DD Getting Told To "Squish The Bug"

[Scarecrow]

As I teach my DD (whose coach also says 'Squish the Bug'):

Squish the Bug is not an ACTION of your swing, but a REACTION of proper hip rotation.

NOTE: I'm sure that there are all kinds of people on here that will want to argue whether or not proper hip rotation actually causes the back foot to pivot, but my 10 year old understands what I'm meaning/saying.

 

[crankermo]

Scarecrow,

No one is advocating to squish the bug anymore. It's not the way to hit and it shouldn't be taught.

 

[guero_gordo]

Scarecrow,

No one is advocating to squish the bug anymore. It's not the way to hit and it shouldn't be taught.

I'm glad if that's true in your world, unfortunately, there are many coaches still repeating this, and getting the DD to not be disoriented by miscue's is important, which I believe was Sc's point.

I applaud coaches that study and evolve, but there are many who will spit out the phrases they learned in their first coaching clinic, or perhaps worse, that their Little League or HS coaches droned into them in days of yore.

 

[EP Dad]

The best hitting instructors my daughter has had the pleasure of listening to at the various camps she has been at (an ex-Olympian and a D1 coach) both squashed the notion of squishing the bug. My daughter laughed when she was at the cage smacking the ball around and one of the High School player's father was critiquing her swing and telling her to "squish the bug". She's going to listen to the Olympian and D1 coach and not the High School father.

 

[crankermo]

The simple fact is, If someone is pushing to squish the bug it's time to get the heck out of there. There is just too much info out there for people not to look for themselves. That's the quickest signal that the person has no idea about hitting and you are just wasting your money.

 

[Immortal1]

I'm glad if that's true in your world, unfortunately, there are many coaches still repeating this, and getting the DD to not be disoriented by miscue's is important, which I believe was Sc's point.

I applaud coaches that study and evolve, but there are many who will spit out the phrases they learned in their first coaching clinic, or perhaps worse, that their Little League or HS coaches droned into them in days of yore.

That would be my current state of mind with all this site has to offer.

That was me last year..... I am much happier with who I am now

 

[Arbie]

I am so glad I read this post because my dd has been told for years to "squish the bug"!! I never played softball so I really didn't know if it was correct or not!! These posts make a lot of sense. Thanks!

 

[#14's_Dad]

I really liked Jen Yee's squishing bug blog post
Squishing Bugs

It also talks about "The elvis", which I am assuming is also know around here as "The Move"? Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Daddy O]

"The elvis" is not what others term "The move". Another quote from her blog that I find very interesting
Note #1: Even though we're using our hips for power, we're not actually "using" them in the sense that we are using those muscles. We must make sure the kicking action initiates the hip rotation, not the hip rotation causing the kicking.

 

[Wellphyt]

I really liked Jen Yee's squishing bug blog post
Squishing Bugs

It also talks about "The elvis", which I am assuming is also know around here as "The Move"? Please correct me if I am wrong.

"The Move" comes before "The Elvis". Some of us have come to realize that doing "The Move" makes "The Elvis" a no-teach". Two players that I worked with two years ago when I taught "The Elvis", are on my team this year. I'm trying to break them of the habit of doing "The Elvis" as it is so obvious watching them now how it hurts their weight shift. Players can still hit when consciously doing "The Elvis", however IMO it is not ideal.

I find "The Elvis" kind of a "catch 22". I think it has some value in teaching the relationship between front heel drop and the triggering of the hips. However, I don't want the players I work with doing it on purpose. I prefer to teach "The Move" which is further upstream.

"The Move" is one of those actions that a lot of the better athletes do naturally and therefore likely don't recognize it's significance. So it doesn't get taught. The action itself is almost undetectable because the back foot is in a cleat in the dirt. That's where swinging a bat comes in handy as well as understanding the dynamics of the overhand throw.

Some of us are ahead of the curve on this one. I suspect more and more coaches and instructors will make an adjustment in how they teach as info on "The Move" spreads across the internet. I made my adjustment a few months ago.