Throwing instruction

Correct throwing mechanics of the overhand throw: 1) The shoulders should turn 90-deg to the target and the ball should turn away from the target. (known as "showing" the ball . .) Now step. As you rotate your trunk back to "square", 2) roll your shoulder to bring your elbow forward, but drop your forearm behind you. 3) With your hand+ball "behind your ear", and wrist laid back, "pull" the ball in a manner to unfold (or "catapult") your forearm over your upper arm. 4) Prior to full arm extension, snap your hand down the back of the ball, as if pushing a swinging door open at a point as high, or higher, than your head. (FYI, the incorrect method would be to "turn the doorknob".) Follow thru should NOT be lead by the elbow dropping or collapsing, but rather by the wrist leading the (relatively straight) arm downward..

Simplified, from above --

1. Turn 90-deg and "show" the ball.

2. Rotate (your trunk) and roll (your shoulder).

3. Pull the ball from behind and "catapult" your forearm over your upper arm.

4. Snap your fingers down the back of the ball to create backspin.

5. Bring your arm down "wrist first" and not elbow first.

So what's the bottom line? If I had to boil it down to ONE thing, I would say that a high elbow differentiates good form from great form.

Good -- your elbow at release is like "I raise my right hand and do solemnly swear . ."

Great -- your elbow at release is high enough to reach over a fence just taller than you.

Do's --

1. Point your glove hand at your target. As you rotate back to "square" you will

pull your glove hand back towards your chest for balance, but also to create

throwing torque. (Figure skaters pull their arms in to spin faster. )

2. DO "unlock" the shoulder and allow it to roll forward as you "pull" the ball from behind.

3. If you rotate correctly, your forearm (with wrist laid back) will be able to "flop" or

"unfold" over top of your upper arm in the direction of the target, much the

same way a catapult is launched.

4. Correct wrist snap will bring your fingers straight down the back of the ball,

creating backspin.

5. DO snap your wrist "down", not "around". Push the door open, don't turn the

doorknob.

6. Much the way a basketballer shoots by pushing "out" through the ball and

creating backspin, you too should "push" your hand through the ball as you

snap down.

7. DO practice the mechanics even at short warm-up distances, including, especially,

to turn 90-deg. Practicing the proper mechanics is the ONLY way to make

it second nature.

8. As the forearm is laid out ("unhinges") to target, it should point in a linear

direction towards the target. A line starts with the pivot point (elbow) being

anchored, then moves up the forearm, ending with the pointer (wrist). A common

error is wobble of the elbow that produces roll of the forearm that imparts

outside-to-inside drift on the throw. (The common "flip" drill helps correct this

by having the player stabilize her elbow on her glove as she makes simple

flips by softly catapulting the ball to her partner a few feet away, i.e., the upper

arm is already pointed forward and remains stationary.)

Don'ts --

1. Don't drop or collapse your elbow as you rotate. Show us your underarm!

2. Try not to "cup" the ball behind your head. Turn it away and show it to the world!

3. Don't add a twist as you release the ball. Don't "turn the doorknob".

4. Don't stand "square" to your target and simply pull the ball back (like pulling

a rubberband).

Checks and Balances --

1. The 90-deg turn-and-square is a little like a standard swimming stroke (crawl) in that

one must rotate your trunk and reach with the opposite arm, then roll the

(throwing) shoulder forward. (The main difference is that your softball "stroke"

would slap the water with your forearm, whereas your swimming stroke reaches

for the water.)

2. An easy 15-yard throw should result in a gentle arc up-and-out, not a "dive bomb".

3. Think of how one flings a lacrosse stick. . . except imagine that the head of the stick is

articulated (hinged) and can snap, or flick, into the throw. This is how your upper

arm (lower stick) and forearm (upper, hinged part) work in alignment towards your

target. The lacrosse basket does not twist or impart sidespin -- nor should you.

4. Only pitchers will learn to adapt spins and twists to create curveballs, screwballs,

and such. Position players should have no need to throw other than to use backspin.

5. Playing long toss helps to force better form through increased shoulder roll, high(er)

release, and other "magnified" mechanics.

6. Making the girls do baseball pitching will also help magnify the correct trunk turn

and shoulder rotation.

I prefer teaching a "down, out and up" circular motion to draw the ball out of your glove, as opposed to a "sling back" motion that pulls the ball back like pulling a rubber band. The "d, o & u" motion is similar to the yoga move when one starts with both arms bowed down at your waist, and then takes them out, then up, like making a circle from the bottom up.

A simple but great practice tip for form and also for strength is to grab a bat with the knob in your palm, and hang it down your spine (in picture 5 above). Then, draw it vertically up your spine and "fling" it up, out, and over your head, "flipping" it end over end. (Don't let go, just imagine so.) As the bat flips over at its apex, the weight will naturally draw your hand+wrist down first, and NOT your elbow first, as we know from above that your wrist should lead your arm down, not your elbow. "Circle" the bat down and around to your back again (i.e., do not flip it "backwards" over the top) and repeat as necessary.