Balswick just turned 103. Better get him before his arm falls off!
Lol. I’m sure his info is still out there and relevant.
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IR Routine for beginners
- Thread starter BktMom3
- Start date
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Lol. I’m sure his info is still out there and relevant.
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- Feb 20, 2012
- 263
- 18
This is the original explanation that is in the sticky link "Internal Rotation". I still use this as a reference:
To understand internal rotation of the upper arm, forearm, and wrist as it relates to fastpitch, we will use REVERSE CHAINING. (meaning we'll start a the end and work backward),
WITHOUT A BALL - Stand with your hips/shoulders/feet slightly more closed toward home, then fully open (toward third) to the target line. Do NOT stand completely open (shoulders inline with the target line) for this exercise. And do NOT stand more than 45 degrees closed (toward the target line EVER).
Rest your throwing arm comfortably (not "stiff") at your side, and your palm facing inward, against the thigh.
Reverse Chaining/Motor Learning:
Step One/POSTION 1. WITHOUT moving or rotating your upper arm, externally rotate the palm to facing forward toward the target. Maintain this position with the palm facing forward.
Step Two/POSITION 2 (must be done from more than 45 degrees open to the target line to avoid injury to the shoulder joint). Move the forearm and the upper arm away from the side of the body so the hand is 4-6 inches out from the thigh. Not forward or back, but straight out from the thigh. Now externally rotate the upper arm in the shoulder socket, so the elbow is facing inward toward the body, and the bicep, forearm, and palm are facing outward away from the body. You should feel your tricep resting against your body, and your elbow should be relaxed (slightly bent, not stiff/straight). You have now EXTERNALLY ROTATED the entire throwing mechanism (wrist/forearm, upper arm). THIS POSITION REPRESENTS THE BEGINNING OF THE RELEASE PHASE of the pitch.
Step Three/POSITION 3. From position 2, maintaining slight elbow flexion, move your arm backwards up the back of the circle to parallel to the ground (called the 3:00 position). NOTICE THIS: As you move your arm backwards up the circle, the upper arm is allowed to further externally rotate to a "palm to the sky" (supinated) position. You have now REVERSE CHAINED to the most critical position in fastpitch.......POSITION 3......
Note: IMO, anyone being taught to throw a ball underhand should be started from this 3:00 POSITION 3, "palm to the sky".........
FORWARD CHAINING the mechanism in slow motion:
From the 3:00 position 3, palm to the sky, elbow slightly bent (flexed), slowly begin to move back down the circle "palm up", until you feel the tricep just meet the body, and STOP, maintaining the SLIGHT flexion in the elbow and palm up.
From this position, and allowing the elbow to straighten slightly as you approach the bottom, move back down to the externally rotated position of POSITION 2, with the elbow in - bicep/forearm/palm out just at the back of the thigh.
Release Phase: Continue internally rotating the upper arm, forearm and wrist AS YOU MOVE move past/through the release phase, allowing the hand to pass the thigh toward the target as it INTERNALLY rotates from out to in through the sequence. The hips/shoulders should be allowed to naturally rotate during the sequence. Do NOT force them closed.
One problem I frequently see is someone who possesses the Natural move, but begins his/her internal rotation prematurely, resulting in the dreaded "flying elbow". Premature shoulder rotation will also cause a "flying elbow", and can cause injury in the most extreme cases.
This sequence should be practiced gradually until it starts to flow naturally. The beauty of it is that IT IS NATURAL. As the arm moves from position 3 (3:00 palm up), through position 2 (release phase) it will SEEK THE NATURAL STARTING POSITION 1, causing a natural release phase, and what might feel like a "flip over" of the wrist through release.
You can then begin at position 1 (palm forward at the bottom), "rock it up" to position 3, 3:00 palm to the sky, and back down through release without pause to build the natural flow of the release phase. THIS IS THE 2nd BEST DRILL IN FASTPITCH IMO........
IF YOU CAN FEEL THIS, you've recognized the NATURAL movement of release that allows UNEO to throw over 70mph.
KNOW THIS: External/Internal rotation (pronation/supination) of the forearm IS THE FASTEST MOVING PART OF THE HUMAN ANATOMY........One only has to hold the forearm out vertically and quickly rotate pronate/supinate back and forth the forearm with a loose wrist to see the speed of the action. The hand will actually "blur" from the speed.
Moving forward from here..........
IF you then move the arm up from the 3:00 position to the 12:00 position (4), above the shoulder socket and slightly past (forward toward the plate), NOT OVER THE HEAD, with the ball position UNCHANGED, and the elbow remaining slightly flexed, you will be "showing the ball to the batter" at the top. The arm will look like a wide-open "C" maintaining elbow flexion. THIS POSITION IS CRITICAL to the success of pitching mechanics IMO.
You can then begin practicing the "half drill" rocking up to just past the top and back down through the release phase........Here is the "chant" when doing this drill to ensure proper external/internal rotation of the sequence:
"SHOW IT, AND THROW IT"...........THIS IS THE BEST DRILL IN FASTPITCH IMO.......
All of this should be done WITHOUT A BALL initially........And from the sideways slightly closed position.
A ball can then be added to both the 3:00 drill and the 12:00 "half drill" to begin working on the release phase with a ball. Timing of release is critical to the chain, and must be done in a fashion that imparts inward/forward spin to insure the pitcher doesn't "hang on to long" and miss the acceleration phase of the "natural snap". This is where an instructor is invaluable to progression.......
From the basic "show it, throw it" drill, progression to a position where the stride foot starts behind the pivot foot, weight is shifted back prior to the up swing "show it" phase, and then a stride/push/drive is incorporated during the "throw-it" phase of the down swing. This will ensure the proper transfer timing of the stride/push/drive/throw.........
Equating this to full windmill fastpitch:
When the throwing arm rotates upward to start the pitch, the palm is facing the natural "inward" position. As the arm rises, it should rotate to/through the "show it" phase at the top, and the downward motion should feel more like a "pull down" then a "push down".
As the arm passes through position 3 (3:00), internal rotation takes over, and the natural whip release phase results in tremendous acceleration of the sequence, resulting in NATURAL VELOCITY........
To understand internal rotation of the upper arm, forearm, and wrist as it relates to fastpitch, we will use REVERSE CHAINING. (meaning we'll start a the end and work backward),
WITHOUT A BALL - Stand with your hips/shoulders/feet slightly more closed toward home, then fully open (toward third) to the target line. Do NOT stand completely open (shoulders inline with the target line) for this exercise. And do NOT stand more than 45 degrees closed (toward the target line EVER).
Rest your throwing arm comfortably (not "stiff") at your side, and your palm facing inward, against the thigh.
Reverse Chaining/Motor Learning:
Step One/POSTION 1. WITHOUT moving or rotating your upper arm, externally rotate the palm to facing forward toward the target. Maintain this position with the palm facing forward.
Step Two/POSITION 2 (must be done from more than 45 degrees open to the target line to avoid injury to the shoulder joint). Move the forearm and the upper arm away from the side of the body so the hand is 4-6 inches out from the thigh. Not forward or back, but straight out from the thigh. Now externally rotate the upper arm in the shoulder socket, so the elbow is facing inward toward the body, and the bicep, forearm, and palm are facing outward away from the body. You should feel your tricep resting against your body, and your elbow should be relaxed (slightly bent, not stiff/straight). You have now EXTERNALLY ROTATED the entire throwing mechanism (wrist/forearm, upper arm). THIS POSITION REPRESENTS THE BEGINNING OF THE RELEASE PHASE of the pitch.
Step Three/POSITION 3. From position 2, maintaining slight elbow flexion, move your arm backwards up the back of the circle to parallel to the ground (called the 3:00 position). NOTICE THIS: As you move your arm backwards up the circle, the upper arm is allowed to further externally rotate to a "palm to the sky" (supinated) position. You have now REVERSE CHAINED to the most critical position in fastpitch.......POSITION 3......
Note: IMO, anyone being taught to throw a ball underhand should be started from this 3:00 POSITION 3, "palm to the sky".........
FORWARD CHAINING the mechanism in slow motion:
From the 3:00 position 3, palm to the sky, elbow slightly bent (flexed), slowly begin to move back down the circle "palm up", until you feel the tricep just meet the body, and STOP, maintaining the SLIGHT flexion in the elbow and palm up.
From this position, and allowing the elbow to straighten slightly as you approach the bottom, move back down to the externally rotated position of POSITION 2, with the elbow in - bicep/forearm/palm out just at the back of the thigh.
Release Phase: Continue internally rotating the upper arm, forearm and wrist AS YOU MOVE move past/through the release phase, allowing the hand to pass the thigh toward the target as it INTERNALLY rotates from out to in through the sequence. The hips/shoulders should be allowed to naturally rotate during the sequence. Do NOT force them closed.
One problem I frequently see is someone who possesses the Natural move, but begins his/her internal rotation prematurely, resulting in the dreaded "flying elbow". Premature shoulder rotation will also cause a "flying elbow", and can cause injury in the most extreme cases.
This sequence should be practiced gradually until it starts to flow naturally. The beauty of it is that IT IS NATURAL. As the arm moves from position 3 (3:00 palm up), through position 2 (release phase) it will SEEK THE NATURAL STARTING POSITION 1, causing a natural release phase, and what might feel like a "flip over" of the wrist through release.
You can then begin at position 1 (palm forward at the bottom), "rock it up" to position 3, 3:00 palm to the sky, and back down through release without pause to build the natural flow of the release phase. THIS IS THE 2nd BEST DRILL IN FASTPITCH IMO........
IF YOU CAN FEEL THIS, you've recognized the NATURAL movement of release that allows UNEO to throw over 70mph.
KNOW THIS: External/Internal rotation (pronation/supination) of the forearm IS THE FASTEST MOVING PART OF THE HUMAN ANATOMY........One only has to hold the forearm out vertically and quickly rotate pronate/supinate back and forth the forearm with a loose wrist to see the speed of the action. The hand will actually "blur" from the speed.
Moving forward from here..........
IF you then move the arm up from the 3:00 position to the 12:00 position (4), above the shoulder socket and slightly past (forward toward the plate), NOT OVER THE HEAD, with the ball position UNCHANGED, and the elbow remaining slightly flexed, you will be "showing the ball to the batter" at the top. The arm will look like a wide-open "C" maintaining elbow flexion. THIS POSITION IS CRITICAL to the success of pitching mechanics IMO.
You can then begin practicing the "half drill" rocking up to just past the top and back down through the release phase........Here is the "chant" when doing this drill to ensure proper external/internal rotation of the sequence:
"SHOW IT, AND THROW IT"...........THIS IS THE BEST DRILL IN FASTPITCH IMO.......
All of this should be done WITHOUT A BALL initially........And from the sideways slightly closed position.
A ball can then be added to both the 3:00 drill and the 12:00 "half drill" to begin working on the release phase with a ball. Timing of release is critical to the chain, and must be done in a fashion that imparts inward/forward spin to insure the pitcher doesn't "hang on to long" and miss the acceleration phase of the "natural snap". This is where an instructor is invaluable to progression.......
From the basic "show it, throw it" drill, progression to a position where the stride foot starts behind the pivot foot, weight is shifted back prior to the up swing "show it" phase, and then a stride/push/drive is incorporated during the "throw-it" phase of the down swing. This will ensure the proper transfer timing of the stride/push/drive/throw.........
Equating this to full windmill fastpitch:
When the throwing arm rotates upward to start the pitch, the palm is facing the natural "inward" position. As the arm rises, it should rotate to/through the "show it" phase at the top, and the downward motion should feel more like a "pull down" then a "push down".
As the arm passes through position 3 (3:00), internal rotation takes over, and the natural whip release phase results in tremendous acceleration of the sequence, resulting in NATURAL VELOCITY........
- Oct 2, 2017
- 2,283
- 113
I know this is a old post, but I'm in Muskogee. and there is no one here that I know of that teaches or heard of I/R
To add, most dont call it IR and will look at you crazy. Learn what good pitchers do then see what they are teaching and if its a match to what has been shared here, keep going. If its ball down and wrist flips, move on.
Thanks! We found someone in OKC, but unfortunately I think she’s trying to teach ball down, when it’s supposed to be palm up/ball up. We’ve only gone twice so far. I asked if palm should be up once and she said no, it’s palm down. I told my DD to do palm up unless the PC starts noticing and saying something. We are contemplating just giving up on pitching, because I can’t teach my DD. I just don’t know the skill enough. The PC teaches a lot of the right things, but apparently not palm up.
Have you considered making a deal with the PC. you will continue to use them as lo g as they do t change the release. You will work on the back of the circle and release. Let them work on all drive mechanics, Philosophy of pitching , and mentality.
Maybe you guys can compromise.
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I am not quite sure this will work. I am no expert by any means in either 'style' (as one HE coach called them), but it seems to me that most of the HE open much earlier than what we would say is proper, then closing the door.. I bet that could turn into bit of a mess.
This. Don’t try to mix the two.
You can always post some video here and get some direction to work with her yourself. Don’t give up mom. You wouldn’t want her to quit so easily either.
Well, I understand the concern. I’ve become quit proficient at learning the tech from this forum. You would have to do your due diligence and lots of study but not impossible to learn enough to guide your dd.
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