Holding runners

#1

I have difficulty holding runners. Slow guys sometimes steal on me. Problem is I am a high leg kick kind of guy. Don’t like using slide step because the toll it takes on the arm and the loss of velocity. I am with Nolan Ryan when he says to Tom House. “The higher I lift it the harder I throw it”. Any thoughts?

Thanks

#2

That is a fun game of cat and mouse. 2 things.

  1. Change your timing going home. Hold in the set position for a while, runners hate sitting there waiting. Then be quicker next time. Don’t get predictable.
  2. It’s not the height of the leg kick slowing you down. You can pick your leg up and down pretty quick. It’s the long balance period over your back foot. Try to start incorporating your leg lift into your move down the hill. Meaning don’t go backwards to balance over your back foot, start moving forward as soon as you start lifting your leg. You may feel as though you are rushing, but technically you are just getting rid of dead time spent balancing over your foot.
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#3

Thank you. I do tend to hang a bit. I will work on it.