Switching to IR

[Djubs]

Ok so here's the facts about transitioning to I/R and the trap that parents and well meaning PC's create for their students.

They begin to train the proper throwing motion using drills designed to reinforce throwing with proper mechanics. The kid begins to show SOME progress in understanding the throwing motion, but the motion is still somewhat forced as the learning of the feel for it is still new to the body. And BOOM, he puts her on the mound and says PITCH using that motion. This is the biggest mistake one can make when learning to throw the ball underhand with proper mechanics WITH THE EVENTUAL GOAL OF BECOMING A PITCHER.

It is akin to teaching a kid to ride a bike, and when he/she gets 10 feet without falling over, sticking a passenger one the back and saying go for it! When instead, the student should continue to practice riding until she has complete control of the skill and only then cutting her loose to ride freely on her own without crashing.

This student is SO very close to her body developing an understanding of the throwing motion, but she's in no way ready to jump on the mound in a full motion, let along adding whatever that jump back thing she's doing.

Keep her from pitching until she can throw the ball to you from 20ft, 30ft, and 40ft, ACCURATELY and with velocity, with the same comfortable RELAXED motion underhanded as she does overhanded. She won't get it completely until that happens. In fact, she'll struggle trying to figure out how to throw the ball properly with all the distractions of the complete pitching motion.

This kid is SO very close. Don't wreck it for her by trying to make her pitch before she knows how to throw the ball properly with ease.

NO ONE should give you advise on the pitching motion until that happens.

Sorry guys and gals, but these are the facts. Can someone post a clip of their fairly accomplished student playing catch underhand for this dad? James?

He/she needs to see it. It will accelerate her learning curve tremendously......

This kid has talent. Lots of it. Let's help bring her along properly so she can thrive as a pitcher.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. When she got home from school today, we read through this post together. She is very eager to learn and has agreed to stay off the mound until she learns to throw underhand correctly. I will have to police myself as well because it is exciting to see your own daughter pitching.

We went to the park afterwards and spent about an hour just throwing underhand. At first, she was trying to move her hips out of the way and use her shoulder to "muscle" the ball to me. After repeating several times "keep your arm close to your body", "relax your shoulders", and "keep your 4 points stable/calm" it looked like she was doing it more natural and relaxed. Should we start doing the drills in the "IR in the classroom" while we practice throwing under hand or should we primarily focus on just throwing under hand for now? As I mentioned, it looked like, to me anyways, that she is throwing pretty accurately and relaxed underhand after an hour or so and then it got to the point where she became bored with it. I'm thinking that if we can slowly incorporate them drills in her practice, it will make it more fun to keep her focused on what she is doing.

When she read the last line of the comment above her face lit up like it did the first time she struck someone out, so thank you for that. We greatly appreciate the feedback and look forward to progressing into a #1 pitcher. Thanks again for all the comments/feedback.

 

[BoardMember]

She needs to know how talented she is. So good for her. As far as playing catch underhand, an hour is pushing the envelope of anyone's attention span. So yes, break it up. Do some drills in between throwing to reinforce the feeling. She is WAY BEYOND lock it in. But no one is beyond breaking things down to 9:00 for example, to work on ball up, elbow bent and relaxed, so do some of those. Then let her take it up to 12:00 and work on snapping it forcibly but relaxed like this young lady.....

It is during a slightly more aggressive drill motion that she know when it's right because the ball will zip out of her hand effortlessly. And she'll go OH! I felt that one! And you'll know when it's right because you'll be surprised when the velocity doesn't match the effort. It will catch you off guard at times for exactly the reason I just stated. THE VELOCITY WILL BE MUCH HIGHER THEN THE APPARENT EFFORT.

And that will happen more often when she plays catch for a little while, then turns to some drills and gets things focused back in on the mechanics of throwing the ball underhand with internal rotation.

So yes, break it up. Hell you can even set up some 9 and 12 drills that are focused on throwing to "phantom batters" and hitting spots to strike em out. And those phantom sessions don't have to be from full distance. They can be from shorter distance because the motion is abbreviated in the drills as well.

Playing catch should be alternated between throwing from 9:00, and 12:00, and 3/4 circles, and full circles as well.

Keep it fun. Keep it loose. Then tighten it up with some higher effort drills.

Have fun and enjoy her progress. She will love it as she figures out how bust it off with 1/2 the effort.

 

[FastPitchCat]

It is during a slightly more aggressive drill motion that she know when it's right because the ball will zip out of her hand effortlessly. And she'll go OH! I felt that one! And you'll know when it's right because you'll be surprised when the velocity doesn't match the effort. It will catch you off guard at times for exactly the reason I just stated. THE VELOCITY WILL BE MUCH HIGHER THEN THE APPARENT EFFORT.


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BM,
when throwing it correctly, will you feel some 'pressure' (not sure if that's the right description) on the forearm as energy traverses from the upper arm -> forearm -> wrist -> fingers ->to the ball?

 

[BoardMember]

BM,
when throwing it correctly, will you feel some 'pressure' (not sure if that's the right description) on the forearm as energy traverses from the upper arm -> forearm -> wrist -> fingers ->to the ball?

You will feel some pressure in the forearm and wrist as they work to stabilize the torque created by the weight of the ball against angular momentum and centrifugal force. The resistance to those forces is what creates I/R, and pronation of the forearm and wrist are a result of the added mass/weight of the ball leaving the hand while that resistance is still active.

 

[BoardMember]

When we watch Sarah performing this "throw", we can feel how, by positioning the balls mass/weight outside and above the circle, her forearm and wrist are resisting the torque and centrifugal force that is created. When the ball leaves her hand before the resistance ends, the result is pronation of the forearm to dissipate the stored energy.

 

[FastPitchCat]

When we watch Sarah performing this "throw", we can feel how, by positioning the balls mass/weight outside and above the circle, her forearm and wrist are resisting the torque and centrifugal force that is created. When the ball leaves her hand before the resistance ends, the result is pronation of the forearm to dissipate the stored energy.

i just love physics DD's getting there, but she refuses to 'like' physics
thanks!

 

[Djubs]

DD is struggling to keep the ball up at 9 o'clock. Is there anything else I can try to help it sink in? She does all the drills in the IR on a daily basis but anytime she starts her pitch above 9'oclock her hand immediately wants to turn to 3rd base. I have tried it myself and although I have to think about it the entire time, I am able to keep my palm up but she is having a tough time being able to do it. The only thing I can think is she is doing something else in her pitch that is preventing her from being able to keep her palm up (getting too open, not opening enough, etc..). Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you go about correcting it. I feel like we are doing more harm than good moving on without fixing this first.

 

[javasource]

Give her a cue that is closer to her body and subsequently easier to control... keep your elbow pointed towards the ground.

 

[Djubs]

Here is a video of her progress. I really feel like she has progressed a lot in terms of the drills and can't wait to see how she does from the mound. I don't feel like she is quite there yet so we are going to continue with the drills. I believe she is still positioning the ball more towards 3rd however, I'm just hoping it will sink in as we progress. Thank you all for the feedback.

https://youtu.be/hEycCB21PrQ