Back Elbow

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Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Jack Mankin of Batspeed.com recommends hiding your hands and explains his idea with video examples in this clip



I guess I must be looking at this differently. IMO, his elbow is not behind his back. It may be even with his shoulder line, but since the torso is turned some, it takes the elbow with it. No?
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
What I'm trying to describe is that the elbow is pointing down and blocked. It can't get slotted and has to go out and around the ball.

I think your speaking of a ‘stalled’ elbow. Pinned against the side of the body? Do you use ‘turn the barrel right now’ mechanics’?
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
Pedroia fighting off an inside pitch without stalling his elbow.

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Feb 16, 2015
933
43
South East
My DD had the same problem..... What I believe was happening was, she would trigger the swing with her shoulders..... I guess you could say she was dragging the hands..... This cleared up when (or at least IMO) when she started focusing on the hands being in charge and letting the body support..... A cue that seemed to help her with this was “Allow the turn or transition of the barrel to open you”.....
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
What I'm trying to describe is that the elbow is pointing down and blocked. It can't get slotted and has to go out and around the ball.

Video would help ... but if what you are describing is what I am imagining, then your daughter's torso-engine is not ideal ... missing the initial arching of the rear lower back during the initial torso-twitch.
 
Oct 13, 2014
5,471
113
South Cali
Yes and yes. Doesn't do it off the tee

Pretty good guess huh? :)

Usually a stalled elbow is from poor hand usage in the beginning of swing launch. There is a ‘short hands’ video floating around this site. Give it a view. See if it makes sense. The reason why you don’t see a stalled rear elbow on the tee is the body’s angles are preset before launch because of knowing location of the ball before launch. I would encourage you to learn about hand path. It’s a must in a GOOD swing.

Review DRDRODDs post as well. The hands set up the body. Not the other way around.
 
May 12, 2016
4,338
113
I guess I must be looking at this differently. IMO, his elbow is not behind his back. It may be even with his shoulder line, but since the torso is turned some, it takes the elbow with it. No?

I know now that this is not relative to what the OP is asking about, however, how do you pinch/load your scap without your elbow traveling ever so slightly behind your back?

2018-12-05 9-53-56 AM.jpg
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,661
83
Video would help ... but if what you are describing is what I am imagining, then your daughter's torso-engine is not ideal ... missing the initial arching of the rear lower back during the initial torso-twitch.
Probably more twisting from the upper back instead of lower back. You do not see this off the tee.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Probably more twisting from the upper back instead of lower back. You do not see this off the tee.

What I find helps is teaching the torso-engine and then the loading process leading up to using the torso-engine ... while getting a hitter to loosen up enough to trust the shoulders and hands/wrists become loaded as a result of the torso-engine, rather than loading up early and disrupting the energy flow. It is amazing how many young hitters develop a habit of loading incorrectly.
 
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