Does anyone agree with this advice?

[WaSpeed02]

Stacy Mahoe discusses why she thinks "elbow up" is bad for softball. Personally, I think she is way off base and even makes a straw man of what she's criticizing. What do you guys think?

 

[James Smith]

I agree with her.

 

[coach james]

I teach to start with elbows down and during the stride, draw the hands back and separate the back elbow away from the ribs.
As far as grip goes...I used to be an advocate of aligned knuckles. However, as Ive continued to learn this game and adjust the way I teach, I now believe it to be a preference. I do suggest to my hitters that the bat be held in her fingers and not deep in her palms.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I disagree with her.

Especially the part about the door-knocker knuckles. Nothing wrong with having elbow up. That's style.

If she were to say that you don't have to have the elbow up, or that she preferred to have the back elbow down, I'd be OK w/ it. But she's demonizing a common practice not only in MLB, but also among some of the top hitters in college softball.

 

[pantherdad]

I teach to start with elbows down and during the stride, draw the hands back and separate the elbow away from the ribs.

"Rock the U"

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I agree with her.

Many hitters seem to disagree. Notice that many hitters do not align their knuckles .... so if she is correct that most FP agree with the alignment of the door knocking knuckles, then why isn't that happening in reality?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Her dislike for an elevated elbow is that it makes it uncomfortable to have the door knocking knuckles lined up. Seems like a poor excuse IMO. Comes across to me like she doesn't like the elevated elbow because she likes to have the door knocking knuckles aligned, and the elevated elbow makes that criteria uncomfortable.

 

[WaSpeed02]

Many hitters seem to disagree. Notice that many hitters do not align their knuckles .... so if she is correct that most FP agree with the alignment of the door knocking knuckles, then why isn't that happening in reality?

Of course, she uses the "universally agreed upon door knocking knuckle grip" as the definitional referent for why teaching the back elbow "up" is so "obviously" bad coaching. The two just don't go together, so it must be wrong, right?

Hell, my 6 year old DD doesn't even hold the freaking bat vertically like she did in the demonstration.

 

[FP26]

I had a discussion about this topic with a dad during winter hitting practice. I asked him if his DD had an HI and if it was ok to show her a few things. He said to show her anything I wanted. After a few tee swings I asked her if her grip was comfortable. She said "no". I asked her to adjust her grip anyway she wanted, as long as it was comfortable. Dad immediately interrupted and stressed the importance of the door knocking knuckles. I asked my DD to come to the garage (she was in the house with some teammates) and demonstrate "rock the U". After rocking a few times I asked her to swing and stop at contact. When she did, I asked the dad to look at the alignment of the knuckles. Almost perfectly aligned. I asked DD to get back in rock the u. Knuckles not aligned. I explained to the dad that I was not against having the knuckles aligned that way, as long as it was occurring at the right time. When the hands are high (prior to launch), it is not necessary.