Quest for pitching knowledge

[injnyr]

Was there a noticeable improvement?

Yes, there was a noticeable improvement, although she experienced a significant growth spurt the past couple of years too.

She started the Rugged/HLP program in Oct 2020 peaking at 48 mph (age 12.25, 5', 80 lbs). By end of Jan 2021, she hit 52. By end of July 2021, she peaked at 57. Over the last year after that, she has hit 58 many times, but can now consistently average 57 (age 14.75, 5'6", 120 lbs). She continues her quest for 60, with her working to attain that by this summer. Besides the speed, her spin has gotten scary. That ball really moves and has me guessing as I catch her bullpens...

I would say that she has learned to move her body better and continues to refine her mechanics. She also can self-assess and recognize when something is off and correct it before it gets out of hand. The strength training aspect of the Rugged/HLP program helped stabilize her joints when she would stretch and lose coordination. It would take a couple of months to regain form to then lose it after a few months when she would stretch again. It seems she is close to full size and we can better focus on building strength now.

What she has learned through her own experiences she passes onto her middle sister (13 yo) and is starting to share with baby sister (9 yo). She has been a patient guinea pig since we started this pitching journey in 2015, testing a bunch of different things to see what worked for her (and a lot of what didn't)...

 

[Shawn]

Side view

 

[injnyr]

Yes, there was a noticeable improvement, although she experienced a significant growth spurt the past couple of years too.

She started the Rugged/HLP program in Oct 2020 peaking at 48 mph (age 12.25, 5', 80 lbs). By end of Jan 2021, she hit 52. By end of July 2021, she peaked at 57. Over the last year after that, she has hit 58 many times, but can now consistently average 57 (age 14.75, 5'6", 120 lbs). She continues her quest for 60, with her working to attain that by this summer. Besides the speed, her spin has gotten scary. That ball really moves and has me guessing as I catch her bullpens...

I would say that she has learned to move her body better and continues to refine her mechanics. She also can self-assess and recognize when something is off and correct it before it gets out of hand. The strength training aspect of the Rugged/HLP program helped stabilize her joints when she would stretch and lose coordination. It would take a couple of months to regain form to then lose it after a few months when she would stretch again. It seems she is close to full size and we can better focus on building strength now.

What she has learned through her own experiences she passes onto her middle sister (13 yo) and is starting to share with baby sister (9 yo). She has been a patient guinea pig since we started this pitching journey in 2015, testing a bunch of different things to see what worked for her (and a lot of what didn't)...

Well, she didn't wait for summer. My DD hit a 60 twice today! I think she's been motivated by a big game coming up this Tuesday against our long-standing cross-town rivals . Beyond proud of her and she's happy to see her efforts paying off. Time for a new goal...

 

[Shawn]

What if the crow hop, a mixture of sling shot and windmill, is actually the most natural?

Sling shot, you throw without leg drive push and is actually more like BB. Common theme is you don’t throw until 12 and you go from slow to quick down the back. Creating a hitch, resetting. That is timed to weight resetting on the back foot in the crow hop.They are mixing a stepping style/sling shot with drive, get out there as far as you can. Why not, why not reset the back foot as far forward as possible. They really turn open, twist/turn open, which makes them want to reset. People use to say Cat replanted. Cat started as a stepping/sling and became drive/push/leaper.

What if you did it as Cat and started step/sling. I have video of Cat, She doesn’t replant. I have video of her on team USA, second team going against Lisa team USA.

What we have is like every pitching style combined, although the styles do not untwine well.

Watching Men’s fastpitch, they don’t believe in balance finishes and peel off like a BB pitcher.

Everyone get to the same position, K position. The stepper/sling to video of Lisa in the same game jumping, lots of drive. And the info does not mix well within different style.

Why would a stepping style be the most natural? Because most 8 year olds can’t pitch like Lisa. Also and this is a big one most are pitching in the front chain. Front chain pitchers can’t pitch like Garcia. They have to reset if they try. The styles do not intertwine well.

What if you trained sling/step first? I see a lot of pitches trying to pitch like Lisa/Garcia/Fouts

If they are front chain dominant, stepping would be the easiest to learn.

 

[Fury_Mike]

What if the crow hop, a mixture of sling shot and windmill, is actually the most natural?

Sling shot, you throw without leg drive push and is actually more like BB. Common theme is you don’t throw until 12 and you go from slow to quick down the back. Creating a hitch, resetting. That is timed to weight resetting on the back foot in the crow hop.They are mixing a stepping style/sling shot with drive, get out there as far as you can. Why not, why not reset the back foot as far forward as possible. They really turn open, twist/turn open, which makes them want to reset. People use to say Cat replanted. Cat started as a stepping/sling and became drive/push/leaper.

What if you did it as Cat and started step/sling. I have video of Cat, She doesn’t replant. I have video of her on team USA, second team going against Lisa team USA.

What we have is like every pitching style combined, although the styles do not untwine well.

Watching Men’s fastpitch, they don’t believe in balance finishes and peel off like a BB pitcher.

Everyone get to the same position, K position. The stepper/sling to video of Lisa in the same game jumping, lots of drive. And the info does not mix well within different style.

Why would a stepping style be the most natural? Because most 8 year olds can’t pitch like Lisa. Also and this is a big one most are pitching in the front chain. Front chain pitchers can’t pitch like Garcia. They have to reset if they try. The styles do not intertwine well.

What if you trained sling/step first? I see a lot of pitches trying to pitch like Lisa/Garcia/Fouts

If they are front chain dominant, stepping would be the easiest to learn.

Can you post the video of Cat?

 

[ArmWhip]

If they are front chain dominant, stepping would be the easiest to learn.

You'll have to explain front chain dominant a little more and give some examples so that I can look at video of them.

I think that one of the purposes or maybe side effects of a strong crow hop is that it helps the pitcher dissipate or spread out the energy of the landing, rather than having the front leg absorb it all at once.

 

[Shawn]

Can you post the video of Cat?

Yes. I will get in the vault. In the mean time I will post this,



And I will say that in this clip the toes might bear weight, she isn’t pushing or locking up the back leg like resetting.

 

[ArmWhip]

This is the type of landing that will be the next battleground, technically the back foot lands before the front and it's a crowhop. This light, back foot touchdown is very common, but hard to see, unless the pitcher is dominating your hitters, then it's obvious.

 

[Northball]

Yes. I will get in the vault. In the mean time I will post this,



And I will say that in this clip the toes might bear weight, she isn’t pushing or locking up the back leg like resetting.

It looks more like Drag...Interrupted.

 

[Shawn]

Can you post the video of Cat?

Riseball



Dropball



Riseball



Curve