Avoiding the "Dip"

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Jun 1, 2015
500
43
I had a right-handed 12U player last season who struggled to make contact with the ball because she would constantly dip/drop her back knee when she swung. She has no idea personally why she does it, and it's taking away from a reasonable swing she has. Everything about her swing is fine in terms of timing, step/drive, pre-pitch stance, except she drops her back knee and it throws everything off-line. We're talking almost kneeling on the ground when the ball meets the catcher's glove.

She's a gymnast - very good physical abilities, fast on the bases, good fielding. Are there any drills or tips/methods on what to do to help her not drop her knee on a swing? If she could fix this, I guarantee she would be hitting every at-bat, but she only had 2 or 3 at-bats out of 15 or so where positive contact was made (even a fly-out/ground-out) because of that knee situation. Thanks!
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Never have done this but is there some sort of knee brace she can wear in practice for a little bit?

Another thing I have not tried but her head has to be dropping to, maybe try holding up a pool noodle she that her head needs to hit.
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
Her upper body is staying upright, but obviously when the knee dips, so does her body. It's almost like she steps forward, then as she swings her back knee does almost like a lunge toward the ground. I would've expected her swing to dip down as well but she's swinging up toward the ball (higher) to overcome dipping down (which honestly if she brought her swing down with her knee she would've made more contact). It's a peculiar situation.

I'd be worried about the knee brace being too rigid and impacting her running/fielding if she had never worn one before. Obviously she could try to take it off if she reached base to not worry about it, just like a wrist brace, etc.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
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Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Two comments from a non-expert -

1. You wondered aloud why she is doing whatever she's doing. It may or may not matter. But I will comment that a hitter starts with the barrel high and finishes with the barrel much lower at the site of contact. Hitters employ all sorts of ineffective ways of getting the barrel (which starts high)l on plane with the pitch (which is low). They flatten/drop the barrel too early, they drop their hands, they scrunch, they bend over. So it might have something to do with that, assuming that what she is doing is actually wrong. Not sure what you mean by dropping knee.

2. It might be better to focus on what the hitter needs to do instead of what she needs to stop doing. Of course, you have to be sure that the replacement part is the right one.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Two comments from a non-expert -

1. You wondered aloud why she is doing whatever she's doing. It may or may not matter. But I will comment that a hitter starts with the barrel high and finishes with the barrel much lower at the site of contact. Hitters employ all sorts of ineffective ways of getting the barrel (which starts high)l on plane with the pitch (which is low). They flatten/drop the barrel too early, they drop their hands, they scrunch, they bend over. So it might have something to do with that, assuming that what she is doing is actually wrong. Not sure what you mean by dropping knee.

2. It might be better to focus on what the hitter needs to do instead of what she needs to stop doing. Of course, you have to be sure that the replacement part is the right one.

Bold above is very good advice IMO.
 

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