Shoulder Lift

[mel77]

My daughter has started to lift her shoulder when finishing her fastball pitch and stiffens up, not relaxed unless she is throwing a change up. Any drills to help with whipping the ball hard but staying relaxed? She has been working on her drive and legs a lot and now the top part needs some work. Thanks.

 

[mmeece]

Sometimes throwing into a net or tarp fairly close to her can help with this. When they can't see where the ball is going to end up sometimes it allows them to be more free and relaxed and allows you to focus on their mechanics not the result of the pitch.

 

[fanboi22]

My daughter has started to lift her shoulder when finishing her fastball pitch and stiffens up, not relaxed unless she is throwing a change up. Any drills to help with whipping the ball hard but staying relaxed? She has been working on her drive and legs a lot and now the top part needs some work. Thanks.

My DD has always struggled with this. Always gets tight when trying to over throw it. I always say 'long, loose, and whippy', but it doesn't really sink in. I have tried to use examples of a dead arm and use the torso and body to try and whip it around like a wet noodle. I always tell her if her follow thru isn't popping her elbow and hands out like Ueno then they is too stiff. Alot of her pitches pull up and across her body if she is too tight pulling up her shoulder. Haven't yet found the best way to correct. Comes and goes. essentially no help to you, haha, sorry.

 

[mel77]

My DD has always struggled with this. Always gets tight when trying to over throw it. I always say 'long, loose, and whippy', but it doesn't really sink in. I have tried to use examples of a dead arm and use the torso and body to try and whip it around like a wet noodle. I always tell her if her follow thru isn't popping her elbow and hands out like Ueno then they is too stiff. Alot of her pitches pull up and across her body if she is too tight pulling up her shoulder. Haven't yet found the best way to correct. Comes and goes. essentially no help to you, haha, sorry.

My daughter can hit her spots good but her speed is not there when she muscles the pitch!

 

[mel77]

Sometimes throwing into a net or tarp fairly close to her can help with this. When they can't see where the ball is going to end up sometimes it allows them to be more free and relaxed and allows you to focus on their mechanics not the result of the pitch.

Thanks her coach has brought this up too.

 

[Tatonka]

Here's another cue...

Fastpitch Pitchers: Make Your Arm Like Feel Like a Piece of Rope

I have talked for years about how the pitching arm on a fastpitch pitcher should be loose at it goes through the circle. But lately, for whatever reason, I have had a lot of success with one very simple instruction: your arm should feel like it’s a piece of rope. I usually then tell the pitcher...

www.discussfastpitch.com

 

[justAdad2]

my DD had this habit it was a tough one for her to break. with my DD she was trying way too hard and muscling the ball, lots of reps close to a net and recording helped a lot. with my DD it was really a trust issue, basically her trusting staying loose and relaxed was faster than her muscling and trying her hardest. you need to find out why she is doing it then reps will help fix it. good luck

 

[mel77]

my DD had this habit it was a tough one for her to break. with my DD she was trying way too hard and muscling the ball, lots of reps close to a net and recording helped a lot. with my DD it was really a trust issue, basically her trusting staying loose and relaxed was faster than her muscling and trying her hardest. you need to find out why she is doing it then reps will help fix it. good luck

Thanks, she sees it clearly on video but when we show her drills to try and correct the issue...she states, I already do that! 12 year old, ugh! We are going to have her pitching coach speak to her tonight and maybe she will listen!