How ti fix forward lean at release?

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Dec 15, 2015
22
1
I am new to this forum and my daughter is new to pitching. She is currently taking lessons (6 lessons in) and has developed an issue with getting too much weight on her front side at release. As her coach says, "she looks like a hood ornament from an old car I used to have". Over Christmas break, we are going to work hard to correct this at home. Any suggestions for drills that will target this weakness? Thanks in advance.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Have her pitch downhill or from a baseball mound. This will force her to get weight back or she will faceplant. :) Doing this will help her feel what it is like to shift her weight back. Once she experiences what it is like throwing with her weight back, further correction will be much easier.
 
Jul 17, 2012
1,091
38
I used a pool noodle. Hung it vertically from the rafters in the basement so it came down to about her chest. Have her pitch so that if she stayed erect, it would be just in front of her face..... if she leans forward, she gets a gentle "correction". It doesn't impede the throw and they get sick of it hitting them in the nose.
 
Sep 15, 2015
98
33
In addition to downhill throwing and pushback drills to get the feeling for having weight back, it also really helped us to (1) work on releasing at the back hip and not in front (even to the point of exaggeration) and (2) balance on the landing foot for a second or two after release. For my dd, the second point is a telltale sign of lean, since she falls or walks forward off the landing foot after release if her center of mass is too far forward at release.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
1) Have her do a regular pitch, but tell her to keep her right foot (assuming she is a rightie) off the ground after she releases the ball. She can only lower her right foot to the ground *after* she gets the ball back from the catcher.

2) 3-Pump. So, the kid gets open, points her glove and her mitt toward the catcher. She stands on her right foot, with the ball of her left foot touching the ground. She then does three rotations with her arm, releasing the ball on the third rotation. With each rotation she lifts her left foot off the ground and then lightly touches the ground each time the arm moves through 6. If a kid is doing it wrong, you'll see her upper body moving forward each time she taps the ground with her left foot. If she does it right, her head and upper body will not move. If the kid does it right, it is easiest the drill in the world. If the kid does it wrong, she'll get real tired real fast.
 
May 13, 2012
599
18
I used a pool noodle. Hung it vertically from the rafters in the basement so it came down to about her chest. Have her pitch so that if she stayed erect, it would be just in front of her face..... if she leans forward, she gets a gentle "correction". It doesn't impede the throw and they get sick of it hitting them in the nose.

Replace.with 2x4 and nais driven thru towards pitcher.�� just kidding but I have thought about it with my hard headed DD.
 
Oct 10, 2011
1,572
38
Pacific Northwest
In addition to downhill throwing and pushback drills to get the feeling for having weight back, it also really helped us to (1) work on releasing at the back hip and not in front (even to the point of exaggeration) and (2) balance on the landing foot for a second or two after release. For my dd, the second point is a telltale sign of lean, since she falls or walks forward off the landing foot after release if her center of mass is too far forward at release.

Thanks for the number 2, i had completely forgotten this tip. what a great resource this place is.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
Here's a couple videos that talk about posture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijHqW1ZpcV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4Jd7GKg5Q

I'll add that it may be helpful to show her a video or photo of her in the bent-over position, then show her examples of some great pitchers releasing with good posture releasing at the thigh. As she works through this, take some time off full motion and focus on playing catch with good posture and whipping from the thigh. Let her know immediately if she does/doesn't get it right. When she's demonstrated that she gets the difference, start to ask her "good or bad" and see if she can identify and correct.
 

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