Teaching Step Back

[Vertigo]

She was sliding her foot back a little.

Actually, let me think about that - no sliding back - she would keep her right heel down on the front of the rubber and lift her toes up off the ground, then as she started her drive would go back down on her toes and push off.

 

[Vertigo]

She was sliding her foot back a little.

Actually, let me think about that - no sliding back - she would keep her right heel down on the front of the rubber and lift her toes up off the ground, then as she started her drive would go back down on her toes and push off.

Dd changed her feet during the season last year - she used to slide back a little but now picks her toes up off the ground while the heel remains in contact with the rubber.

ETA: Similar to Miranda Elish if you watch her feet.

 

[Fury_Mike]

Dd started working on it with her PC yesterday. She used to be one of those pitchers who would just barely have her right heel touching the front of the rubber and left toe barely touching the back of the rubber (RHP). She has long legs so she did this be able to get a better drive and weight shift while remaining legal. Now she starts with her left leg about 2 inches behind the rubber. She states it helps her feel more balanced going into her drive. She transitioned successfully in one lesson.

I'm getting the same feedback from my older (especially taller) pitchers

 

[BlaineAB]

Coming from a track and field background, I've been perplexed by some pitchers opting not to use the pitching rubber as a starting block as much as they could. Having just the heel of the drive foot touching the rubber means your driving 100% off the ground.
There's a reason sprinters use a block.

Yeah, lots of difference in styles in terms of drive, but it would be interesting to see some sort of force measurement between driving off the rubber vs. driving off the ground.

 

[Vertigo]

I’d say the rubber is only an advantage if there is a hole in front of it that the pitcher can get her toe into to create more of a push from against the rubber. DD’s HS field and most of the HS’s she plays against have the rubber flush with the ground.

 

[Vertigo]

Here is dd’s HS field’s rubber.

 

[Vertigo]

When there is a hole in front of the rubber the whole front part of her foot sinks into it and she uses it to drive from.

 

[BlaineAB]

Could always take a few seconds and use those nice metal cleats to create a gap between the rubber and ground if they're flush.

 

[Vertigo]

Ha! Believe me, she’s tried! They have clay bricks underneath that dirt. That circle doesn’t even get a divet from the pitchers’ drag.