Thread: Need help! Top hand push!

Westwind ... re-read MTS's comment to you ... "The hands have to remain back as the front side starts to open to create stretch in the torso....". MTS is basically speaking of "Stretch and Fire".

Your daughter has virtually zero 'stretch'. Your daughter does not 'setup' to establish 'stretch', nor does she create 'stretch'. In the swing sequence of Coil-Stretch-Separate ... your daughter lacks the 'stretch' ... and as a result there is little to no 'separate' either. Your daughter's swing lacks 'Stretch and Fire' mechanics.

The issue as I see it is with your daughter's sequence and her failure to establish 'stretch'.

Let's see if we can help you visualize things a bit better. I've added horizontal lines to the 'shoulder' & 'hip' lines below. See if you can notice how the 'hip line' is rotated well ahead of the 'shoulder line'. That's the 'separate' in the 'Coil-Stretch-Separate' sequence. Then re-read MTS' comment to you ... "The hands have to remain back as the front side starts to open to create stretch in the torso....". That additional 'stretch' leads to an explosive 'firing' of the barrel ... and hence the term "Stretch-and-Fire".



IMO your daughter would benefit greatly by understanding and following a simple sequence ... Coil-Stretch-Separate.

Originally Posted by MTS

In this video of, I believe Megan Bush, it appears that before she swings her hand move away from her body and back towards the catcher. It causes the barrel of her bat to move behind her head. I believe dd's hitting instructor called this wrapping(around the head) the bat and worked to get it out of her swing. She no longer does this, instead holding the bat still until she begins to swing forward.
I am not one to argue with Megan Bush's results. I believe she led in homeruns this past season. I have also learned(from reading on here and paying attention to videos) that just because people know good mechanics don't mean they always perform them.
So which is right? To wrap or not too wrap, that is the question. Or am I misunderstanding bat wrap all together?

Undergroundga ... what you are referring to as 'wrap' in Megan's swing is often referred to as "barrel load". You may be interested in the following video segment.

So is barrel loading a good thing?
Most of those examples aren't quiet as exaggerated as Bush's. Her hands are moving a long way and her bat get's way behind her head. The closest would be Vlad's and his is in front of his head. He has always been an unorthodox hitter.
Who is #21 for the Tigers? I saw him a few times.

And I shouldn't say dd hold the bat still either. She pushes the knob of hr bat away from her as she starts her motion, tilting the back behind her a bit but not behind her head pointing back toward pitcher.

Originally Posted by undergroundga

So is barrel loading a good thing?
Most of those examples aren't quiet as exaggerated as Bush's. Her hands are moving a long way and her bat get's way behind her head. The closest would be Vlad's and his is in front of his head. He has always been an unorthodox hitter.
Who is #21 for the Tigers? I saw him a few times.

A loaded bat barrel, as weight is shifting, will influence the power of the swing.

A loaded bat barrel will influence the segmentation ... see video clip above … which we termed “separate”. That is, it will influence the X-factor stretch … it will influence “Stretch-and-Fire” and the explosiveness of ‘firing’ the barrel.

As you can see from some of the clips of young hitters posted here, taking the hands back is not a natural move for many of them. Simply look at the girl being discussed in this thread. For kids like this, teaching a barrel slot and hand-set can help make the desired action more of an ‘automatic’.

To answer your question … “So is barrel loading a good thing?” … the answer is “yes” … but like with many things, a good thing can be overdone.

This is totally coming together for me. I am starting to see the sequence of the parts, still a lot to learn. Seeing it, especially without video is really difficult for the non-trained eye I think. My plan: short term she is already doing better and long term I am going to study coil and the correct sequence. The bat wrapping/load issue is very interesting too- that relates to my older daughters swing a little too.

Rich K made a comment- "swing with intent" and that hit home too. I had already figured out that some of her situation was psychology. She is a sweet kid who surprised everybody around her with the way she hit in rec league ball this summer. We were careful how we praised her so she didn't decide she was the second coming of Bustos and get a big head, but for right now I am really reminding her of how she was successful, told her how she wore out the center fielder every game and it has helped a ton.

My hats off to her new hitting coach too- not only is he exceptionally positive while making corrections, he is a rep for a great bat line and she tried out a couple of balanced bats that were same weight and an inch longer. He also pumped her up, got her head in a better place and it showed yesterday. He is sending a bat to her tryouts with her. We all know that its the hitter not the bat in the hitters hand but it sure helped her confidence.

This thing is going to turn out fine no matter what happens at the tryouts!

After tryouts, we'll give this a go with video again. I hope to be able to show you how much help you have already given us. Thanks to all. ww

One specific question- How about the 4x6 drill for sequence? Maybe the cues could be step, toe touch, heel plant, fire hands?

Or step, toe touch, heel plant, drive elbow, fire hands?