Throwing Mechanics Reference?

[JulieC]

Great Info!

Sorry for the delayed response. I've been traveling for work and have been behind on fun stuff like fastpitch!
This is really great information - very much what I was looking for.

I've been working hard to get Jamie game ready by the start of our spring season. I didn't realize how far she had come until I held a catcher's workout for the 4 catchers on our team. Jamie didn't have the hardest or fastest throw, but it was on target every time. I had the girls throw into a laundry basket right at the target. Jamie managed 4 of 8 where the other girls were 4 of 20. Clearly room for improvement, but nice to reflect on some level of success.

Thanks again for the help.

Julie

 

[Steve Huff]

1) I agree with some comments here. I think it would help her to learn to face the ball backward, and get more stretch out of her arm. If you do a drill where she comes up out of the crouch, and brings the ball up to the throwing position, you can stand behind her, and reach out and take the ball from her if it is turned toward you. If not, tell her to turn it toward you, then take it. Right now she has her hand pointed too much toward 2nd base.

2) This stiff front leg is not good to throw against and hurts her power. You can do a little drill where she throws, and must run to a bucket or glove placed a few steps in front of her simultaneously. Start counting as soon as the ball is released. Count to 3, or even 2, and make sure her motion is fluid right through the running steps to the bucket or other touch-target. She is throwing, not pole-vaulting

3) chazbz1 video on throwing footwork is excellent for several reasons which I will point out here. However, this is a later issue to deal with, but you can copy and keep it.

There is a common problem that shows up in catching and in infield play, especially on bunt plays and soft ground-balls, to NOT step directly at the throwing target. The player ends up "splay footed" which causes the throwing arm, to drop and throw side-arm. Too often this results in throwing to the RIGHT of the intended target. You CAN throw more accurately side-arm by stepping directly at the target. But the two are not related. Poor footwork can result in side-arm throws which IS the problem. The Czech Republic was in one of the tournaments shown. This was their biggest problem defensively.

Catcher's do this by standing up too high when they rise up out of their squat,
They swing their right leg all the way behind the left foot, causing their weight balance to go behind them too much,
The step with the left foot then extends, not directly forward, but opens up stepping to the left side several inches.
The arm slot drops, and the ball sails toward right field.
If you think about it, 95% of the bad throws by the catcher are toward the RF side. It isn't automatic, but happens too often.

The main thing for catchers that creates this flaw is the big swing of the right leg back behind too far, instead of to the center-line.
The cure for this is for fielders and catchers to work with awareness to step directly at the intended target.
For catchers, there are two points: First is bring the right foot back TO the center-line, splitting the feet, right below the belly-button. The second step with the left foot is then forward, and to the right, onto the center-line. Two steps complete the body rotation.
Second, don't swing the glove around in a circle, but bring it in a straight line back to the ear, palm down, elbow up. the photos included here show a girl with her belly-button over the center of the plate. This was just for demonstration sake! After the catch, she kicked all the way over, behind her left foot. Her next step was on the batter's box chalk-line. The elbow will now drop, and the throw may well be toward RF. Click to enlarge!



In this gif, you can see the 2B make a throw to Home. When she does, her feet are not lined up toward the plate. Please notice the throwing arm drops rather side-arm. When the left foot is open (to the side) the elbow drops, and the throw goes wide right, in this case up the 3b line.

 

[Wellphyt]

Thanks for all of the help so far. I took this video of the DD this morning. Not the best video, but I hope it is good enough for some level of feedback. I clocked her at 35 mph max.

She is out of sync. The key to throwing overhand with power, accuracy and reduced injury risk, is to sync up the upper and lower body. One of the worst things you can tell a player is to take the ball out of their glove and go to the "L" position with the ball facing back or to the side. I know that is what is commonly taught, even at the college level, but it is not correct. The reality is that many of us male coaches grew up playing ball and we throw naturally. Because we throw overhand naturally, we don't understand what we actually do. So we teach what we think we do or what we saw another coach teaching at the park or on youtube.

Your DD does what most girls do; she prematurely externally rotates her throwing arm. IOW, she takes the ball out of her glove and goes to the "L" position as she strides. This puts the throwing arm out of sync with the rollover of the the front thigh that happens at foot strike. The coordination between the rollover of the front thigh and the throwing arm is the single most overlooked action in the overhand throw. With the exception of "Hodge", whose material is no longer available, I've never seen anyone teach it. The importance of the relationship between the front thigh rollover and the throwing arm, is why you don't want to teach kids to do wrist flips.

The following images are from the same youtube clip. The first image is Ashley Holcombe demonstrating how to throw overhand to second. Notice the position her throwing arm and ball.

The second image is how she throws down to second for real. Notice the position of her throwing arm.

IMO Ashley's arm position when she actually throws is text book perfect. Do what she does in the second image and not what she demonstrates in the first image. I used to teach what is shown in the first image. It's wrong. Just like Ashley, I don't actually throw like that. I throw similar to how Ashley throws in the second image.

The key to the overhand throw is to not let the throwing arm externally rotate to the "L" position until the front thigh rolls over (externally rotates). The external rotation of the front thigh just prior to foot strike is the trigger for the throwing arm to externally rotate to the "L" position. If the player takes the throwing arm to the "L" position prior to the front thigh rolling over, the player will be out of sync and is at risk of shoulder injury.

 

[mcastles]

Hi

I realize this thread is a little old but I was doing a search on throwing mechanics and this came up. I am really interested in this concept of being out of sync. My DD is a big, strong 14 yo but has a weak throwing arm and is the weakest part of her game. She is not a catcher, but I think the principles still apply.

For me, she just looks "out of sync" when she throws, like are arm is not in the flow on her core motion. We see this all the time with hitters and it is fairly easy to spot and usually correct.

Does anyone have any training tools or drills that specifically addresses this idea of proper syncing of the arm with the body motion?

thanks in advance

MCastles

 

[Rumble25]

The following link is to the "Fielding" section on this forum. Has proven very beneficial to me and my 2 DDs:

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-fielding/7915-throwing.html

Pay particular attention to austinwass' post (#8) and wellphyt (#10). Follow the link austinwass provides--more good info. FiveFrameSwing also provides some nice slow motion video throughout the thread.

Hope it helps you too.

Hi

I realize this thread is a little old but I was doing a search on throwing mechanics and this came up. I am really interested in this concept of being out of sync. My DD is a big, strong 14 yo but has a weak throwing arm and is the weakest part of her game. She is not a catcher, but I think the principles still apply.

For me, she just looks "out of sync" when she throws, like are arm is not in the flow on her core motion. We see this all the time with hitters and it is fairly easy to spot and usually correct.

Does anyone have any training tools or drills that specifically addresses this idea of proper syncing of the arm with the body motion?

thanks in advance

MCastles

 

[mcastles]

Thanks, Rumble, will check it out.