Poor balance? Swing issue?

[Eric F]

I read lots of posts and we watched lots of videos trying to figure it out but to no avail. We did do a bat weighted heavily on the end and did some super low tee stuff to help her feel the barrel and to throw it out to the ball. I just am not seeing or comprehending what I am looking for so I have laid off the instruction so as not to create more problems. I guess we can work on her footwork until we understand. Thanks again for your assistance!

Try asking her to "TURN the barrel to the ball" by hand rotation, not hand travel, keeping her hands near her rear shoulder a bit longer.

Maybe it's the camera angle, but it looks like her hands might be dropping too low as she brings them back, which will limit her ability to get connection between the hands and the rear shoulder.

 

[jpga13]

Try asking her to "TURN the barrel to the ball" by hand rotation, not hand travel, keeping her hands near her rear shoulder a bit longer.

Maybe it's the camera angle, but it looks like her hands might be dropping too low as she brings them back, which will limit her ability to get connection between the hands and the rear shoulder.

I guess some of the confusion is being told to have her palms facing up and down at impact but then turning the barrel which would make this difficult if she were actually turning the barrel. I will work on the camera angle and her hands. It seems as we fix this issue other problems are creeping in. Tonight we will get those hands back up and try keeping the bat back a little longer. Thanks for the info!

 

[rdbass]

palms facing up and down at impact

This position, correct.

 

[rdbass]

Try asking her to "TURN the barrel to the ball" by hand rotation, not hand travel, keeping her hands near her rear shoulder a bit longer.

 

[bullethead]

Put a heavy bat in your hand stand in front of a mirror and do what Manny is doing in rd's clip. It's easier if you pretend the ball is lower when first figuring it out. I also think the full clip is better so you can see the hands moving up before turning. You have to figure it out (physically) before you can explain it to your daughter. Split your daughter's grip some when she starts trying (which is after you have it dialed in)

 

[Eric F]

I guess some of the confusion is being told to have her palms facing up and down at impact...

The "palm-up/palm-down" is often taught with the instruction of being parallel with the ground. In trying to get to that position, a hitter will frequently do exactly what your DD is doing - dropping the hands early.

Looking a the best hitters in baseball and softball, palm-up/palm-down and parallel with the ground doesn't happen (unless they are swinging at a very high pitch). For a young hitter, understanding that they don't need to have the bat parallel with the ground at contact is a big step.

 

[rdbass]

a couple of more to look at:

Have your DD get in the position that Cabrera is at the start of this gif above. Have your DD get to toe touch/up on her front foot toe. Have hands in the 'load' position. Say 'GO' all your DD has to do is heel plant front foot and 'turn the barrel to the ball' siting on the tee. Heel plant and 'turn the barrel' at the exact same time you say 'GO'.

 

[jpga13]

I also wonder if coaches that have told her to hold that palm up/down longer have caused an issue too.

Thank you everyone again for helping us through this! Will try and get some more film shortly.

 

[BadMonkeys]

I guess some of the confusion is being told to have her palms facing up and down at impact but then turning the barrel which would make this difficult if she were actually turning the barrel. I will work on the camera angle and her hands. It seems as we fix this issue other problems are creeping in. Tonight we will get those hands back up and try keeping the bat back a little longer. Thanks for the info!

Do you feel like you are comfortable with what everyone means when they say turn the barrel and being palm up/palm down at contact?
She looked like she was palm up/palm down at contact.
I think I would start with getting loaded and trying to maintain that coil through to toe touch with the hands getting up at the same time before worrying about turning the barrel or the hand pivot point.
On another hitting site, Teacherman uses a phrase, "snappy". I think it's a pretty good one. You want to go ground up and get that.
RDBASS had a gif he was provided by FFS of Cabrera to visualize the attacking posture before launching the bat I think would be of some help if RDB reads this.

 

[rdbass]

Cabrera to visualize the attacking posture before launching the bat

This alone ... the transition from 'stance' to 'launch' ... is something worth practicing nightly for 10-min/night for 2wks. Can't emphasize enough how getting this portion perfected can lead to a healthy repeatable swing.