Drills To Help With the Hips

#1

Here we go, first off forgive me for using the words:

Never and always in the video, I’m human. There is no such thing as always and never when it comes to pitching mechanics, drills, etc…

We all want to get from Point A-B, it’s just we get there differently.

I like these drills, they work for me. Doesn’t mean they will work for you. I’m a big believer in “feeling” more and relying less on “seeing”. I think baseball instruction relies more on what “others” see vs. what “we feel”.

By “over-exagerrating” I am referring to closing the front hip as long as possible to get the feel of the back hip being the aggressor to opening the hips.

I also mentioned the back leg has to have some bend, I’m referring to guys that keep the back leg stiff throughout the process. Bauer will begin stiff and then flex, many kids struggle and “I” have found it easier to start with some bend.

A big focus is keeping the front hip closed and “crushing” the hips together while moving forward. Feel it and find the best way for YOU.
I would also suggest taking the shoe off the back foot, it gives you a better feel once you put your barefoot in contact with the ground, your choice.

You will see a lot of guys manipulate the hips in a different fashion. Lance McCullers and Trevor Bauer are totally different but both know how to PROJECT the hips and not PUSH the hips. Big differerence.

I think a key to projecting the hips requires the front hip to stay closed and allow the center mass to be in front. As soon as the front hip begins to open, the projection of the hips moving forward is gone. It’s now about rotation.

The lower body (legs) is basically the transporter of the hips.

#2

Arrrggghhh! I don’t know what I’m going to do about this stupid computer; it keeps jumping around like a jackrabbit on steroids and sending me off to all sorts of irrelevant places. But let me start over.
Evidently you know about the “Hershiser drill”, which aims at getting the hips fully involved. It requires no special equipment, just a fence or a wall, and working on this will establish the all-important connection between the lower and upper halves of the body. Now, I played many moons ago, and that was before Hershiser was even born!—but I saw the Yankees’ Big Three pitchers in action and I noticed something. They were all driving off the lower half of the body, using the legs, the hips and the torso in one seamless—and continuous—motion, which was how they were generating the power behind their pitches. In doing this they were taking a lot of pressure off the shoulder and the arm, so they were throwing harder with less effort. I saw just how they were doing this during their pregame practice sessions, and I made a note of it and starting working on it on my own; as I practiced this essential element of good mechanics I found that I was doing the same thing they were.
And me being an honest-to-gosh sidearmer who used the crossfire almost all the time, I discovered that my pitching delivery had more snap and sizzle to it. So—HIP HIP HOORAY!!!

#3

[quote=“Zita Carno”]
Evidently you know about the “Hershiser drill”, which aims at getting the hips fully involved. It requires no special equipment, just a fence or a wall, and working on this will establish the all-important connection between the lower and upper halves of the body. [/quote]

I hear this a lot and would like to hear you speak a little more about this. What makes you say it will connect the lower and upper body by simply getting the hips out.

The problem I see with a lot of pitchers is two fold:

  1. The idea that simply pushing the front hip will connect the delivery. I don’t believe this to be true.

  2. The idea that the front hip is dominant and therefore, most pitchers do not understand the front hip is simply a bi-product of the back hips action.

#4

I really like those drills as well as the explanation. Using the lower body always seems to be misunderstood and a lot of people feel that they aren’t using the lower body properly. For me, this explanation works better than pushing with the hips or consciously thinking about rotating my hips around some arbitrary focal point. Personally, controlling my hips have been key for improving my own velocity, control, movement, well… basically everything started with my hips.

EDIT: One thing I want to add to your explanation is to make sure you are driving your entire upper leg, not just knee, down and out. When I focus just on the knee, sometimes my hips don’t follow through in a correct manner. Focusing on the entire upper leg and knee makes the hips always go through like you want.

#5

GREAT STUFF!!! I have been off here for a while and the first post I hit was this one.

#6

What drills do some of you guys use for the hips? Besides the Hershiser…High probability that would be one of the first mentioned, I don’t know why I think that. :lol:

#7

Personally, I try to focus on the drive and staying closed until footplant.

If I focus on my hips - bad things happen.

(I know this is about ‘drills’)

#8

[quote=“kylejamers”]Personally, I try to focus on the drive and staying closed until footplant.

If I focus on my hips - bad things happen.

(I know this is about ‘drills’)[/quote]

I agree. It’s all about what works for you. I like your point

#9

I am also 23 too - Not much physical maturity left here.

Those types of movements could be very helpful for someone a bit younger.

#10

This should probably be posted in another area but I thought since the OP was about the hips, I would post it here.

For some reason, I can’t embed the video so here’s the link:

#11

I just thought you guys may be interested on a recent post. It’s just a different way to view what pitchers are trying to accomplish with separation. Would love to hear some feedback.

http://baseballthinktank.com/hey-pitchers-what-are-you-really-trying-to-separate/

#12

Verlander seems to be the ideal exception - Low levels of separation - routinely up around 100mph.

Joel Zumaya throws absolute gas and (easily) has the most visible separation I have ever seen though.

#13

Great article Think Tank. I have been searching for a while on things about separation and never could find anything that cleared it up enough to the point where I knew what I needed to do, and how to do it. That article just did both. Interesting concept about the rubberband too!

#14

I had some PM’s about specific drills.

With these drills the focus should be placed on detaching the elbow from the hip. It’s over-exagerrated and used simple to “feel” the separation.

Enjoy!