Straight Arm all the way through release - Please Help!

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Jun 13, 2011
53
6
Yea she has a hard time feeling it with elbow stuck to side but when she takes it back a little it seems to be better but you can see it looks like she wants to straighten that arm out and use her body/shoulders to turn. Her spin also was much better so maybe she was getting it a little bit.
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,767
113
Pac NW
I'm going to tentatively disagree with JJ about starting palm up. One thing to try when locking the elbow is to think more about pulling of the ball down through release. The opposite is thinking about wanting to "throw" or push the ball. Think pull, and try to keep the back of the hand leading all the way to 6 o'clock, but allow the arm to do what it wants and allow the ball to whip out of the hand. I see Lauren trying to make whip and I/R happen rather than allow it to happen.

Another tool that might help her feel a loose and natural whip is to use this progression:
-No ball: hold both arms in the air above the head with the elbows flexed, wrists relaxed and hands pointing at each other (google: "ballet fifth position")
-Relax and allow them to fall to the sides several times. Work towards being completely limp/relaxed.
-Once you see the arms falling completely relaxed, continue, but have the throwing arm drop past the front of the hip and the glove arm still slaps against the side. It may help to ask them think palm up as the arm falls. (Be looking for the hand to spin very quickly from about 7 to 5 o’clock very quickly/loosely--but don’t tell them this other than a reminder to stay loose, let the back of the hand lead and let the hand do its own thing at the bottom.)
-When she’s got the arm looking like a wet noodle, add a ball and focus on gripping the ball lightly enough to keep in the hand until it falls out at the bottom.
-Play around with this until you see the ball being whipped out of the hand and no sign of throwing.

This doesn’t replace lock, unlock, etc., but might be a helpful tool in getting the feel of allowing whip to happen vs making it happen.



Hope that helps,
Ken
 
Last edited:
Feb 3, 2010
5,767
113
Pac NW
Did a search and here's a pitcher getting criticized for having her hand behind the ball (the thread was about whether she was HE (some said no), and it appears in these threads that hand behind the ball causes or is equal to HE, and the original poster marvels that she could be successful this way, ie, with HE/hand behind the ball.) This are several posts like this on this board.

Whip, no whip, HE, hand behind the ball aside--that's some good stuff right there! Great clip!
 

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
38
safe in an undisclosed location
don't be tentative....go all in....the reason I say this is because I can't do it that way. Maybe I am not limber enough, or my massive muscle bound shoulders prevent it, Ok fat bound. Anyway I did all of the drills a lot before I forced them on the Kiddio and I cold not do the lock it in with the palm up. I could unlock it with the palm up but the lock it in was just too tight with the palm up. We need el hefe to issue a judgment on this.

Slide1.jpg
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,798
63
don't be tentative....go all in....the reason I say this is because I can't do it that way. Maybe I am not limber enough, or my massive muscle bound shoulders prevent it, Ok fat bound. Anyway I did all of the drills a lot before I forced them on the Kiddio and I cold not do the lock it in with the palm up.

Probably because you were not standing open enough........If you look at me in the lock it in drill, I'm almost sideways from the target.......Trying to get to palm up while the shoulders are not 100% open (90 degees from the target) takes a lot of flexibility.......Young kids have that flexibility.........OLD MEN DON'T.........LOL!

I could unlock it with the palm up but the lock it in was just too tight with the palm up. We need el hefe to issue a judgment on this.

Probably because when you unlock it, and swing it back, your shoulders ARE opening 90 degrees from the target. If you just start that way for this 1/4 circle drill you'll have no problem getting palm up for Lock it in.........
 
Jun 13, 2011
53
6
I'm going to tentatively disagree with JJ about starting palm up. One thing to try when locking the elbow is to think more of a gentle pulling of the ball down through release. The opposite is thinking about wanting to throw the ball. Think pull, and try to keep the back of the hand leading all the way to 6 o'clock, but allow the arm to do what it wants and allow the ball to whip out of the hand. I see Lauren trying to make whip and I/R happen rather than allow it to happen.

Another tool that might help her feel a loose and natural whip is to use this progression:
-No ball: hold both arms in the air above the head with the elbows flexed, wrists relaxed and hands pointing at each other (google: "ballet fifth position")
-Relax and allow them to fall to the sides several times. Work towards being completely limp/relaxed.
-Once you see the arms falling completely relaxed, continue, but have the throwing arm drop past the front of the hip and the glove arm still slaps against the side. It may help to ask them think palm up as the arm falls. (Be looking for the hand to spin very quickly from about 7 to 5 o’clock very quickly/loosely--but don’t tell them this other than a reminder to stay loose, let the back of the hand lead and let the hand do its own thing at the bottom.)
-When she’s got the arm looking like a wet noodle, add a ball and focus on gripping the ball lightly enough to keep in the hand until it falls out at the bottom.
-Play around with this until you see the ball being whipped out of the hand and no sign of throwing.

This doesn’t replace lock, unlock, etc., but might be a helpful tool in getting the feel of allowing whip to happen vs making it happen.



Hope that helps,
Ken



Thanks Ken. I did give her the pull down with back of hand cue which seemed to help. We will try suggestions!
 
Jul 14, 2008
1,798
63
Lauren Lock it in Drill 1013 - YouTube

Does this look right for Lock it in Drill

Goetz, this is very close. Here is are 2 simple corrections for this drill that will help the flow.

First of all, if you notice in my drill, I start at the bottom and swing my arm back to 9:00, keeping my elbow at my side. The swing back creates momentum and overlap that break inertia. Your DD is starting from a static position with the ball up past 9:00 with a bend in the elbow that is too severe. It actually exceeds 90 degrees.

So for her to get things moving, her move is to straighten her arm to a more appropriate bend in the elbow, or about 80-90 degrees. As she straightens her arm, she incorporates it into the throw which turns it into more of a push, especially because she starts from a static position..........

Have her relax her arm at her side, and bring it up to an open angle of to just less then or equal to 90 degrees, and then bring it though the throw. Then the static push and straightening will less of an issue. Things will begin to flow much better.........
 
Jun 13, 2011
53
6
Goetz, this is very close. Here is are 2 simple corrections for this drill that will help the flow.

First of all, if you notice in my drill, I start at the bottom and swing my arm back to 9:00, keeping my elbow at my side. The swing back creates momentum and overlap that break inertia. Your DD is starting from a static position with the ball up past 9:00 with a bend in the elbow that is too severe. It actually exceeds 90 degrees.

So for her to get things moving, her move is to straighten her arm to a more appropriate bend in the elbow, or about 80-90 degrees. As she straightens her arm, she incorporates it into the throw which turns it into more of a push, especially because she starts from a static position..........

Have her relax her arm at her side, and bring it up to an open angle of to just less then or equal to 90 degrees, and then bring it though the throw. Then the static push and straightening will less of an issue. Things will begin to flow much better.........


Ok great I see what you mean. I will have her start from a relaxed position at her side. Thanks for everyones help hopefully she can make some progress on this.
 

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