1st year 14u - Swing mechanics what to work on

[Shawn]

I would like to see more posture creating the swing plane. I guess RDbass deleted his posts. He was correct that she is dropping the hands to create a swing plane.

 

[fanboi22]

I would like to see more posture creating the swing plane. I guess RDbass deleted his posts. He was correct that she is dropping the hands to create a swing plane.

Thanks Shawn, when you say ‘see more posture creating the swing plane’ what does that mean?

I agree on hand drop, it looks goofy. I will have her lock her hand position more at swing launch. As a note launch to me is when the main torso engine engages and starts to turn the barrel.

 

[fanboi22]

Good stuff fan! Keep working! I would like to see her a little more athletic at toe touch. I feel like the stride should get you into your most balanced athletic position. As others have mentioned, and I have as well, she is a little out of sequence. IMO this is do to the back knee not gaining any ground prior to launching the swing. The stride should pull the back knee forward some. That would eliminate some of the spinning that’s been mentioned. She has some overload with the back knee getting over the back foot. In her stance position her back knee in front of her back foot and work on loading without the back knee moving back at all. Get her weight on the inside of rear foot. Keep it up Fan!

Originally missed this post. Thanks CB! I think I understand what you are saying. Athletic is something I try to tell her all the time. For her it’s more staying loose. When she was a lot younger, when she listened to Elvis more, she would sing Hound Dog and give a little Forest Gump/Elvis leg kick to stay loose/balanced and relaxed. She was always too tense.

Is the ‘back knee not gaining ground’ a coil issue or a lack of more stride issue? We try to work on her balance and getting into her rear inside heal, it’s just not getting done. She complains about her balance but I think the higher front knee kick isn’t helping either.

I will have her focus more on that as I tell her to feel the tension and keep the crease as she moves out.

And on the swing will have her anchor the rear foot and try not to spin.

Not sure if she will swing today before her formal practice or not. Parents won’t be allowed in due to headcount restrictions and village hasn’t opened up parks for outdoor yet.

Thanks again for commenting.

 

[TDS]

Fanboi22, the advantage of swing 1 is that her hands are free for adjustments... It would be interesting to see swing 1 where her rear elbow is down and relaxed from the beginning.. The positive in both swings is that she's not shifting across the pelvis to the front leg at go time.

 

[_MIA_]

What does she look like with a ball being thrown to her??

 

[Cornbread]

Thanks Shawn, when you say ‘see more posture creating the swing plane’ what does that mean?

I agree on hand drop, it looks goofy. I will have her lock her hand position more at swing launch. As a note launch to me is when the main torso engine engages and starts to turn the barrel.

With posture you want to ensure that angle of the shoulders at contact and the angle of arms and bat match continuing these angles throughout the arc of the swing. One way you can do this is by holding a long piece of pvc pipe with both hands centered across your chest. Slowly rotate the pvc and stop at the top of a tee. This will force her to maintain her posture based on the height and location of the pitch. I start with waist high down the middle. The go lower and higher on pitches down the middle. Then you adjust outside/inside up/down. However, I’m not sure posture is her problem.

 

[fanboi22]

What does she look like with a ball being thrown to her??

Crappy. haha. Only thing we have right now is soft toss. Hasn't seen live pitching since last year fall ball. However, he swings were a slight drop barrel swing flat. body and lower was similar. alot of times way behind and swing with arms. so i think she just got fooled alot.

 

[_MIA_]

Crappy. haha. Only thing we have right now is soft toss. Hasn't seen live pitching since last year fall ball. However, he swings were a slight drop barrel swing flat. body and lower was similar. alot of times way behind and swing with arms. so i think she just got fooled alot.

Buy some balls you can hit at home if you cannot get to a field (anywhere balls, wiffle balls, etc)..use the bownet as protection. Take video of those swings.

 

[fanboi22]

Fanboi22, the advantage of swing 1 is that her hands are free for adjustments... It would be interesting to see swing 1 where her rear elbow is down and relaxed from the beginning.. The positive in both swings is that she's not shifting across the pelvis to the front leg at go time.

Re: hands - i agree, and that (IMO) is the rub with the TTB snap. I like how it gets the barrel moving but to do that her hands are stuck until her hands move away from her body at release later for finding the pitch.

I just think her having loose hands caused an arm bar and more bat wrap and a late swing.

 

[rdbass]

How to do this:
- Setup with as much Pigeon-toe as you can handle
- Really get into the ground with inside of the back foot along the padding of the big toe. Really feel the inward pressure
- Now, use your low back, your mid back and most importantly your scap to resist any inward pressure. Feel like your hip is pulling around.
- Now Drive forward while trying to never give up the resistance on the back side.
- You must not slide the hips or shift the weight forward. You want to feel as if your weight is staying stacked over the back side during the stride.

Do this until your head starts to lower automagically. The extreme Pigeon Toe will not let you stride far before the forward momentum is arrested. Do this over and over.