Slight "down" swing to slight "up" swing

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Sep 1, 2014
85
8
I made a tee addition the extends out from the tee towards the bownet and if she swings down after contact, she will hit the extension. If she swings level to up she will not hit the extension. This has helped but I wonder what everyone else is doing to promote a slight "up" as Donaldson would put it.

I tend to swing myself before I ask her to do anything now. And I started toying around with lighter grip pressure in my top hand (back arm)...and it seemed to help me.

Before I share with her I was hoping to get the forums opinion on the top hand pressure or whatever else you are doing to promote a slight up - seems to be in vogue now but nobody is discussing how they are changing from slight down to slight up?
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
Look at the hand path. It the path is down towards the ball the barrel will follow down. If the hands stay above the ball and a pivot point is created early in the swing you'll be more on a slightly arcing up path.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
I don't know about the lighter grip pressure on the top hand but you might try the Bat Jack- Crystal Bustos was recommending these. As I recall, it keeps your index finger looser and encourages a grip with the middle fingers
 
Sep 1, 2014
85
8
Look at the hand path. It the path is down towards the ball the barrel will follow down. If the hands stay above the ball and a pivot point is created early in the swing you'll be more on a slightly arcing up path.

Can you explain this early pivot point
 
Sep 1, 2014
85
8
I think the video below will demonstrate. compare the hitter in black compared to the hitter in red. Compare the path or the hands and follow the arc of the bat. Which hitter is swinging slightly up? That should help.



Looks like the girl in the red is
Standing more upright and the girl
Black has more of a tilt back towards the catcher.
 
Jan 7, 2014
972
0
Western New York
This has nothing to do with hand path. That is an effect NOT a cause.

This is about resistance into the front side of the swing.

She plants...she drifts...hands drop...barrel turn delayed...

CP
 
Last edited:
Sep 1, 2014
85
8
This has nothing to do with hand path. That is an effect NOT a cause.

This is about resistance into the front side of the swing.

She plants...she drifts...hands drop...barrel turn delayed...

CP

Actually I think the difference between the two is that the girl in black has a a very good turn...she is not leading with her arms, she rotating into the swing - getting direction with her back knee to the pitcher and letting the rotation take her to the pitch.

It's the slight up that I am asking about...how do you rotate into the pitch and keep from having the bat take a slight down angle. The girl in black seems to do it but how?
 
Jan 7, 2014
972
0
Western New York
Actually I think the difference between the two is that the girl in black has a a very good turn...she is not leading with her arms, she rotating into the swing - getting direction with her back knee to the pitcher and letting the rotation take her to the pitch.

It's the slight up that I am asking about...how do you rotate into the pitch and keep from having the bat take a slight down angle. The girl in black seems to do it but how?

Just watch the first 11 seconds of the video...

Batter #1 comes out to heel plant and her left shoulder keeps moving forward.

Batter #2 comes out to heel plant and her left shoulder "hits a wall."

Get your DD to emulate what #2 is doing and see what effect that has on the swing path.

Pivot points need something to pivot against...if there is no resistance, there is no "against"

CP
 
Jan 7, 2014
972
0
Western New York
Actually I think the difference between the two is that the girl in black has a a very good turn...she is not leading with her arms, she rotating into the swing - getting direction with her back knee to the pitcher and letting the rotation take her to the pitch.

It's the slight up that I am asking about...how do you rotate into the pitch and keep from having the bat take a slight down angle. The girl in black seems to do it but how?

You might find this helpful:



CP
 

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