Locked Elbow Help

[BUBraves17]

I have been working with my daughter for months now on "unlocking her elbow" I would appreciate any helpful tips to undo this mess! She is able to have a bent elbow when doing half motion, but once in full speed it is locked. I have used up all my words, explantions, demonstrations and showing her videos of herself and myself. I am out of ideas and we need to fix this a.s.a.p. Thanks

 

[coach james]

Once the arm has past the 12oclock position and is starting the downward half.... focus on PULLING the elbow down. NOT PUSHING the ball forward. By pulling down on the elbow it will help with a number of issues. 1. Promotes an I/R release. 2. It uses more back muscle and not isolated inside her shoulder (no more shoulder pain) 3. Increases accuracy, because the shoulder is stopped from moving horizontally. Good luck, James

 

[halskinner]

So I understand your explanation correctly here.

You are saying bent elbow from HALF MOTION, but straight elbow at FULL SPEED.

I am picturing her starting at the 12:00 position and keeping a bernt elbow. Then I am picturing her going through her full wind up with the elbow locked. Am I correct?

Also, does she use the double pump wind up? (Drops the ball down and to the rear before making her forward motion(

 

[coach james]

So I understand your explanation correctly here.

You are saying bent elbow from HALF MOTION, but straight elbow at FULL SPEED.

I am picturing her starting at the 12:00 position and keeping a bernt elbow. Then I am picturing her going through her full wind up with the
elbow locked. Am I correct?

Not at all... stay loose and unlocked all the way through, all I'm saying is to focus on pulling down instead of pushing through

 

[2 DD Coach]

I think Hal was asking the OP, not your reply. And to further the point Hal is after, if your take away or negative motion is extreme, the elbow will lock when your arm is behind you. If you then try to rapidly move your arm forward to aid in your forward drive the arm will stay locked and it is very hard to get the bend in the elbow back at any point in the circle.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

She has to practice it correctly 1000s of times, to get rid of her old habit. Is she still pitching in games? If you are serious, don't let her throw with poor mechanics. She can practice her arm circle in the house, watching herself in the mirror. She can toss a balled up sock, if necessary, but she needs to put in the work.

 

[halskinner]

BU,

here is what I did with new students and a locked elbow; Lose the backswing. The traditional leap and drag wind up is the double pump wind up, minus the backswing. It is part of it so she already does this but just doesnt realize it.

So now, bring the hands together, ball in glove at the waist. As you start to come forward, quickly shove that glove forward. Just before the throwing arm gets to full extension at around 9:00 in front, pull the ball out of the glove and quickly pull the ball IN A STRAIGHT LINE to around 1:00 pulling it right past your ear. Do this quickly and keep the stride as quick.

From 9:00 to 1:00 in a straight line, you MUST bend the elbow, no choice there. Then keep a slight bend through the rest of the wind up.


Always worked for the kids I worked with.

 

[dbias]

Commented to dd the other night about not using a backswing and showed her several college pitchers doing it on tv. Without another word next game I notice she is doing it like she had been all her life. Did well with double digit k's and pitched a shutout and opposing coach commented on how her normally aggressive batters were silent.

From the paper....

"Webb said she was impressed with Bias' performance, but also disappointed that some of her hitters watched too many pitches.

"We have to put the bat on the ball when she gives us the opportunity," Webb said. "Instead of letting the umpire call strike three, we need to be swinging at those pitches. We have to do something better than just making it a two person game allowing the pitcher and catcher to work."

Asked how it felt after game and dd said she couldn't tell the difference but did feel more control like the deep backswing was pulling her off a little. She also commented that she didn't have to concentrate on keeping her elbow unlocked. So from my perspective it was a good move

 

[halskinner]

Commented to dd the other night about not using a backswing and showed her several college pitchers doing it on tv. Without another word next game I notice she is doing it like she had been all her life. Did well with double digit k's and pitched a shutout and opposing coach commented on how her normally aggressive batters were silent.

From the paper....

"Webb said she was impressed with Bias' performance, but also disappointed that some of her hitters watched too many pitches.

"We have to put the bat on the ball when she gives us the opportunity," Webb said. "Instead of letting the umpire call strike three, we need to be swinging at those pitches. We have to do something better than just making it a two person game allowing the pitcher and catcher to work."

Asked how it felt after game and dd said she couldn't tell the difference but did feel more control like the deep backswing was pulling her off a little. She also commented that she didn't have to concentrate on keeping her elbow unlocked. So from my perspective it was a good move

Good job big pitcher!