please critique DD's swing

[TheStrike3yourout]

Like Booth said, upper body/arms lead the swing

Since she hits with no stride, you could have her front foot heel off the ground at set up, flex in the front knee, weight on inside of lead foot or big toe.
Have her practice the Elvis move while she keeps her hands back.
When you feel the lower half grab the upper half, it starts around the belly area, let the swing rip.

Something like the Georgia girl in black.
Can someone post her swing in motion?




SL

Yes, for my kids who stride we called it the "inward turn and stride." For these kids, we really preach a short stride (3-6 inches) at an approximate 45 degree angle toward plate. In addition, I agree with having the batter landing lightly on the inside of that big toe while keeping body weight balanced throughout. Always tell my girls to "keep it in the middle" when talking about balance...not getting too far forward or too far backward.

 

[n10sivern]

ok, here are some videos of her tonight. any better?

 

[n10sivern]

 

[RichK]

sivern: I like the more athletic actions in her swing very much. Some may disagree, but keep moving in the direction of leveraging her natural athleticism. Rather than trying to preset her balance and grip as she is doing in this video, let her get there by "feel" -- how does she feel she needs to set up in her stance to enable a good weight shift? how does she need to grip the bat to turn the barrel and lag the barrel? what hand actions does she need to help her achieve separation and get into a good sequence...hope that helps and good luck.

 

[jbooth]

She is very close to a great swing.

However, she needs to learn what "stay back" means. The head cannot go forward of the spot exactly between the feet. The only way to keep the head centered, which is what "stay back" means. Is to push back and straighten the front leg. She sometimes bends it, and even when she doesn't she pushes the head forward and up from straightening the back leg and/or bending the front leg.

You MUST feel like you are sitting back on the back foot even though you originally pushed off of it. There is a sensation that you are sitting back, being pushed back, staying back. You CANNOT let your head move forward once the front foot touches down.

There are many ways to describe it and feel it, but you have to "stay back" which means the head never goes forward of the spot exactly between the feet, even though you pushed forward and into rotation. The front leg stops all forward movement, and translates it into rotation. You have to feel like you are pushing yourself backward after the front foot lands. OR, you have to feel like you never got off of your back foot, even though you pushed like heck, off of it.

She lunges forward over the front foot, or beyond center. STAY BACK.

 

[n10sivern]

Yeah, we were discussing the fact she was ending up over her front foot and not staying back. Still I think she has had a big improvement in only a matter of 2 days and only 2 practice sessions. There will always be room for improvement but she is getting there I hope.

A big part of it is hearing it from other people and not just me. She has been reading and following this thread. Five minutes after I posted the most recent videos, she was asking me if there were any replies yet! She is anxious to hear what you all have to say that's good and bad, and she is wanting to work on her swing and show it off.

Could she be stepping too wide and feeling like she has to lunge forward to keep her balance? Several times tonight she almost sat on her back foot and was dropping her whole body down.

 

[straightleg]

2 adjustments I would make if working with her.
One is look in the distance like looking at the pitcher then track eyes in and hit off the tee. Why not work the eyes also. Kind of a tracking drill

When she looks at her hands her elbows are pointed somewhat down like the roof of a house. I would leave them there at set up ready to hit.
You will naturally raise the back elbow some at load.

Most girls different then boys will not stay connected with the back elbow to high. The back elbow will slot 3-5 inches before the front elbow moves when swing starts.
Boys & men can do it, but most girls hit better with it more like the roof of a house.

Slow the video down and see if it happens in her swing.

I think it may be the forearm strength that makes it different when teaching boys and girls. MHO



SL

 

[straightleg]

Does anyone that teach's hitting wonder why more girls have bat drag verses boys of the same age.

One fix is the elbows like the roof of a house with girls.
You can thank Howard (hitter) for that piece of information. Watch a ton of girls hit better with that adjustment



SL

 

[2bucketdad]

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

Anyone teaching "Squish the Bug" hitting is not being paid to coach, they are stealing someones money to screw kids up!

When you throw the ball do you "Squish the Bug"?

 

[softballphreak]

Couldn't tell for sure because of the darkness of the video but the tee appears to be way too far out towards the pitcher. The tee should be inside the front foot after stride. Somewhere between just inside the front foot to the middle of the stride for a pitch (tee) down the middle.

The current placement of the tee will cause reaching and encourage lunging over top of the front foot instead of against the front foot as it should be.