All I hear is " keep your back elbow up" and "level swing"

[Ken Krause]

"Keep the back elbow up" is a myth, spouted by people who don't know what else to say. Keep the back arm relaxed and maintain the box/triangle. When you load the back elbow will raise (if you do it right). If it's already there you have no where to go.

 

[nanotech14]

IMO the girls cannot have a level swing if the elbow is up! That is the first thing that drops, then they tend to "chop" at the ball. If they are relaxed in the upper body and open up the hips and have the elbows go first the rest will follow the level swing. Parents need to have another hot dog or more sunflower seeds or build a team and coach!

Sorry just frustrated over the whole "parent coaching from the stands gig"

I'am not sure what you mean by a level swing? You have tilt and bat angle to get on plain with the ball.Having your elbow up does not mean that the batter will hit down on the ball.If that was the case then almost every MLB player would be hitting down on the ball.

 

[02Crush]

You can just do what I did this year with one player who had a parent on her case while at bat. I told her that her mom means well but does not know what she is talking about and gave proper instruction. I went on to tell her that her Mom meant well but that if she wanted to hit well she should listen to me while on the field and not her mom.

Response a week later: Sure coach she has to listen to you while she is on the field....BUT....She has to live with me.
This player is no longer on my team. Here is your SIGN!!!! So sad for the player but I could no longer manage her mom.

Otherwise....Breathe....Move on. This is gonna happen no matter what.

 

[ASA-CROSSFIRE-12U]

I'am not sure what you mean by a level swing? You have tilt and bat angle to get on plain with the ball.Having your elbow up does not mean that the batter will hit down on the ball.If that was the case then almost every MLB player would be hitting down on the ball.

Level swing by meaning not chopping at the ball. Every GIRL I have ever seen that has the elbow up, first thing that drops is the elbow,then the shoulder and so on, if they are relaxed in the upper body and open the hips that is where the power comes from. MLB? Thought this was Softball? Compairing GIRLS fastpitch to MLB is like compairing water to oil just doesn't mix.

 

[rdbass]

Elbow has to drop-slot.When back elbow slots the frt elbow goes out and up.I like a high back elbow for my DD.When my DD had her elbows like an A she would just move her elbows back and then forward.She was all back then all forward.When I had my DD change to a higher back elbow it stopped her from just dropping her hands.Check out C.Yeager at ISO Baseball and see what you think.As far as baseball swing being any different then a softball swing I think you may be suprised.There is no difference.I thought the way you did untill I seen the light.Once I stopped listening to the so called "softball coaches" and educated myself my DD has been a way better player.Mix you water and oil and have a salad.It's healthy.Just MHO.

 

[nanotech14]

Level swing by meaning not chopping at the ball. Every GIRL I have ever seen that has the elbow up, first thing that drops is the elbow,then the shoulder and so on, if they are relaxed in the upper body and open the hips that is where the power comes from. MLB? Thought this was Softball? Compairing GIRLS fastpitch to MLB is like compairing water to oil just doesn't mix.

You my friend have a lot to learn,don't worry your in the right place.The shoulder has to drop,to get tilt in the swing,try to swing a bat with out your shoulder tilting or what you would call dropping can not be done,I quess it could be done but it would be a bad swing.The top softball players in the world and those girls that are learning the proper way to hit,are trying to have a MLB swing.Trying not to teach a girl in fastpitch to have MLB swings will leave them behind the eightball.You need to go to the model batting thread and look at the swings.

 

[rdbass]

Just to clarify my DD has her elbows in the A at the start. When the pitcher goes into her motion my DD will then as she forwards by coil raise her back elbow up.Same motion a catcher makes when raising elbow/arm to throw to second base. Her frt elbow is down.With a high back elbow my DD will hopefully turn the barrell behind her back.Instead of a push forward of her hands she will turn the barrell behind her back as she starts her swing.A carve and then a filet type swing.It works for her and me.I read alot on this site and others and this is the direction we are going.

 

[2bucketdad]

Level swing by meaning not chopping at the ball. Every GIRL I have ever seen that has the elbow up, first thing that drops is the elbow,then the shoulder and so on, if they are relaxed in the upper body and open the hips that is where the power comes from. MLB? Thought this was Softball? Compairing GIRLS fastpitch to MLB is like compairing water to oil just doesn't mix.

Really, are you sure about this?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

You can just do what I did this year with one player who had a parent on her case while at bat. I told her that her mom means well but does not know what she is talking about and gave proper instruction. I went on to tell her that her Mom meant well but that if she wanted to hit well she should listen to me while on the field and not her mom.

Response a week later: Sure coach she has to listen to you while she is on the field....BUT....She has to live with me.
This player is no longer on my team. Here is your SIGN!!!! So sad for the player but I could no longer manage her mom.

Otherwise....Breathe....Move on. This is gonna happen no matter what.

When possible, it helps to educate the parents as well as the hitter. I'll often invite the parent into the cages and invite them to ask questions as we go along. I consider the parent's questions just as important as the hitter's questions.

It doesn't do a lot of good to invest time into a kid if you know the parent is going to undo what you are working on.

 

[Mr T]

"Keep the back elbow up" is a myth, spouted by people who don't know what else to say. Keep the back arm relaxed and maintain the box/triangle. When you load the back elbow will raise (if you do it right). If it's already there you have no where to go.

Williams hit 423 with a super low rear elbow setup and Giambi hit 429 with a super high rear elbow setup. I don't consider either style a "myth".