step across powerline.

[Rick Pauly]

Couple comments on this topic.
I used to teach stepping/striding across the PL. It does three things: 1) it sets up some "throwing angle" which IMO creates one more variable for the hitter to deal with 2) it encourages IR which is especially great for downward or horizontal moving pitches. 3) for a horizontal pitch like a curveball it really helps give the illusion of massive ball movement.
Now rather then teaching a step across I encourage the pitcher (RHP) to start with their foot position more to the right side of the rubber (see Doug Gillis's starting position in video above).....from this position the pitcher doesn't really need to step across....they simply perform a normal straight stride which actually sets up the angle. This method eliminates the potential for the pitcher to get out of balance because of the cross stride action.
One other potential advantage to this starting foot position......in the women's game it is becoming increasingly prevalent to throw inside or to throw what is known as "backdoor".....this added throwing angle certainly helps these type of pitches.
Relative to the Monica Abbott video clips....her "step across" IMO would be more to the extreme end of the spectrum....if your DD is being encouraged to step across more than what you see Abbott doing I would guess it will result in some out of balance issues.
Many instructors teach their students to stride in the direction they are throwing......IMO that is less then optimal.....that leaves almost no throwing angle. Visualize trying to throw a curve when striding in the direction you are throwing....not much space left for a curving action to catch the edge of the zone.
My general rule is to stride the opposite direction you are throwing...."all things in moderation".

 

[Phathead]

Rick we attended your clinic reently. Good stuff by the way. Problem is like i.said school pc wants the step and shoulder while paid PC echoes you more on quite body and shoulder. We have spent a lot of time correcting shoulder throwing moving to more whip throwing.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Just checked out the thread on Sidney Littlejohns curveball. Note her foot starting position and stride foot landing to the right of the PL. I think this is very effective......much of what people are seeing as massive ball movement is really "throwing angle". I do think she gets way above average spin rate and spin axis....combine that with angle and you see the end result.

 

[Rick Pauly]

Rick we attended your clinic reently. Good stuff by the way. Problem is like i.said school pc wants the step and shoulder while paid PC echoes you more on quite body and shoulder. We have spent a lot of time correcting shoulder throwing moving to more whip throwing.

You are describing what I call Body English.....a very poor transfer of energy when the shoulders or hips are moving while trying to release a pitch. Hope you can overcome the situation DD is in.

 

[Phathead]

Rick,
Thanks for encouraging words and well put.. I prefer her to imitate the best.

 

[JAD]

My DD will step to the left or right of the power line depending on the pitch thrown....but the steps are subtle, maybe a couple inches one way or the other. Exaggerated steps and twists of the torso will cause back and shoulder problems.

 

[Rocketech1]

Rick - how do you reconcile the thought to stride/step differently based on the type of pitch with the concept (Hillhouse) that the mechanics of every pitch should generally look the same so as not to tip off the batter (e.g. striding across the powerline to throw the curve; vs striding left of the powerline to throw the screwball inside, etc.)? Secondly, do the men stride differently based on pitch type?

 

[Ken B]

Hijack warning...

Just checked out the thread on Sidney Littlejohns curveball. Note her foot starting position and stride foot landing to the right of the PL. I think this is very effective......much of what people are seeing as massive ball movement is really "throwing angle". I do think she gets way above average spin rate and spin axis....combine that with angle and you see the end result.

Cat uses brush for her CB and it appears to be very effective. Littlejohn (according to Amanda Scarborough) says that making sure her elbow clears her hip is a key to her CB. What are your thoughts on brush vs clearing the hip for a good CB?

 

[Rick Pauly]

Hijack warning...



Cat uses brush for her CB and it appears to be very effective. Littlejohn (according to Amanda Scarborough) says that making sure her elbow clears her hip is a key to her CB. What are your thoughts on brush vs clearing the hip for a good CB?

Well if I have to pick one over the other I am picking Cat......her curveball breaks sharper then anyone's I've seen.....barely anyone is a close second. Also, she routinely can throw it 63-64 mph plus she can throw it offspeed at around 54mph....and she can locate both better then anyone. I believe one of her biggest keys to this type of performance lies in her great brush interference. She really transfers energy efficiently.
Littlejohn as shown in the pic below gets a less then optimal (IMO) brush interference. However you will note she doesn't appear to be "clearing her elbow". She does make the ball move no doubt....my recollection is that she max's out at about 58mph....could be a function of less then optimal energy transfer.
Another issue I worry about particularly on the curveball is the health of the elbow joint....I would be concerned with the angularity and gap I see in LJ's curve release.


To RT's question.....I think there is a huge strength difference between men and women and therefore the added throwing angle is more of a need for women then men....plus, men do have a few extra feet for ball movement to happen. The foot position/landing position I teach would be nearly identical for every pitch except the screwball....as RT has suggested. Unless the pitcher makes some grotesque leap to the left side for a screwball I don't think it is that identifiable.
I haven't been to a men's game in many years......only see on youtube what they are doing these days, but......holy leaping Lena...they don't really resemble what I know as fastpitch pitching. I guess the game has "evolved"......as a fastpitch purist I have difficulty with what I see.
Bill Hillhouse and I see eye to eye on 99.9% of what is important in pitching....I'll have to ask him about the difference in landing positions when we team up in Indiana. That conversation should be good for at least a couple brews.

 

[STRIKE3]

Couple comments on this topic.
I used to teach stepping/striding across the PL. It does three things: 1) it sets up some "throwing angle" which IMO creates one more variable for the hitter to deal with 2) it encourages IR which is especially great for downward or horizontal moving pitches. 3) for a horizontal pitch like a curveball it really helps give the illusion of massive ball movement.
Now rather then teaching a step across I encourage the pitcher (RHP) to start with their foot position more to the right side of the rubber (see Doug Gillis's starting position in video above).....from this position the pitcher doesn't really need to step across....they simply perform a normal straight stride which actually sets up the angle. This method eliminates the potential for the pitcher to get out of balance because of the cross stride action.
One other potential advantage to this starting foot position......in the women's game it is becoming increasingly prevalent to throw inside or to throw what is known as "backdoor".....this added throwing angle certainly helps these type of pitches.
Relative to the Monica Abbott video clips....her "step across" IMO would be more to the extreme end of the spectrum....if your DD is being encouraged to step across more than what you see Abbott doing I would guess it will result in some out of balance issues.
Many instructors teach their students to stride in the direction they are throwing......IMO that is less then optimal.....that leaves almost no throwing angle. Visualize trying to throw a curve when striding in the direction you are throwing....not much space left for a curving action to catch the edge of the zone.
My general rule is to stride the opposite direction you are throwing...."all things in moderation".

Was watching some video of Abbott, Gabbie Plain, and Paige Lowary tonight. They all step across the power line. Agree with Rick that it encourages IR for downward and horizontal movement. Thought it was worth a bump.