What is the correct position for a pitchers landing foot? Toes landing straight pointing directly at the target or landing at an angle and turning with the body on the follow through? Any helpful feedback greatly appreciated.
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quote:Originally posted by SGTHEN19:
What is the correct position for a pitchers landing foot? Toes landing straight pointing directly at the target or landing at an angle and turning with the body on the follow through? Any helpful feedback greatly appreciated.
I prefer that they land with the toe pointing directly at the target, which is what Sandy Koufax did.
However, many RH pitchers will land with their toes pointing 15 or so degrees to the 3B side of Home (to the 1B side of Home for LH's).
Slight angle.
Addendum just to be clear: slightly closed.
Addendum just to be clear: slightly closed.
quote:Originally posted by Texan:
Slight angle.
Maddux lands with a slight angle. Maybe 5 or 10 degrees...
I prefer our kids to be slightly closed to straight. Never open.
Concerns about planting too closed:
(1) Puts additional stress on the hip, knee, and ankle joints as the body tries to square up to the target (and beyond during follow-through) while the foot (and cleats) are stuck to the ground.
(2) Can lead to an inappropriate posture change (bend at the waist towards the glove side) as the body tries to minimize/avoid (1) above.
(3) Can prevent full hip rotation which robs velocity and puts more stress on the arm because the body is less effectively used to throw.
Concerns about planting too open:
(1) Can cause the hips to open too early which prevents effective use of the body to throw with resulting in less velocity and more stress on the arm.
(2) Can lead to inconsistent foot plant which leads to inconsistent release point.
In the end, I don't mind a slight variation as long as it's not causing one of the above issues. However, like Texan and hsballcoach, I prefer a variation be to the closed side.
(1) Puts additional stress on the hip, knee, and ankle joints as the body tries to square up to the target (and beyond during follow-through) while the foot (and cleats) are stuck to the ground.
(2) Can lead to an inappropriate posture change (bend at the waist towards the glove side) as the body tries to minimize/avoid (1) above.
(3) Can prevent full hip rotation which robs velocity and puts more stress on the arm because the body is less effectively used to throw.
Concerns about planting too open:
(1) Can cause the hips to open too early which prevents effective use of the body to throw with resulting in less velocity and more stress on the arm.
(2) Can lead to inconsistent foot plant which leads to inconsistent release point.
In the end, I don't mind a slight variation as long as it's not causing one of the above issues. However, like Texan and hsballcoach, I prefer a variation be to the closed side.
