Can someone post a video of correct throwing mechanics for outfielders, we are having our 2nd practice this saturday and I want to make sure I am teaching the correct mechanics. Should I videotape each player?
Thanks for your help, this site is always constructive for us volunteer coaches.
another key point by Hodge is that internal rotation of the lead/glove arm is necessary to keep the lead shoulder from flying open. Best to get the video and follow along.
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'.