Order of training for new pitcher

[trpltongue]

Okay,

Here are a couple of terrible quality videos. We spent about 10 minutes and I told her to forget everything I taught her about H/E pitching and just throw the ball underhand. She was still fighting trying to bowl the ball though. She is not a natural overhand thrower yet so I imagine it's a bit tough for her to understand and feel the whip of "underhand" throwing.

Old form from H/E (3 months ago):
<a href="http://s394.photobucket.com/user/Russell_Fulks/media/IMG_1202_zpswnnu5pqq.gif.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/Russell_Fulks/IMG_1202_zpswnnu5pqq.gif" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1202_zpswnnu5pqq.gif"/></a>

New form throwing tonight:
<a href="http://s394.photobucket.com/user/Russell_Fulks/media/IMG_1203_zps00xgjblg.gif.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/Russell_Fulks/IMG_1203_zps00xgjblg.gif" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1203_zps00xgjblg.gif"/></a>

<a href="http://s394.photobucket.com/user/Russell_Fulks/media/IMG_1204_zpsxxkafcuc.gif.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp28/Russell_Fulks/IMG_1204_zpsxxkafcuc.gif" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1204_zpsxxkafcuc.gif"/></a>

 

[trpltongue]

We worked last night without a ball on arm/hand wrist position from 6:00 to 3:00. Progressed to rocking from 3 to 6 to release point.

I figured it makes sense to go through this motion before playing too much underhand catch so that she understands how underhand catch should feel.

We will play more underhand catch until it feels natural and she has the right spin / velocity while playing catch. Then we'll move on to the I/R in the classroom drills focusing on the 3:00 and under drills.


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[trpltongue]

Okay, so here is my updated plan:

1)Start with reverse chaining the motion without a ball. Following the detailed mechanics of the I/R thread here
Work on external rotation of the palm, forearm, upper arm from the 6:00 to 3:00 position

2) Then move to forward chaining the motion without a ball. Again, following the detailed mechanics from the I/R thread:
Work on internal rotation from 3:00 to 6:00 position completing with release phase

3) Then move on to the “rock it up” and natural release drill without a ball (6 to 3 to 6) and repeat until it feels natural.

4) Move on to focus on the motion from 3 to 12 with hand just ahead (toward home plate) of shoulder joint but not yet over the head

5) Next do the "half drill" rocking up from 3 to just past 12 and back down to 6 and through release phase (show it and throw it drill without a ball)
Chant "show it" as the ball comes to the 12 position, "and throw it", as the hand comes back down through release phase

6) Now move on to the I/R in the classroom "lock it in" drill (with a ball)With tri-ceps locked against pec area, externally rotate palm, forearm, upper arm from 6 to bring the ball back keeping the tri-ceps locked against the pecs, and then internally rotate through release phase.
http://i39.tinypic.com/2w4xmqv.gif

http://i48.tinypic.com/34t1yf6.gif

7) Continue I/R in the classroom to the "catch the whip" (lock it in drill focused on proper ball spin - diagonal from bottom left to top right for a right hander)
http://i47.tinypic.com/348ll00.gif

8) Continue I/R in the classroom with the "9:00 drill" or "unlock it" drill
Similar to "rock it up" drill, but with a ball, ensuring the spin stays appropriate
http://i49.tinypic.com/262ttz5.gif

9) Continue I/R in the classroom with the "magician" drill
Ball in hand with arm facing forward, drop arm and externally rotate back through 6 on the way to 3 and let the ball fly backwards with over top spin.
http://i50.tinypic.com/18yw0p.gif

10) Continue I/R in the classroom with the "liberty" drill
Starting at 6, rock the arm back with external rotation until about 10:00 and then pull down through 3 with palm up, internally rotate through 6 and the release phase.
http://i46.tinypic.com/35clq41.gif
http://i46.tinypic.com/14e9w91.gif

11) Continue I/R in the classroom with the "show it and throw it" drill with a ball
http://i49.tinypic.com/1038uts.gif

12) Complete I/R in the classroom with full arm circle relaxed long toss
http://i50.tinypic.com/63vr77.gif

We will work on 9:00, Liberty, or Show it / Throw it drills every day for warm up depending on where she needs work.

Once she has confidence and demonstrated consistency in form with full circle long toss, we'll work on legs. My DD works best when I can break down the instructions piece by piece. She likes to master 1 bit before moving to the next. When I taught her H/E style we worke on arm circle, then wrist flip, then hip motion, then leg drive, then full motion. Only hope I can undo all of that

 

[JJsqueeze]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that maybe you are over thinking this a teensy weensy bit. You will be surprised how quickly a kid will catch on to this, so really no need to do all that "without a ball" stuff. As a first drill just have her start from that Liberty position and have her pull the ball down the circle with a slight bend in the arm and good upright posture and the rest will take care of itself. Take video of that and see if you can make necessary corrections to do it right. if she struggles with one aspect then focus on that.

 

[mothgirl]

I tend to agree with not over thinking it, if she has not been taught bad mechanics (like my dd was) then you might not need to break it down so much. Start simple.

 

[trpltongue]

Ha . Yeah I'm definitely breaking it down a lot. My DD is a bit OCD when it comes to training. She has to know the whole plan and what we are going to do. She hated when I wouldn't share the practice plan with her
Unfortunately she has been taught bad mechanics by me. I watched YouTube videos and taught her the "hello elbow" method so now I need to de-train her. First 2 days throwing underhand she kept externally rotating her hand on release to get her hand in the bowling position. It's going to be a bit of an uphill trip


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[mothgirl]

Oh ok, well looks like you are well informed now, she will do fine, sounds like you've got a good plan.

 

[trpltongue]

It took about 45 minutes today but she finally got about 80% of the lock it in drill. She was overthinking things and not letting her body react naturally but I think things finally clicked and the last 5 tosses were perfect with proper spin and arm position so we called it a day .

We will pick it up again tomorrow and work on "catching the whip".


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[AUtiger98]

Thanks for this thread and providing your plan. I'm going to use it too and I'll let you know how it works. My DD played in a 10U Rec league this year and the pitching was horrible. She is a 9yr. old and wants to learn so her team can win next year. I started on a few of these drills this week and she picked them up well. We're going to work hard this summer and play Fall Ball for experience. My DD is a perfectionist too.

As baseball pitching coach I like how BM laid out the IR method.

 

[trpltongue]

Thanks! I hope (and think) it is a logical progression. The most difficult so far is keeping her focus. She wants to move to the whole pitch motion straight away and of course her "dad coach" is never to be believed. It's funny how kids will blindly follow what a stranger called coach says, but fight and argue what a coach called dad says.


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