Lions Tigers and Forearm Fire OH MY!

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bmd

Jan 9, 2015
301
28
Some one please tell me what forearm fire is!?! I was at a tournament this weekend. My daughter guessed played for a team. The dad of a pitcher on the team was talking to me. He said I see your daughter is taught forearm fire. He said my daughter is taught to stay behind the ball and snap. He said there are two ways of pitching. He said I heard that their are some colleges that only recruit pitchers that use forearm fire. He said but staying behind the ball and snapping is the most natural motion. He then motioned his arm like hello elbow and then did like a slicing motion elbow snap motion as forearm fire. At this point I realize he has been brainwashed by hello elbow. I had bit my tongue long enough.... I said my daughter whips the ball and allows her shoulder to internally rotate. I said if there is two ways to pitch there is a right way and there is a wrong way. I am not sure if I offended him but he did not speak to me for the rest of the weekend. However, I still do not know what forearm fire is??? Below are pics of my dd
 

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May 2, 2018
200
63
Central Virginia
Forearm fire is just a coined term. It still uses IR.

IR is not a pitching style, it really is just a natural occurrence that happens when you have proper mechanics (palm up at 9). It is not forced.

I believe the only difference from most on here is the "forearm fire" guy doesn't teach brush, which it appears your daughter certainly does.

They also teach a "princess hand" finish which sometimes can create an intentional (not natural) turn over of the forearm and hand rather than just letting it do its thing.
 
Oct 2, 2018
205
43
Georgia
Pitching is a movement or motion, not how your forearm, shoulder, or wrist moves. Hello elbow, internal rotation, forearm fire, are all trash bucket marketing terms. If you look at the best pitcher who were taught "hello elbow" mechanics, they can still throw 70 mph because there body figured out the correct way to pitch despite teaching. The best players are the best despite teaching not because of teaching. What I realize is that people pay for their daughters lessons every week 50 to 100/hr, year after year and the teacher has to be a salesman for you to come back next week. So, you must buy in to methodologies if you make that type of investment.
What I am trying to say is be easy on those type of parents unless they are being a total jerk. Your daughter obviously has great mechanics and maybe it was meant as an opening for you to explain how a bowling motion is not natural. Have him doing arm circles as fast as he can the way his daughter pitches with the arm going behind her body and you doing arm circles as fast as you can in front of your body. He could see doing arm circles your way is much more efficient and faster. But that discussion was only about the upper body, not about spine angle/tilt, front side resistance, shoulder relative to hip rotation, timing of humerus relative to front foot strike, etc…..

What I do at the ballpark if someone approaches me like that is say she works hard to improve mechanics, we always have a piece of the motion to improve upon and the term "forearm fire" is just another cue or key word like "snap". They are just marketing terms. If you would like to learn more about the type of styles that college coaches look for then check out: Fastpitchfoundation, Paulygirlfastpitch, discussfastpitch forum, tincherpitching, etc

"There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn’t matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong."
 
Last edited:
Sep 19, 2018
928
93
If you do a search here, you'll find the "forearm fire" was the term used by a specific pitching coach. It was his sales term for how he teaches. Yes, we all have to be very careful in how you talk to other parents and 'pitching style'. You told him he is dumb and doesn't know what he is doing. Sadly, I've done it too.

I've had this same discussion with a highly respected pitching coach in my area. I should have known better. Long story short, after realizing my mistake I let it end with, "Well, there are different styles of pitching, and neither is better than the other".
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
"Forearm Fire" was the term Phil Schonberg of Fastpitch Power used to describe the IR motion in the pitch, though his description and demonstrations of how it is done leave a lot to be desired.


There was quite the thread about it all back in the day.


Most kids (and adults for that matter) have their eyes glaze over when you start talking biomechanics of pitching, so its always favorable to create terms, buzzwords, and cues that describe complicated motions simply.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
However, I still do not know what forearm fire is??? Below are pics of my dd
Usually (but not always) it refers to the internal rotation of the forearm from 9 to 3. But, some throw the term around to sound knowledgeable.

The reason "internal rotation" is preferred is because it has a specific, anatomical meaning.

As an FYI, when someone says "it is more natural" in reference to athletic movements, they usually have no idea what they are talking about. There is nothing natural about accelerating your hand to 60+ miles per hour.
 
Mar 10, 2020
734
63
Pitching is a movement or motion, not how your forearm, shoulder, or wrist moves. Hello elbow, internal rotation, forearm fire, are all trash bucket marketing terms. If you look at the best pitcher who were taught "hello elbow" mechanics, they can still throw 70 mph because there body figured out the correct way to pitch despite teaching. The best players are the best despite teaching not because of teaching. What I realize is that people pay for their daughters lessons every week 50 to 100/hr, year after year and the teacher has to be a salesman for you to come back next week. So, you must buy in to methodologies if you make that type of investment.
What I am trying to say is be easy on those type of parents unless they are being a total jerk. Your daughter obviously has great mechanics and maybe it was meant as an opening for you to explain how a bowling motion is not natural. Have him doing arm circles as fast as he can the way his daughter pitches with the arm going behind her body and you doing arm circles as fast as you can in front of your body. He could see doing arm circles your way is much more efficient and faster. But that discussion was only about the upper body, not about spine angle/tilt, front side resistance, shoulder relative to hip rotation, timing of humerus relative to front foot strike, etc…..

What I do at the ballpark if someone approaches me like that is say she works hard to improve mechanics, we always have a piece of the motion to improve upon and the term "forearm fire" is just another cue or key word like "snap". They are just marketing terms. If you would like to learn more about the type of styles that college coaches look for then check out: Fastpitchfoundation, Paulygirlfastpitch, discussfastpitch forum, tincherpitching, etc

"There are hundreds of paths up the mountain,
all leading in the same direction,
so it doesn’t matter which path you take.
The only one wasting time is the one
who runs around and around the mountain,
telling everyone that his or her path is wrong."
Early on with dd in pitching.
We veted through instructors. Asking questions. Found that when faced with the question why do you think this is the right way. Standard reply was this is how i was taught.
We ended up chosing the instructor who said there is only one way that works for your dd. No two pitchers are the same.
After years and dd now pitching in college she has commented blanket terms that may apply to another pitcher dont always apply to her. She had to learn what not to listen to. Now in college the pitching coach talks about first pay attention to how your body works then apply the method. For my dd she found the right path early on. Never tried to pitch like someone else.
 

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