Rushing

General Pitching Topics
#1

since everyone has started screwing with my leg kick my timing is waaaaaay off

  1. when i lift to load and come back down and into my stride i would keep the back leg bent and sort of push off the mound to drive my hips open just before footplant… right now im pushing right when i come out of my leg lift causing me to hurry and land with a straight leg… although my body is used to my leg driving the hip open the leg is pushing but im mentally forcing myself to stay closed which leads to very little hip/shoulder seperation when i finally do open

  2. my PAS arm would swing way behind me during my stride… now it doesnt even peak out behind me

  3. my GAS arm would extend out at shoulder height… now my glove is down by my waist

sounds like an easy fix but my body just wont do it for some reason

any help?

#2

Actively trying to push off often screws up one’s timing. Focus on getting the hips moving forward but not on pushing off.

If your hips are opening right before foot plant, that is too early. The hips should start to open right before foot plant to allow the front leg and foot to open up into foot plant. How much they must open depends on your flexibility. But the biggest, most explosive part of hip rotation should occur after the foot plants and the front leg firms up and braces.

#3

In addtion to what ROGER just posted, most youngsters have a very lose stride foot discipline… yes… stride foot discipline.

Try this exercise without a ball and glove… just to feel the body’s response to this very sensitive balancing act and the progression influences that’s pass on to your form:

Before you go any further, check out Roger Clmens on the top right corner video and pay particular attention to his stride FOOT as it comes down and strectes out … before the plant.
Get into your normal windup position, then, step back … to the side… or whatever your normal initial motion is.
Now bring your stride leg up, with your stride foot’s toe pointed up… and notice how your balance is shifted… ever so slightly… foward.
When your trying to develop a reasonable form at the being’g of your baseball experience, the “slight forward” balance shifting can cause you to RUSH your overall setup and delivery motion. You may not be aware of it… but this is one of the greatest causes of form and posture problems for early mechanic problems.
Now go back to your orginial stance… prior to the windup, and this time, when you bring your leg lift up, point your stride foot’s toe DOWN.
Be very aware here… notice the slight different in your balance impression… now your balance is every so slightly shifted BACK … not forward. This small adjustment will allow you to manage the rest of your progression without being rushed.
Now for the complete composition====
When you bring your stride leg around and lift, start right away to POINT YOUR STRIDE FOOT’S TOE DOWN… AND KEEP IT POINTED DOWN. As you bring your stride leg down from its leg lift, you stride FOOT IS STILL POINTED DOWN and contours the surface to the mound … then … plants itself.

Without actually seeing the rest of what your doing… or not… this simple yet effective stride leg/foot discipline can overcome a lot of problems in the upper portions of the body’s prep and delivery.

With my suggestion here … go very slow at first and try and feel and reason out the exercise and drill. Try completing this drill in front of a mirror just to see what the body is doing in addition to the feeling that your trying to incorporate in your style.

Coach B.