SloMo catching/side/behind for my daughter ( update )
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- May 13, 2008
- 824
- 16
Maddie is "bowling"...
You can see that the angle of her stride foot at release is not allowing her hips and shoulders to stay open at release. To some degree (pun intended) this a caused by her stride foot landing so far to the right of the power line. The reason that her arm is so far away from her body at release is that she has adapted this method so she can throw around her hips.
One thing I like to do for kids who display this trait is to lay a 2'x4' or 2'x6' on the ground parallel and to the right of the power line. The intent is not for them to stride on it, as that may cause them to turn an ankle or trip, but to create a barrier that will force them to straighten the stride. It usually makes them a little nervous, but they never step on it. It instantly fixes the issue and allows them to build muscle memory so that when you take the board away they stride on the power line.
Compare a side view of Maddie...
...to Jennie Finch...
Both shots are stopped at the instant of heel plant of the stride foot. Notice how Jennie's hips and shoulders are square to the camera?
After you fix the stride then you can address the angle of the stride foot at landing. If you can get it pointed more towards third base that would be ideal.
All of this will help her maintain momentum on the power line. All of the force of the pitch should be on line to the catcher to maximize speed. She'll be able to stand taller and not lean so much and she'll be able to bring the circle in closer to her body to reduce stress on her shoulder.
You can see that the angle of her stride foot at release is not allowing her hips and shoulders to stay open at release. To some degree (pun intended) this a caused by her stride foot landing so far to the right of the power line. The reason that her arm is so far away from her body at release is that she has adapted this method so she can throw around her hips.
One thing I like to do for kids who display this trait is to lay a 2'x4' or 2'x6' on the ground parallel and to the right of the power line. The intent is not for them to stride on it, as that may cause them to turn an ankle or trip, but to create a barrier that will force them to straighten the stride. It usually makes them a little nervous, but they never step on it. It instantly fixes the issue and allows them to build muscle memory so that when you take the board away they stride on the power line.
Compare a side view of Maddie...
...to Jennie Finch...
Both shots are stopped at the instant of heel plant of the stride foot. Notice how Jennie's hips and shoulders are square to the camera?
After you fix the stride then you can address the angle of the stride foot at landing. If you can get it pointed more towards third base that would be ideal.
All of this will help her maintain momentum on the power line. All of the force of the pitch should be on line to the catcher to maximize speed. She'll be able to stand taller and not lean so much and she'll be able to bring the circle in closer to her body to reduce stress on her shoulder.
- Sep 16, 2009
- 46
- 0
Camcorder + Software....
It is a Sony HDR-SR10 camcorder which is a Sony Hard Drive High Def Camcorder. It was about $700 a year or so ago. I use Sony Vegas Platinum editing software which allows you to easily crop/zoom, with the software. That costs another 100 bucks or so.
I will definitely lay down a 2x4 with nails sticking up (lol) as my next step of getting her lines better.
Thank you for all the feedback.
It is a Sony HDR-SR10 camcorder which is a Sony Hard Drive High Def Camcorder. It was about $700 a year or so ago. I use Sony Vegas Platinum editing software which allows you to easily crop/zoom, with the software. That costs another 100 bucks or so.
I will definitely lay down a 2x4 with nails sticking up (lol) as my next step of getting her lines better.
Thank you for all the feedback.
Yes, yes. Why hadn't I thought of that? I am going to use it for hitters, too. 
Sluggers,
My daughter is just learning how to pitch and I thought the elbow was supposed to be bent at release so I've been telling her to focus on keeping the arm bent from the beginning.
Also, I'm definitley not a pitching instructor but it looks like the girl in the video is starting at an angle off the power line. Her right foot and hips are pointing towards the left (looking from the front) of the power line before she ever starts her motion.
My daughter is just learning how to pitch and I thought the elbow was supposed to be bent at release so I've been telling her to focus on keeping the arm bent from the beginning.
Also, I'm definitley not a pitching instructor but it looks like the girl in the video is starting at an angle off the power line. Her right foot and hips are pointing towards the left (looking from the front) of the power line before she ever starts her motion.
Generally, she looks pretty good. But, there is always something to fix...
She isn't getting her arm straight. Her arm is straight at 3:00, but she immediately bends it. She never straightens it again. She is supposed to be "reaching for the sky" with a straight arm, and then at 12, she breaks the arm by pulling down with the upper right arm.
So, she needs to do "half frames" where she gets open, takes the ball to 12, extends the arm as much as possible, and then throws.
Her right foot always crosses "the power line". It is a nasty little habit to break. You may want to have her practice staying to our right, her left of the power line by telling her to overemphasize her foot position.
Next, she needs to take the ball back "on the power line". She is taking it back at an angle, which causes the ball get outside of the power line plane.
This is a nit...but, she is going to have to hide the ball better. This is her taking the ball back. The hitters have a beautiful view of her grip. This doesn't matter at 12U or 14U. But, at 16U, the hitters will look for her grip to find out if she is throwing a changeup or any breaking stuff. So, might as well as fix it now. She needs to cover the ball with her mitt as long as possible.
Good point about her hips being off center.
As to the bent elbow:
There are so many ways to think of this--so, let's see what the best pitchers in the world do:
What is the very first think you do when you crack a whip? You straighten it out. The same thing with the arm...you first straighten it out, and then you crack the whip.
As to the bent elbow:
There are so many ways to think of this--so, let's see what the best pitchers in the world do:
What is the very first think you do when you crack a whip? You straighten it out. The same thing with the arm...you first straighten it out, and then you crack the whip.
I've watched that video of Jennie and I've never really paid attention to her arm locking in the beginning but I have noticed the awesome whip she has. I'm glad I read your original post because now I don't feel so bad about my DD locking her arm. When should the elbow begin to bend? If I lock my arm and make a perfect circle it almost seems impossible to bend the elbow unless I bend it at about 2 or 10 o'clock depending how you look at it.
You definitely don't want to lock the elbow. Most kids who lock it early will never unlock it. At least that's my experience. You want the elbow to lead down the back side of the circle, so it needs to be unlocked at the top of the circle. If the elbow is locked, you will end up pushing the ball through release instead of pulling it. If you are pushing there's no whip.
My guess is that while Cat's and Jennie's arms look straight, their elbows are not locked.
My guess is that while Cat's and Jennie's arms look straight, their elbows are not locked.
I'm not sure that you can tell how straight the arm is in the photos above, only that the upper arm and forearm are aligned through the upswing. I believe a front view would show a slight bend of the elbow - the entire arm being relatively neutral.
Doesn't one first create a loop to crack a whip? IOW, the end of the whip lags behind the rest of the whip until it "whips" past as each segment aligns and transfers energy.
I think the issue may not be specifically about how much the elbow bends.
Two things lead me to this conclusion: while she has considerable bend at the elbow during the backswing her arm is mostly aligned through the upswing. The problem occurs over the top and has to do with the timing and amount of internal/external rotation of the upper arm and forearm.
Look at the two photos at about the 9 position and notice how the young ladies throwing shoulder has a distinct point indicating that she has begun to internally rotate her arm by this point. Also notice that Finch's arm is still externally rotated - her shoulder is rounded.
This may be a sequencing issue where the shoulder is getting too far ahead of the arm and may be caused by not enough external rotation of the arm over the top.
This issue may also be related to her hips closing too early.
Doesn't one first create a loop to crack a whip? IOW, the end of the whip lags behind the rest of the whip until it "whips" past as each segment aligns and transfers energy.
I think the issue may not be specifically about how much the elbow bends.
Two things lead me to this conclusion: while she has considerable bend at the elbow during the backswing her arm is mostly aligned through the upswing. The problem occurs over the top and has to do with the timing and amount of internal/external rotation of the upper arm and forearm.
Look at the two photos at about the 9 position and notice how the young ladies throwing shoulder has a distinct point indicating that she has begun to internally rotate her arm by this point. Also notice that Finch's arm is still externally rotated - her shoulder is rounded.
This may be a sequencing issue where the shoulder is getting too far ahead of the arm and may be caused by not enough external rotation of the arm over the top.
This issue may also be related to her hips closing too early.
Just so I understand:
(a) Finch's right hand is extended almost as far as her left arm
(b) her right shoulder is probably 6 to 8 inches farther from the plate than her left shoulder.
Therefore, you think her right arm is bent? Doesn't the picture pretty much prove that Finch has extended her arm as straight as possible?
I agree that the pitcher shouldn't lock the arm.
(a) Finch's right hand is extended almost as far as her left arm
(b) her right shoulder is probably 6 to 8 inches farther from the plate than her left shoulder.
Therefore, you think her right arm is bent? Doesn't the picture pretty much prove that Finch has extended her arm as straight as possible?
I agree that the pitcher shouldn't lock the arm.
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