Pivot Pickoffs
The pivot pickoffs are complex, but they also bring a lot of added value. They are a very good exercise to improve the armaction and cement a good armaction.
Especially when performed with plyo balls, the increased proprioceptive feedback can improve arm movement particularly well.
The exercise improves the timing and path of the pick-up phase, i.e. the phase in which the hand goes upwards.
Another focus of the exercise is the driveline phase. This is the phase in which the shoulder, elbow and hand successively accelerate towards home plate.
As the hips are already very open in relation to the upper body in the starting position, the body gets to know and use the position of the hip-shoulder separation.
Depending on how the exercise is performed, a greater focus can also be placed on scap retraction.
Setup
Throwing arm foot is in front, approx. shoulder width apart.
Hip to (front side of throwing arm): Advanced version
Hips open, toes pointing towards the target: Easier because there is less rotation. If the upper body rotates more than 90 degrees to the target, then you should start further closed.
Hands in front of chest: More advanced, preferred version, also works more on scap retraction.
Hand starts "next to ear", palm facing the ear (supinated into external rotation): Simplified version, focused mainly on path timing of elbow extension and shoulder rotation and pronation.
Execution
Arm by the ear: start counter-rotation. At the start of the upper body opening, the hand should be supinated to allow external rotation.
With arm action:
Start counter-rotation, elbow pulls back.
Hand stays inside the elbow or gets there on the way up at the latest.
Elbow moves to shoulder height while hand remains supinated. The palm of the hand points towards the ear.
The glove arm pulls towards the chest and starts the upper body rotation towards the target. The throwing arm shoulder is rotated towards the target, at the same time the arm moves into maximum external rotation.
Then the arm is stretched and the shoulder and forearm rotate inwards.
To ensure an optimal driveline, the finish is with the hand on the front thigh.
Balls
For most players, 2kg and 1kg balls are the most suitable for this exercise. For some players, however, the 2kg ball is too heavy and the quality of execution suffers. The movement is then not fluid and the ball is often pushed. For these players, it is advisable to only do the exercise with the 1kg ball. The 1k and 450g balls are best suited to junior players.