Friday, May 1, 2009

Adam's Pitching Tips: Starting with The Wind-up. Arm Circle, Stride and Front Foot Landing, The Glove Side of the Pitching Motion, and Releases

The Wind-Up
By coach Adam La Serna, Pro Fastpitch Trainer
"So many great pitchers using so many different Wind-Ups"
- coach Adam
In the Video below we take a look at Michele Smith. Notice her Rhythm of the Wind-Up and where she places the ball durning the wind-up, and the deception of hiding the pitch being used by placing the throwing hand with ball behind her back. Understanding that at the World Class Olympic and Professional Levels, Michele simply has to perform Pitching Dynamics that will throw-off her opponents hitting against her and those wise-coaches looking to track Michele's grips and pitching characteristics that could tip-them-off to give them some what of an edge in World Class Competition. I admire and respect Michele as one of my favorites in Fastpitch History. A true living legend.
Michele Smith of Toyota Shokki Fastpitch Team
The Glove Side of the Pitching Motion
for the Dominant Pitcher
By coach Adam La Serna, Pro Fastpitch Trainer

"I still see pretty good pitchers at the ball park with a weak-glove-hand, meaning...the pitcher is using less force on the downward motion of the glove-hand than the force of the downward motion of the pitching arm. Pitchers should use the whole body in the pitching motion with equal forces. Efficiency is the key to preventing imbalances and improving over-all Center of Gravity-Balance, strength and power. Its the art of pitching”
– coach Adam
Watch any college or Olympic pitcher and check out how they use their glove hand to create dynamic bio-mechanics for creating more force with the total upper body motion of the pitching motion. Jennie Finch will create an inverted oblong circle with her glove hand during her pitching motion. Notice that the circle is creating negative resistance against the other arm and shoulder. It creates as biometric balance at the same time so that the upper body is more athletic and stable to withstand the dynamic forces of the glove hand circle. This energy or force transfers to the rest of the body for various purposes. The glove also adds a timing element of the release of the pitch. So does the front foot landing creating leverage and more forces and energy transfer.
Below is the You Tube link to Jennie Finch pitching in Athens.
Cat Osterman has different glove dynamics. Her gloves goes vertical, up-then-down without creating a circle of any kind or hardly any at all.
Below is the link to Cat Osterman pitching in Athens.

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