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May 1, 2011
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You are ahead of most, in that you have identified the issues. Sounds like she is striding forward by opening her hips, and she has bat drag.

Almost 99% of kids do this.

But your fixes won't work. I have tried your fixes until a decade ago, and have some ideas about how to improve them.

MLB hitters coil their hips AND shoulders INWARD 30-45 deg as they coil forward, and hold that coil until their front foot is an inch or two from landing. So they land with their hips even. It won't work to try to stride even, they will have no power and it feels weird.

Coiling in also helps to keep the swing from starting too soon, which makes the elbow drop before toe touch, which causes the back elbow to lead the hands (this is bat drag you identified).

The final piece to fixing bat drag is to tell them to NEVER let the back elbow get in front of the hands. If their back forearm is flat/horizontal at toe touch, the job is done.

Good luck.

Speaking of coiling as you stride...this is a drill I use to try and promote that. Thoughts?
 
May 1, 2011
350
28
Here's the progression from October 2017 to May 2019. No video of current. She's going to send me stuff this evening and I will post tomorrow (today is a travel day to California). You will see differences in her game swing. On her stride, she picks her foot up much higher in games (we have discussed it at length) and it throws her timing off. She never finishes a swing in the game with 2 hands either.



 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
The rear leg/hip relationship is important in that one doesn't want the weight to transfer across the pelvis to the front leg but It's not the source of power nor should it be used as the primary source to keep you back when getting into a fyb hitting position.. I can't say as though I have seen one hitter who doesn't have some type of coil when moving forward.. How does one stay dynamic after the range of motion (coil) is used up.

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This is a good drill to feel the core stretch against the fall into the legs if one can stay dynamic.




As is this one for the same reason..

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Last edited:
May 1, 2011
350
28
I can't say as though I have seen one hitter who doesn't have some type of coil when moving forward..

Do you work with any younger kids? Have several that coil as they load, and then begin to uncoil as they come forward. Trying to correct this has been tedious to say the least.
 
Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
Do you work with any younger kids? Have several that coil as they load, and then begin to uncoil as they come forward. Trying to correct this has been tedious to say the least.

I've dealt with this recently with my DD who is 9. I think the problem is, they confuse the coil and separation, with gather. They think the word "Load" is coil. I found that using the word "Gather" then Coil/Separate helps They don't know where in sequence the coil and separation is initiated. Here is a video of me trying to have her learn just that.

 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
Do you work with any younger kids? Have several that coil as they load, and then begin to uncoil as they come forward. Trying to correct this has been tedious to say the least.

Yea, I work with young kids as well.. I am guessing the range of motion is used up so the coil becomes released..

When you do the tall and fall drill do You have to focus on the coil or does it happen naturally ? Try doing it without focusing on it and let us know what keeps your weight from shifting across the pelvis to the front leg.

 
May 1, 2011
350
28
The coil absolutely becomes release in their cases. Anything on the inner half they crush. Anything middle or away and they're off the end of the bat. Would I be wrong for calling that a "lack of separation?" For me, it happens naturally. I compare this to a baseball pitcher's motion (I was a pitcher). I find when I have younger kids try this, they take their hands up instead of back. At work right now, but I would imagine it would be extremely difficult to keep the weight from shifting to my front leg without that coil yeah?
 
May 1, 2011
350
28
I've dealt with this recently with my DD who is 9. I think the problem is, they confuse the coil and separation, with gather. They think the word "Load" is coil. I found that using the word "Gather" then Coil/Separate helps They don't know where in sequence the coil and separation is initiated. Here is a video of me trying to have her learn just that.



Is it just me, or does that look a lot like what I'm doing, but without the bat on her knee?
 
Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
Is it just me, or does that look a lot like what I'm doing, but without the bat on her knee?
Yes, basically. The idea, whether you believe that separation happens naturally or is a actual action that is purposely done, which I don't want to debate, is that young players at least imo do not know or understand when in sequence this is to occure, timing wise. I will just say IMO it does not occure naturally for youth players. It has to be taught. One way I have found to get the idea across to tell her to think of throwing a ball. You separate on the forward move. For some reason when it comes to hitting it doesn't translate in their mind very well.

90% of youth players understanding of the swing is ALL BACK/COIL and ALL FORWARD/UNCOIL. This is from me viewing players generally 12u and under
 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
The coil absolutely becomes release in their cases. Anything on the inner half they crush. Anything middle or away and they're off the end of the bat. Would I be wrong for calling that a "lack of separation?" For me, it happens naturally. I compare this to a baseball pitcher's motion (I was a pitcher). I find when I have younger kids try this, they take their hands up instead of back. At work right now, but I would imagine it would be extremely difficult to keep the weight from shifting to my front leg without that coil yeah?

From the position hands in front tall/fall drill just let yourself coil naturally without thinking about it.
 

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