rear elbow down

[Strike2]

"Elbow Up" is not an absolute. Many hitters keep their elbow up because that's the way they were taught. Many coaches taught to keep the back elbow up because if the back elbow stays up, the hands stay up. Where the hands reside is much more important than the back elbow being in the up position.

My personal experience says that the back elbow impacts the path of the hands. When playing slow-pitch, I raise my back elbow when I want to stay on top of the ball. If I want a fly ball, my back elbow goes down a bit. Initially, my DD's stance had the back elbow up. Over the last couple of years, I've dropped her elbow, with more well hit OF shots as a result.

 

[rdbass]

My personal experience says that the back elbow impacts the path of the hands. When playing slow-pitch, I raise my back elbow when I want to stay on top of the ball. If I want a fly ball, my back elbow goes down a bit. Initially, my DD's stance had the back elbow up. Over the last couple of years, I've dropped her elbow, with more well hit OF shots as a result.

If I want a fly ball, my back elbow goes down a bit

I would bet the rear shoulder dropping had more effect on your 'fly balls' then your rear elbow 'slotting'.

 

[obbay]

"Elbow Up" is not an absolute. Many hitters keep their elbow up because that's the way they were taught. Many coaches taught to keep the back elbow up because if the back elbow stays up, the hands stay up. Where the hands reside is much more important than the back elbow being in the up position.

I agree- both are styles, neither are absolute . Up or down, I have them keep the roof of the house at 90 like Crystl teaches.

I have taught younger players to keep the back elbow up when they were otherwise getting no negative motion at the load or struggled with what to do with their elbows during the swing. It was easier for them to keep the roof of the house intact to contact. I wouldn't require it, I just found a lot of kids benefitted from this.

On the other hand, I know a coach who played DI and she insists that the batters keep their elbows down. with younger players i have seen this going directly into bat drag. Also coaches teach this because they say "there isn't enough time in softball to load", resulting in some really weak swings, proving to those coaches that girls just aren't good enough to swing correctly.

at the end of the day, whichever method is used depends on what works best for the batter to get the bat to optimum contact with the ball as quickly as possible.

 

[Strike2]

I would bet the rear shoulder dropping had more effect on your 'fly balls' then your rear elbow 'slotting'.

Perhaps, but the rear shoulder drops on any swing that's not a sharp downward chop. Ultimately, the path of the hands determines how the ball comes off the bat.

 

[straightleg]

I agree.

Elbow up or down is 'style'. It just depends on what 'style' helps/suits the hitter. Elbow up is the 'style' that DD prefers

I like this set up and swing



SL

 

[rdbass]

I like this set up and swing



SL

Elbow up or down is 'style'. It just depends on what 'style' helps/suits the hitter.

Not an absolute up or down.

As long as the sequence is correct.

 

[straightleg]

I agree.

Elbow up or down is 'style'. It just depends on what 'style' helps/suits the hitter. Elbow up is the 'style' that DD prefers

How much does he use his hands in this swing..What makes the bat go backwards
Like some opinions

SL

 

[coach james]

Her like my daughter raise it on the load.

SL

Thats exactly the way I teach... elbows will start relaxed and "roof" in a neutral position (hands inside the rear shoulder). Its durring the stride/linear phase we draw hands back (approx. even with or slightly behind the rear shoulder) with a slight elbow raise causing the barrel tip forward.

 

[iMlearning]

elbow

Her like my daughter raise it on the load.

SL

Thats exactly the way I teach... elbows will start relaxed and "roof" in a neutral position (hands inside the rear shoulder). Its durring the stride/linear phase we draw hands back (approx. even with or slightly behind the rear shoulder) with a slight elbow raise causing the barrel tip forward.

This is how dd did it up until about 2 months ago when her coach said he'd like it higher. It doesn't seem to matter to her either way though.

 

[redhotcoach]

I was just hunting for elbow down high level hitters, I really had a pretty tough time finding any. Encarnacion is definitely one.