Double Drive and Lean

[okie]

Im out of ideas, any thoughts on how to fix my DDs forward lean as well as her tenancy to push off twice (turn, drive, plant and drive again) from the mound? Sometimes its to the point where she hops. The lean isnt too bad in this video, but its usually far more dramatic. We've tried just about everything i can read about, any thoughts?
[video=youtube_share;YhYUOF1xg-c]http://youtu.be/YhYUOF1xg-c[/video]

 

[okie]

[video=youtube_share;G5UornNHOP8]http://youtu.be/G5UornNHOP8[/video]

 

[okie]

[video=youtube_share;i8cJiX40zs4]http://youtu.be/i8cJiX40zs4[/video]

 

[FastPitchCat]

have her try the flamingo drill. stand on the pivot leg only and push off.

 

[humpty]

I don't see a lot of drive. Read java drive thread it's an eye opener.

 

[javasource]

Yep. Her sequence is incorrect. She's turning then pushing, and developing quite the replant. Lots of repetitions... and her understanding the difference between the role of the drive foot as a pusher... and the role of the stride foot as an angle setter. Opening to the target should be more of an unweighted move, performed with the foot that is heading to the target.

Think linear drills... drills that make her go forward... as opposed to more static ones. Perhaps the stork works for some, but I've never understood why it is people perform that drill... just my opinion. The push should be mostly completed by the time the stride knee is in 'stork' position... pushing from that position causes improper sequencing that often leads to a leap... and often encourages the pitcher to perform the twisty-turn on the back foot, because it is completely weighted. It's not a pivot foot, it's a drive foot. Again, just my opinion... I'd be interested in hearing why PC's use that drill in another thread, as I don't see any correlation of it to actual pitching mechanics, especially timing, drive, and sequencing. Some say balance... but I don't get that either... cause posting is done on the other foot. To me, it's one of those drills that has sorta lingered... like one-knee circles, and wrist snaps... but I'm always open to a good debate.

Anyway, she's pushing while open...instead of pushing to get open. Watch her back (drive) foot while her stride foot comes forward... you'll see the twisty-turn... then the push. There's a relatively newer post on this motion in the Drive Mechanics thread, with suggestions. If you need additional help, feel free to PM.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

^ This. A cue to tell her is that she needs to build her pitch from the ground up. I would work with her on her "load," which I don't see happening at all.

If she were my student, I would start with refining her overhand throw and see how that is.

 

[Jojo]

Okie, was she taught this? She looks a lot like pitchers in my area that are taught step/slam the door.

Is she being taught to turn(open up) and then close(face the catcher)?

It'd be a good idea to know what she is being taught to help her if she is getting two different types of instruction, or are you her primary instructor?

 

[okie]

Thanks for the advice, I'll work in a few if the things I've read here.

And yes, to an extent this is how she was taught, but not exactly. Her original PC coach who we started with 4 months ago strictly teaches HE. She also has them focus purely on the upper body and just stepping into the pitch rather than driving. The original problem was and what lead me to this site to begin with was my DD had a problem with slamming the door or closing the hips too soon, not letting the hand go through first.

At that point I found this site and what you see is the end result of a few weeks of trying to untrain what she had learned and transition to an IR release and more drive in her legs. I have some more recent video that I'll post later and while her drive has improved she's still pivoting on the right foot. We have 2 weeks left in the season, I think I'm going to make her take a couple weeks off and then start from scratch.

 

[Jojo]

Okay Okie, that's what I thought.

I think it's a great idea for the 2 weeks off then start fresh.

When she first comes back try separating the lower body drills from the upper drills for awhile.

Lower body--leg drive drills
Upper body--staying open drills to improve whip and gain confidence in release without the use of the shoulder coming through.

Then she can start putting them together, it's best she do this into a close wall or pitch back so she can focus on putting them together and not on throwing strikes.