Which is best way to thorugh a fast ball?

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Nov 22, 2010
81
6
Somewhere in Malaysia
I'm struggling to teach my picther the best way to pitch. I'm not sure either this is being asked before.... Is Bill Hillhouse applies IR in his pitching technique? And I hope somebody can help me more in understanding what is IR (more videos and pics will help) please.
 
Mar 19, 2009
55
0
I'm struggling to teach my picther the best way to pitch. I'm not sure either this is being asked before.... Is Bill Hillhouse applies IR in his pitching technique? And I hope somebody can help me more in understanding what is IR (more videos and pics will help) please.


Read this thread:

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-pitching/2104-all-you-i-r-pitching-junkies.html


I/R - Internal Rotation is a term for how the shoulder complex moves. Had not heard the term until Boardmember used it, but the pitchers that I watched that can really bring it throw that way. My own DD throws that way, but not from anything I did. She was taught to throw hard from the beginning, spent some time at each lesson working on speed. I guess her mind/body figured it out on its own.
 
Feb 6, 2009
226
0
I disagree somewhat with Sluggers about not worrying about fb spin, even on a fastball you want as close to 12-6 as possible and the longer she throws fastballs with no movement the harder it's going to be for her to learn movement later and the harder she's going to get hit as she ages up.

I don't know how your dd is achieving an 8-2 spin but watching this Pauley video reminded me of the problem I had with my dd's spins. From 12 to very close to 6 the ball is facing 3b, it's only at the last possible moment that she gets her fingers behind the ball and thumb facing the catcher and snaps it hard off of those long fingers of hers.

For what seemed like the longest time, both of my dd's would never quite get their fingers all the way behind the ball before release and would throw with clockwise rotating spin. We started putting electrical tape around balls and really placing an emphasis on leading with the thumb, it eventually not only gave them more of a 12-6 spin but improved speed as well.

The question was best way to throw a FASTBALL. The point of the FASTBALL is a fast as you can to a certain spot. If you want to throw it under someone's hands to jam them up, why do you care what spin you put on it? It can't increase speed snapping the fingers and not using the internal rotation of the arm. Try throwing overhand by pusing the ball and snapping your fingers. That's not how we throw overhand so why do it underhand?
 
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Nov 22, 2010
81
6
Somewhere in Malaysia
Thank you so much Jeff_h. There's a lot of infos. However it's too much for me esspecially when forumers talk about drop ball, rise ball, drop curve, etc.

Now I got a little idea how is the arm swing where the palm facing 3b (IR technique). But I still can't figure out how to release the ball (for a basic fast ball) while the palm facing 3b.

Can someone teach me how to grip and release the ball using IR technique? How about the pitcher's body during the ball release, should his chest turn and facing the catcher or keep facing the 3b?

I hope by learning this, I can solve high pitch ball done by my under 12 pitcher.
 
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May 18, 2009
1,314
38
Twisting the door knob is something I hear a lot of pitching coaches say. If that makes sense? The more I read the more confused I become. I hear different things from different people. Also have taken DD to different pitching coaches that teach different technique. The high pitch is usually a late release. It's usually only a fraction of an inch being late which is enough to cause the ball to go high.
 
Mar 18, 2009
131
0
La Crosse WI
Okay, this is how i explain IR to my students:
1. Take the ball out of her hand.
2. Have her relax her right arm and lift up and out to level with her shoulder -- if she's relaxed, her palm should face forward. This is 3:00 (it also would be facing 3rd base if she were in mid-delivery with her body open).
3. Have her slowly swing her arm down to her side, still relaxed.
4. As the hand falls and reaches her side, the palm will naturally turn inward and face to the left.
5. Have her slowly continue swinging her arm past her front, to the left. The hand will rotate gradually until it faces the body (inward).
6. Have her note that at the point where her hand faces left, it is passing her right hip, this is also the natural ball release point. Thus the hand will be directly behind the ball and exerting maximum drive.
7. Have her understand that after the ball leaves the hand, it doesn't matter that the hand turns inward during the follow-thru.
8. Have her practice with a focus on the elbow during the windmill -- from 12:00 down "I will pull the elbow down and thru to my side".
9. When the elbow passes the side, the lower arm is whipped past the hip. I sometimes simplify by saying: Let the elbow lead the way down and follow the way up.
10. When beginning to work with the IR, your pitcher will routinely throw the ball 20-30' high. That's natural - her timing is not used to the hand and ball arriving at the release point so quickly.
Jim
 
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