15yo Maddie

[Rolling Hard]

"
When I get a new student. The 1st question I ask is where is your balance point or center? We both agree it's the bellybutton. I say yes in almost everything you do it is. In this method of hitting your center or balance point is the corner. The balance in your rear leg separating the front from the back We build out from there.
"

IS the belly button the corner or rear hip socket?

 

[Eric F]

IS the belly button the corner or rear hip socket?

Rear hip socket.

 

[james27503]

I appreciate your input, but I know my DD. When Maddie's body gets into the position of the pro player you have shown, she hits like crap. I've seen it repeatedly, over multiple years. It doesn't work for her, and results in weak ground balls and pop-ups. Her hitting has ALWAYS been at it's best when she is pulling back over the rear hip.

Also...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

View attachment 15889

While the picture Shawn posted is ideal, as per the pic you posted, it is not an absolute. However, there is still a big difference in the pic you posted and that of your DD. Her back is not in a strong position.

A good test is to say to yourself at any part of the swing if I were to hand you a heavy weight would you be in a good position to hold it or would you be likely to hurt yourself.

If we were to hand your dd a weight in the pic above she is likely to hurt her back or fall over.

I would say put the tee on the outside of the plate to where she has to hit backside. She should stride to where her middle is in line with the tee. She should then swing and focus on keeping her head perpendicular to the tee. For an over exaggeration you can tell her to finish with her head directly over the tee or close to it. I can almost guarantee she will hit it harder.

 

[Eric F]

While the picture Shawn posted is ideal, as per the pic you posted, it is not an absolute. However, there is still a big difference in the pic you posted and that of your DD. Her back is not in a strong position.

A good test is to say to yourself at any part of the swing if I were to hand you a heavy weight would you be in a good position to hold it or would you be likely to hurt yourself.

If we were to hand your dd a weight in the pic above she is likely to hurt her back or fall over.

I would say put the tee on the outside of the plate to where she has to hit backside. She should stride to where her middle is in line with the tee. She should then swing and focus on keeping her head perpendicular to the tee. For an over exaggeration you can tell her to finish with her head directly over the tee or close to it. I can almost guarantee she will hit it harder.

I don’t agree that the pic Shawn posted is ideal. For my DD, having a forward angle between the rear thigh and torso doesn’t work, and her instruction helps keep her away from that feeling. I also see plenty of examples of elite hitters with their head even with or behind their rear hip.



I will also mention again that the tee swing clip was from working some exaggerated feelings in her rear hip. It was not a game swing, or even the attempt to replicate a game swing. I used the clip in the discussion with W=w about how she’s using her front leg in relation to his comments.

Although I don’t have any game swing video from the past couple of months, I do know that she tends to be less exaggerated in some of her extreme movements that we see in practice work.

Also, I’m happy with the instruction I’m getting from Mike. It aligns with the things I believe about the swing. Maddie is also very happy with how things are working and feeling for her, and all of us like the power and quickness she is generating.

 

[Shawn]

I don’t agree that the pic Shawn posted is ideal. For my DD, having a forward angle between the rear thigh and torso doesn’t work, and her instruction helps keep her away from that feeling. I also see plenty of examples of elite hitters with their head even with or behind their rear hip.

View attachment 15890View attachment 15891

I will also mention again that the tee swing clip was from working some exaggerated feelings in her rear hip. It was not a game swing, or even the attempt to replicate a game swing. I used the clip in the discussion with W=w about how she’s using her front leg in relation to his comments.

Although I don’t have any game swing video from the past couple of months, I do know that she tends to be less exaggerated in some of her extreme movements that we see in practice work.

Also, I’m happy with the instruction I’m getting from Mike. It aligns with the things I believe about the swing. Maddie is also very happy with how things are working and feeling for her, and all of us like the power and quickness she is generating.

I can use other swings, like the pics you posted, I just need them to be at the same angle as your daughter. That was why I used Pujols because I knew he was more upright in his posture and not because in the pic I posted is even a little forward as well. The pics you posted can be seen as misleading, not the best angle to look at their head position and posture.

 

[james27503]

I don’t agree that the pic Shawn posted is ideal. For my DD, having a forward angle between the rear thigh and torso doesn’t work, and her instruction helps keep her away from that feeling. I also see plenty of examples of elite hitters with their head even with or behind their rear hip.

View attachment 15890View attachment 15891

I will also mention again that the tee swing clip was from working some exaggerated feelings in her rear hip. It was not a game swing, or even the attempt to replicate a game swing. I used the clip in the discussion with W=w about how she’s using her front leg in relation to his comments.

Although I don’t have any game swing video from the past couple of months, I do know that she tends to be less exaggerated in some of her extreme movements that we see in practice work.

Also, I’m happy with the instruction I’m getting from Mike. It aligns with the things I believe about the swing. Maddie is also very happy with how things are working and feeling for her, and all of us like the power and quickness she is generating.

Noted that you were working on over exaggerating something. What I am seeing that is different has more to do with the shoulders than the relationship to the hips. Your DD's shoulders look to have worked more east west. It is her shoulders coming out that is putting her head back. If her shoulders work more north south, think of the shoulder moving up instead of left, I think that will fix 95% of the head getting away from the center.

I am sure Mike is doing a great job. Just my .02.

 

[Eric F]

I can use other swings, like the pics you posted, I just need them to be at the same angle as your daughter. That was why I used Pujols because I knew he more upright in his posture and not because in the pic I posted is even a little forward as well. The pics you posted can be seen as misleading, not the best angle to look at their head position and posture.

With Maddie, one of the things I look at is a line from her rear knee to rear hip to rear shoulder. I want to see that line straight (not necessarily vertical) or even a slight rearward angle above the hip. If there is a forward angle above the hip, her body isn’t working it’s best for creating a good swing. The line I’m looking for is the same as I see in Bellinger, Yelich, Cabrera, and others. The forward bend at the rear hip of Pujols does not work for Maddie. It just doesn’t. It never has. She is way better pulling back.

 

[Shawn]

Like this angle, not the best angle and is different then the pic you showed of Yelich,

 

[Shawn]

Eric,

If you have better angles please post them, I will look at the hitters you mentioned, but I doubt very much we will see the same action/posture. Not that you "can't" have a backward lean, it's the fact that she is doing a unhealthy action in her swing.

 

[Eric F]

Noted that you were working on over exaggerating something. What I am seeing that is different has more to do with the shoulders than the relationship to the hips. Your DD's shoulders look to have worked more east west. It is her shoulders coming out that is putting her head back. If her shoulders work more north south, think of the shoulder moving up instead of left, I think that will fix 95% of the head getting away from the center.

I am sure Mike is doing a great job. Just my .02.

One of the remnants of her previous swing pattern that we are trying to adjust is how she used her shoulders. Before, she was very much about trying to turn hard to generate power. Some of that movement is still in her swing. Things are doing better, but it’s not all the way resolved yet.