Trouble with the whip

[sbcowboy]

My DD is frustrated that she can't seem to grasp the whip. We looked at her video and her arm is always straight coming into release. This is from early years of HE pitching. Our PC is telling her good stuff but she says DD just has to keep at it and figure it out. Question is, have any of you seen the same problem and what did you do to help the pitcher out?

I thought this would be appropriate. This came from Boardmember.

"Ball up at 9 O'clock"


"I could say so much on this subject it's not even funny........So here we go........

First of all.......Lets say the "palm up" is subjective with regard to the flexibility of an athelete. But what is NOT subjective about "palm up" is that it does NOT mean palm down, or palm sideways at 9:00.......It can be thought of as any amount of palm up more then down or sideways is creating MORE LOAD for the UNLOADING in the form of I/R..........

"Ball Up and 9:00" has everything to do with creating OVERALL superior bio-mechanics in the pitching motion, and nothing what so ever to do with "creating arbitrary static positions". It is every bit as important, if not more important, then "leading with the elbow" when it comes to creating whip in the pitching motion. I.E. if you lead with the elbow but create zero load in the forearm for I/R by keeping the hand on top of the ball down the back of the circle, the bio-mechanical result will still be inferior.........

Why do I say "as important, if not more"? I say this because it is a bio-mechanical fact that creating a palm up position is ONLY POSSIBLE if you are leading with the elbow......Better said........Leading with the elbow is a "byproduct" of palm up........IOW, palm up is an "automatic" elbow leading position...........

Transversely........Leading with the elbow IS possible without being palm up or creating load in the forearm for I/R.........IOW, you can lead with the elbow and still be "palm down" in a pushing position, BECAUSE I/R, or radial/ulnar rotation allows it.

Palm up at 9:00 also creates a bio-mechanical advantage because in order to be palm up, or "load the forearm for I/R, you must be "more sideways" to the target then "facing the target"..........IOW.......More open then closed as the ball travels down the back of the circle.........."



Mad4ball see if the cue of leading with the elbow doesn't help your dd with whip.
Post a video of your dd pitching.

bmd, It is not easy to retrain your dd to get ball up at 9 o'clock, but that is where you want to b. We r still trying to get there.



Good luck.

Cowboy

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

Working with one of my students that also struggles with her snap when pitching but not when she is doing her drills. For her, we realized she was not fully trusting her mechanics and would try to aim the ball by pushing it into release resulting in slower speeds and inconsistent ball rotation. Two things we did today with some progress and her understanding that some changes in her mental strategies need to take place in order to improve. After her snap progression I had her from 15 feet away alternate between full pitch and the 9 o'clock drill into a net. The second thing I had her do was pitch to me from 25 feet with eyes closed. After several pitches with her eyes closed we pitched with her eyes opened and had her close them when she reverted back to aiming. The biggest Difference I noticed was that every ball thrown had a crisp 12 X 6 rotation or very close to 12x6 I'm not saying this was a cure-all but for her it was a very positive step in the right direction. I realize with the snap we have 3 things going on. 1. Mechanice, follow B.M. And Java 's lead. 2. Timing , sequence and posture. 3. Mental and emotional influence. As my student is working to get to the next level some weakness are showing up and she is working hard to turn them around. Good luck on your journey.

 

[Ken B]

A favorite DD story:
DD was in the circle and after two K's, she tightened up, slowed down and walked the next couple batters. HC calls time and heads out for a visit. After a brief chat, they laughed, high five and he walked off the field with a big smile. DD is also smiling as she turns to face the next batter. As he came back into the dugout I asked him what he said. He said, "Watch..." DD struck out the batter, looking much more like herself then ran off the field with high fives from all around. I asked her what HC said to her. She said, " He told me to pitch with my eyes closed!"