10yo Maddie

[Buttermaker]

Turn first the barrel then direct? Jeez and you wonder why kids struggle with turning the barrel.

No amount of turning the barrel will fix the sequence issue.

This hitter is not that far off - she is athletic and looks dedicated. The drill she is doing can help create a better approach (hands above barrel at contact) but until she learns to drop her front foot as her hands are still going back and/or up to create a stretch along both her anterior and posterior side she is leaving easy power on the table and will continue to swing top down.

It's middle out. Teach her the sequence.

Of course , I would start with my favorite cue of when she lifts her front foot to try and keep the front hip lower than her back hip to recruit the core muscles.

You may not like this guy's swing - but the basic sequence is there and he made it to the pro's

A guy with a big leg kick but his lead side is staying down because his front hip is not elevating.

Noontime's website clips.

 

[Howe]

The dad has no desire to understand the hand-path. He's bought into the "barrel-turn-whip" narrative as have so many here and elsewhere - that struggle. What's worse is, he pushes it onto other - newer parents - who have no idea he's lost.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/21782700/LengthOfStroke.mov

 

[tjintx]

Turn first the barrel then direct? Jeez and you wonder why kids struggle with turning the barrel.

No amount of turning the barrel will fix the sequence issue.

This hitter is not that far off - she is athletic and looks dedicated. The drill she is doing can help create a better approach (hands above barrel at contact) but until she learns to drop her front foot as her hands are still going back and/or up to create a stretch along both her anterior and posterior side she is leaving easy power on the table and will continue to swing top down.

It's middle out. Teach her the sequence.

Of course , I would start with my favorite cue of when she lifts her front foot to try and keep the front hip lower than her back hip to recruit the core muscles.

You may not like this guy's swing - but the basic sequence is there and he made it to the pro's

A guy with a big leg kick but his lead side is staying down because his front hip is not elevating.

Noontime's website clips.

To that I would add: the hips/pelvis must be rotating before the that front heal plants. If not, the body will be 'in the way' blocking the hands from delivering the barrel directly. Start opening that front leg as She moves out, before toe touch, making a lane for the rear hip/leg to flow through.

 

[Buttermaker]

Absolutely. I would add to your add that the cue of keeping the front hip down core action leads to the pelvis wanting to open as the front foot starts down. That cue leads to pivoting into the rear hip in such a way that any linear movement will start to open the pelvis without firing the hips too soon.

To that I would add: the hips/pelvis must be rotating before the that front heal plants. If not, the body will be 'in the way' blocking the hands from delivering the barrel directly. Start opening that front leg as She moves out, before toe touch, making a lane for the rear hip/leg to flow through.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

To that I would add: the hips/pelvis must be rotating before the that front heal plants. If not, the body will be 'in the way' blocking the hands from delivering the barrel directly. Start opening that front leg as She moves out, before toe touch, making a lane for the rear hip/leg to flow through.

On that topic .....

 

[Eric F]

The current focus is to getting her to understand the feeling of keeping the hand pivot point connected to the rear shoulder for longer (keep your hands up!). The purpose of the first two movements is to reinforce the feeling of the hands staying connected to the rear shoulder longer, and working from above the ball. I agree that these aren't a match with a HL swing right now (as FFS was so clear to point out). That wasn't the point of the work. It's about getting her to feel one specific aspect of the swing, which she still isn't feeling enough to incorporate it in her swing on a moving ball. I also agree that there are some things in those movements that she could be doing better, and they will be addressed as we keep moving forward.

As has been pointed out to me in the past, I have a tendency to throw too much information in different directions at my DDs all at once, and this is an area I'm trying to improve in my own instruction. Our focus was on one specific thing, so issues about separation and lower body action weren't brought up or corrected. Those will wait for another time. The latest clip is also 12 seconds out of 45 minutes of work. There were other swings that were performed with better separation and sequence during our session, but didn't get captured on video.

This thread is about my DD's journey. Maybe someone can learn from it, even if it's from my mistakes. Whether or not you agree with the path we're on, this is the path I have chosen for my DD. I take full accountability for any missteps, and give her full credit for her success. I'm happy with her work ethic, I'm happy with her progress, and I'm happy with the direction we're heading. We have work to do, and it doesn't need to happen all at once. The road ahead is long.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

The current focus is to getting her to understand the feeling of keeping the hand pivot point connected to the rear shoulder for longer (keep your hands up!). The purpose of the first two movements is to reinforce the feeling of the hands staying connected to the rear shoulder longer, and working from above the ball.

EricF, you don't physically try to keep the hands connected to the rear shoulder. The connection you seek comes from not trying to be connected. Yes, it's true. Think back to how rotation occurs by trying to resist rotation .... likewise the connection you seek comes from not trying to be connected. In other words, the connection you seek comes from using the hands, and applying orthogonal pressure to the barrel, and that is what will aid in the relative shoulder orientation that you are considering as connection.

 

[FP26]

As has been pointed out to me in the past, I have a tendency to throw too much information in different directions at my DDs all at once, and this is an area I'm trying to improve in my own instruction.

I give you a lot of credit for making this comment. If I may offer some advice... Some people tend to focus on individual movements or pieces of the swing. They utilize drills and cues in order to get their point across. Some other people work primarily on "the sequence" instead of individual actions. While I like using some drills to focus on specific things, I try to keep it a very small part of each hitting session. DD may do 20-25 tee hits (depending what our focus is for that day) and then we go right into front toss (60-70 swings per session - but may vary). When doing the drills, we never work on more than one thing per session. Like your DDs, mine has her challenges. She is improving, but still has a way to go. Good luck with yours!

 

[NewBucketDad]

Eric you don't have to defend yourself against someone who has a god complex. Geez the guy's trying to help his DD'S swing and for a 10yo she looks pretty dam good. My DD is the same age and for most 10yo their practice swings and game swings are almost always different. I don't know if its just a timing thing or them trusting their mechanics. Eric I wish you and Maddie the best of luck.

 

[Eric F]

What is the purpose of this swing drill here?

Maintaining the V in her rear arm and hands at the rear shoulder (rather than pulling the bat downward, as is her habit) as her shoulders start their turn forward.

Do you see it as part of this here?

Yes and no. I asked her to not let her arms extend. And the Mig clip is later in the swing.