10yo Maddie

[Eric F]

This is why I hate the "Rock the U" cue. It can (and usually will) cause a hitter to use his/her lead arm to move the hands back. Tell her to draw the hands back by moving her hand back like she's about to throw a punch.

If you eliminate the lead arm extension (and lead shoulder load), she'll be in a good place.

That's one that will probably click with her. Thanks.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

This is why I hate the "Rock the U" cue. It can (and usually will) cause a hitter to use his/her lead arm to move the hands back. Tell her to draw the hands back by moving her hand back like she's about to throw a punch.

If you eliminate the lead arm extension (and lead shoulder load), she'll be in a good place.

On a similar note, this is a section from one of 1CA's posts ....

We started out throwing bats. We threw bats to rf/cf/lf. I didn't allow him to reach back to throw. I told him that he needed to create a load of the bat in his hands, and that load needed to be released in the direction of the throw.

 

[Buttermaker]

Since this is a free for all re: advice.

Watch her hips/pelvis. Much too much sway back away from the pitcher. Very linear in her actions so she needs to recruit her arms to propel the barrel and needs her to get to the front foot to launch.

The movement of the both legs/hips should be back away from the plate. This should get the barrel to tip forward or towards the plate via her core - then just let her figure out how to rip from that leverages position.

All in all the movements are in the frontal plane (right to left / catcher to pitcher) - need to add some sagittal plane movements (front to back / home plate to dugout).

I am all too familiar with the reluctance of many hitters to use their hips/legs this way.

There is no point throwing bats if it is done through the frontal plane

 

[RichK]

Watch her hips/pelvis. Much too much sway back away from the pitcher. Very linear in her actions so she needs to recruit her arms to propel the barrel and needs her to get to the front foot to launch.

That's what an active focus on a front leg cock will get you...

Anyway, let the advice free for all continue : )

Eric, I'd get her *wider*. Start with her stance. Broaden it out and have her get into her legs more and feel what it's like on the lower half to coil and shift body weight from that wider stance (and I agree, don't shift in a linear plane but coil *around*...). Same with her upper body. Her tip and hand load should *broaden* out her back, not narrow it (that will also help keep her hands AT her shoulder at launch rather than dropped/flattened). She should feel her back "open up" ...that broadening is what should drive the tip, not her arms. In her load, have her think about her big muscles getting bigger and creating an explosive back/core-driven swing.

Right now she's very narrow (stance and starting "elbow triangle") and upright and has kind of a narrow shoulder shrug going on as she loads and tips (in the cage video)....

I like some of her natural movements but I think some of things you look to be adding on (like the active leg cock) aren't helping her.

My own younger daughter is a lot like her. She tends to be "wiggly" in her loading motions rather than powerful. I hope that makes sense. That idea, which I think translates well to a young student, has helped us a lot.

Eric, she looks to be very athletic and a hard worker...she's going to be a good one....good luck.

 

[Eric F]

Eric, I'd get her *wider*. Start with her stance. Broaden it out and have her get into her legs more and feel what it's like on the lower half to coil and shift body weight from that wider stance (and I agree, don't shift in a linear plane but coil *around*...). Same with her upper body. Her tip and hand load should *broaden* out her back, not narrow it (that will also help keep her hands AT her shoulder at launch rather than dropped/flattened). She should feel her back "open up" ...that broadening is what should drive the tip, not her arms. In her load, have her think about her big muscles getting bigger and creating an explosive back/core-driven swing.

Right now she's very narrow (stance and starting "elbow triangle") and upright and has kind of a narrow shoulder shrug going on as she loads and tips (in the cage video)....

I like some of her natural movements but I think some of things you look to be adding on (like the active leg cock) aren't helping her.

My own younger daughter is a lot like her. She tends to be "wiggly" in her loading motions rather than powerful. I hope that makes sense. That idea, which I think translates well to a young student, has helped us a lot.

Eric, she looks to be very athletic and a hard worker...she's going to be a good one....good luck.

I have encouraged her to get wider in her stance and stride to encourage a more aggressive use of the lower body, but she doesn't like the way it feels. Its something that I am aware of and working towards. Getting into her lower body more is a frequent topic.

She tends to get a little bit more loose and "wiggly" in her tee swings than when a moving ball is in the picture, but there is a rhythmic element that also disappears. I would like to see more of that rhythm remain in her game swing.

The front leg action is not something I have tried to "add on". It's something she has always done on her own in one fashion or another, and it's another thing that disappears on her game swing. Personally, I don't have a big issue with it, and would like to see her use something along that line in game swings to promote an earlier, slower start.

I think her black pants hide some of what is going on in her rear hip. Her load is not purely linear. There is some coil around the hip, but I agree that she could be doing it more. Her tendency is to over-rotate her shoulders, and that's something we were working on during that session.

 

[Buttermaker]

That's what an active focus on a front leg cock will get you...

For some definitely - I don't think it is an absolute, though.

The cue of getting the front hip under the belly button may be applicable here to stop the sway. Most will turn that into trying to get the front hip in front of the belly button and that is not it.

 

[coachbob]

She still has an issue with loading her hands down and back rather than up and back, which has been a very hard nut to crack. She is also bringing her hands forward too soon, and not getting the barrel behind the corner properly.

When DD was working on hands back a while ago, we did neck slot, fast barrel turn, attack way oppo, video review, cry, repeat....
She would swear she got it, only to see the video revealed otherwise; hence, the tears.... Takes a while. If your a golfer, remember when you hit your first draw with a driver? You thought it would never happen...

 

[Eric F]

When DD was working on hands back a while ago, we did neck slot, fast barrel turn, attack way oppo, video review, cry, repeat....
She would swear she got it, only to see the video revealed otherwise; hence, the tears.... Takes a while. If your a golfer, remember when you hit your first draw with a driver? You thought it would never happen...

We are in the review, cry, repeat phase. It will come. Honestly, I think the's going to have a moment of clarity really soon where the dots finally connect for her.

I gave up golf years ago...for sanity reasons.

 

[Eric F]

A swing from last night - working on loading hands up and back rather than pulling them down. It's not all the way there yet, but I think she's starting to feel things a little differently.

 

[bemberrry]

I also have a 10 year old daughter that I work heavily with on her swing. One of the best cue's I have ever given her that actually solved multiple issues (including hands dropping) is....

during load externally rotate your top hand slightly during the load move. This external rotation of the top hand and top lower arm makes it virtually impossible to drop too far, or to lay your top hand open too soon.