Noontime Baseball aka @noontimegifs just giving me some awesome GIF clips to work with! Go follow him on twitter!
Footwork Patterns: Left, Right / Left, Right
You should start to notice (if you haven’t already) that there’s a footwork pattern that is consistent throughout baseball, no matter what level you’re at! Righty throwers use the concept of Right, Left. Lefty throwers use the concept of Left, Right. Simple.
Implement this with your youngsters. Get them performing the proper footwork first. It will make teaching throwing patterns and crow hops that much easier!
As Rick catches the ball, more specifically, as the ball is touching the glove, the left foot touches the ground. At the same time, the right leg starts to move through into the next step. The footwork is Left, Right.. step behind.. Left, Right Throw!
Hip to Trunk Relationship & Creating Resistance
The step behind footwork technique allows the hips to close in order to re-open. The hips will turn back slightly before the stride occurs. Now, as the stride occurs, the hips are turning forward/pulling away from torso/opening towards the target. Whatever terminology you want to use. Whatever helps you understand this movement!
When this happens, the trunk then turns back/pulls in opposite direction against the opening hips. The arm is also disconnecting from the body during this time. This is how separation/resistance is created!
There’s a term that I recently came across and absolutely love! The term is “Distraction” and I got it from Kyle Boddy of DriveLine Baseball. This term makes complete sense to me in how the two structures (torso and pelvis) need to separate. You need to look at his information, especially his flagship book Hacking the Kinetic Chain.
HLT Arm Pattern
Rick uses a longer arm action which you’ll see when his arm drops down, near the back of his leg. Then, the elbow drives back in the SagFrontal plane to initiate the arm pattern, allowing the scapulae to retract. At the same time, the stride is also occurring.
As soon as the lead leg starts to move into external rotation to lead foot contact, the arm will also start to move into external rotation. You will see that there’s a ton of disconnect between the throwing arm and the trunk during this time.
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