14U Swing Assesment?

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Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
"In my unskilled opinion, the big difference between those two sings is the front leg/hip. When I think of the hip action, I think of turning one of those big valve wheels. Push with your right hand/arm, pull with the left hand/arm, so working together you create a lot more torque. Same principal here. I see Cabrera using both legs in that torque action. His front leg driving the left side hip back, right leg driving the right side hip forward. "

What are your guys thought on this statement? I like it. Especially if trying to explain the hip action to a 11 year old.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
I thought the following was a very good post....

WEEEEE, the old 1-legged 2-legged debate surfaces again.
I, like FPS, am not a fan of the terms because they generally fall into the viewers own depiction of how they move "their" body.
For instance, 1 hitter might not get forward at all, they never get off the backside at all in their swing. They might be told to get forward, or move forward.. Another hitter might get too far forward, too early and will be told to stay back. Does it really have anything to do with whether 1 leg or 2 legs are being used? NO! It's a check point used to identify a deeper usage/engagement of the core to control the bodies movement forward.
The hitter needs to move the bodies weight into an area that is neither back nor forward but is in the middle of the 2. And in that "middle" a hitter can find freedom to move more efficiently. It's a scary place for most because the hitter loses control as they have known it. But finding a new comfort zone in a new place takes courage and practice. It also takes an instructor that knows how to get a hitter out of their comfort zone.
And for those reading here trying to figure what the heck people are talking about..... YOU need to figure it out for yourself before you try to relate to any hitter you may work with. It may be as easy as stepping off a curb/ or not stepping off a curb. You know, that place where you partly committed your body to stepping off the curb but part of you is still committed to not stepping off the curb. how far off the curb can you go without committing all your weight to road and how long can you stay in that area where your weight is somewhere between on the curb and on the road. What would you do if you suddenly had to pull yourself back onto the curb or at least not continue forward into the road because a car is coming fast. Good luck.


My daughter has also suffered from shifting onto the front leg instead of staying behind it. Since working with my DD on the problem the post above makes a lot of since to me. Ultimately she needs to figure out how to use her core.

I enjoyed the 'red bolded' portion above.

I deal with a fair number of young developing hitters that start with a mentality of "get back, stay back, and time a lunge from there". What you describe is so real. There is genuine fear, or apprehension, of timing a 'move out' and using that time to prepare the body. Initially they are not ready to trust their body's athleticism. They simply haven't relied upon it to hit in the past. Heck, they had no idea of how to use their torso-engine. It comes ... they get it ... sometimes a bit of barking is involved to (i.e., loud words of encouragement) ... and sure enough, they transition to trusting to use their body's athleticism ... and then you, as the instructor, can help mature their preparation to be athletic during their 'move out' ... and then they realize that they aren't simply 'moving out' for the heck of it, but they are performing the 'move out' with a purpose of preparing to use their body athletically. They need to learn 'what to load', 'what not to load', and 'trust that their swing will load segments that they historically forced a premature load to'.

As I read your words I had flashbacks of many going through the process. Very nice description.
 
Feb 16, 2015
933
43
South East
I enjoyed the 'red bolded' portion above.

I deal with a fair number of young developing hitters that start with a mentality of "get back, stay back, and time a lunge from there". What you describe is so real. There is genuine fear, or apprehension, of timing a 'move out' and using that time to prepare the body. Initially they are not ready to trust their body's athleticism. They simply haven't relied upon it to hit in the past. Heck, they had no idea of how to use their torso-engine. It comes ... they get it ... sometimes a bit of barking is involved to (i.e., loud words of encouragement) ... and sure enough, they transition to trusting to use their body's athleticism ... and then you, as the instructor, can help mature their preparation to be athletic during their 'move out' ... and then they realize that they aren't simply 'moving out' for the heck of it, but they are performing the 'move out' with a purpose of preparing to use their body athletically. They need to learn 'what to load', 'what not to load', and 'trust that their swing will load segments that they historically forced a premature load to'.

As I read your words I had flashbacks of many going through the process. Very nice description.

Those aren’t my words...... Tjintx wrote that in a different thread but I was able to relate to it as well.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
Update. Improvement?

After a minor injury hiatus 12/15-01/15 (volleyball),
we are back at it.

Worked on trying to turn barrel, utilizing torso more vs arms, and resisting better with front leg.
Also started using the "ProHitter" device to get her used to gripping bat more in fingers vs palm.

Composite vid: yesterday on left (portrait mode) 12/07 on right (landscape mode)

https://youtu.be/Y-LPr-qZs2I
 
Last edited:
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
She has gotten more athletic look. Spine angle is much better. She starts tall and as she loads she increases her spine angle. I would rather see her just start with that angle. Mike Trout does it but I think it would simplify her swing to just start in a more athletic stance instead of loading into one.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
tumblr_plt6h068Ny1usf292o1_540.gif

Need to 'free' up them hands.
 

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