Hitting Mechanics Feedback

[Wellphyt]

Wellphyt what drills do you suggest for the bat drag. She has not been taught to take her hands to the ball and swing with level sholders. She is being taught to tilt the sholders to match the plane of the ball and rotate around front hip but she is 12yr old and don't always get it right.

She will never figure out the high level pattern if she trys to rotate around her front hip. That cue alone could be contributing to the bat drag. The only way to rotate around the front hip is to shift onto the front foot and then swing. It's almost impossible to do that and not push the hands towards the ball.

In my experience, Epstein's "Torque Drill" is an excellent way to teach how the shoulders tilt and turn in the high level swing. There is another excellent drill I recently discovered called the "Stretch and Fire" drill, that has helped my daughter better feel how the two pivot points (back hip and hands) sync together. It's the one drill my daughter actually likes doing. The drill comes from a hitting website.

I do believe there is a lot to be learned by studying the barrel path of hitters like Bustos, Bonds and Williams. IMO, the technique that these hitters are doing to develop the early barrel movement is a big key in solving issues like bat drag and pushing.

 

[Mark H]

Here's your long term goal. Photo 11 of 31, Analysis

Photo 1 of 31, Analysis This would be good pelvic action. Put your cursor on your estimate of the hip "joint" location while you study the pelvic action.

 

[lhowser]

I do believe there is a lot to be learned by studying the barrel path of hitters like Bustos, Bonds and Williams. IMO, the technique that these hitters are doing to develop the early barrel movement is a big key in solving issues like bat drag and pushing.

A little explaination and even video with the explanation would be awesome! Especially regarding the early barrel movement.

 

[gummi10]

I really like this swing and i believe she will generate a lot of power here head stays in a grea poisiton when hitting and with younger athletes that try and swing with power like she does find themselves pulling their head and the rest of the body follows. I thin she loads really well and drives through the ball. th only thing i would say is not get her to kick so high on her stride but she is very balanced and has a good swing she will drive the ball wih power for you coach.

 

[cshilt]

I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of this swing. As has been mentioned earlier in the thread it looks like a slow pitch swing. I have no doubt she has some success with this swing at her level, but I'm afraid that this swing won't "scale" as she gets older. A pitcher capable of changing speed would likely give this hitter fits.

Bustos has been mentioned in this thread. Good role model. Here is a clip of one of her swings...

Photo 13 of 16, Fastpitch

Re: the torque drill. Not a fan.

 

[Wellphyt]

A little explaination and even video with the explanation would be awesome! Especially regarding the early barrel movement.

Here is a video analysis done by Mankin. While you're there you may also want to check out the analysis of Sosa showing the same thing.
YouTube - MrBatSpeed's Channel

The clip of Bustos that cshilt posted is awesome. The only way to produce her barrel path is to combine shoulder tilt and shoulder rotation into one seamless move. Add in some THT as she is doing and you get a whip instead of a push.

 

[Wellphyt]

When looking at video clips, one thing that has helped me better understand the high level swing, is to think in terms of "turn" instead of rotate.

For example, is Bustos rotating the barrel towards the ball, or is she turning the barrel into the ball?

Is her back hip rotating or is it turning around the back hip joint?

 

[Coach Lia]

Observing the video there looks like a slight stiffness on her left hip. Upon planting her font leg she stiffens it that her hips tend to compensate for the stiffness of the front leg. Maybe you can ask her to move her feet towards the pitcher and not have like a stumping motion because you want to have the momentum to go forward and the high knee might have to cause her to stiffen her leg too much and cause her also to hyper extend her back.

or she just might have a tight ITband. have some exercises done to loosen this and add core strengthening for her back hyperextension

 

[Mark H]

OK I'm impressed. We all only see what we can see based on our existing paradigms and our prior training. Apparently you have some in depth prior training. So what is it you are seeing that what could make a difference here? After all, she turns into balls pretty good.