Why Do Hips Follow Hands?

[GunnerShotgun]

As Amy points out, most women's hips are wider than their shoulders. So, if the hips close, the arm has to arc around the hips during the pitch, making control almost impossible.

A 12YOA girl isn't going to have this problem. In fact, the easiest way to teach a 12YOA girl to throw hard is have them close their hips early. Of course, as soon as her body matures, she won't be able to hit the backstop from 10 feet.

Thanks, this is what I was getting at. At her age and physique it's not a problem even though everyone keeps mentioning it. If it's a form of future proofing, I can get on board with that.

I wonder if men do the same and it also seems to me that staying open or slightly open would be slower in MPH.

 

[crystlemc]

A lot of what produces velocity and spin is the arm "whipping" through the bottom of the circle. In order for the arm to do so, it has to be slightly bent at the elbow all the way around, and the hips have to stay out of the way of the forearm. You cannot whip the arm through the bottom of the circle if the hips are there. That being said, most pitchers close their hips at least slightly, milliseconds after the ball has passed the hip.

 

[Ken B]

I think the hips actively contrbute more to the overhand pitch and in hitting. In the fastpitch motion, the role of the body at release is to provide resistance to the whip--not to try to add anything to the pitch.

Using a gun, have your pitchers try to use their hips to throw harder for 5-10 pitches. Average the speeds. Then do 5-10 focusing on a strong drive and a relaxed whip. Compare the speeds.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Here is a discussion, also. I am open to all theories.

Girls Fastpitch Softball: March 09, 2008

 

[starsnuffer]

Understand the power line. It is not the line drawn down the center of some retail pitching mats. The power line is the most efficient path for the ball to take to its intended target. If the hips are in the way, the path can not be as efficient.


-W

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Understand the power line. It is not the line drawn down the center of some retail pitching mats. The power line is the most efficient path for the ball to take to its intended target. If the hips are in the way, the path can not be as efficient.


-W

But if the hips weren't in the way would the pitch be faster? Lots of slender pitchers out there.

 

[crystlemc]

But if the hips weren't in the way would the pitch be faster? Lots of slender pitchers out there.

I would say no, because you are putting more torque on the shoulder joint. It moves in a much smoother rotation along a linear path if you are parallel to the "line" than if you were perpendicular to the line.

Try this. Imagine a line from you to wherever. Stand with your belly parallel to that line and move your arm in a circle "on" that line. Then turn perpendicular to the line, and repeat. See which feels more "natural".

 

[starsnuffer]

But if the hips weren't in the way would the pitch be faster? Lots of slender pitchers out there.

There are some pitchers that do not have classical female body shapes. Dallas Escobedo and Yukiko Uneo are two examples. This allows them to pitch "without as much concern" as to what the hips do, much like many male pitchers.

If you consider that we typically want the balls of the feet to be on the power line, and that the feet project outward from the center of the body, then the path of the ball must be in line on a vertical plane over the balls of the feet to be most efficient. This leaves little room for anything to be in the way insofar as the hips go. Once the ball passes the hips, then the hips can close, as they are no longer in the way. Closing too much, however, offsets the legs and feet, so typically you see between 20 and 40 degrees of closure. How much the hips close is usually dependent on what type of follow through the pitcher uses with their feet, be it laces forward (more hip closure) or figure-four (less or even no hip closure).

-W

 

[GunnerShotgun]

There are some pitchers that do not have classical female body shapes. Dallas Escobedo and Yukiko Uneo are two examples. This allows them to pitch "without as much concern" as to what the hips do, much like many male pitchers.

If you consider that we typically want the balls of the feet to be on the power line, and that the feet project outward from the center of the body, then the path of the ball must be in line on a vertical plane over the balls of the feet to be most efficient. This leaves little room for anything to be in the way insofar as the hips go. Once the ball passes the hips, then the hips can close, as they are no longer in the way. Closing too much, however, offsets the legs and feet, so typically you see between 20 and 40 degrees of closure. How much the hips close is usually dependent on what type of follow through the pitcher uses with their feet, be it laces forward (more hip closure) or figure-four (less or even no hip closure).

-W

Thanks I will let her read your post when she gets home. I have concluded that I will but the Perfect Circle Training aide at a 45 degree angle on her thigh instead of at 90 degrees (straight out from her thigh) and let her go.

No more wall drills it seems.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Ken B]

Ueno is an open style pitcher who follows through to a closed position.

If the hand released the ball over the balls of the feet, the pitcher would tend to fall backwards. There are two parallel paths that the feet and hand follow, but they are not on top of each other.