Glute activation...

[jryan15]

Regarding in-fielders. Some get down & ready and can explode immediately into a dive. Others look like they are down and ready, but they have a slow first step and can't dive with full extension.

I just about guarantee that most of those with the slow first step are feeling the weight of that position entirely in their quads.

 

[Doug Romrell]

IMO pitchers should get open from the top down. I.E. the shoulders' need to create a pathway for the arm and that will drive their body to open down to their hips. In DD's case, her drive mechanic opens her from the bottom up. I don't want to over analyze it, but I think it creates a scenario in which it takes too long to close back up before the arm comes down the back side and into brush.

When you say pitchers should get open from the top down, I respectfully disagree. The hips will/should (IMO) open when the stride leg, particularly the lower leg and foot, kicks out prior to landing, but when both arms are around 3:00, both arms, thus shoulders, are still forward. Then as the throwing arm goes overhead and starts down the back side, the shoulder get/are fully open. This may be part of the problem she's having.

I see her problem starting in that left leg turning as she starts her push. I don't think I'd allow any turning of HER foot.

Just my opinion.

P.S. I would really like to see a side shot of her forward-leaning "h"

 

[jryan15]

Doug,

I don't know if you remember, but my dad and I sat next to you at the Indiana clinic. You worked specifically with my younger daughter off to the side that weekend too! We are very grateful of your help!!!

Here is a set of clips from every angle.

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/sof...ork-through-drive-mechanics-4.html#post338945

Please refer to that thread as it goes into depth on that leg and foot. That turning foot has been the bane of my existence... I cannot express into words how hard we have worked on that one leg and foot. Please understand that if I cut off her foot and placed it separately on the rubber underneath her, it would turn out before she fell over.

There is a drive mechanic at the core of her being that is making it happen. She has every symptom of a glute problem in sprinting, jumping, and pitching. So do I. It is evident in walking up stairs and when our hamstrings are about to explode from overuse. Every leg workout from running to squats to wall squats is nearly 100% quad dominant.

She has done both 6 to 8 week sessions of core strength work outs in drive mechanics. She has been weight lifting for a school year. She is in the top 5 for squat, clean, and bench for Freshmen girls in a class of >1000. Though she is still as bendy as ever, her leg strength is so much stronger. Her core strength does not evaluate well, but she turns to rock when I try and move her. Not bragging, just trying to demonstrate our level of effort into improving this particular issue.

It has been a long journey filed with prayer, work and research. I am very confident that there is a glute issue under the hood.

Unfortunately I don't have any answers...

I ordered Kelly Baggett's book "NoBullSpeed". Hopefully it will get us there as we are running out of steam.

 

[jryan15]

On post 48, I filmed her sprinting out of two step.

 

[Doug Romrell]

After reviewing that referred to thread, I have a better understanding now of this pitcher.

 

[Perfect Circle]

If we can concur that she is broken here...waayyy before release mechanics, why should we even consider her release? From this body position, I'm sure that even elite pitchers would struggle to recover to a strong release (at least without a serious glute contraction to straighten the body out). It's impossible to brush from here, her rear hip went AWOL.

??? Why ???

My approach has always been feet first... pitching & hitting. I've enjoyed the thread so far. I give Sluggers the MVP so far. The linkz were good stuff.

I'm almost sure you have tried the gadgetry concept.... but just in case you haven't :



From what I see, (FeetFirst) she is not going back on her HEEL with either foot. Should be. Maybe you need to fill in the hole on that diamond where you were filming... get a level surface in front of rubber.

Try this:

Here is some toe & heel testing... she didn't lift the toe on back foot...too in this one

App:
Cut the back cleats off an old pair. Walk a mile on sidewalks.

 

[colin]

i thought heels should be up?

 

[Seattlecoach]

Sorry for the off topic question but I've wondered this for a while...

What is the reason to drag the right foot (RHP) across the mound? I thought the idea was the use as much of the plate as possible.

 

[Perfect Circle]

i thought heels should be up?

they can be... but heels activate the glutes... JMHO

Most crowhopper's, & or gym steppers...re-planters... I have seen are toe down. JMHO

 

[Perfect Circle]

Sorry for the off topic question but I've wondered this for a while...

What is the reason to drag the right foot (RHP) across the mound? I thought the idea was the use as much of the plate as possible.

yes use as much as you can to start.... Starting is a weight shift >>> from front to back>>> then back to front... JMHO