How Critical is Brush

[jcarter]

I have stopped letting her throw full pitches for the mean time. We finish fall league this weekend and haven't needed DD to pitch so my thoughts were to get her better on IR and brush. Lots of 9 o'clock and show n throw it at short range into a net. We work in some long toss or walk through if she can maintain the brush. I wish we had started w a clean slate instead of 40+ lessons in a year of HE.

 

[Man10]

I have stopped letting her throw full pitches for the mean time. We finish fall league this weekend and haven't needed DD to pitch so my thoughts were to get her better on IR and brush. Lots of 9 o'clock and show n throw it at short range into a net. We work in some long toss or walk through if she can maintain the brush. I wish we had started w a clean slate instead of 40+ lessons in a year of HE.

We bought one of those arm sleeves for her to get used to feeling brush. It seems the sleeve keeps her mind on her arm and the idea of brush.

 

[shaker1]

It took us about a year to get the brush down where it's no longer an issue. Believe that could have been speeded up with more pitching into a net only. Just working on mechanics without a catcher. Then just back her up as control becomes better. Seems like when her posture improved, no bending, brush also improved, not so much slamming the arm into the hip, but more of a rolling around the hip.

 

[Perfect Circle]

We bought one of those arm sleeves for her to get used to feeling brush. It seems the sleeve keeps her mind on her arm and the idea of brush.

Nice...we can get those @ chain store here in Ohio "DollarTree" for a $1

I guess my question is, at some point does it just click and can she feel the difference? Will she feel a straight arm ball pointed to 3rd as opposed to ball to the sky? My biggest worry is that her body is going to get used to the straight arm and it will be hard to correct, even though she is working on correcting daily. She still has games to pitch and during those times if she has improper form worry that it makes it harder to overcome later

You can set the amount of bend you want in the arm by wrapping... "the right bend"... in saran wrap, under the arm sleeve. It will make arm sweat, bringing heat, and forcing further focus... JMHO

 

[SB45]

Okay. Need some thoughts. My daughter is 10 and is struggling with getting the whip/brush down. She does not do hello elbow, but basically she releases too far in front still getting the IR to happen mostly (sometimes it "pushes" but mostly it turns similar to the Amanda video just later than it should if that makes sense). A couple things

1) When we practice with a full arm circle she gets great bend in the arm with the ball facing to the sky. When we go full pitching the arm locks and the ball turns early.
2) She misses the brush mostly. Every once in a while she gets it during the practice, but never during full speed

I have read so many articles on here which all make total sense. We have talked about smaller arm circle, bringing the body to the arm, "hiding the ball behind" (from the male pitcher gif where form the front view you can barely see the ball sneak by, etc... She has watched every video from Ueno to Amanada. She absolutely "gets it", but it just doesn't translate yet. I believe that we will find some cue that sticks, just have not found it yet

I guess my question is, at some point does it just click and can she feel the difference? Will she feel a straight arm ball pointed to 3rd as opposed to ball to the sky? My biggest worry is that her body is going to get used to the straight arm and it will be hard to correct, even though she is working on correcting daily. She still has games to pitch and during those times if she has improper form worry that it makes it harder to overcome later

This is going to sound like a mean approach potentially...I think you need to convince her...make the point. Tell her...good, you've learned how to throw a change up...lets work on the fastball now. You do specific things to maximize speed...you essentially do the opposite to throw a changeup. You pull the ball down/palm up to maximize the IR of the forearm...you push the ball down to minimize the IR to take speed away when throwing a change. You have a bent elbow to help the arm be prepared to whip and make it loose...you stiffen the elbow to reduce the whip potential on a change. edit***you would also skip or minimize the brush and push or backhand the release to take more speed off a changeup...missing the brush as she is doing is another way to slow the ball down*** Maybe a negative approach would help her connect things...you are doing things that you would do on purpose in order to throw the ball slower. Now if we wanted to add speed...what would we do???

 

[Crystal Brown]

One of Rich Balswick lessons uploaded to youtube that talks about contact and riseball hand position.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZVTtHh8Npc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Perfect Circle]

One of Rich Balswick lessons uploaded to youtube that talks about contact and riseball hand position.

Nice Clip... I scrapped it to get this still of the grip...

 

[jcarter]

I like the idea of the sleeve, I tried the evoshield in the smallest youth size and it was way too big. DD is 5'1 and a whopping 70 1/2 lbs long and lanky. I'd like to find something that will fit her.

We bought one of those arm sleeves for her to get used to feeling brush. It seems the sleeve keeps her mind on her arm and the idea of brush.

 

[Man10]

I like the idea of the sleeve, I tried the evoshield in the smallest youth size and it was way too big. DD is 5'1 and a whopping 70 1/2 lbs long and lanky. I'd like to find something that will fit her.

We got hers at Dicks, 2 to a pack. McDavid HEX Forearm Sleeves - Pair | DICK'S Sporting Goods

 

[knightsb]