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shaker1

Softball Junkie
Dec 4, 2014
894
18
On a bucket
[video]https://youtu.be/idacCzf_cTI[/video]

This was our quick attempt at pulling instead of pushing today. She has practice, so I didn’t want to push too much. I’m not sure I’m equipped to teach IR by myself, even after studying the stickies here. There is zero hope of finding an IR instructor anywhere near here. I may have to let her continue to do what she’s doing until after the season.

SDay - I completely agree with the posture. She really, really wants to bend over. We worked on that today too.
Looking better to me. At the 1st pause in the gif, try to get her not to turn her hand out, keep it facing inward. Looks like she is leading with the pinky, that's better than pushing. As others have mentioned, if her posture improves, so will her brush, even if it's upper arm. Looks to me that there is some IR taking place here. Loose arm, lead with elbow. Keep after it.
 
Apr 17, 2015
10
0
I felt like she was somewhere in between IR and HE, but I didn’t know how possible that was! I actually did tell her to lead with the pinky as somewhat of a bridge from pushing to pulling. She did fine with that and still had accuracy. It’s hard to tell exactly how well it works until we can get outside and really pitch. We are going to actively work on posture and subtly work on IR through the season, and then we’ll see where pitching goes from there. You guys are amazing - thanks!
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
I actually did tell her to lead with the pinky as somewhat of a bridge from pushing to pulling.

Leading with the pinky is common advice, but it will often lead to the swiping action you are seeing, with the ball pointed at third instead of up.

Try telling her to point the ball up over the top of the circle and lead with the elbow.

Also, work this about 5 minutes or so every practice session:

[video]https://youtu.be/B6PW4DCqbW8[/video]
 
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Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
When I watch former college pitchers teaching HE, they slowly demonstrate palm/ball facing 2B at 12 o'clock, a good wrist snap and a violent pull up the back of the ball with the elbow pointed nicely to the target in follow through. They can demo this at slower speeds, but when you watch them rip, you'll see the lower arm and ball lagging nicely into whip at the hip. They do this naturally, even though they believe they're doing what the teach. They can feel the whip, even if they don't understand it. Like so many who have been taught HE, they transcend and without realizing it, often use perfect IR and become good pitchers.

I think the opposite can be true when teaching IR/Whip. We try to drill the mechanic, but end up mechanically drilling. I don't think this is a bad thing, but we need them to feel the goal: whip. I like sluggers' suggestion of rock skipping because its very true--you can't skip without whip. javasource’s football drill can also help with this.

I ask kids to demo BoardMember's "Unlock It" drill--back and forth, feeling the swish/snap without a ball. Then I give them a ball and ask them to snap the ball the same way--not caring where it goes, just feeling the snap (a net is great for beginners.) It should be out of control and unforced. Closing the eyes can be really helpful. Also, having them look back at the ball to see if it loosely swings back into a palm up orientation. I've had kids hold the ball facing down at their shoulder, really exaggerating lag and snapping from there.

Don't get me wrong, I've had kids do the full IR progression when they struggle, but most times we can shortcut by getting them to think and feel whip. I try really hard to get them into full circle throws ASAP with feet moving and adduction. It really seems to loosen them up when the whole body works naturally.

Feel the whip
 
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Feb 5, 2018
4
1
Illinois
I'm not a pitching coach but if I was starting out again I would just play underhand catch to get used to it and have her throw it as hard as she can and hopefully ir will will happen naturally.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
Congrats! She looks like she could do a nice job for the team. I think she has to understand that IR is the goal and she has to keep working with that in mind. It is a must if she is going to pitch and not just toss the ball over. Here is an easy way she can visualize it for the guy who introduced the term to this forum:

 

Chris Delorit

Member
Apr 24, 2016
343
28
Green Bay, WI
[video]https://youtu.be/idacCzf_cTI[/video]

This was our quick attempt at pulling instead of pushing today. She has practice, so I didn’t want to push too much. I’m not sure I’m equipped to teach IR by myself, even after studying the stickies here. There is zero hope of finding an IR instructor anywhere near here. I may have to let her continue to do what she’s doing until after the season.

SDay - I completely agree with the posture. She really, really wants to bend over. We worked on that today too.


Her posture is being negatively affected in two areas; glove swimming & trail foot (pivot) ruddering.

In her upper body, the east-west glove swimming in leading her lead shoulder and chest into an open position in her 45 degree Power-K.
In her lower body, she dragging the top of her foot (laces) excessively and ruddering toward the 1st base dugout. The back hip is being pulled the very same way.

So, she'll have a very difficult time acheiving consisent release with brush/IR when the 4 quadrants of her body aren't working together harmoneously to promote a quiet, linear Power-K. This requires improving posture.

You can improve the upper body posture by replacing east-west with north-south glove movement, landing the glove near her front left thigh. This should help to close her shoulders to a more linear path at release. With her lower body, she'll have to work on improving her weight transfer. She'll have to land a strong plant, then get off the gas with the backside (think teeter-totter) followed by a light, linear toe drag. This will also help to promote the hips to a more linear path at release. The goal is to limit as much non-linear twisting and turning in the extremeties as she can, in order to connect the upper and lower cores into alignment with each other.

Ideally, this should give her a better opportunity to find brush/IR at release.

As others have mentioned, she's drastically forcing a push release, which begins around 2:00. Consider going back to a variety of basic little 45 degree pendalum whips from a slingshot style release. These are good for getting the feel of natural whip/pulling vs. forced pushing. Use the bat, water bottle or anything which help define that feeling. You'll have some muscle memory type issues to correct, so think of reverting to elementary steps in the process...just like a tee is used in batting. Work your way slowly back into full motions.

Keep your ears open for any periodic DFP pitching camps, then really try to make the trip.

Chris
 
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