Dd's fall swing

[undergroundga]

Underground, I'm a fan of your dd. She's athletic and will be fine. I think she was my DD's age, 9 or so right? Her stance and setup are better than many kids that age. That right there is encouraging. She gets some whip going with the bat, the 3rd hit looks nice and I can see why you say she can hit some far balls when she gets a hold of it.

Mechanics-wise we're all on the same page. I think you are right it's just hard for most girls this age to actually get their body to do it. You may just need to let her coordination develop. It's not a strength issue. I am not a physiologist but in my mind the hip is primarily fired with the ab + glute, and maybe some hamstring. Can your DD hula-hoop? Because if she can she's plenty strong enough. It will come.

She has a nice stance and stride with separation. The timing is off but that will come. She comes down on her front toe and then naturally puts the heel down as she fires her swing. Her front toe is still pointing straight across. Maybe try having her point it at 2nd baseman as a first step to see if that helps.

Thanks. She will be 9 Halloween. We've really been working on this hip thing. I think she is plenty strong also, but hearing others say it is like confirmation. I just hink she doesn't have the awareness of her body yet. It's kinda frustrating for us both. I keep repeating the same things and she does seem like she understands. She even demonstrates it in slow motion, but when she swings at live pitching her elbows lead the way. I have gotten her to coil her hips it's just getting her to fire them before her arms.
I'm gonna try to talk to hitting coach tonight. All I ever hear is praise out of him when she is in the cages. Which makes me think maybe she is where she needs to be at this stage of development. I just hate to seem like I'm telling the guy how to do his job. She's been taking group lessons, so it's more like batting practice. We're trying to get her into private lessons but they are all booked up.

 

[SBdad]

She has a nice stance and stride with separation. The timing is off but that will come. She comes down on her front toe and then naturally puts the heel down as she fires her swing. Her front toe is still pointing straight across. Maybe try having her point it at 2nd baseman as a first step to see if that helps.
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Mr T pointed out something (see underlined above) that I noticed, that may help get her hips firing through better. Maybe not have her open her front foot up straight towards second base, but somewhere in between first and second. (Open it up about 45 degrees)
I notice alot of young boys and girls starting out, have a tendancy to keep the front foot closed when swinging. IMO, i think this restricts the hips from rotating around, and won't allow for a proper follow through. Have her dry swing with the front foot closed, then have her swing and open the front foot up slightly as she steps.....see if this makes a difference.

 

[undergroundga]

She has a nice stance and stride with separation. The timing is off but that will come. She comes down on her front toe and then naturally puts the heel down as she fires her swing. Her front toe is still pointing straight across. Maybe try having her point it at 2nd baseman as a first step to see if that helps.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mr T pointed out something (see underlined above) that I noticed, that may help get her hips firing through better. Maybe not have her open her front foot up straight towards second base, but somewhere in between first and second. (Open it up about 45 degrees)
I notice alot of young boys and girls starting out, have a tendancy to keep the front foot closed when swinging. IMO, i think this restricts the hips from rotating around, and won't allow for a proper follow through. Have her dry swing with the front foot closed, then have her swing and open the front foot up slightly as she steps.....see if this makes a difference.

I think that is a great point and one I can't believe I didn't notice. Especially since I sit near home and watch closely all the batters. I have noticed that most of them either keep their foot straight, many of them even point toes inward(pigeon toed), so I can't believe I missed that with her. I can see how that would keep the hips from getting all the way around. That I know I can get her to fix.

 

[Mr T]

I'll be here all the week.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Am i going about it all wrong? Or should I just relax and let her body catch up to her bat?

I just have to get it across to my 8yoa.

I also wonder if some of it might be that she just isn't very aware of her body yet. I think she means it when she tells me she understands that she needs to do it, but just can't get her body to do it. When she doesn't pop the ball up she drives some really hard and deep line drives. I think she has hit the ball on the ground once so far.

What can I do help my 8yoa dd do this. She is a diligent worker and a good learner, but me repeating myself over and over to her is only leading to frustration for her.

I just think she doesn't have the awareness of her body yet. It's kinda frustrating for us both. I keep repeating the same things and she does seem like she understands.

My DD had a better swing when she was 4 than she did at 7, in part the result of what I considered to be poor instruction for a couple of years, so I did not let her go back to 8u last spring. She's 9 now and is doing much better and her skills grow to match the new body she has now.

Dad to dad, just relax a little and let the process happen. The progression is beautiful, but won't be enjoyable if you're continuously stressed along the way.

 

[undergroundga]

My DD had a better swing when she was 4 than she did at 7, in part the result of what I considered to be poor instruction for a couple of years, so I did not let her go back to 8u last spring. She's 9 now and is doing much better and her skills grow to match the new body she has now.

Dad to dad, just relax a little and let the process happen. The progression is beautiful, but won't be enjoyable if you're continuously stressed along the way.

Well said.

 

[Greenmonsters]

I'll be here all the week.

I'll ask the question that everyone's been afraid to. Mr. T, do you wear a thick gold chain?

 

[softballphreak]

She has a nice stance and stride with separation. The timing is off but that will come. She comes down on her front toe and then naturally puts the heel down as she fires her swing. Her front toe is still pointing straight across. Maybe try having her point it at 2nd baseman as a first step to see if that helps.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mr T pointed out something (see underlined above) that I noticed, that may help get her hips firing through better. Maybe not have her open her front foot up straight towards second base, but somewhere in between first and second. (Open it up about 45 degrees)
I notice alot of young boys and girls starting out, have a tendancy to keep the front foot closed when swinging. IMO, i think this restricts the hips from rotating around, and won't allow for a proper follow through. Have her dry swing with the front foot closed, then have her swing and open the front foot up slightly as she steps.....see if this makes a difference.

I believe he said point her foot to the second baseman. That is the same direction you're saying when you say between first and second.

 

[softballphreak]

My DD had a better swing when she was 4 than she did at 7, in part the result of what I considered to be poor instruction for a couple of years, so I did not let her go back to 8u last spring. She's 9 now and is doing much better and her skills grow to match the new body she has now.

Dad to dad, just relax a little and let the process happen. The progression is beautiful, but won't be enjoyable if you're continuously stressed along the way.

What size bat did your DD use when she was 4?

 

[undergroundga]

This is what seperates hitting instructors from well meaning dad's. Within 15 min last night dd's hc had her keeping her hands up, getting in the connection position and leading, with her hips.Man was she blasting the ball. He came over and talked with us about it. I told him I had been trying to get her to do that for weeks but failing miserably. I know it'll take a lil while for muscle memory to pick it up but atleast I know now that she gets it. I'm trying my best to be helpful, but sometimes I feel like I do more damage practicing at home with dd than good.