Show it and throw it drill

[Mike]

Daughter is getting pretty smooth at the 9oclock 3oclock, ready to add show it and throw it. As I understand it, the pitcher starts sidways with mitt and throwing hand together in gathered position, rocks up to 12 oclock shows the catcher the ball and throws it. Question, what is the movement of the lower half? does she start with feet together and leap and drag? feet static?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[coachdan]

Front foot goes up with the arm/ball and comes down when the arm/ball comes down. Go up together and down together.

 

[Coach JV]

If they do not go 'up together, down together' she is
"out of synch" this can lead to a mountain of mechanical flaws
in delivery

 

[Mike]

There are some drills where the feet are shoulder width or more apart and only the upper body is used, I was wandering if this was one of those drills? I'm thinking start with the feet together, stride out at the same time the throwing hand brings the ball up the back side to the show it part, from this point you are in mid stride, front leg up and pivot foot dragging and the rest is like a regular pitch. Am I close?

 

[stemcellsrock]

A drill, where the pitcher is already in her sideways (open) position, lift her front foot and back down to resemble weight shift that occurs in pitch.

Weight on back foot (representing push off - pivot foot), as arm goes up so does the front foot to resemble stride, then as it comes down, so is the arm in the downswing, weight then shifts to front foot once it lands. Not sure if that makes sense, the way I typed it, but it helps with the weight shirt and timing of upper body and lower body while primarily working on the upper body mechanics. Really you are never in a centered weight position as once the motion starts, our weight is on the front (pivot, push off foot), while the back (stride leg/foot) is now in stride. Once the stride foot lands, the weight is off of pivot/push off foot dragging behind in contact with the ground.

Good luck, hope this helped!!

 

[Mike]

stemcell,
re-read your post, 2nd paragraph, 3rd line down half way over. My girls aren't having this problem

 

[3DD'sDAD]

Mike:
If you are referring to Boardmember's "Show it and Throw it" you should read his expanation of this drill in his explanation of Internal Rotation in another Thread. He refers to the drill "as the best drill in Fastpitch...IMO"

 

[BoardMember]

Daughter is getting pretty smooth at the 9oclock 3oclock, ready to add show it and throw it. As I understand it, the pitcher starts sidways with mitt and throwing hand together in gathered position, rocks up to 12 oclock shows the catcher the ball and throws it. Question, what is the movement of the lower half? does she start with feet together and leap and drag? feet static?

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, there are 2 basic versions of my "show it and throw it" drill.

Both versions have the pitcher standing with her feet just wider then shoulder width apart, weight balanced 50/50 between the feet. The rear foot 90 degrees to the target, and the front foot about 45 degrees to the target. Hands either hanging at the sides, or gathered in front of the body. Makes no difference for the purpose of the drill.

The first version has the pitcher begin by making these 2 motions together: Rock the arm up the back of the circle to the "show it" position while simaltaneously pushing back against the ground with the ball of the lead foot and lifting the heal of the lead foot BY POINTING IT like a balerina. This will shift the weight to 90% on the rear leg. Ball/toes of the lead foot still touching the ground, heel lifted. These moves will cause a weight shift over the rear leg as the ball reaches the top of the circle. And the lead foot maintaining contact with the ground will keep her from shifting TOO MUCH over the back leg......

Then, during the "throw it" phase, shift the weight toward the front side and simply perform a gradual "heel plant" move with the front foot so the heel plants JUST PRIOR to release. THIS TIMING IS CRITICAL. It's NOT PLANT SHIFT SNAP........It's SHIFT PLANT SNAP.......

It's SO important to understand that plant accelerates release whip......It's NOT SOMETHING TO PULL AGAINST FROM THE TOP.........

When the pitcher gets comfortable with this abbreviated version. Simply do exactly the same thing, but add a forward stride with the lead leg into plant, maintaining the same timing of PLANT-SNAP......NOT PLANT-PULL FROM THE TOP..........

This timing is critical, will help SO MUCH with the pitcher learning how to keep her weight slightly over her rear leg during the leg drive phase, instead of bending forward or getting over the front leg.....Which KILLS the stretch and whip......

Don't lift the front foot off the ground during the "show it" phase..........Simply transfer the weight to the rear leg with the push/point of the front foot.......

Another CRITICAL position of the "show it" phase is to allow the arm to bend slightly over the top toward the catcher just outside the shoulder socket, with the ball facing the catcher. The wrist should DROP FORWARD toward the catcher at the top, completing the "C" shape of the arm, and should NOT BE FLEXED OPEN showing the ball to the sky.........The downswing should start with the wrist bent slightly forward but relaxed, to insure the draw down of the swing is a pulling action with the wrist joint leading, not a pushing down action with the wrist "cupped open".......

Hope this helps.........

 

[Mike]

THIS TIMING IS CRITICAL. It's NOT PLANT SHIFT SNAP........It's SHIFT PLANT SNAP.......

does this have something to do with a previous disagreement about hand/ ball position when the front foot plants, whipping post vs. pulling post?

What should the back foot do after release? drag forward, pivot up, anything?

This was the response I was looking for. Thank You.

Mike

 

[Sponge]

Boardmember,

Ive watched my daughter and have had a question on the wrist position/wrist snap for awhile just wasnt sure how to word it. From your
explanation above it sounds like you dont cock the wrist straight back at all. Like practicing flips. My daughter looks like she cocks it back and
sidewars...as if she was pulling her thumb back up the inside of her forearm. Kinda sideways and back. I assumed it was due to coming down prior to release the ball/palm is facing away from her towards thirs and this would be a natural snap. Is that not correct. Your explaination seems
to say just a half cock straight back but not until the downswing?

Hope some of that makes sense......Thanks