Extension after contact

[FP26]

I have been reading up on this site (awesome by the way!) and have researched other sites including Chris O'Leary's site on Rotational Hitting. Some girls on our team are making very good contact but tend to keep their elbows in tight to their body, even during the follow through. Instead of "throwing the bat", it seems as though they are holding on for their lives!! I didn't really notice this until I started watching some slow motion video. Any good drills for getting them to extend their arms after the point of contact and during follow through? Thanks.

NOTE: I have been doing one drill with a tee. I have each girl stop and pause at point of contact, continue swing , extend the arms and stop again with bat pointing in the pitcher's direction (arms fully extended), and then finish follow through... I hope that made sense

 

[redhotcoach]

I don't believe in forcefully achieving extension, like pushing through contact. I believe a lack of extension is due to improper launch of the swing, or occasionally bottom arm pulling the barrel out of the zone early.

You mentioned they are not "throwing the bat". If thats what you would like, then have them literally throw bats (the drill).

 

[FP26]

I probably did not explain that properly. I don't think extension should occur until after contact. From what I have seen in other videos it appears as though the extension I am referring to happens after the ball is long gone. The bat seems to be pointing directly at the pitchrr or over her head. The comment cncerning the bottom arm makes sense and seems to explain what I am talking about. I will definitely try that drill. Thank you. I have also heard of people doing that with a frisbee.

 

[rdbass]

I would be looking more up stream of the swing. What happens up stream is the result of what happens down stream. Extension is a result.

 

[MountieSB]

Not extending after contact is a result of exactly what was posted earlier: a bottom hand pulling the bat around the contact point. This leads to sudden wrist roll at contact (or pretty darn near it) and it results in lots of balls beat into the ground in front of home plate.

Here are two drills I have my hitters do fix this:
1. One-hand, bottom-hand drills with an 18" bat. The focus is on having the forearm really stay above the ball at contact, and after contact getting the top of the bat pointed to the pitcher (higher than it was at contact) and then the top of the bat pointed to their Uncle Leon up in the second deck of the stadium on the third base side (for a RH hitter). That really teaches them to be long after contact.

2. Hitting through two balls on tees. Have one tee set down the middle slightly in front of the plate and another really inside tee placed to their pull side about a foot away from them and set higher (armpit height). With two hands they have to hit both balls. It will give them the idea of how to get the feel for extending after contact.

 

[rdbass]

Hitters hitting 'around' their bodies instead of 'out from' their bodies. Making connect and making that quick left/right turn.

 

[Grogger31]

rdbass - That's exactly what my daughter is doing! At contact, an immediate roll of the wrists, quick left turn as bat wraps around the body, and the bat goes down towards her legs.

MountieSB - Is the #1 drill you describe done as just a warmup (i.e., no ball/pitch)? The #2 drill sounds good, but I think I'd screw up the placement without seeing it.

Any additional drills to stop the wrist roll at contact would be a huge help. As I'm sure the OP would agree, this is VERY frustrating and has been really tough to correct.

Thanks!

 

[lhowser]

One of my favorite from this past year with a group of 12U players. THE STRING or CABLE DRILL

run a string or cable attached to a point the height of a pitchers hip and attach it to a point maybe mid thigh height 40 feet away.

Thread a wiffle ball through one of it's holes on the cable.

Set up a plate and locate it so that the cable passes over the plate. Slide the ball on the cable so that it is located where you would like to contact it. Now - take some slow and eventually fast swings to the ball. get the barrel on the path and plane of the cable before you get to the ball and comfortably extending through contact along the cable.

After all the cable roughly represents the path of the ball. You might as well stay on it as long as possible.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I don't believe in forcefully achieving extension, like pushing through contact. I believe a lack of extension is due to improper launch of the swing, or occasionally bottom arm pulling the barrel out of the zone early.

You mentioned they are not "throwing the bat". If thats what you would like, then have them literally throw bats (the drill).

Good post RHC.

Extension should be a result.

Actually, extension doesn't have to be thought of as the extension of the arms ... notice how this golf instructor catches himself when he says to 'extend the arms', and goes into 'body extension'.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Learn to "pull the string" ....