Follow through on a fastball

[blizzardman]

You would gain more velocity in young pitchers by focusing on results (a fast pitch, strikeouts, etc.) , and then posture, stride and balance over what you are doing every tick of the circle, a circle than happens naturally if you leave them alone about it. Thinking about each tick creates tension/slowness, the opposite of what you want.[/QUOTE]

I agree and disagree with this at the same time, by focusing on results you could be engraining the thinking of "dont focus on how to get there". I for one am all about starting early building a solid foundation, in doing so the results will come. But I am also in tune to the "instant" world we have become. If they dont see immediate results, then it must not be working. I do agree with the natural concept, but thru solid mechanics this can be influenced to reach a desirable outcome to acheive IR with out even thinking about it.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Here is Sarah Pauly throwing a fastball. You can see the IR follow through.

IMO, what the hand does after release of the ball is just the RESULT of what the arm and hand is doing upstream (from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock - release). The follow through should be natural and not forced, just like the finish when throwing overhand. If you are pitching with correct arm whip (IR) mechanics, the arm and hand will naturally rotate to the inside part of the body upon release.

In the most simple terms, think of the last half of the arm circle (3 o'clock (towards 2B) to 9 o'clock (finish towards home plate) as a pendulum, with the elbow being the fulcrum or pivot point. You want the palm of the hand to be facing somewhere between 3B and the sky and as the arm moves towards release, it should be internally rotating to the inside so by the time the hand has finished at 9 o'clock the palm has rotated 180%.

When we speak of IR, I think of the pendulum (arm whip), not just the finish. The problem with a lot of pitching instruction is that the student is taught to limit the arm whip with a "push the ball down the circle and pull up through the finish" whereas the SHOULDER becomes the fulcrum and not the ELBOW.

 

[starsnuffer]

I really don't like Paulys follow through on that pitch, and it looks like it may be a curve of some sort. She stops the pitch after the release.

I really like Hillhouse's followthrough examples, which can be found in nearly all his youtube and fastpitch.tv clips. It just makes sense that the underhand throw is the same but opposite the overhand throw and should finish high and across the body in a natural motion of continuing the arm movement.

-W

 

[taysdad]

IMO Bill s hand does the same thing at release as Paulys, the follow through is just different. If the arm circle is not taught right, nothing else matters. You can take a student with a proper circle and have her stand still and she will throw harder than a girl (leaping and pitching) who turns her hand (plam behind the ball) to early in the circle. I agree, most of it will happen naturally, if your local pitching instructors havnt had them doing wrist flips, but not all of it. I like what blizzard man and socal have posted above.

 

[halskinner]

On that video, the ball is coming off the area between the thumb and index finger. That is a down and in. Not sure who said it was fast ball but I disgree with that.

sneaky softball pitching

 

[lhowser]

Mr T. try this experiment. Throw the ball overhand by getting your fingers behind the ball, snapping, and finishing straight down. you'll see this is not an effective way to throw overhand. Same thing throwing underhand for the same reasons.

 

[ArmWhip]

Back when I was a LL coach in 7 years and out of 60-80 pitchers I saw only 2 girls who naturally employed IR. This was back before I knew exactly what IR was, I understood it intuitively. They were incredibly fast and a bit wild. All the other pitchers were bowlers with an add-on windmill startup. In my experience if you don't teach IR in some form the kids will just bowl it over. Not that teaching it is any guarantee that they will 'get it'.

 

[T Red]

In my experience if you don't teach IR in some form the kids will just bowl it over.

I have wondered if left to their on devices they would naturally migrate toward IR. I'm sure we've all seen the kids that were taught the wrong way and still managed to IR at full speed.

 

[starsnuffer]

If you teach them to lead with the elbow then they will naturally perform IR. If you let them bowl or push the ball, you'll get bowlers. Oddly (or is it odd?) you also teach a kid to throw overhand by leading with the elbow, or they end up shot putting the ball, and you also teach them to swing the bat by leading the hands with the elbow, or they never achieve connection.

When I say "you don't have to each IR", I don't mean that you don't correct pushing/bowling, just that there are more subtle, easier cues to teach an 8 year old then explaining niche internet jargon to them.

-W

 

[ArmWhip]

In my book teaching them to lead with the elbow is the same as teaching them IR. If you just let them go out there and pitch and let nature take it's course most them will be bowlers. However most pitchers that stick with it will end up with some form of IR but it will be minimal. Most pitchers that get to the point where they can throw at 50 mph will have their hand on the side of the ball at 9 o'clock and their hand behind the ball at release (IR).

I have wondered if left to their own devices they would naturally migrate toward IR. I'm sure we've all seen the kids that were taught the wrong way and still managed to IR at full speed.

This is an interesting question, how do elite pitchers develop IR if it's not taught? My theory is that when pitchers start to learn the curve and especially the rise they develop better IR. The crucial spot in the downswing is between 8 and 7 o'clock. Ordinary pitchers are rotating their arm at this point, they are surrendering to the impulse to push the ball, and losing the advantage that IR adds. In order to throw the curve or the rise the pitcher must pass through the 8-7 o'clock position with their elbow bent and the hand still on the side of ball. Even though they may not be putting the right spin on the ball by just trying to throw the curve or the rise pitchers are putting themselves in a better position to fully utilize or execute IR. This is why I am reconsidering my thoughts on the bulletspin fastball.