Throwing in the dirt

[halskinner]

Very unsafe advice

i too have dirt ball issues. at first it was when i released it. my timing of the release was off. now my issue is my body is moving too fast. the coaches always told me "slow body, fast arm". the arm is was gives you the speed. from the moment the arm is raised above the head, to the release point. that is where the speed comes from. everything else is slow. i have seen this proven too. if the body moves faster than it shuld, then timing is off. if the body goes slower, then timing is correct. and to prove that speed comes from when the arm is raised above the head to the release point. have your DD stand facing the catcher. then have her raise her arm over her head. then she must whip her arm down and release the ball. it's normal for the pitcher to go up on the balls of her feet or her toes while doing this. depending on her arm strength the ball mite not go to the catcher...it might be a dirt ball or just be a wicked pitch. when pitching, the body turns 90 degrees and the front foot is facing towards the cather. this helps keep the ball on a straight path. the arm also needs to help with the patch. the arm and wrist need to be straight to keep the ball on a straight path. generally i think her issue is timing. so try having her do her wind up and say "stop". then she must freeze where she's at. this could help with the idea if her body is moving too fast compared to her arm.

The reason your arm is slow, is BECAUSE you have a straight and locked elbow / arm. When you throw with a locked elbow you effectively lock out the larger upper arm muscles from assisting with a faster arm circle. In other words, you are throwing with your shoulder only.

Your stride foot should land at around 45 degrees, halfway open, halfway closed.

I don't know who your instructor has been to this point but they have taught you some very unsafe mechanics.

 

[JBartlett0007]

I am sure there are a thousand different reasons. For my 13U pitching daughter, I find when she starts throwing "dirt balls" she has her weight too far forward (Nose over Toes). This usually happens at the beginning of each practice/lesson. Just reminding her to keep her weight back will bring the pitches up for her.

 

[mkral]

Thank you JBartlett and all the others. We are back at it this week and we have some idea's and a good game plan. I will keep you all posted. I will video her again this week to show her progress or struggle for change. She is fun to work with because she is not afraid to try different things. In fact she embraces them. She wants to get better, she's never satisfied. I love that about her. I need to be a lot more supportive though when she is really rocking and she does not think she is. It sure is hard being a dad / coach / catcher.

 

[golancers]

I most strongly agree with JC. I always tell my girls it's 60/40. 60% legs, 40% arms. Some may say the leg % must be higher. 60/40 is just my opinion.

So if a girl can throw 50mph, and if she stands in the open position and throws using just arm circles, she will only throw 20mph? That would be the 40% of 50mph. I'm not sure that is correct. Most kids I know can get in the open position and if they really use the "internal rotation" whip can throw around 30-35mph if there top cruising speed is 50mph.

 

[softball_chic_12]

Softballchic12- I have to tell you, IMO you are dead wrong about the body/ arm thing. Most of your power & speed comes from your legs, not your arm. You cant get the body exploding foreward to hard. You need to get the bottom working hard first, then make the arm circle adjust for timing.

i know that the power comes from the legs. that's the momentum to get the whole body started. but speed does come from the arm. but it has to be the timing of the arm. from over the head to the release point, the pitcher needs to "whip" her arm. i dont' know if anyone in this forum would know a Barry Lutz or a Randy Derr from PA. they are 2 of my instructors and arguably some of the best male fastpitch pitchers in Lebanon County or PA. while watching them pitch, i paid close attention to the arm speed compared to the body speed. they started out very slow, then when the arm was over their head and they whipped their arm down, and the ball went zooming past the batter. and my arm isn't locked. never said it was. nor did i say my wrist was. i just said they were straight. you can't lock your arm and expect to release the ball at the correct spot or the correct time and i agree, it is unsafe and can cause damage to your arm. but what i meant by having my arm straight, i don't have it crooked and facing outward or however. i've watched one of the pitchers warm up at the high school open gyms. she stands there facing her catcher and raises her arm over her head and whips it down. it gets the timing down for her release point. it also helps build up shoulder muscle, allowing her, over time, to whip her arm faster. thus, giving her speed. when you watch her, you see that she has speed. very good speed, in fact. she isn't always on target though, and that's where the turning of the body comes in. when the body turns, it allows the arm a straight path. then when the pitcher releases the ball at the correct time, and does everything else correctly, the ball will be straight down the middle and into the glove.

 

[FJRGerry]

One tip I picked up from Cherie Kempf's DVD "The Pitching Edge" is to change your focal point if off target high or low. For example, if the pitcher is looking at the glove but hitting the dirt then look at a target above the catcher until the ball starts hitting the glove; at this time readjust your focal point.

Regardng timing, possibly if overthinking trying to throw hard the pitcher increases her premotion speed into the stride then her timing could be off at the release.