Quest for More Speed....

[Ken B]

Welcome home!

Any luck getting some video to post? How well do her pitches work? Very cool of her to leap in at her age. Not many have the guts to make the jump. I have no doubt that she has more speed in her. Post a video from the side (preferably in slo-mo) and I'm sure you'll get some help here. DFP is the best of it's kind--even with it's share of occasional bad advice, ego and disagreement.


Ken

 

[coach james]

Speed is nice, but movement is better.
I would rather my dd max out at 55+/- but have a HUGE break on her curve or drop!
There's no way to get timing down on a drop that cuts 9" at 60mph! Just something to consider...

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

First off; Thank you for your service.

I assume you are familiar with the saying: "Improvize, overcome and adapt" and the classification of "Top Secret, EYES ONLY".

With due respect to some who would like you to believe that any secret to pitching faster would be spread widely and everyone would be talking about it, that is not an accurate statemment. The secret to gaining an immediate speed increase IS out there and has been available since I published it in 2002. It is also in my newest book.

There are many old VHS tapes, newer books and DVDs out there on pitching advice. They all can be educational. Many of them, people talk them up all the time and recommend them highly. The reason for that is simple; They are not worried about any pitcher getting that information because NONE OF IT WILL EVER THREATEN THEIR KIDS PITCHING TIME.

Seldom will you EVER see or hear anyone talking about MY book.

People treat my advice alot differently, they treat it like it is confidential information. They practice what I teach at home and then put it into practice during their games. Then they find out just how effective it is and after that, the book never leaves the house and they never talk about it to anyone ever again, not even in an open forum.

Do you want to send her out to do battle with the exact same 'Talk of the town' information and weapons all the others have? Or would you gather up intel and send her out with Top Secret information and Secret Weapons.

There is a simple exercise in my book that will allow her to pitch faster immediately.

I have several statements on my site.

Here is another thread on the same topic. http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/11472-pitching-faster-physical-mental-thing.html

The choice is yours.

Coach Hal

Bowling???

 

[Coletrain]

Sounds like your doing everything right... I coach HS and a 14u travel ball club. In my experience... I've found that the legs are the secrete to unleashing the extra mph's. Make sure she is driving out HARD at a 45 degree angle off the rubber. And landing on a firm, strong front leg. This will create a strong down force to help "whip" the arm through the hips. Note: keeping a loose elbow usually adds 1or 2 mph. As far as her exercise... focus on legs every other day and core exercises daily.

What do you do to help the girls learn to keep the front leg strong? My dd is having a problem with that. Thanks!

 

[coach james]

There are drills that will help her understand what the firm front leg should feel like. Stand in the open k position at a curb or a block of wood (something to elevate the ball of her foot several inches above her heel), with the heel of her foot on the ground and the ball of her foot on whatever. Perform a weight transfer onto the front leg by shifting forward... because of the foot angle, her body weight will come right back. At that moment...she needs to remember that isolated feeling throughout her front leg.
Basically its a matter of keeping the body weight centered (nose above your belly button)as she is landing the stride ... this is accomplished by resisting your momentum with your front leg. Push back with front leg as the windmill motion is around 2o clock in an effort to create more of a whip.

 

[bigdaddy]

Thank you for your service and welcome home! My guess is your daughter will pick up a few mph's just having you safe and at home.

Here's what I did when my dd hit a speed rut. First, I studied the mechanics of smaller women who threw very hard. Ueno from Japan comes to mind. I downloaded her video into QuickTime and analyzed it frame by frame. Second, I got my hands on as much video of elite male pitchers as I could find. Third, I added oly lifts to dd's workout regimen. Not full lifts, but things like clean high pulls, power cleans, heavy kettle bell swings, prowler sled stuff, etc. More explosive stuff.

 

[JFK]

Well, thanks for all of the input.
I have an 11 min video on her berecrited profile - and it's game footage. But I have that only accessible to registered coaches.
Hmmmm....trying to see what I can do. We're getting together a skills video; maybe I could post then?

 

[Ken B]

A couple cell phone clips from the side and another from the back would be ok. If you have one of the newer point-n-shoot cameras, check to see if it has a slo-mo option. The Canon ELPH PowerShot cameras have it and for the $, they're well worth it. (Early Christmas gift?!)

 

[halskinner]

Bowling???

Nope, that would be a sport, not an exercise.