Are we on the right track?

[newsoftballdad]

Just turned 10, second year of town travel:



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[SBFAMILY]

Read some of Howard's ( hitter's) post s on learning to throw and relate it to hitting. She does not release from the back side and like most young girls she is squishing the bug or doesn't release the back side at all. She has a strong swing. Just take it slow and learn correctly. Take each step and fix it and go to the next. Tape her throwing a ball and then have her look at her back foot in both tapes. I could list others, but you have to get this under control first.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have a hint to offer, always use something as a home plate, when hitting off of the tee. (A towel is OK.) Because, she is lining up to the base of the tee and is much too close to the ball.

This isn't her fault. It is a badly designed tee because the base of it looks like a home plate.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Read some of Howard's ( hitter's) post s on learning to throw and relate it to hitting. She does not release from the back side and like most young girls she is squishing the bug or doesn't release the back side at all. She has a strong swing. Just take it slow and learn correctly. Take each step and fix it and go to the next. Tape her throwing a ball and then have her look at her back foot in both tapes. I could list others, but you have to get this under control first.

SBF, I like what you have to say here.

In her second swing she demonstrates a flaw that some people refer to as "dead leg" which is believed to indicate not using ground reaction forces efficiently. By "dead leg" they are referring to the lower rear leg not rotating forward ... and little to no rear foot eversion.

You describe the root cause as not releasing from the back side. I was sort of expecting to read comments on sequential core loading ... bending at the waist followed by softening of the knees, and then avoiding unloading of the core by standing upright. In reviewing Howard's posts, I was of the opinion that sequential core loading was believed to be the correction for curing 'dead leg'. Instead you mention "releasing from the back side". Hoping you would add more insight ... could you describe the actions involved, or clarify what is meant, by "releasing the backside"?

 

[newsoftballdad]

Thanks for the help so far. I did notice in the second swing that her back foot never moved. We have been working on "fire the hip" as opposed to "sqish the bug" or "turn the back foot" as a verbal cue. We were rushed at practice and only recorded two swings per player. I do need to remind her about the set up at the tee, in the garage we have a batter's box and home plate painted on the floor and I set the tee (ball) slightly in front of home plate. What am I looking for as it relates to throwing? Weight transfer and turn?

Thanks.

 

[SBFAMILY]

I know Tom will enjoy the post. But watch Woods or any golfer swing a golf club and watch the back foot leg release. The motion is Linear and rotational. Yes she still has to be balanced to hit properly. Kind of hard to tell , based on the picture how she set up. I could tell by the hair, she looked where she hit the ball, instead of keeping the eyes down at contact. I could cut and paste Howard Throwing post, but she needs to go thru that first to be a good hitter.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Thanks SBF. If you could paste a link to Howard's throwing post that would be appreciated.

 

[Dragoncoach]

swing plane looked pretty good,and pretty good extention. good comments on lower half, upper half. 1. slow down and get set 2. as she loads hands back her front shoulder should be lower than back shoulder3. read some of hitters post on loading. ThanksEric

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Personally I thought there was an issue with the swing plane.

 

[newsoftballdad]

Personally I thought there was an issue with the swing plane.

Flattening the bat out too quick?