I am a RHP and am about 6'3". I have a rather short stride and tend to throw across my body. Are there some drills that could work on both of the things and what could making my stride longer do for me?
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could the towel drill help this?
The Towel Drill helped me with my stride. As long as you finish with your chest low and your right leg off the ground, then your stride is just fine.
Most coaches say your stride should be as long as you are tall, give or take a few inches.
Towel grill is excellent as long as you do it right.
Max is right you finish with your chest reasonably flat over your glove side leg. Hard to do when you are not stretched out properly.
Towel grill is excellent as long as you do it right.
Max is right you finish with your chest reasonably flat over your glove side leg. Hard to do when you are not stretched out properly.
Could this help increase my velocity?
The secret to velocity is to hold onto the ball longer so more distance is created along with more time. That allows more energy to end up on the ball. Remember you are trying to build as much elastic energy as possible...thus the reason for a long stride.
The longer you hold onto the ball - the harder you will throw.
The longer you hold onto the ball - the harder you will throw.
My son gets the "stride" lecture every lesson. Last week we saw a picture of Roy Oswalt in SI, I think it was SI, his stride is extremely long.
I think the key to stride is, can you get out over your front foot on the release.
I think the key to stride is, can you get out over your front foot on the release.
Good Morning O'Brady,
Where's the beef?-LOL Just Kidding
Any good players your way other than JH at Henry CO?
Heard of a couple. Glad I don't have to fight that Atlanta traffic anymore
That perimeter all the way up to Roswell on I-285/I-85 is difficult to say the least. Guess it was worth it though with Jimmy Barthmaier, Jeremy Hermida, and Jeff Francouer and a few others a few years back.
Almost forgot about QuigleyLHP. How is he doing? Heard anything?
Shep
Where's the beef?-LOL Just Kidding
Any good players your way other than JH at Henry CO?
Heard of a couple. Glad I don't have to fight that Atlanta traffic anymore
That perimeter all the way up to Roswell on I-285/I-85 is difficult to say the least. Guess it was worth it though with Jimmy Barthmaier, Jeremy Hermida, and Jeff Francouer and a few others a few years back.
Almost forgot about QuigleyLHP. How is he doing? Heard anything?
Shep
I've heard of the towel drill, can anybody refresh my memory about how it is done. Thanks.
PP10
PP10
"Where's the beef?-LOL Just Kidding
Any good players your way other than JH at Henry CO?"
I just love their rolls, yummmm
I'm just getting into varsity ball in this area so other than a couple, like Brent Brewer, that's all I know.
Yesterday, game 1, I heard that the Pirates came to the school to see him hit and then several others were at the game to see what he can do. He did have a good game.
Any good players your way other than JH at Henry CO?"
I just love their rolls, yummmm
I'm just getting into varsity ball in this area so other than a couple, like Brent Brewer, that's all I know.
Yesterday, game 1, I heard that the Pirates came to the school to see him hit and then several others were at the game to see what he can do. He did have a good game.
Too short a stride can take away some velocity. We had a few guys pick up 2-4 mph just becuase their stride was not long enough. I have seen where some pitching coaches tell their pitchers to shorten their stride when thowing a change-up to lower their velocity even more.
One of my former coaches had us do this:
Pretend that you were going to have to throw someone out at the plate and you were in the OF. Now pretend to catch that ball and throw. We'd do that. Then, he'd say freeze after our crowhop. That length was our "maximum" stride length. Well take that for what it is worth but it is somewhat close to where you should be.
Pretend that you were going to have to throw someone out at the plate and you were in the OF. Now pretend to catch that ball and throw. We'd do that. Then, he'd say freeze after our crowhop. That length was our "maximum" stride length. Well take that for what it is worth but it is somewhat close to where you should be.
It also has to do with your style. If you're a Seaver-type, "drop & drive" pitcher (Oswalt being one), you're going to have a longer stride than those who emphasize the "stay tall, then fall" approach. My personal experience has been that the "tall/fall" approach is easier in that it emphasizes hip turn/trunk rotation as the source of power and velocity. Also, it's easier to stay of top of breaking pitches. Using a longer stride with the "tall/fall" approach will lock up the hips and prevent good trunk rotation.
I've never heard of a rule of thumb for stride length. Most pitchers experiment and stick with what works best for them.
The Prior/Maddux comparison is off base, as you're talking about two very different approaches to pitching. Maddux de-emphasizes velocity and hardly ever even uses a breaking pitch. He relies on movement, placement, and his change-up, plus he rarely goes over 100 pitches per outing. Prior is a classic power pitcher, using greater velocity and frequently using a hard breaking pitch. You can blame the power delivery's stress on the arm, or the curves and sliders if you want, but I doubt that stride length has anything to do with it.
I've never heard of a rule of thumb for stride length. Most pitchers experiment and stick with what works best for them.
The Prior/Maddux comparison is off base, as you're talking about two very different approaches to pitching. Maddux de-emphasizes velocity and hardly ever even uses a breaking pitch. He relies on movement, placement, and his change-up, plus he rarely goes over 100 pitches per outing. Prior is a classic power pitcher, using greater velocity and frequently using a hard breaking pitch. You can blame the power delivery's stress on the arm, or the curves and sliders if you want, but I doubt that stride length has anything to do with it.
IMO that the stride length is determined by the overall mechanics. You can start out with 90% of your height. As your mechanics become efficient, experiment with the length.
Landing on the heel first does not define a stride as being too long. Landing on the heel first can be an integral part of specific mechanics. A thrower may be using the heel first approach to set up hip opening into solid foot plant.
Landing flat footed is not an absolute to throwing at very high velocities at the pro level.
Landing on the heel first does not define a stride as being too long. Landing on the heel first can be an integral part of specific mechanics. A thrower may be using the heel first approach to set up hip opening into solid foot plant.
Landing flat footed is not an absolute to throwing at very high velocities at the pro level.
Do you teach landing on the heel?
quote:Do you teach landing on the heel?
No........but I don't disregard it in an established thrower.
I don't teach heel-to-toe either but attempt to unteach it before it is internalized to the point of no return in the pitcher's natural habitat on mound.
As far as disregard heel-to-toe; don't think we have a choice in some cases to at least acknowledge it even though we may not agree with flaw of established pitcher.
Just my opinion now and not trying to stir the bee hive
RHP I saw tonight didn't have that problem of heel to toe.
LOW, one of your guys did show up after we spoke
Shep
As far as disregard heel-to-toe; don't think we have a choice in some cases to at least acknowledge it even though we may not agree with flaw of established pitcher.
Just my opinion now and not trying to stir the bee hive
RHP I saw tonight didn't have that problem of heel to toe.
LOW, one of your guys did show up after we spoke
Shep
I'm not trying to speak for cap'n, but from first-hand experience I know that he is not saying he teaches pitchers to land on their heel - because he taught my son to stop landing on his heel. But everything cap'n taught my son has been custom fit to this particular pitcher, not based on a cookie cutter or set of absolutes. So I'm not surprised to read that he might recommend leaving this aspect of the mechanics alone if it was working for that specific pitcher who was already successful at a high level of competition. Just my interpretation of that quote.
Maddogmt32-
Throwing across the body is not a function of stride length, it’s a function of where your stride foot lands. Landing to the throwing arm side of the body requires throwing across the body.
As a general rule, if the stride length is suited for your over all mechanics, lengthening the stride will make opening the hips into foot plant more difficult.
bbscout-
I disagree with your response in reference to my post…you make an assumption that landing on the heel equates to landing hard on the heel which leads to injury.
You wrote this statement which is inaccurate for the highest level of pro baseball’s high velocity pitchers. Landing on the heel first does not define bad, undesirable or harmful mechanics, or, the stride being too long. It does not mean the pitcher is landing hard, or, crashing into foot plant on the heel either.
As for stride length, there’s not a thing wrong with starting out with 90% of your height.
As the pitchers mechanics evolve, experiment by changing the length to see how the overall mechanics are affected.
You must learn to be a thrower before you learn to be a pitcher. High velocity throwers have value to me.
quote:I am a RHP and am about 6'3". I have a rather short stride and tend to throw across my body. Are there some drills that could work on both of the things and what could making my stride longer do for me?
Throwing across the body is not a function of stride length, it’s a function of where your stride foot lands. Landing to the throwing arm side of the body requires throwing across the body.
As a general rule, if the stride length is suited for your over all mechanics, lengthening the stride will make opening the hips into foot plant more difficult.
bbscout-
I disagree with your response in reference to my post…you make an assumption that landing on the heel equates to landing hard on the heel which leads to injury.
You wrote this statement which is inaccurate for the highest level of pro baseball’s high velocity pitchers. Landing on the heel first does not define bad, undesirable or harmful mechanics, or, the stride being too long. It does not mean the pitcher is landing hard, or, crashing into foot plant on the heel either.
As for stride length, there’s not a thing wrong with starting out with 90% of your height.
As the pitchers mechanics evolve, experiment by changing the length to see how the overall mechanics are affected.
You must learn to be a thrower before you learn to be a pitcher. High velocity throwers have value to me.
I'm with BBS.
Many can throw, few can truly pitch.
Many can throw, few can truly pitch.
