The glove side arm circle

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Mar 8, 2017
78
8
Posted many times here, there was a show in Japan on Ueno, and more specifically her coach. In it, he repeatedly does this drill:



In trying to distinguish between absolutes and styles, I'm wondering if the role of the glove arm is more vital than I've ever thought? I've heard it mentioned plenty, Coach Pauly does a "pull together" drill, and there's always concern that excessive swim can cause many different problems, but does it go beyond that?

giphy.gif


Ueno uses her glove arm in the same circular motion as her throwing arm. As she brings the glove into motion, it nearly reaches her real delt before completing a circle nearly identical to the arm circle of her throwing side.

Considering Ueno is widely considered one of the true elite pitchers (if not best in the world), and she does it without the leverage advantage of some of the 6'+ American's, is the glove side something American coaches have overlooked, or am I just overthinking this looking for some slight advantage that my DD can use to max out her god given talent?
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
I think it's a key component of a good drive. Use the glove to get out, get open and to help power the release.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
I read your question as, "Should my DD work on perfecting her glove hand motion."

Unless your DD is one of the world's elite pitchers, you are chasing unicorns. Rick's stuff about adduction and Boardmember's explanation of adduction works great for almost all pitchers.

Pitchers benefit the most from perfecting posture, leg drive, and throwing arm mechanics. Once they get a good motion, they work on control and movement.

If your DD is trying to make the 2020 Olympic team and can devote 24x7 to pitching, then she should try to perfect the glove hand movement.

If your DD is not, her time is better spent working on control, movement and leg drive.
 
Mar 8, 2017
78
8
Unless your DD is one of the world's elite pitchers, you are chasing unicorns. Rick's stuff about adduction and Boardmember's explanation of adduction works great for almost all pitchers.

Pitchers benefit the most from perfecting posture, leg drive, and throwing arm mechanics. Once they get a good motion, they work on control and movement.

If your DD is trying to make the 2020 Olympic team and can devote 24x7 to pitching, then she should try to perfect the glove hand movement.

If your DD is not, her time is better spent working on control, movement and leg drive.

This is the type of attitude that limits athletes IMO.

I never made an Olympic team, but I trained with several who did, and it was always my goal to emulate the best. Whether our daughters play rec, TB, JV or D1 really doesn't make it less important, as parents, we can be proud of whatever achievements they earn.

It may not be important, but if we could speak Japanese, we might feel differently considering Ueno's Coach seems to think the drill is worth practicing.

Here's more footage featuring drills with similar emphasis on creating dual arm circles.


[video]https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z_oXJeXxUC8[/video]

Also, control, movement and leg drive are definite absolutes, all our girls will spend countless hours working towards mastering those skills. The path the glove takes is relatively simple and doesn't inhibit growth in those areas.
 
Last edited:

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Let's be clear...I believe that proper glove hand movement will improve a pitcher. However, the question is always, "Is the time spent worth the gain?"

For most kids (and most kids never pitch in college), the time is better spent working on posture, leg drive and arm circle.


control, movement and leg drive are definite absolutes, all our girls will spend countless hours working towards mastering those skills.

You have rec pitchers who spend "countless hours" mastering control and movement? I need to go see some of your rec league games.
 
Mar 8, 2017
78
8
Let's be clear...I believe that proper glove hand movement will improve a pitcher. However, the question is always, "Is the time spent worth the gain?"

For most kids (and most kids never pitch in college), the time is better spent working on posture, leg drive and arm circle.




You have rec pitchers who spend "countless hours" mastering control and movement? I need to go see some of your rec league games.

You'd be surprised, our rec league is extremely competitive.

Our 10U fall ball had enough girls for 10 teams. Not spring, but fall. Last year we had two 8u pitchers mixing in changeups.

Some areas in Southern California take it pretty serious.
 
May 23, 2012
365
18
Eastlake, OH
This is the type of attitude that limits athletes IMO.

I never made an Olympic team, but I trained with several who did, and it was always my goal to emulate the best. Whether our daughters play rec, TB, JV or D1 really doesn't make it less important, as parents, we can be proud of whatever achievements they earn.

It may not be important, but if we could speak Japanese, we might feel differently considering Ueno's Coach seems to think the drill is worth practicing.

Here's more footage featuring drills with similar emphasis on creating dual arm circles.


[video]https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z_oXJeXxUC8[/video]

Also, control, movement and leg drive are definite absolutes, all our girls will spend countless hours working towards mastering those skills. The path the glove takes is relatively simple and doesn't inhibit growth in those areas.

Not exactly fair. This site is the best free resource for parents needing to better understand pitching. <!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention -->
@<u><a href="https://www.discussfastpitch.com/member.php?u=332" target="_blank">sluggers</a></u>
<!-- END TEMPLATE: dbtech_usertag_mention --> did suggest where to find more info on adduction and offered some advice from experience and knowledge. If you watch video of high lever pitchers, they are not as symmetrical as Ueno in that clip. Maybe that's why he phrased his response as such. My DD pitching coach encourages symmetry but it wasn't the first thing we addressed and we don't stop practice if it doesn't happen perfectly.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Most 10U rec pitchers never make it past 14U so time is best spent on what is most important. Before you start chasing 1% improvements you need to be somewhere North of 80. Even for a stud 10U pitcher that is already probably bringing 60's heat and has mastered 7 pitches, I would probably be spending time on perfecting the basic skills.
 
Last edited:

osagedr

Canadian Fastpitch Dad
Oct 20, 2016
280
28
Kid from around here; total 10U stud; now at 14U can't get a callback to the second day of tryouts for the top team.

A-hole parents most of the issue, but the kid has not progressed that much either.
 

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