Is She Missing the Whip?
- Thread starter parttimecatcher
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I'd suggest some time spent reviewing these links:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/18135-drive-mechanics-8.html#post240500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gUkiavW-o4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufRaP2LkbGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBvFc-8wWLU
The drive sequence described above has been very helpful for me and my kids. It's almost a cure all for many issues. As I'm beginning to learn about hitting, good sequence is the foundation and can make the journey much more effective. Instead of isolation drills to fix individual issues, learning good sequence often seems to magically promote overall better mechanics.
+1 on the brick analogy.
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/18135-drive-mechanics-8.html#post240500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gUkiavW-o4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufRaP2LkbGs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBvFc-8wWLU
The drive sequence described above has been very helpful for me and my kids. It's almost a cure all for many issues. As I'm beginning to learn about hitting, good sequence is the foundation and can make the journey much more effective. Instead of isolation drills to fix individual issues, learning good sequence often seems to magically promote overall better mechanics.
+1 on the brick analogy.
Open is facing 3B. Closed is facing home.
In addition to the stork drill, here are two others:
1) Three pump. She gets open, puts her weight over her leg, and rests her left toes (not her foot) on the ground for balance. She then does three rotations of her arm. Each time her arm goes to 12, she lifts her left toes off the ground and then touches the ground with her left toes. So, she is tapping the ground with her left toes each time her arm goes by 12. On the third rotation, she throws. Your DD's upper body will look like a reciprocating saw as she goes forward and back. The goal is for your DD to move *only* her arm and leg, with everything else not moving. A good pitcher will look like a statue except her arm will be going around at 50 MPH and her leg going up and down in rhythm.
2) Rapid pitch. I personally love this drill because it is a challenge for the pitcher and the catcher. Your DD gets on the rubber and throws a pitch. You are standing. You get the ball and throw it immediately back to her. As soon as the ball hits the glove, your DD throws again. So, she throws the ball, you catch the ball, you return ball to pitcher, she throws again. rinse and repeat...all being done as fast as possible.
The "trick" for doing this drill correctly is for the pitcher to stay balanced with good front side resistance. The more unbalanced she is at the end of the pitch, the longer it will take her to move back to the rubber. If she has good front side resistance, she will be able to quickly move back to the rubber.
Looking at the last two frames of Cat.... Plant leg/front side resistants. Is there a range of acceptable or an absolute. I've seen Abbot with a more straight leg, does this translate to the difference in pitcher's speed. Understanding the front leg has to bend for shock absorbsion, how does one teach the timing to straighten if in fact straighter is preferred?
javasource
6-4-3 = 2
I do see the right shoulder dominance Rick referred to. Needs to learn what it's like to bring both arms inward with more force... as opposed to around.
Her timing is a mess. Zero overlapping movement in her early motion. Her arms and legs are in time with one another... whereas her momenetum should be established sooner... in relationship to her arm circle. It's awfully difficult to learn front side resistance when you've not the time needed to pull it off. Meaning, her legs need to be out in front of her arms.
Although I agree with sluggers in some things, the stork and multiple arm circles are not drills that I believe will help her. The stork is a stationary drill, that does not allow her to deal with force application in resistance, and will exacerbate the timing issues. The multiple circles are an interesting application, but I don't see those correcting the reciprocal adduction she lacks... as there is no way to really synchronizehose movements with the ground force reaaction.
Try walkthroughs... they create a greater force application to the ground... meaning they will require better resistance. Try the pushback drill to solve her timing issues. When doing those, have her work on greater adduction of both arms into her body... not around it.
Her timing is a mess. Zero overlapping movement in her early motion. Her arms and legs are in time with one another... whereas her momenetum should be established sooner... in relationship to her arm circle. It's awfully difficult to learn front side resistance when you've not the time needed to pull it off. Meaning, her legs need to be out in front of her arms.
Although I agree with sluggers in some things, the stork and multiple arm circles are not drills that I believe will help her. The stork is a stationary drill, that does not allow her to deal with force application in resistance, and will exacerbate the timing issues. The multiple circles are an interesting application, but I don't see those correcting the reciprocal adduction she lacks... as there is no way to really synchronizehose movements with the ground force reaaction.
Try walkthroughs... they create a greater force application to the ground... meaning they will require better resistance. Try the pushback drill to solve her timing issues. When doing those, have her work on greater adduction of both arms into her body... not around it.
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