Front Shoulder Flying Open

[Hitter]

I agree that a good cue is to walk away from the hands, but her hands do move back relative to the padded wall backstop. That's why the question to Howard re: what she uses a cue.

MTS Slow to load soft to step, on a flexed front knee and separating our hands slightly rearward during the toe touch phase. Her elbow goes rearward with the hands. Notice however the elbow does not go above the shoulders like some players. She is always saying top of hands top of shoulders and hands no higher than the ear hole of the helmet. This will depend on each hitters style and you will see it in every player.

Howard, Thanks again. I am just trying to pick Crystl's (and your brain) a bit.

In the BP swing below it looks like her elbow moves up as the hands go back. That's why I wondered if she thought about the rear elbow leading the hands back. A lot of kids will think hands and the rear elbow will stay low and the hands can get outside the rear elbow.

The rear elbow should not drop and or the hands. By hands getting outside the rear elbow we explain it by having the hitter get ready to hit and load and step and separate the hands rearward. Now take your top hand off the bat and make a fist and put it back near the bat again...if you move your fist forward can you hit your bicep on the lead arm or is it below or outside the elbow? It is interesting especially when working with girls as if you say raise your hands they raise the elbows and shoulders as a unit in lieu of just moving the hands. We often point out the wrist and elbows are a hinge and put a finger in the crease/ joint and ask then to just raise their hands and they understand the differences...see it, feel it and fix it.

Hope this helps Howard

 

[Bucketpapi]

She describes it as working as a unit and the knob leads the elbows. Elbows, hands and release the bat head/ barrel to the ball rotating as needed and releasing the wrist. Very important that the back hand or top hand stays stacked over the elbow as it transitions forward to bat lag and release the barrel to the ball based on the balls depth in box. Watch the video you posted and thank you for that, and look closely at what some are calling THT, moving the bat forward, and look at how simply she puts the hands rearward and does not dip the shoulders or overtly tip the bat forward or backwards, however the hands do go rearward slightly. Maybe not the MLB pattern however very effective if I do say so myself!

Thanks Howard

She wouldn't dip her shoulders on a pitch that high (the video posted earlier).
Look at a clip of her hitting a low pitch, she would have to dip her shoulders. No question about it.

BP

 

[Mark H]

You two might want to make sure you are on the same definition of "dip the shoulders".

 

[imported_Lady_Knights]

Has to learn that the lead elbow works out and up, while keeping her hands inside the ball. The drill Dana spoke of earlier is a great drill, but lots of bottom hand work is the key in my opinion.

Not sure how you all got off topic with all this "separation" talk. It's part of the equation, but little in rectifying the problem. Now lets try to keep it on topic. lol