Mechanical makeover in progress

[vdubya]

Feel free to comment. It really helps. She just turned eleven and is attempting to convert to internal rotation after taking some weeks off post-season. There are obviously numerous things to correct, and I'd like your suggestions. We are aware that she isn't always legal--working on that 'leap.' I only have a mini camera currently, so my apologies for the video quality. Feel free to tell it like it is...
VW


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[vdubya]

Yikes! That is not the front view I typically see when catching her, though the left lean does still rear it's head occasionally. She is usually quick to correct that if I give a 'dip and rip' or 'drag your knuckles' cue. Still needs work to lose the old muscle memory...

 

[BoardMember]

OUTSTANDING work V......Really......

She's so close I can taste it......

In the VERY FIRST show-it / throw-it drill on the clip she really looks good.....

BUT in some of the others her forearm/wrist/hand are flipping over EVER so slightly early in the delivery......causing a premature "inversion" move with the forearm/hand through release......Although a few times she gets it just right...If I had the clip I could edit and show you the good and bad...

Let me know if your interested.......It would good learning for everyone here...

There is a "chain of events" that drives internal rotation.......it starts with the upper arm (humerus).......then to the forearm......then to the wrist and hand last.......

In other words, large to small.....or Proximal to Distal segmentation.....

She is using her small segments ever so slightly early SOMETIMES.....or......driving the internal rotation with her hand vs. her upper arm/forearm........

The hand should turn over last....after the ball is long gone........

I suspect it relates to the HIGH FINISH.......If she were mine, I'd tell her to stop her finish below the shoulder line to keep her from focusing on the "flip and finish high" goal.........Keep the focus on the throw, NOT the finish..

Throw it FIRST......then let the wrist/hand turn over natually in front of the body........instead of forcing the hand to flip over to deliver the ball.......

Watch carefully and compare......

I would suggest a regiment of 9:00 to 3:00 release drills, stopping her hand at the rib cage to reinforce how the throw the ball FIRST......vs. flipping the hand over and finishing high to release it.......Like this:

She's ever so close.....I suspect she'll get it very soon.......Looks like she already has some of the times........That catchers view shot looks like she nailed it......

You can really tell when it's right can't you......That ball really "pops"........

Cheers!

 

[Darrick Brown]

I dont like the high follow through way above the head. Be natural! Your hand naturally wants to go on a angle in the direction of your face. Don't force the finish! The finish should look uncoached and natural to how the body works. Good example is Bill Hillhouse. Bill Hillhouse: Bahamas Clinic Clip I will try to put some of my own examples on as well but Bill throws like I throw. Natural internal rotation with a natural angled finish. I was never coached! This is what my arm has always naturally wanted to do. I think the old touch your shoulder follow through is planted in the minds of many. Touch your throwing shoulder and then touch your nose. Which one allows the arm to remain relaxed? Obviously touching your nose is a natural motion.

 

[vdubya]

Thanks guys. I do see the premature hand inversion. To me the video shows the ball in relation to the hand is correct at 9:00, but from there the ball starts to turn toward 3b too soon. I have studied a lot of video of elite pitchers lately--trying to learn this. I see them in a similar position at 9:00, but as they bring the arm down to 6:00, they show the ball more to 2b with the hand under/in front of it for longer than DD does. That's one difference I see that could be causing the premature hand inversion as Boardmember points out.

Regarding the high finish, when we started this mechanic, I told DD that I wouldn't ride her about the finish...that if we got her throwing correctly then however she naturally finished (talking arm here)would be ok. So, I never tell her to do this or that on the finish, but just to let it happen as we work on the throw. Now, we have worked the lower body finish a little. She has a tendency to fall back onto the push leg as seen at times in the video. She has been trying to not only drag the leg to a figure 4, but then to bring it around and square up to the plate.

Now, I may be overthinking this a little, but is there a chance that she's throwing the arm high to help get momentum to finish in a defensive position with her legs. Is is possible that her stride is a bit too long (if that's possible). If you look at the stride, she is really getting out there...possibly to the point that she doesn't have the momentum needed to get that back leg to finish. Don't know if this is making sense. She sometimes reminds me of a pole vaulter who falls back instead of going over top. When she plants the resistence leg (pole), there just isn't enough momentum to 'pivot' and she falls back on the rear leg. Lack of momentum despite the aggressive stride may mean the stride is just too far. The arm pulling up may be an attempt to help pull that back leg to finish.

This may be off base, but I do note that in this video, the arm finishes noticeably higher than usual and her legs finish better than usual. (cause/effect?)She only falls back a couple of times in the video. Could the high arm finish be compensatory?

First priority remains getting her to 'throw,' but I agree that other things (like the finish) contribute to the arm mechanic.

Boardmember, I'd be happy to get you some video to dissect and would very much appreciate any help! How best to email it? PM please.

Thank you,
VW

 

[BoardMember]

Check your PM box.......

Thanks guys. I do see the premature hand inversion. To me the video shows the ball in relation to the hand is correct at 9:00, but from there the ball starts to turn toward 3b too soon. I have studied a lot of video of elite pitchers lately--trying to learn this. I see them in a similar position at 9:00, but as they bring the arm down to 6:00, they show the ball more to 2b with the hand under/in front of it for longer than DD does. That's one difference I see that could be causing the premature hand inversion as Boardmember points out.

Regarding the high finish, when we started this mechanic, I told DD that I wouldn't ride her about the finish...that if we got her throwing correctly then however she naturally finished (talking arm here)would be ok. So, I never tell her to do this or that on the finish, but just to let it happen as we work on the throw. Now, we have worked the lower body finish a little. She has a tendency to fall back onto the push leg as seen at times in the video. She has been trying to not only drag the leg to a figure 4, but then to bring it around and square up to the plate.

Now, I may be overthinking this a little, but is there a chance that she's throwing the arm high to help get momentum to finish in a defensive position with her legs. Is is possible that her stride is a bit too long (if that's possible). If you look at the stride, she is really getting out there...possibly to the point that she doesn't have the momentum needed to get that back leg to finish. Don't know if this is making sense. She sometimes reminds me of a pole vaulter who falls back instead of going over top. When she plants the resistence leg (pole), there just isn't enough momentum to 'pivot' and she falls back on the rear leg. Lack of momentum despite the aggressive stride may mean the stride is just too far. The arm pulling up may be an attempt to help pull that back leg to finish.

This may be off base, but I do note that in this video, the arm finishes noticeably higher than usual and her legs finish better than usual. (cause/effect?)She only falls back a couple of times in the video. Could the high arm finish be compensatory?

First priority remains getting her to 'throw,' but I agree that other things (like the finish) contribute to the arm mechanic.

Boardmember, I'd be happy to get you some video to dissect and would very much appreciate any help! How best to email it? PM please.

Thank you,
VW

 

[vdubya]

update on work in progress

The weather is holding up nort' and so we continue outside...new pics and video provided.
We have worked on things mentioned above and others. Back view in the new vid looks like a lot of glove arm work is needed--would welcome comments.

Biggest concern at this point is her velocity...or lack thereof. I know that speed should improve somewhat as mechanics do, but I don't see her mechanics as 'that bad' and she only throws 39/40. She has maxed a little faster but that is rare. I see plenty with worse mechanics who throw quite a bit faster. (?) Where are the mph to be gained here? I'd like to think she'll grow into mph, but 2 yrs ago she was at 36/37.

Somehow I feel like some mph may be getting lost in that huge stride/leap, but I can't explain why. I don't see Sarah P or Cat getting out that far (at least in relation to their size) so it may be wasted energy. I have verified that she can 'show it/throw it' as fast as she pitches in full windup which tells me that some speed is leaking out somewhere in the full windup delivery. I feel like she needs at least another 5mph, preferably 10, but those are enormous numbers! It just seems like she is giving a lot of effort for little velocity. Any help appreciated.
VW




YouTube - Novembersixth.wmv

 

[sluggers]

I hear your frustration.

When I look at your DD, I see a little girl. She isn't physically mature yet. So, you can't compare her to other girls who are. Your DD will mature. (When she turns 13, you'll be wishing you had your little girl back, but that is for another forum.)

Girls around 12 or 13 have dramatic changes in their body--their hips spread and their bosom grows. When that happens, the pitchers with poor mechanics will not be able to throw a strike and their speed will be stuck at 50 mph.

To increase her speed, you encourage her to throw as hard as she can. After a few pitches, her speed will go up and her mechanics will fall apart. You then slow her down, fix her mechanics, and then encourage her again to throw as hard as she can. Rinse and repeat forever. It helps to have a speed gun so that she has immediate feedback for her speed.

 

[cshilt]

Vdub, all I can say is great job. Her mechanics are awesome and I can't see anything that I would change.

Here are three of my favorite speed improvement drills:

1. Long Toss - Start at the pitcher's plate throw three and move back five feet. Repeat this process until she can no longer throw it to you without the ball bouncing to you.
2. Net Toss - Get her close to a net and have her throw a bucket of balls into the net as hard as she can. By being close to the net she won't be concerned with where the ball is going.
3. Quick Fire - Pitch from the pitcher's plate and throw the ball back to her as quickly as possible. She is to pitch the ball back to you as quickly as possible, so as soon as she pitches she'll need to retreat back to the pitcher's plate. Do for 10-15 pitches and she should be fairly winded.

 

[Mike]

vdub,

39-40 + is not bad at all, she looks good and looks like she is working hard. My daughter looks to be about the same age and we are currently working on the show it throw it and staying looser. She has lost some speed but I know she will get it back in spades even if it takes a couple years. The only thing I see that I am stealing from Ray is at release her shoulders are level with the ground. The throwing shoulder on elite pitchers is lower at release, which makes the throwing arm 3 to 4 inches longer.

Mike