Transition to IR causing side arm release

[playersparent]

My daughter has begun the transition to IR. She has pitched for several years, but, topped out her speed at 50mph due to the hello elbow technique she was taught. She has been working on IR for the last 2 months and has successfully changed to leading with elbow with ball facing the sky at 9:00, etc. The problem; however, is that I have noticed she is slightly sidearming the ball at release. She also now has very little control over location. What can she work on to correct this?

 

[Perfect Circle]

playersparent... post a video plz...thx

Facing 3rd ???

EP: oops Welcome to DFP

 

[coach james]

Pay closer attention to her elbow from the 9:00 position into release. I'll bet it's oriented towards 1st base rather than straight down....

 

[corlay]

This is a result of a pitcher-in-training remaining fixated on palm-up and/or bent elbow *beyond* the 9:00 position, into and through release. Couple that with postural issues, like a 3b-side lean, or a 3b-side bend in the waist (clearing hips), throwing around the body vs across, etc; and wholla - your DD looks like Dan Quisenberry. ;-)

 

[playersparent]

I think you hit the nail on the head. She is fixated on keeping her elbow bent. I don't have a good video right now, but, I will try to post one later. Her old issue was she kept her arm locked and pushed the ball. Now she is trying to make sure she doesn't lock her arm, but, it is staying bent all the way through release.

She is a lefty...so at release, the top part of her arm is brushing her side, but, her forearm is bent out toward 1st a few inches.

 

[Edy]

Playersparent, welcome to DFP!

A video would help a lot since I can only guess the source of problem.

At release:

- If the hips are too closed and the arm too bent side arm will probably occur, but this should be very unconfortable and she'd notice.

- If the hips are @ 45 degrees or less maybe the problem is too much lean or bent at the waist towards 3rd base (like Corlay has pointed above).

Ask DD to brush the forearm at the thigh at release. This should help with the side arm in any case.

Just my 2 cents though, lets wait for the experts advices

 

[Amy in AZ.]

We need more info. Her age, experience, and an area that you are in - in case we can recommend some help. She may be OK and right where she needs to be. Take some video and post here. Someone will help you.

How much have you read, in our stickies?

 

[JAD]

Posting a video would be the best way to get some advice. I know when my DD "sidearms" a pitch it is usually caused by her getting off plane and bringing the ball behind her head on the backswing vs. straight back. Imagine your DD's arm swing in a complete circle like a holahoop. If the holahoop is straight up and down the pitch will come out right by the hip. If the holahoop is slanted behind the pitchers head at the top, it will come out wide at the bottom.

 

[corlay]

I think you hit the nail on the head. She is fixated on keeping her elbow bent. I don't have a good video right now, but, I will try to post one later. Her old issue was she kept her arm locked and pushed the ball. Now she is trying to make sure she doesn't lock her arm, but, it is staying bent all the way through release.

She is a lefty...so at release, the top part of her arm is brushing her side, but, her forearm is bent out toward 1st a few inches.

With my own DD, she held palm up & lead w elbow way too long.
Poor (none) upper arm stabilization, and "whip".
This caused her to release mid-line and forward, with whole-arm long-axis rotation.
Which also caused a large "dip" in her throwing shoulder and over-rotation (closed) of her upper half.

It's something that seemed to creep in to her mechanics slowly, over time,
but at its worst, the Quisenberry reference is only a little exaggerated. ;-)
She's in the midst of a correction now.
Returned back to BM's I/R progression drills, with a focus upon palm-up at 9:00,
but getting the upper arm stabilized (as upper arm I/R happens) and letting the lower arm "whip" past this "anchor point". (throw across her body with a rear-hip release point)
Also, getting the forearm pronating and hand turned a bit earlier than she was used to.
Lastly, doing this with a concentration on maintaining good posture (no leans or dips),
and getting forearm brush contact.

Let your DD know that the bend and palm-up is pretty important from 12:00-9:00,
but some straightening of the elbow from 9:00 into release is ok, and may be preferred, depending upon how much bend she achieves in her elbow coming over the top.

Also, too large a fixation upon a bent elbow can cause a girl to have a very abbreviated (small) arm circle. If she's also keeping that arm circle "outside the shoulder" like the I/R gurus profess, than this can lead to a side-arm-ish delivery, as well.

Obviously, some video would get you the best targeted responses.
I'd get a good throwing-side view, and another from behind.
In slo-mo, if possible.

 

[fpthrives]

Is it true that HE will cause a pitcher to top out at 50mph?