"natural arm movement of the player"

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radness

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Dec 13, 2019
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Ingrained mechanics are very difficult to change. If the player is at a college camp I am going to assume she been playing softball for 7 plus years. Not sure changing mechanics during a camp is realistic task.
How many times do you think a player changes /alters they're hitting mechanics throughout say 4 years of travel ball?
Could be from having different coaches?
Could be from not satisfied with results?

Think it's the strangest thing when a player goes to a tryout who's hitting well and the coach wants them to change something, but that happens.
Then the player has to decide how they're going to handle that.

know a player that at tryout coach wanted her to change something even though she was hitting well, like the way she handled it
she said to the coach I've been taught this way and I've been using this way to hit can I at least finish using this during the tryout. The coach looked at her sort of astonished and said yes that would be fine
 
Last edited:
Mar 10, 2020
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IR or internal rotation is a kinesiology term, describing the rotation of the arm.

Definition: Internal rotation is rotating a joint towards the midline

On this board, it has become pseudonym for an entire pitching motion (palm up at 9:00/IR through release/palm down finish)... I think it's confusing to outsiders who initially (and correctly IMHO) interpret IR in the Kinesiology context. Or, they have no idea what it is, and just assume it's a widely accepted pitching style.

If you limit yourself to pitching instructors who use terminology coined on this board, you are going to exclude a lot of really good pitching instructors.

If you want to determine if a pitching instructor teaches a motion with "Internal Rotation", simply ask them for a fastball, should the palm be up/down at 9:00 position?

Palm up = Internal Rotation
Palm down = Pushing ball with no IR

On the Dark side "HE" (aka Hello Elbow or High Elbow) on this board describes an entire pitching motion (Palm down at 9:00/pushing ball through release/high elbow finish). When out in the world, High Elbow describes a finish (what the arm/hand does after release). You can be Palm Up at 9:00, internally rotate through release, AND finish with a High elbow. Many of the best pitchers in the world pitch this way. Amanda Scarborough comes to mind...

Personally, I believe any time spent teaching what the hand/arm does after release is a complete waste of valuable instruction time.

So, back to the OP's questions about "Natural Arm Movement".... You asked the pitching instructor about "teaching I/R". They probably assumed you are talking about "internal rotation of the arm", which is a "natural arm movement". You are using "IR" in the discussfastpitch context, so you are likely not speaking the same language as the instructor. That doesn't necessarily make them a bad instructor, just means they don't frequent "Discussfastpitch.com".
Make this a sticky.
 
Mar 10, 2020
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63
I should add, when I first posted I didn't know for sure who at the facility the team would be seeing. I've since confirmed.
Don't overlook the value of your daughter participating with her teammates and the facility they work with. If you say no and don't show up once that is in effect saying you're not wanting to try.
 

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