Fixing a Segmented Swing and a flat lead elbow...?'s

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JLF

Sep 18, 2017
46
6
Thanks!
We'll try working on the hands.

I have seen this before with athletic kids. The lower body rushes ahead of the hands/upper body.

I have had success telling them to swing with the upper body/shoulders/hands only (whatever makes the most sense to them).

Her lower body will swing naturally due to her athleticism, but it should be more in sync with her upper body.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
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The second GIF of Griffey is pretty much spot on! ...except on one big thing...
Her upper body is so loaded up and far behind the lower body, it's literally comical at times. The fact that her lower body is so far ahead of her upper body, it just flattens her lead elbow (left elbow)
Guys/men seem to be alot tighter between the lower and upper body. And that's is how DD1 is built.
Meaning, once the lower body moves, the upper body is moving right behind it.
DD3 is on a ball bearing swivel at the waist.
Strong lower body...strong upper body. But she's having a hard time tying the 2 together.

Ever seen how some guys in slow pitch softball really take a huge lunge with their lower body, while their upper body is so loaded up they are coiled back like a golfer's swing...ya that's my DD3.
Except with DD3 her hinge angle (lead elbow) is flat.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113


Is she opening more/earlier than Donaldson in this clip? IF you want to fix this (not sure you should) but
a mental cue to help with this might be to think about having her landing with closed front foot.
She probably still won't, nor should she, but it might help with her hips flying out too early/too much.
 
Last edited:
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
ian, yes..but maybe a little flatter and farther behind
pattar...now we're getting closer. Thank you for posting that!
But the best way do describe it, is her lower body is so over twisted at the waist and ahead of her upper body, it's like how a toy action figure can swivel at the waist.
As a guy, I can go in our basement batting cage and I can start my leg and hip movement.
And I literally cannot stop/keep my upper body from moving with my lower body.
With DD3..think toy action figure swiveling at the waist...legs and hips go to the left and the upper body stays in one spot. (maybe she should've been a figure skater instead?)...:D

OK, next question.
Lead elbow hinge angle.
I know there is a huge range of variability due to personal preference, but is there/should there be a minimum and or maximum that the hinge angle should be at teh time of contact with the ball?
Just look at Donaldson's hinge angle. But with his upper body strength, he can bring his lead elbow out as his swing moves forward. therefore decreasing the hinge angle.
Or how about Griffey's hingle angle what looks like 130-150*.

Is it different with boys vs. girls, due to upper body mass and strength?
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
pattar...now we're getting closer. Thank you for posting that!
But the best way do describe it, is her lower body is so over twisted at the waist and ahead of her upper body, it's like how a toy action figure can swivel at the waist.
As a guy, I can go in our basement batting cage and I can start my leg and hip movement.
And I literally cannot stop/keep my upper body from moving with my lower body.
With DD3..think toy action figure swiveling at the waist...legs and hips go to the left and the upper body stays in one spot. (maybe she should've been a figure skater instead?)...:D

OK, next question.
Lead elbow hinge angle.
I know there is a huge range of variability due to personal preference, but is there/should there be a minimum and or maximum that the hinge angle should be at teh time of contact with the ball?
Just look at Donaldson's hinge angle. But with his upper body strength, he can bring his lead elbow out as his swing moves forward. therefore decreasing the hinge angle.
Or how about Griffey's hingle angle what looks like 130-150*.

My years of observing adult male hitters is suppressing my ability to visualize what is going on ;). Without a video I am out of suggestions. Like I said if she thought about landing more closed that would prevent her from opening her hips so much but I loathe to suggest it because most/many HL don't do that. I doubt she is so flexible that she could open her hips a bunch and still land closed.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
After going to YOUTUBE and watching some 10,000 PFS swings, Miggy has a lot less hinge angle than Donaldson does. Donaldson's lead elbow is alot more open in his posted swings.
And believe it or not I made all 3 of the DDs install a link to a Miggy swing last year...(ya, it didn't work with DD3)
 
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