Do this? OR, do this??

[sbcowboy]

BM. Great post! I have to agree w/ CoachScott. Visual is great but add audio to i/R and u wil knock it out of the park! I didn't even know u could speak! Lol! I loved the adduction audio and visual! I can explain that to DD.
Does the bottle have to b half full in order to perform the dance correctly? Lol!

Thanks Doug and BM!

 

[Doug Romrell]

Why is he calling open closed? He is facing 3rd base as a rh and saying stay closed? i thought open was when you have your shoulders facing 3rd base as a rh?

I had the same question. Clearly there isn't consistency among pitching coaches as to what constitutes "opening" and "closing." According to BM, I've got it backwards, but I'm still scratching my head. Wouldn't be the first time! In fact, I'm down to my skull (no skin).

 

[BoardMember]

Doug........I've tried very hard to adapt to the "open/close" orientation of this board......Because really either way makes sense to me........So on here I've been really careful to write "open" during the stride, and "closed" after release.........

I think the disconnect for my brain is that I've never taught "close/slam the door".........

So to me, when a pitcher starts facing forward to the catcher TOO early.......She is "opening herself" too early from an optimal mechanical 45 degree posture.......I want her to stay partially "closed off" from the target until release.......

I wouldn't worry about it........The opposite works just as well, as long as it translates to the student correctly.........

 

[Doug Romrell]

Doug........I've tried very hard to adapt to the "open/close" orientation of this board......Because really either way makes sense to me........So on here I've been really careful to write "open" during the stride, and "closed" after release.........

I think the disconnect for my brain is that I've never taught "close/slam the door".........

So to me, when a pitcher starts facing forward to the catcher TOO early.......She is "opening herself" too early from an optimal mechanical 45 degree posture.......I want her to stay partially "closed off" from the target until release.......

I wouldn't worry about it........The opposite works just as well, as long as it translates to the student correctly.........

Oh, I'm fine with what you said. I just stick with the terminology I started with with my pitchers--"You're closed at first. You leap and get open. Then you close a little as you release and continue closing with your follow through, because you're a fielder."

 

[laser]

I've been away from the board several days and am now just reading this thread. This was a DING DING DING moment for me!

I was wondering how to get that type of information across to some 10 and 12yr olds. This is it.

THANK YOU BM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too, thank you.

 

[Big German!]

Good catch Big.........I've always had a hard time with opened/closed........And here's why........

When I'm sideways to the target......My instincts tell me that I'm "closed off" from the target..........And when I FACE the target my instincts tell me that I'm "OPEN" toward the target........

Let me put it this way........You are in the batters box........I let a 70mph fastball go early and it's coming at your mid-section......Do you CLOSE OFF(turn away from) to protect yourself........Or OPEN UP(turn toward me) to expose yourself.........

Do we stay "open" or "closed" to sacrifice bunt? Is it called "open" or "closed" if we turn and face the pitcher to bunt? (which I hope no one teaches anymore).

Does a LH'd slapper try NOT TO OPEN when slapping? Or does she try not to CLOSE when slapping?

Think about it..........It's just how my brain is wired.......

You know it took me 4+ years to convince people here that 9:00 was BEHIND YOU on the pitching clock........I'm not about to try and convince them that OPEN to the target means FACING the target, and closed to the target means NOT facing the target.......

Just so everyone knows........I've had a hard time with these terms since I signed up here........

IMO.........Sideways to a target is CLOSED from it........Facing a target is OPEN to it.......

I'm not a door.......I'm a human.........

Board member thats exactly how i see it also..EXACTLY...Its opposite of hitting as well! Not being picky or making a negative comment at all but I thought I had it all figured out! Then i saw your vid and was like Ooooh maybe I dont! I think open and closed in pitching is bass ackwards! I always think in terms of the hips in hitting. If you are closing your hips in pitching you are actually opening the hips up as you are facing 3b ( rh ) I think i have it now but i have the exact thought process when it comes to this topic!

Thanks for responding and clearing that up!

 

[NVfishing]

My DD has been working on a flip change. How similar are the two in relation?

 

[Ken B]

I think that for many, the horsehshoe, flip and even those demostrated by BoardMember and Pauly are in many ways very similar. It's the mental cue or feeling that are essentially different. Most important is finding a feel/cue that works for a kid and that they can have success with. I struggle myself with the flip and horseshoe feels, but my own kids picked them up with little trouble.

The cues in BoardMember's video really clicked for me. The combo of 12/6 spin and reduced speed made for an easy and dramatic result--for me. I tried it out on a 13 YO the other day and the smiles on both her and her dad's faces were pretty cool when she immediately took to it and could see the result. Play around with different cues and find one (or two) that works.

 

[NVfishing]

We've been working the flip change at home. Using a tennis ball so we can throw through the house and down the hall way. I tried the push of the thumb and I tend to throw high. The flip feels similar but it's a work in progress.