One Knee Drills

[CoachFP]

Sluggers, if you are doing something like throwing from one knee for "fun" what are you accomplishing besides wasting time? Throw off of two toes or make up some other nonsense. I am right there with Hal, no one throws in a game from one knee and to get your arm going around without the use of torso and legs is at its simplest, illogical and does nothing. It was made up by people who never pitched. I never saw the great pitchers I have been around throw from one knee. If you want to have fun at a pitching lesson play hopscotch or tag.
Monica Abbott on the ball, geewhiz what a stupid thing that was. She got paid to do that. There is absolutely no benefit to balancing on a ball and throwing. She could have hurt her arm. I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that she never once was on a ball until that taping and never used it to get to her level of accomplishment. So listening to her about its benefits would hardly be useful. If you want a stronger torso there are plenty of exercises to get you there.
Coach Stan, keep doing it if it makes you feel good about your lessons. But there are other things to work on in a pitching lesson that are meaningful and not just busy work.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Once again , each coach has their own methods. Not everybody has to agree.

 

[halskinner]

I would suggest that her training methods have been successful for her. Doesnt have to be for everybody , but it shows that there are more options than what one pitching coach or the other has to say.

I am fairly certain this ad came out after the last Olympics. I sincerely doubt that ball exercise was any part of her work out routine prior to the last Olympics.

Everyone always seems to say watch the elite and do what they do. My point is, most student pitchers ARE NOT Olymoic calibur athletes.

I never said anything about one knee drills except that I did not use them with my students and I explained why.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Hal, I agree that's probably not for everyone and may not have much practical application at all. But it sure looks fun to try.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Here is a high level pitcher doing something a bit different.

Monica Abbott Physioball - YouTube

Didnt mean to hijack the thread. Just thought this related "somewhat to original topic" Sorry. Now , back to the merits of one knee drills. Good , Bad , Neither ?

 

[CoachFP]

Hey Cyclone, if everyone agreed with everything there would be no message Boards. All one person would do is post something and since everyone agreed, it would stop right there. The thing about softball pitching that I have found, is that it is a fairly straightforward activity. It is a repetitive motion that any athlete can pick up very easily. The trouble is that too many non athletes go to pitching instructors to learn how to pitch and there lies the problem. People try to come up with drills and goofy things to trick someone into being able to throw a ball. Like where is the ball at 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock and throwing with IR and all of that business. Show an athlete how to throw and they will get it fairly quickly without analyzing stuff all over the place. Then the real coaching on how to make the ball move will come into play.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have used the one knee drill a lot. In fact, that is how I was taught to pitch. I credit Denny Throneburg's training tape for those drills. It isolates the arm circle and you don't have to think about the lower portion of your body, just arm circle and release.

I am also for using the drill for fun, like Sluggers said.

Someone has the percentages on how much of the pitch is arm. I don't know the number, but it was high, like 95%.

 

[BoardMember]

Took the words right outta my mouth........FILLER...........Totally agree with Screwballs post.........Complete waist of time IMO........

Reality is.......IF you are positioned PROPERLY at 45 degrees open to the target line with the hips and shoulders on one knee.........How do you NOT smack your knee with the ball or hand during proper I/R unless you are opening your hips or front leg into release......Both bad...........Or you are bowling/waving it up.........

Promotes bad mechanics IMO..........

 

[Coach Stan]

I knew when I said I liked the one knee drill it would get a lot of people excited. Here is the thing I use it for many reasons not just development of the arm circle there are numerous drills to develop that part of the windup. I actually use the drill to emphasis many aspects of the windup and for spin drills for breaking pitches. Sorry if I do not fit into the cookie cutter mentality and don't run with the Jones on this one.

 

[Sparky Guy]

>>> ON my soap box <<< It amazes me that people who are in the business of teaching students how to pitch would be so closed-minded about something different. That is what boards like this are about. Learning new ways to teach things and incorporating the knowledge when training your students. >>> OFF Soap box <<<

There is a time and a place for using one knee drills. I use them with absolute beginners and I've worked with a whole lot of them. What I find is being on one knee isolates the top half of the body while reenforcing the feeling of keeping their weight back at the release point. They can concentrate on developing the foundation for a good arm circle path quicker. It's one of the times when less is more. I move them off of the knee as quick as I can depending on how fast the girl advances. Each one is different.

I rarely use one knee drills with advanced pitchers to teach movement when they have a solid mechanical foundation. I usually find there is no need to.

Can't say if I'm right or wrong with my approach but I've been able to develop a number of pitchers along the way over the years. I've also used some of the ideas for drills and other things people have posted her.