What does extension look like...

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May 12, 2014
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My DD was hitting yesterday and someone said she’s not getting enough extension. She seems to be extending. So I’m wondering what great extension looks like
 

ian

Jun 11, 2015
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There are some hitting camps that dont want hitters to extend. Might not be a problem.
 
Nov 18, 2015
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It may just be b/c I’m not that involved in the baseball side of youth instruction, but the whole idea of “getting to extension” seems to be overemphasized in the softball world (not as bad as wrist flicks, but still in the top five for me…).

I just don’t see a lot of emphasis on the baseball side of drills that stop at contact, then stop at extension, then proceed to follow-through. Is this lack of awareness on my part, or just another ingrained belief that girls almost universally need to learn to follow-through?

My daughter spent 30-45 mins during a recent skills clinic standing in a circle going step by step through each phase of the swing. Nothing says “let’s all swing like robots” than taking 30 mins to explain something that happens in tenths of a second. (yes, I realize the irony of that statement, being that it’s posted on a website [devoted to the same general topic] that would probably take several years at this point to read start-to-finish).

Not sure it will come across as clearly as it’s in my head, but I don’t see an extension problem, as much as I see many girls who just don’t finish their swings. I don’t think it’s a matter of not knowing “how”. And while a good % is b/c they just don’t seem to swing hard enough, I think it’s more b/c they don’t know “why” they should follow through. “I made contact, mission accomplished, my swing is done.”

I’m not convinced that doing a drill that STOPS the swing at what should be a pass-through position is beneficial. I think it was in one his “5 common flaws” drills where Justin Stone had a similar extension drill, but instead used backward-chaining to reinforce the desired movement – the hitter STARTS at extension, reverses movement until they’re back in their stance/launch position, then reverses again into the full swing. (can’t remember if this is with a tee, soft toss, or just dry swings).

And in response to Ian’s post – I can’t point to any specific philosophy, but with many images showing bent arms (the box, triangle, etc.) at contact, I could see where an emphasis may be more on following through, rather than focusing on extension.

Question for the more experienced coaches/dads:
When is lack of extension something you’d directly address, rather than treat it as a symptom of poor [sequence/mechanics/etc.] further upstream?
 
Dec 11, 2010
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Gags, really good post.

And I just realized that the “tip and rip” drill is a lot like starting at extension and reverse chaining through the swing. While we do that drill every time we hit, and I think it is an awesome drill, I thought it was about something else. Now I wonder.
 
May 12, 2014
833
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Thanks for the feedback. I guess in my head if someone hits the ball and “chases” the ball after contact...that’s extension.
 
May 12, 2014
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I recorded her taking a swing tonight. She has plenty to work on. But she seems to be getting extension.

[video]https://youtu.be/veYWNChmrpQ[/video]
 
Jul 9, 2016
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I recorded her taking a swing tonight. She has plenty to work on. But she seems to be getting extension.

[video]https://youtu.be/veYWNChmrpQ[/video]

https://gph.to/2GSJTm7

2GSJTm7
 
Last edited:
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
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North Carolina
Gags, I'll absolutely be the first to admit to preaching to our girls to get to extension when a lot of times it's as simple as them not finishing their swing! I also preach to them that we don't bunt unless we're actually bunting, finish after contact!!!

Now we're talking about HS ball, not travel. It's terrible! I also like what you said about NOT swinging hard enough, We have several girls on our HS team who won't play again until next year school ball......we have tryouts, not really tryouts, if you show up you're on the team:rolleyes:, and then we have our first game within a week. Really not enough time to teach proper mechanics, Lord knows I try though! With this handful of girls, I over preach timing, be on time!! Get that front foot down and rotate those hips, and when all else fails, swing hard, no swing harder!! There's more in that tank, swing the dang bat!!
 

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