Perpelexed on how to increase arm speed (Video)

[Doug Romrell]

She looks pretty good here. In my opinion, she should get that under the ball rather than over it. Why? because she does have a pushing-the-ball issue downstream. Best place to correct it is right here.

In terms of her drive, it's what happens from this point forward that needs some work. First, when she drives out from here, right after here toe leaves the pitching plate, she needs to let that right leg relax some and focus more on a stiffer front side upon landing. This requires relaxing that drag leg some. She's clearly keeping that back leg as stiff as a post as she drags, which contributes to the forward lean at landing and release. Her spine should be tilted, as Pauly always suggests, around 8-degrees back from perpendicular when she lands. If she's throwing a low pitch, she'll want to hinge at the waist so her spine is perpendicular at release. If she's throwing a high pitch, her spine should stay tilted back (i.e., she should maintain the tilt back through release.

Brush-assisted arm-whip.... Tell her that she's avoiding it. She needs to get her landing posture throughout her body such that the elbow of the right arm is going to make contact with her side, followed by the contact that follows starting on the inside of the upper forearm. Tell her to get her release as close to her thigh as possible. If she gets her posture corrected, that should cause brush-assisted arm-whip to happen automatically, as long as she knows she should let it happen rather than avoid it.

 

[Doug Romrell]

As I said, I believe this part of her drive is pretty good. Sure, there are some things here that could be better. For example, she could start toed up to the back of the plate with her left toe, rather than have the front of her left foot on the plate. Also, using the action with her right foot she uses, I think she should start that foot such that she ends up pushing against the front edge of the plate with her big toe. Further, she should start with her weight on her right foot, then go back. One more thing.... and this is being picky..... She could leave the ball in the glove just a hair longer as she brings the glove and ball down (hide the ball a bit more). In spite of these suggestions, she gets her hips moving forward before the peak of her backswing, and that's vital (Just ask Java!). None of these suggestions are major, thus they should be very easy to incorporate.

 

[Doug Romrell]

This next state of her drive look pretty good as well. Aside from the simple things I mentioned in the previous post, there are a few simple things here she could do to make this stage of her drive even better... . First, at the start of this clip, she should be thinking GO!!!!! WITH HER LEGS as if to explode forward away from the ball arm. It's not talk the legs with the arm. It's get the arm going forward by getting the legs going forward first. A bit more explosive GO! from the h will help her hips pop a bit more open than they do. Also... She could poke that glove a hair higher and to the right a little to help get her shoulders to open a bit more. Seems like a lot of things, but none of these things are difficult. So far, they should be simple to focus on and shouldn't disrupt the good that is going on up to this point in her drive. And, I think most of the things I've mentioned will work to get her to be more upright rather than leaned forward, at least it will make it easier to correct the heavy bend forward (coming in the next post).

 

[Doug Romrell]

With this clip, and that drag leg issue (first major issue), I think of that song in the movie Frozen. What is it.....? Oh, Let it go.... Let it gooooo. It's as if she really doesn't want to "let it go," as in let that back leg come forward somewhat loosely. Once she's done her push with that leg (and she's kicked out) that foot pulls away and that leg should just tag along rather than stubbornly come as if being forced begrudgingly. Once that big toe of the push (right) foot pulls away, it's time to relax (rather that keep locked) that back knee. Bring the inside of that knee forward as the lower leg and foot tag along. Like Pauly, I like the initial part of that drag, if not most of it, to be gingerly on the side of the big toe.

I do like how her left foot strikes (hits) the ground. But....

Major issue #2.... What her whole body does upon landing is of major concern. She collapses that front leg and bends forward at the waist, which is what everyone sees as the main issue (I think). She hinges way excessively at her waist resulting in severe disconnection. How else do you say this.... She needs to stop all waist hinging. Now, she'll still get a little when she's thinking she's stopping it as she works on this, but it will greatly improve. When she lands, she needs to think she's hit a wall with her torso. And, she needs to think she's hitting a pole with her right shoulder and right hip as if that pole stops her TALL, with good posture, at roughly 45-degrees in terms of body rotation. Stiffening the leg (no locking) at landing is the first step to that. A second step is to keep her spine up (perpendicular to the ground). Remember, her spine should be tilted back just a bit when she lands. Trying to stop the hinge at the waist will likely have her hinging closer to perpendicular with her spine with the ground. Heck, if she got anywhere near that it would be far superior to the forward bend she's doing now.

Okay, now the major things mentioned here will be her main challenge with her drive mechanics.

As mentioned above, she also needs work getting brush-assisted arm-whip with good IR.

 

[Doug Romrell]

In my opinion, this is what she should have as her goal in terms of what she looks like just after landing...

Notice EVERYTHING! Mainly notice the connection. Note the slight tilt back of her spine. Note the front side resistance. Note the back (right) leg. It's not being stubborn.

Now she will hinge forward a little at the waist, but not much.

View attachment 9692

 

[Carla_IL]

Wow.. I can not begin to say Thank You. This will be a huge help
And gives me a lot to work on


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rick Pauly]

Carla
Doug just gave you a ton of great info!!!!
If your DD is visual, I suggest looking at the pics in the very first post in the sticky thread: Front Side Resistance.
Resistance is almost synonymous with Deceleration. A common fault in pitching instruction is to spend way to my time on Acceleration (creating energy) and way to little time on Deceleration (transfer of energy).
The elite pitchers are just that because they have the innate ability to Accelerate and Decelerate smoothly/seamlessly.

 

[colin]

does the deep waist bend a lot of top pitchers do at the beginning of their drive help minimize bending forward later on near the end of the pitch?

 

[knightsb]

does the deep waist bend a lot of top pitchers do at the beginning of their drive help minimize bending forward later on near the end of the pitch?

IMHO, the deep waist bend is the pitcher's attempt at trying to get the feeling of generating forward momentum. I prefer Javasource's "back to go forward" philosophy, with a slight bend at the waist, to provide the running start. When a pitcher deep bends, they ultimately have to straighten back up.

 

[Tatonka]

Wow, huge props to Doug for a great analysis and providing very solid, easy to understand advice on what to work on! Rick & Knightsb also..gotta love the sharing of knowledge on DFP!! Thank you guys, all of the cues and analysis are helpful to more than just the OP!