Wrist Snap

[Ken Krause]

Coach, I agree the wrist snap drills are worthless, we don't do them at all. But I will say my DD has seen quite a bit improvement not only in her movement but also in a tighter faster spin, since she has been focusing more on snapping the ball. Now whether it is wrist snap, finger snap or or better whip I can't say, but what she "focuses" on is wrist snap. Her peel is dropping off the table, her curve has a sharper and later break, and her fastball(yes fastball, she pitches a fastball with placement, which for her is exactly like her peel, she is just not over her front leg)is moving better and faster. These are just our observations

I think what you're seeing is the result of a sharp release, versus a long, lazy release that many girls have. I always like to explain that it's called a release point, not a release line, so you should try to make it happen over as short a distance as possible. Sounds like that is what your daughter is achieving, which is great.

Using that snapping a towel example again, if you use a slow, wide movement you can't make the towel snap. But if you make it a short, quick movement, ouch! At the same time, there's no muscle in the towel. The end, which corresponds to the hand and wrist, is quick and loose, and that's what allows it to transfer the power from you down the length of the towel.

 

[Ken Krause]

By the way, I don't think anyone is arguing there isn't a snap in pitching. It's more of what causes the snap. Is it driven by the muscles in the wrist, or by other things and the wrist snap is the result? In other words if you make snapping the wrist forcibly the focus does that contribute to speed, or are you better served focusing on other aspects and letting the wrist snap happen, more or less? That's what I'm seeing, anyway.

 

[bwalk63]

The Face of Women’s Fast Pitch Softball: Jennie Finch | ProSourceblog

about half way down in the question and answer section she answers the question about strength.

 

[lhowser]

bwalk63, try this...

Decide while holding a ball how you think a powerful wrist snap is accomplished and what it feels like. then, pitch a few balls ephasizing what you think a powerful wrist snap is. If you personally have success...and it looks and feels like you expect it to...then I guess that should settle it and you can explain that wrist snap to the posters on this thread. you will be doing a great service to those that either -
1)Don't believe in an active wrist snap

2)Don't understand what you mean by wrist snap.

I think that is fair don't you

 

[CoachFP]

I don't think the muscles that guide the risk have the ability to accelerate the ball faster than the action supplied to the wrist by the centrifugal force of the arm whip. So by trying or thinking that you are engaging the wrist is either imagined or just plain wrong in trying to do.

 

[bwalk63]

lhowser, one of the reason's I come here is because I am NOT a pitcher, never have been and never will be. I am here to get opinions, thoughts, advice etc. The only reason I posted to this thread is because I thought it was interesting and the opinions very greatly. The reason I posted the stills of Cat and the Finch article was because why not get their thoughts on what THEY think. We have plenty of thoughts from dad's like myself, coaches and a couple of actual pitchers. Why not get thoughts from 2 of the best female pitchers ever. If Finch says "many things that go into good pitching – flexibility, strength, wrist snap." Why shouldn't we think about what she says instead of interpreting what she says as "what she meant to say" or "the video shows that she is not really doing what she thinks she is doing" There are so many things going on in an actual pitch which takes what.. less than 2 seconds from start to finish? And she focuses and a good aggressive wrist snap( whether she actually does it or not, doesn't matter, it is what she is feeling that matters) and it works, why wouldn't a young pitcher of say 15 or so also think that it would improve her movement and speed also? Said another way, why would my DD listen to a fat old man like myself because of what I "think" is happening based on a super slow motion video, over the advice of the likes of Finch, Osterman and Hernandez to name a few. I am guilty myself of over analyzing video and trying to impress on my DD what is really happening vs what she is "feeling" while she pitches. She has told me more than once.. "Dad! enough already I am pitching and you are making this harder than it has to be" Don't get me wrong, I am a strong believer in video, to show room for improvement and too make a good pitcher better, but isn't what a pitcher feels what matters also?

 

[lhowser]

Sure...that is fine. I can only say from my experience that some high level instructors and former high level pitchers have given advice that caused extremely adverse effects to young girls I have watched. I wanted them to be helpful and good for these young players...I really did. I have no interest in being a know it all. I've bitten my tongue off watching them explain what they feel when I could tell with my own eyes it was causing setbacks and confusion. That is when I was/am forced to let slow motion video be my guide. Fortuntately if I look hard enough I'll find the conclusions of the video confirmed by good teachers who then go on to expound in detail far beyond the instructor who went by what they felt and were taught even though it contradicted slow motion video analysis. Just my experience. I am always open to change.

I do feel however that the challenge of you doing the wrist snap is legit. I am not suggesting you become a pitcher. I am suggesting that any reasonably coordinated person interested in athletics should be able to throw the ball underhand just like I would expect them to be able to throw it overhand. By replicating the arm movement and wrist movement you believe will get results you should be able to get reasonably good results. If you detect futility in the effort that should be a warning. I know since I came to understand what we call internal rotation I can pitch a good Batting Practice pitch no problem. Until I learned IR i would pull down, snap my wrist and stink.

 

[CoachFP]

Just because Finch and Osterman say they do something may not mean that they do it. We are still saddled with some of the old time thinking in fastpitch pitching that has every girl doing the same drills which were first taught 25 years ago and everyone accepts them. One thing in particular that happens is that most female pitchers do the back arm swing. Why? It does not give you extra speed and the hitter can see the ball longer and pitches can be picked easier. But 98% of them use it. Throwing from the glove leads to more consistency in my opinion, which is based on my experience. But can tens of thousands of girl pitchers be wrong?

 

[bwalk63]

good post, makes perfect sense to me. I of course can and do pitch batting practice and will give what you are saying a try.

 

[lhowser]

Great...let me know your thoughts as you try and replicate what you understand as the action of the wristsnap