Starting motion

[quincy]

I am new to all this and am unfortunately working with multiple girls/ parents on their pitching.

I have been reading a lot of books, watching videos, reading internet sites, etc.

I have been trying to break a few girls of bring both arms over their head to start their pitching motion. I would like them to start by just dropping their pitching arm back, to about parallel to the ground, I have other battles to fight and I am not sure this is an important one.

Some resources say they should bring their arms over their head, other say they should not. I am so confused.

Any input/ thoughts would be appreciated

 

[lhowser]

From my experience and I have worked with a good number of kids in the age you are working with it doesn't really matter where they start with those arms. I teach them this mantra regardless of starting position;

Out (push straight out to target whether arms rock back, one arm rocks back or they just push arms out)
Open (hips and shoulders open landing at about a 45 with the foot)
Elbow (on the way down lead with the elbow - arm slightly bent and ball facing third or perhaps even the sky)
Release (whip the forarm by internally rotating to release point and let the wrist snap naturally...not forced)

Out - Open - Elbow - Release

notice I say "release" and not "snap" which i think is a bad cue. that is two cents worth if you are teaching a group of 10 years olds verses a big one on one lesson with the next Jenny Finch.

 

[Lozza]

Starting motion is all **** value. It does NOTHING bar make the pitcher look good. I start with my glove down low around my thigh, then bring my hands above my head and then go into the motion. The 'momentum' argument (I've had coaches tell ME that it gives me momentum, I've told them they're full of it) is nothing to do with the pre-motion. I've watched ALL types of starting motions. Every single pitcher ended up, once they started the motion, in very similar motions.

This is not a hill to die on. If they're more comfortable doing it above their heads, let them! Worry about their mechanics.

For how I start my littlies, I have them hold their glove at breast height, go down and then into the motion. Once their motion is somewhat regular, they're allowed to modify it. But they have to be doing the same motion with some conformity. If they're not, then it's the simple method.

 

[quincy]

Thanks for the replies; this is the best site ever.

 

[Lozza]

I agree with that!

 

[quincy]

What I have found interesting is that a lot of the girl’s push off foot goes way behind their lead foot.

Not sure why but their hips are closed when they deliver the pitch.

I have started putting a nodal down the side of the mound and they still kick it out.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

One thing that I wanted to add about raising the arms above the head - My DD started doing that for some reason and it contributed to a shoulder injury, because she was going so high that it was hyperextending the shoulder on every pitch. I explain to the girls that the shoulder has enough work to do, without doing it twice on each pitch.

Probably your pitchers pre motion will change throughout their career, before they really adopt one.

 

[starsnuffer]

I don't think it does much. Only thing I can tell you is that when my daughter watched Bill Hillhouse's video she thought what he said had merit and immediately went outside and taught herself how to open with her ball hand tucked in her glove the whole time. I think this helped her keep her arm relaxed, which was huge given my daughter is doublejointed so when her arm is "locked out" it actually bends backwards quite a bit (about 200 degrees as opposed to 180).

The even better news was that she paid attention to the rest of the video and spent the next hour learning how to do a sprinter's start off the rubber.

Anyway, I think there is merit in keeping the ball hidden from the hitter for as long as possible, so there you go.

-W

 

[bigboyk]

I have noticed that the starting motion seems to affect the timing of release for my DD. I can sit on my bucket and tell the person next to me when she is going to throw one in the dirt. She normally raises arms to eye level to begin motion, if she leaves the hands lower the ball will go low 90% of the time. I have pointed this out to her coach and he has seen this happen and will correct her when this starts to happen. You will see a lot of weird and different starting motions, but I think it is critical to get one and stick with it. No two motions are exactly the same, just as no two golf swings are the same.

 

[quincy]

I am pretty open to how a pitcher starts their motion but I am firm that it should be the same thing every time.

Every pitcher seems to be different.

My DD starts moving her feet up and down, pitcher 2 starts by putting the ball in her mitt, pitcher 3 starts by dropping her hands, etc.

I am working with 1 particular girl that starts her windup 3 or 4 different ways, drives me nuts. I do not know how she thinks she can get her timing down doing it so many different ways.