing-mechanics.html
That YouTube video isn't too bad. Notice the young lady's hips open and close. We are almost facing forward on release of the ball.
Take a lot of pictures of your girls. I like the cameras that will take a burst or series of the athlete. Or use a video camera that will give you frames.
Don't expect us to throw exactly like a male. Our shoulder structure is different. For info on that you need to talk to Hitter.
Take a lot of pictures of your girls. I like the cameras that will take a burst or series of the athlete. Or use a video camera that will give you frames.
Don't expect us to throw exactly like a male. Our shoulder structure is different. For info on that you need to talk to Hitter.
