please critique DD's swing

[TheStrike3yourout]

Sure, but in each of these video clips I'd say both hitters still have 60-40 weight distribution. I know Ted's, but I wonder what Hamilton's strike-out ratio is? I wonder if hitters who keep their weight back have a higher OB% because they are able to hit pitches other than the fast ball? And since we are really talking about fast-pitch softball here, getting kids on their front foot is just asking for trouble.

 

[TheStrike3yourout]

Yes, I agree...it's all in the hip rotation.

 

[TheStrike3yourout]

Hips then Hands T-hitting

Hips then Hands Soft Toss

Walk-through T-Hitting (this is one of Candrea's favorites...and younger girls LOVE to do it). I did it at my camp this past week, and the 4th-7th grade girls loved to see the distance the ball traveled after using one's hips when walking through to hit...plus, you can have her freeze after the swing and check her points.

 

[TheStrike3yourout]

Amy, you asked if the bat was too light. She is 12 y/o, 5'3", 90#. In the first video I posted she was swinging a 32/23, in the second a 32/21, and a 32/22 in the third. On the slap video she was back to the 32/21.

Her swing has been a mess. A mixture of coaches adding a little bit here and there til it was horrible. The last taught her not to step and as a result she stopped using her hips and was casting.

I basically told her to forget everything she had been taught and we worked from scratch. She hasn't been casting as much, but I'm still having trouble with her fully using her hips.

Since we have started working on her swing, she has started hitting the ball every time she goes to the plate.....but the power isn't there and that goes back to her hips.

Any good drills to get her hips moving correctly? I think once she gets that down her power should increase dramatically.

I also think it's really good that you decided to slow things down. Overload is common, especially among young hitters, which in turn leads to frustration. I also think it's important to remind the kids that one's personal style is acceptable. One of my players, Morgan Maize (going to DePaul to play for Lenti in 2013-2014), hit 18 home runs and 77 RBI last year in 35 games...and she has the MOST UNORTHODOX step you have ever seen in a successful young hitter. Did I take her step away and go rotational? I wanted to, but no, I didn't. Her step, however unorthodox it is, works for her...so what did we do? We concentrated on small things to fine-tune her approach.

I commend you on going slowly and finding what really works for your kid. In addition, I'm sorry I got on a tangent debate about weight-distribution and body rotation.

 

[2bucketdad]

"Squish the Bug" and "High School Coach" smfh!

 

[n10sivern]

Tonight, We worked using the drill where she puts the bat behind her back at her hips and hits balls off the tee for an hour tonight. I have to work tomorrow but she says she plans to hit another 200-300 like that tomorrow. What else? I'll probably post up another video Monday and see if you all think there is any improvement and get more pointers.

 

[softballphreak]

There is no load, no negative movement. She is hitting from a dead stop.

Add a hip coil and separate the hands as she strides. Yes, she needs to stride.

See this post #501 and 502:

http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/2785-model-swings-51.html

Model that swing! Or she'll never be what she could be!

 

[TheStrike3yourout]

"Squish the Bug" and "High School Coach" smfh!

Ha, ha, ha. Sounds like somebody is bitter that he isn't paid to coach.

 

[TheStrike3yourout]

n10sivern-

That drill is solid for getting the hips through, but kids will often drop their back shoulder when coming through. Let me try to find some visuals of the hips/hands drills I've used before and forward to you.

 

[jbooth]

n10sivern-

That drill is solid for getting the hips through, but kids will often drop their back shoulder when coming through. Let me try to find some visuals of the hips/hands drills I've used before and forward to you.

The back shoulder is supposed to drop. You keep making a lot of "conventional wisdom" statements, that simply are not true. Unless you mean that they often lean, or tilt backward when they come through, which is not the same as dropping the back shoulder.

These guys all have their back shoulder dropped, by MY definition;

Also, when you post a reply it is helpful if you reply to a specific post rather than to the thread in general, so we know who you are responding to. Click on "reply" or "reply with quote" at the bottom right corner of the specific post, and then click on "Post Quick Reply" instead of "+ Reply to Thread"

Thanks