11yo Maddie

[cooprules15]

Why do hitters need to load the knees? Are they jumping up to swing? It's a wasted move. If anything I see a lot of good hitters straighten the rear leg/knee a bit during the timing of the pitch.

In my DDs case it wasn't something that was taught to her. I think it's just a comfort thing. Staying taller helps her stay more relaxed at the start. She WAS taught to coil around her back hip and not sway back laterally. I think this teach may have led to her sinking down a little more than ideal, but in my opinion this isn't the cause of her timing issues. Like has been said, she just needs to start the coil earlier and slower.

 

[Buttermaker]

OK so you think she should start the knee flexion earlier?

 

[cooprules15]

OK so you think she should start the knee flexion earlier?

I think she should start the load earlier and slower. Since this load includes knee flexion at this point, yes, the knee flexion should be earlier and should only be happening during the negative move, not during the positive move. While this knee flexion in and of itself doesn't bother me, there has been a few instances where she doesn't stay down and will rise up out a little during the swing. THAT is definitely a flaw that concerns me. But I'm taking this process very slow. This doesn't happen nearly as much as before we introduced the sequence to her. I think the timing fix is A number 1 on the to do list.

 

[cooprules15]

I apologize. I mistakenly overtook this thread. This thread should only pertain to Eric Fs Maddie. Any advice for my DD should be made to
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/23347-10u-dd-swing.html

 

[straightleg]

No, I don't want to tell her how far. I like what she does when it's natural for her (but more than just a pick-up/put-down). I don't see a need to put a constraint on that specific component in her swing. Maybe I would for another hitter, if it was leading to an issue, but for my DD, I don't feel it's required.

In my experience, generic formulas are fine for getting things in an approximate ballpark when things are really far out of whack. Beyond that, you're better off dealing with the individual as an individual.

If you're having success with the stride formula, that's just fine. I don't doubt your success. There may be a time when I want to apply it, too. That time is not right now, or with my DD.

Eric. If the person hitting does not start with the same width stance each time, they then stride different amounts.
Sometimes they load in the back leg, sometimes they load over the back leg. Then the body parts line up different through out the swing.
That is why we have a predetermined stance width, plus or minus an inch, and a stride length plus or minus an inch.
Its a good starting point.
Now if a girl has real long legs that stride distance may increase.

I have them practice this at home, load........ step out and separate and find there comfort zone on there stride.

Good Luck with the daughter...


SL

 

[Eric F]

After a period of Maddie's swing taking a detour down a bad road due to her over-cooking a couple of cues in her own head, resulting in weak arm-powered swings, we've been able to get things back on a better track. More importantly, it's good to see her confidence in her swing starting to return. She knew things were off, and she was getting pretty frustrated. There is always more work to do, and things to tweak, but it's good to see her hitting the ball hard again.

This was a swing from last night's cage session...

 

[TBao]

Can we see a shot across the plate? You might be on to something.

 

[Eric F]

Can we see a shot across the plate? You might be on to something.

I wish I could. There is a thick and deep wall of ivy on the left side of the cage that prevents me from getting that camera angle at the moment. The task of trimming the ivy is pretty far down the list behind softball and honey-dos.

 

[Eric F]

Game swing from yesterday...


Recent issues with Sever's Disease kept Maddie out of the batter's box for a few weeks. Last weekend, her timing was clearly off and she had a rare strike-out. This weekend, she showed definite signs of improvement, and a return of the power that has been lacking for a while. Her day at the plate included two strong line drives deep into the OF (including a double to the fence in LC), and a couple of hard ground balls.

 

[djcarter1966]

There is a lot to like there. In her batting cage swinging it does look like she has a little better sense of reaching back as she is striding forward (although it's mostly just up and down with the foot), in her in game swing she leaks forward every so slightly not being able to hold back until her foot is all the way down. Hand/bat path is a little hard to tell in game because it looks like she makes a good adjustment to an inside pitch.

Other little quibble is her hand positioning she starts pretty low although it looks like she does seem to be OK at toe touch/heel plant which I usually say is all that matters.

I'll let the real experts chime in...since there is nothing glaring jumping out at me.