Swing Mechanics Checklist

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Jun 3, 2009
83
6
I've been watching lots of slo-mo swing videos recently and am trying to distill what I see along with some of the things I've read here into a "checklist" of sorts of the important facets of the swing. Very much in draft form but I'd appreciate any thoughts, corrections, comments, suggestions for improvement, etc...

Grip
- Bat held with the fingers of the hands, not the palm
- Bat held aligned with the base of the non-index fingers
- Knocking knuckles aligned or slightly offset towards palms

Stance
- Dynamically Balanced
- Knees flexed
- Weight on balls of feet
- Feet parallel
- Feet outside knees
- Knees outside hips
- Spine is inclined towards catcher
- Head slightly ahead of rear knee
- Majority of weight is back

Unweighting of front foot
- Heel first

Coil/Load/Scrunch
- "Coil-Stretch-Swing sequence"
- Slight counter-rotation (show the front pocket)
- Slight scrunch (head/torso lowers, increased incline towards plate)
- Front knee raises and rotates back

Stride & Stretch
- Hips slightly forward
- Hands stay back

Toe touch
- Inside, big toe

Rotation
- Hips, arms, shoulders start rotating just before or at heel plant
- Rear knee and hip are vertically aligned with head during rotation

Heel Plant & Rotate
- Back elbow, rear hip connected
- Knob to pitcher
- No further forward movement of the head

Contact
- Front arm positioned as though an extension of the bat
- Rear arm: Power "L"
- Shoulders parallel to front of plate
+ Front shoulder high, rear shoulder low
- Hips: parallel to front of plate
- Rear foot: On tip of toes
- Front leg: Straight
- Body position: Inclined backwards

Extension
- Power "V"

Follow Through
 
Jun 3, 2009
83
6
Since this thread hasn't engendered much interest, let me briefly explain the motivation behind it. It's obvious that many of the regular contributors to this forum have been studying swings for years, and as a result are able to pick out flaws shown in swing clips that aren't readily evident, at least to me (and I suspect to most people that haven't viewed hundreds of slow motion swings). The checklist is simply an attempt to produce a list of the most important elements present in most/all "high level" swings that, if missing, probably indicate a fault in the swing.

What I was hoping for was some input as to whether you agree that the items mentioned represent a reasonably complete list of the elements required in a high level swing?

Thanks.
 
Dec 3, 2009
218
0
Kansas City area
Thats what I see! plus bat angle of 45 degrees and front shoulder slightly lower before swing. and I see some take the bat knob and raise it (cocking their wrist) toward the catcher pre swing, extension toward field of play. I havent looked at slo-mo swings for a while but hope this helps.
 
R

RayR

Guest
I would change this....

Head slightly ahead of rear knee
- Majority of weight is back

to:

Head slightly ahead of belly button (or over front hip joint)
Weight is 60/40 forward of center...

If you start with too much weight back you will either keep too much weight back or shift forward too much....



I've been watching lots of slo-mo swing videos recently and am trying to distill what I see along with some of the things I've read here into a "checklist" of sorts of the important facets of the swing. Very much in draft form but I'd appreciate any thoughts, corrections, comments, suggestions for improvement, etc...

Grip
- Bat held with the fingers of the hands, not the palm
- Bat held aligned with the base of the non-index fingers
- Knocking knuckles aligned or slightly offset towards palms

Stance
- Dynamically Balanced
- Knees flexed
- Weight on balls of feet
- Feet parallel
- Feet outside knees
- Knees outside hips
- Spine is inclined towards catcher
- Head slightly ahead of rear knee
- Majority of weight is back

Unweighting of front foot
- Heel first

Coil/Load/Scrunch
- "Coil-Stretch-Swing sequence"
- Slight counter-rotation (show the front pocket)
- Slight scrunch (head/torso lowers, increased incline towards plate)
- Front knee raises and rotates back

Stride & Stretch
- Hips slightly forward
- Hands stay back

Toe touch
- Inside, big toe

Rotation
- Hips, arms, shoulders start rotating just before or at heel plant
- Rear knee and hip are vertically aligned with head during rotation

Heel Plant & Rotate
- Back elbow, rear hip connected
- Knob to pitcher
- No further forward movement of the head

Contact
- Front arm positioned as though an extension of the bat
- Rear arm: Power "L"
- Shoulders parallel to front of plate
+ Front shoulder high, rear shoulder low
- Hips: parallel to front of plate
- Rear foot: On tip of toes
- Front leg: Straight
- Body position: Inclined backwards

Extension
- Power "V"

Follow Through
 
T

theaddition

Guest
I've been watching lots of slo-mo swing videos recently and am trying to distill what I see along with some of the things I've read here into a "checklist" of sorts of the important facets of the swing. Very much in draft form but I'd appreciate any thoughts, corrections, comments, suggestions for improvement, etc...

Grip
- Bat held with the fingers of the hands, not the palm
- Bat held aligned with the base of the non-index fingers
- Knocking knuckles aligned or slightly offset towards palms

Stance
- Dynamically Balanced
- Knees flexed
- Weight on balls of feet
- Feet parallel
- Feet outside knees
- Knees outside hips
- Spine is inclined towards catcher
- Head slightly ahead of rear knee
- Majority of weight is back

Unweighting of front foot
- Heel first

Coil/Load/Scrunch
- "Coil-Stretch-Swing sequence"
- Slight counter-rotation (show the front pocket)
- Slight scrunch (head/torso lowers, increased incline towards plate)
- Front knee raises and rotates back

Stride & Stretch
- Hips slightly forward
- Hands stay back

Toe touch
- Inside, big toe

Rotation
- Hips, arms, shoulders start rotating just before or at heel plant
- Rear knee and hip are vertically aligned with head during rotation

Heel Plant & Rotate
- Back elbow, rear hip connected
- Knob to pitcher
- No further forward movement of the head

Contact
- Front arm positioned as though an extension of the bat
- Rear arm: Power "L"
- Shoulders parallel to front of plate
+ Front shoulder high, rear shoulder low
- Hips: parallel to front of plate
- Rear foot: On tip of toes
- Front leg: Straight
- Body position: Inclined backwards

Extension
- Power "V"

Follow Through

You've seemed to have forgotten the word not before the word aligned in the grip section.
Also, in the same section, the word or should be and.

BD
 
Oct 23, 2009
967
0
Los Angeles
When I see this checklist of 30+ facets of the swing, I can't help thinking "are we overcomplicating the swing" and taking away the player's natural ability to hit the ball hard with all of these swings thoughts?

For most batters, would we be better off teaching the following:

1. Athletic stance
2. Comfortable grip on fingers
3. Hands and bat back
4. Arms create inverted "V"
5. Load
6. Stride
7. Connected upper / lower body to Point of Contact
8. Extension and follow through

Some key intangibles that should be included on any hitting list are: track and attack the ball, confidence, and aggressiveness.
 
Last edited:
Jun 3, 2009
83
6
I would change this....

to:

Head slightly ahead of belly button (or over front hip joint)
Weight is 60/40 forward of center...

If you start with too much weight back you will either keep too much weight back or shift forward too much....

Thanks! Before watching the videos that's what I would have thought too. I've always taught a much more upright and centered stance than the college players seem to use:

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Mark
 
Aug 4, 2008
2,364
0
Lexington,Ohio
We break it down into a simple 7 step process that we have the kids perform doing the Matrix Drill. If you have read the book the Talent Code you would understand slow motion deep training. Each step has parts to it in detail. But we lay this as a foundation.
1. Ready Positon.
2. Set.
3. Separate to Toe Touch
4. Elbow-Knob-Box
5. Knob Parellel to Contact
6. Contact
7. Through to Finish

Each of these steps have sub parts that we work with the hitter on.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
Here is my checklist. I've shared this over the years with a lot of people. I'm always adding and taking away from this list. In the realm of hitting, I'm constantly questioning this list, adding or deleting from it and so, this is simply a beginning place and not inclusive or exclusive of hitting. I hope someone will benefit from it:

1. It has to have a center or axis that can generate centrifugal force. This axis enables the top half of the body to work against the lower half.
2. Your lead elbow must be behind your belly button at foot plant on stride!
3. It has to have a principle of hands first – hands last! HOW? The upper body including shoulders and hands act as a unit in a slight negative rotation to initiate the load. This load movement is in response to a pitcher’s movement.
4. It has to have the principle of a wrist cock right at but just prior to launch. (Think of golf, shooting a basketball, etc. Anything athletic has a cocking effect so why should the swing be different?)
5. In reality, for a right-handed batter, the fingernails of the right hand are up when contact is made. (Opposite for lefties!) This is the result of a proper swing and is not a “teach element.” It can be a check off on video.
6. The finish has to be high. (I believe in releasing the top hand – others don’t!)
7. Front toe closed is important! (It is also impossible) Some call this the “swinging gate.” The toe swings open slightly and is the result of torque as it is transferred through the body.
8. There is a relationship between front toe touch-down and the swing. Rather, this involves the hands location and timing. (IT CAN’T BE A STAGNANT RELATIONSHIP!) (This is where we discuss the sprinter coming out of the block!)
9. I think that the right knee in a right-handed batter actually (it is already bent) moves toward the hitter and then the swing occurs.
10. 50-50 weight ratio. However, alright to go 45-55 with 55 on back foot if comfortable.
11. The head must maintain the same plane.
12. The ball must be hit in the first 4-6 inches of the plate. Even in a situation where you hit the ball to right field, the ball is hit on the front half of the plate but where the ball is exactly over half of the plate.
13. You must fight situations of tense muscle activation. Even with the back arm, the arm is relaxed prior to tensing that arm to implement the swing (load). (Daisy in the hand.) Tension in a swing will make you late!
14. The eyes must be ahead of the barrel of the bat. Find ball flight but know that you won’t see the ball the entire flight of the ball. As eye specialize Gary Meier told me, they eyes will make their adjustments if you allow both eyes to see the ball. Spine angle will set the eyes.
15. The hands should be off the armpit 6 inches and the bat must be rotated behind the ear on a 45-degree angle. (Note- wrist cock here is not “bat wrapping.”)
16. The hitter must be on the balls of his lead foot slightly. The lead leg is slightly bent at foot plant and rotates to a straighter position as a result of the hips coming through.
17. Good hitters initiate the swing with some type of trigger. Almost always this entails some type of negative rotation. (Beware also that this creates many flaws in hitters for instance dropping the hands instead of rotating the shoulders slightly backwards as a unit.)
18. BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE! Post swing tells the story of the swing.
19. As the ball is being driven, the back foot actually rotates to the point that the hitter, as they generate power, comes on top of his back toe and even drags it!
20. Great hitters hit off of a platform. In other words, the front leg becomes straight at some point in the swing when the hips come through. This also helps keep the head in the proper location. Note, straight but not rigid.
21. Spine angle is critical to hitting. Posture determines swing plane. Great hitters are slightly bent over the plate. At least, their eyes are over the edge of the plate.
22. Great hitters can control the bat plane at any point in the swing thus their ability to foul off pitcher's pitches.
 

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