xxxxxxxxxxx
Last edited:
Wrist snap or fingers?
- Thread starter kahenaghan
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
I posted in another thread that a well known pitching instructor stated that the wrist contributed only 1-2% to the total speed of the pitch. I believe that applies to pitchers that use the internal rotation method. If you are a pitcher that gets the hand on top of the ball at 9 o'clock and pushes down through release then I would think the wrist snap would add more to the speed of the pitch since they are not gaining from the benefits of the rotation of the arm. My thought on the question of using the fingers would be something as simple as, what is the position of the fingers at the end of the release? If they are helping to propel the ball they are not going to be pointing straight out but curled towards the palm. When my pitcher go through the drills that Boardmember described I have them be aware of the feel of the fingers pushing the ball at release. If you haven't watched the clip of Sarah Pauly in slo mo that in on this forum, go to page three and watch her arm and the way all the levers in her arm add to the speed of the pitch. Also look at these clips
Windmill
Windmill
I have heard from many different "Pitching Coaches" say different things about the wrist snap. All the way from wrist back to fingers touching forearem. I think snapping the wrist makes the pitcher leave the thumb on the ball too long causing the speed to decrease. I try and teach my pitchers to let the ball roll off the hand and snap the fingers to create spin on the ball. Let me know your thoughts on if this is correct or not. I also try not to change too much of the pitchers mechanics because they are going to specific pitching coaches. I do talk to the parents and have them ask questions as to why they would teach their dd's those techniques. Last thing I see dd's all over the place I took it as daughter, what does that mean?
dd=dear daughter dh-dear husband dw=dear wife
DD = darling daughter
halskinner
Banned
- May 7, 2008
- 2,649
- 0
Have her practice with wiffle balls, the kind with the holes in them. Hold the ball with the fingertips and do not let it touch the palm of the hand.
The first few will go sky high, then she will bring them down. Then move the target around in the zone. It will not take long at all for her to figure it out.
Then give her back the regular softball. The first few will go in the dirt and then she will bring it up to the target.
Too much of the time pitchers are taught to let the weight of the ball do their thinking for them. Take that weight away and all you have left is fingertip control and accuracy. That control and accuracy will transfer to the regular softball with a little practice.
Depending on the day it might be darn daughter or diamond diva.
Have her practice with wiffle balls, the kind with the holes in them. Hold the ball with the fingertips and do not let it touch the palm of the hand.
The first few will go sky high, then she will bring them down. Then move the target around in the zone. It will not take long at all for her to figure it out.
Then give her back the regular softball. The first few will go in the dirt and then she will bring it up to the target.
Too much of the time pitchers are taught to let the weight of the ball do their thinking for them. Take that weight away and all you have left is fingertip control and accuracy. That control and accuracy will transfer to the regular softball with a little practice.
Hal, how far away do you have them pitch with the whiffle balls? And do you have them do a full normal pitch, or a partial pitch (K, or something similar)?
TIA.
