IR Finish Question

[Towny9]

I am coaching a 10U team and have been working with our pitchers and a question has come up from the kids and parents and I’m not sure I know the answer. Should the palm down “princess hand” finish be something that happens naturally without the girls thinking about or something that the girls must consciously do. We have 2 girls converting form HE and it seems like they are forcing the palm down finish (even turning it over before release like a flip change at times). One of the girls has experienced some pain/soreness in the front shoulder and thinks it may be because she is forcing the palm down finish. I’m at a loss. My DD is a pitcher also and she has always finished palm down so I never had to actively teach it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[mmeece]

I am coaching a 10U team and have been working with our pitchers and a question has come up from the kids and parents and I’m not sure I know the answer. Should the palm down “princess hand” finish be something that happens naturally without the girls thinking about or something that the girls must consciously do. We have 2 girls converting form HE and it seems like they are forcing the palm down finish (even turning it over before release like a flip change at times). One of the girls has experienced some pain/soreness in the front shoulder and thinks it may be because she is forcing the palm down finish. I’m at a loss. My DD is a pitcher also and she has always finished palm down so I never had to actively teach it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

You nailed it in the last part of your statement. You don't teach a finish; it's a byproduct of proper mechanics. There shouldn't be any effort for a particular finish.

 

[sluggers]

We have 2 girls converting form HE and it seems like they are forcing the palm down finish (even turning it over before release like a flip change at times). One of the girls has experienced some pain/soreness in the front shoulder and thinks it may be because she is forcing the palm down finish. I’m at a loss. My DD is a pitcher also and she has always finished palm down so I never had to actively teach it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Go the IR in the Classroom thread. Boardmember in the first few posts shows how to teach IR. Use those drills.

The palm down finish is the result of the internal rotation (IR) of the forearm. The ball/palm is up at 9, and then the ball/palm faces the catcher at 6. The only way this happens is if there is IR of the forearm. After release, the forearm continues rotating as the forearm slows down.

 

[Gags]

One of the girls has experienced some pain/soreness in the front shoulder and thinks it may be because she is forcing the palm down finish.

Do you mean the front of her throwing shoulder, or her front (left) shoulder?

She may be forcing her whole arm to turn over, which could mean she’s internally rotating her upper arm as well. This would be put unneeded stress on the shoulder joint.


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[Towny9]

Do you mean the front of her throwing shoulder, or her front (left) shoulder?

She may be forcing her whole arm to turn over, which could mean she’s internally rotating her upper arm as well. This would be put unneeded stress on the shoulder joint.


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Yes - the front of her throwing shoulder is sore/tender. She feels like she is forcing the turnover to finish palm down. That makes a lot of sense...thank you for the input.

 

[abbygale]

The upper arm needs to stabilize against the body similar to a door swinging against a doorjamb. I'm betting that her upper arm is swinging more like an oar in a rowboat with nothing to stabilize against.

 

[uncdrew]

We need that .gif of the instructor with the bat in his hand.

Basically, the arm rotates (hence the IR term - Internal Rotation) and as it rotates from open (at 9pm) to square (at release for a fastball) and then must continue rotating and be closed (princess hand) after release.

It's a very natural movement.

 

[Powerof9]

Forcing the palm down with brush trigger on thumb side of forearm is a change up. Plus if she is bowling the ball slamming the hips closed on top of the change up arm action. We need a video. But I have seen more shoulder soreness from improper overhand throwing mechanics than underhand at that age group

 

[Towny9]

Thank you everyone for the replies. It sounds like the consensus of DFP is not to force a palm down “princess hand” finish but to instead let it happen naturally. Now if it doesn’t happen naturally what should we go us on to get it to happen? Staying palm up at 9?

 

[Gags]

I wouldn't focus too much on it - if you feel she's not doing it at all, she may be locking her upper arm to her side. Note what abbygale mentioned - the upper arm stabilizes against the torso - it doesn't necessarily stop. Maybe pauses to create the whip, but then the energy in the hand will usually pull the forearm, then humerus (upper arm) forward away from the torso.

In my limited experience, most beginners who have had a few HE lessons end up looking like they have T-Rex arms at the finish.