Front leg issue in swing - Tons of softball drills, softball tips, and advice on softball hitting, softball pitching, coaching softball, softball training, and more.

kgertie · 09-29-2008, 04:43 PM

Can someone assist in helping me to correct a front leg issue?

I attach two pics showing the front knee remaining bent. Normally the front leg does not become firm. Everything I have read about hitting identifies that the front leg should be firm upon connection with the ball.

I would like to tackle the leg issue only as my daughter is a solid hitter with good mechanics in her upper body. I believe that if this can be addressed, she can add some distance to her hits.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, particularly if someone knows of any tee drills to help correct this. Thanks!

obbay · 09-29-2008, 06:46 PM

My understanding is the leg straightens as the hips open just at contact. Here's a Jack Mankin explanation:
Baseball and Softball Hitting Mechanics

obbay · 09-30-2008, 02:06 AM

This isn't what you were asking for but it's one of my favorite clips:
Photo 10 of 16, Fastpitch

Scummer · 09-30-2008, 02:32 AM

Tell her to finish her swing with her belly button facing the pitcher. When she finishes her swing, have her hold her pose and take a look at where her belly button is facing. Odds are, she is not rotating her hips enough. She will need that front leg to hold in place or slightly rotate the front hip back by pushing back while the back hip is pushed and rotated forward. The pushing back of the front leg while bringing the back hip forward is what will lock the knee out out at contact. You can have her freeze and look at her pose off of the tee, live pitching or whatever you choose. The key is to get the hips squared up to the pitcher by bringing that back hip forward.

Texas · 10-17-2008, 05:15 AM

It looks to me like she is opening her hips way too early and stride foot is pointing to the pitcher.

Seriously- stand up, stride with your foot pointed to the pitcher and keep your hips square to the plate. It's not natural and feels awkward.

I'm no Englishbey or Epstein, but I would start with her feet at launch or maybe even take out the step and just use the heel lift so she can't plant "out".

Just my .02

SBFAMILY · 10-17-2008, 03:21 PM

We use a concrete block. Measure off where the stride foot lands.. Put a concrete block at that point. That forces them to step with the side of the foot into the concrete block, so the stride foot is not pointing to the pitcher and the hips are not opening early. We just used this in our Bustos Camp and it works great..

straightleg · 10-17-2008, 06:48 PM

I agree with sb

Is she steping out to a toe / then heal plant or stepping out flatfooted and open?

Straightleg

kgertie · 11-03-2008, 06:41 PM

I think she is stepping flat footed.

We continue to struggle trying to straighten that front leg. She has played dome ball and in a late fall tournament and continues with the bent front knee.

Any other suggestions for getting her to feel the proper lower mechanics would be appreciated. She knows she is not getting her front leg straight and is trying to correct it.

Thanks.

Texas · 11-04-2008, 06:51 PM

Nothing but dry runs and tee work. Take the bat out of her hands (maybe fold it in to crossed arms for the "feel") and do at least 10 minutes every night. Slowly, work back into a full swing off the tee.

I speak from recent experience on this particular issue. It took me 2 weeks in Sept to correct this with mine- every night, 2 buckets of balls.

I'm always amazed at how fast kids pick up habits and how long it takes to get it worked out. I guess it's like gaining weight- easy to put on, hard to take off!

straightleg · 11-04-2008, 09:53 PM

Have the hitter measure off from home plate and get their feet spread about 1.5 times the width of their shoulders. Place your bat behind your back and cradle it in your elbows.

Get two concrete blocks and place one block on the outside edge of her back foot. Then load and step a few times and place the other block so she will kick the block with her lead edge of the front foot side ways. We want to have the outside edge of the foot up on the side of the block a little with the heel off the ground slightly ( this is called eversion) and have some flex or bend in the knee, some people describe it as sitting on the front knee a little. You basically are redistributing the weight back to 50/50 after a 40/60 load and your weight is shifting linear.

Now load and step again and remember it is very important for the hitter to step flexed on the inside area of the foot (land on the big toe a little) so the baby toe is not completely flat on the ground as this will stop or impede your hips from moving linear. Now have her pull the bat with her back elbow and turn her hips toward the pitchers position and as she turns plant the heel on the ground and continue rotating and her weight will shift to the inside of the back leg and the front leg will start to firm up and she is rotating and the weight will continue to shift and she will be up on her back foot toe and the foot will come up and clear the brick. The first couple of times she will not feel balanced and her back foot may not come up completely so make sure she bends at the waist first and then softens the knees slightly to get balanced. Tell her she is not lazy however her hips are and to try a little harder and she will do it. After about 10 attempts let her hit off the tee and you should see the difference and she will feel the difference. When actually swinging the bat we want them to think as the back elbow begins to slot or lowers this is when the heel plant begins or what some term connection. If the hands are ahead or you are pushing the bat the hips will not rotate as efficiently as they will when the elbow and hand stay stacked over each other or what we term staying strong on the backside.

Make sure the tee is positioned even or slightly behind where the lead foot toe lands and in the middle of home plate with the tee slightly ahead of home plate and if done correctly the ball should exactly up the middle. We measure off from the back corner of home plate for tee work.

Straightleg

ps - have a good teacher

10-17-2008, 06:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
straightleg Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 53	I agree with sb Is she steping out to a toe / then heal plant or stepping out flatfooted and open? Straightleg __________________ If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.

11-04-2008, 09:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
straightleg Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 53	Have the hitter measure off from home plate and get their feet spread about 1.5 times the width of their shoulders. Place your bat behind your back and cradle it in your elbows. Get two concrete blocks and place one block on the outside edge of her back foot. Then load and step a few times and place the other block so she will kick the block with her lead edge of the front foot side ways. We want to have the outside edge of the foot up on the side of the block a little with the heel off the ground slightly ( this is called eversion) and have some flex or bend in the knee, some people describe it as sitting on the front knee a little. You basically are redistributing the weight back to 50/50 after a 40/60 load and your weight is shifting linear. Now load and step again and remember it is very important for the hitter to step flexed on the inside area of the foot (land on the big toe a little) so the baby toe is not completely flat on the ground as this will stop or impede your hips from moving linear. Now have her pull the bat with her back elbow and turn her hips toward the pitchers position and as she turns plant the heel on the ground and continue rotating and her weight will shift to the inside of the back leg and the front leg will start to firm up and she is rotating and the weight will continue to shift and she will be up on her back foot toe and the foot will come up and clear the brick. The first couple of times she will not feel balanced and her back foot may not come up completely so make sure she bends at the waist first and then softens the knees slightly to get balanced. Tell her she is not lazy however her hips are and to try a little harder and she will do it. After about 10 attempts let her hit off the tee and you should see the difference and she will feel the difference. When actually swinging the bat we want them to think as the back elbow begins to slot or lowers this is when the heel plant begins or what some term connection. If the hands are ahead or you are pushing the bat the hips will not rotate as efficiently as they will when the elbow and hand stay stacked over each other or what we term staying strong on the backside. Make sure the tee is positioned even or slightly behind where the lead foot toe lands and in the middle of home plate with the tee slightly ahead of home plate and if done correctly the ball should exactly up the middle. We measure off from the back corner of home plate for tee work. Straightleg ps - have a good teacher __________________ If you do what you always did, you get what you always got. Last edited by straightleg; 11-05-2008 at 06:10 PM.

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09-29-2008, 06:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
obbay Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 33	My understanding is the leg straightens as the hips open just at contact. Here's a Jack Mankin explanation: Baseball and Softball Hitting Mechanics

09-30-2008, 02:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
obbay Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 33	This isn't what you were asking for but it's one of my favorite clips: Photo 10 of 16, Fastpitch

09-30-2008, 02:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Scummer Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 8	Tell her to finish her swing with her belly button facing the pitcher. When she finishes her swing, have her hold her pose and take a look at where her belly button is facing. Odds are, she is not rotating her hips enough. She will need that front leg to hold in place or slightly rotate the front hip back by pushing back while the back hip is pushed and rotated forward. The pushing back of the front leg while bringing the back hip forward is what will lock the knee out out at contact. You can have her freeze and look at her pose off of the tee, live pitching or whatever you choose. The key is to get the hips squared up to the pitcher by bringing that back hip forward.

10-17-2008, 05:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
Texas Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 24	It looks to me like she is opening her hips way too early and stride foot is pointing to the pitcher. Seriously- stand up, stride with your foot pointed to the pitcher and keep your hips square to the plate. It's not natural and feels awkward. I'm no Englishbey or Epstein, but I would start with her feet at launch or maybe even take out the step and just use the heel lift so she can't plant "out". Just my .02

10-17-2008, 03:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
SBFAMILY Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Lexington,Ohio Posts: 57	We use a concrete block. Measure off where the stride foot lands.. Put a concrete block at that point. That forces them to step with the side of the foot into the concrete block, so the stride foot is not pointing to the pitcher and the hips are not opening early. We just used this in our Bustos Camp and it works great..

11-03-2008, 06:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
kgertie Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9	I think she is stepping flat footed. We continue to struggle trying to straighten that front leg. She has played dome ball and in a late fall tournament and continues with the bent front knee. Any other suggestions for getting her to feel the proper lower mechanics would be appreciated. She knows she is not getting her front leg straight and is trying to correct it. Thanks.

11-04-2008, 06:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
Texas Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 24	Nothing but dry runs and tee work. Take the bat out of her hands (maybe fold it in to crossed arms for the "feel") and do at least 10 minutes every night. Slowly, work back into a full swing off the tee. I speak from recent experience on this particular issue. It took me 2 weeks in Sept to correct this with mine- every night, 2 buckets of balls. I'm always amazed at how fast kids pick up habits and how long it takes to get it worked out. I guess it's like gaining weight- easy to put on, hard to take off!