Laura a work in progress

[Wellphyt]

rdbass - does your DD have a right leg knee-hip alignment issue? Her right knee looks like it turns in like my DD. IOW if my DD stands with her feet together and both feet pointing straight into the camera, her right knee turns in a lot. It's how she was born. Nothing we can really do about it. It drives me nuts when she hits because it gives the appearance that she is turning her back knee down-and-in prematurely, when she's really not.

Also, is your DD's rear heel on the ground when she gets to toe touch? Looks like it might not be, but it could just be the camera angle.

What are you specifically working on while having her pause at toe touch?

 

[Steve Huff]

Wellphyt, she is trying to learn not to spin her front hip out, and that is why she is pausing. It isn't how she will swing in the near future I am sure. There are things I would change, but part of the reason she isn't having fun is being over-whelmed. There are issues that aren't as important as others. I think the upper body weight forward thing is just because of the pause, so it becomes a little like a weight shift in stepping. I think that will disappear but is minor right now.

I think she SHOULD widen her stance a little.
I think she should have her weight on the balls of the feet, but heels down.
I think she should touch on the inner part of the ball of the foot at toe touch and I hope they work on that first.
I think she should bend a little more at the waist, and a little less in the knees, vertically lining up her toes, knees, and shoulders.

I think that last issue helps promote that knock-kneed appearance. I just think she is doing as much change at one time as she can handle. In a week, more can be changed.

If you go back and look at her first set of videos, her second, and now these, you can see positive change. I have! She practices about twice a week for 1/2 hour or so. So in 3 weeks or so there is progress. YOU HAVE TO COACH THEM FROM WHERE THEY'RE AT, NOT FROM WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO BE!

 

[Wellphyt]

Wellphyt, she is trying to learn not to spin her front hip out, and that is why she is pausing. It isn't how she will swing in the near future I am sure. There are things I would change, but part of the reason she isn't having fun is being over-whelmed. There are issues that aren't as important as others. I think the upper body weight forward thing is just because of the pause, so it becomes a little like a weight shift in stepping. I think that will disappear but is minor right now.

I think she SHOULD widen her stance a little.
I think she should have her weight on the balls of the feet, but heels down.
I think she should touch on the inner part of the ball of the foot at toe touch and I hope they work on that first.
I think she should bend a little more at the waist, and a little less in the knees, vertically lining up her toes, knees, and shoulders.

I think that last issue helps promote that knock-kneed appearance. I just think she is doing as much change at one time as she can handle. In a week, more can be changed.

If you go back and look at her first set of videos, her second, and now these, you can see positive change. I have! She practices about twice a week for 1/2 hour or so. So in 3 weeks or so there is progress. YOU HAVE TO COACH THEM FROM WHERE THEY'RE AT, NOT FROM WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO BE!

I was just asking a couple of questions

 

[Steve Huff]

I was just asking a couple of questions

I understand. I remember the girl who was learning Linear hitting and all the rotational advice she was getting from members here. I just tried to hold back until I knew what her coach was trying to do. I just try to hold back if I feel I will do more harm than good. And if you look at my list, I think I would do more harm, muddling the heads of dad and DD. I told rdbass to ignore my list as if he never read it. I just advise a dad to work on one thing at a time. The problem is we all would choose a different priority. Some go with the biggest flaw, I tend to work from the simplest to the most complex. So I feel he and DD are a little overwhelmed right now and it shows in the recent video here.

When I first started coaching TB I would work with a girl and tell her my verbal list of her flaws. I would see 8 things wrong. We never got anywhere, and it was their frustration that taught me that it wasn't them, it was my technique. As individuals we are typically right about what we say here. But as a group we end up giving that list of "8". No hard feelings I hope

All I can say is that her front hip twisting was a big issue for many. She is pausing to feel herself set in toe touch without that twisting. It looks better. I think soon she will be able to swing without it. Give her a month, and I think we will see a pretty athletic looking girl's swing.

 

[rdbass]

First Thanks for all the comments.I will have her widen her stance.Not to make excusses DD was born with what was termed a "cleft" right foot.Her foot from being in the womb was bent back.She didn't need any kind of procedure to correct. It caused her to walk pigeon toe.Her right knee does come in I didn't think it was noticable.Wellphyt,you have a good eye.Laura is a quick runner and has no problem playing other sport soccer,bball and softball.Sometimes when you walk behind her I can notice the right foot and knee pointing in.Like most teenagers she would rather stay in her nice warm bed on the computer,then a cold garage.I will slow down and take our time and learn what she needs to do slowwwer.Again thanks to all the posters for your help.I will continue to read and learn.

 

[rdbass]

Question about stance width.Her shoulders are 16''wide.Her height is 5'2 1/2''.Her stance width is 26".Is that to narrow? It looks real narrow on on video.I know it's up to the players style. but what should or how wide should she be?

 

[softballphreak]

Question about stance width.Her shoulders are 16''wide.Her height is 5'2 1/2''.Her stance width is 26".Is that to narrow? It looks real narrow on on video.I know it's up to the players style. but what should or how wide should she be?

Babe Ruth's stance was about 8-10" I believe. His stride was much wider.

Better, IMO, to have a narrow stance and a wider stride. Less movement the better.

 

[Roz]

Lots of good information has been posted here, and Laura has the makings of a very good swing. However, it seems to me that her pause at toe touch negates some of the benefits of her weight transfer, and I suspect some of that may be due to her thinking so much about mechanics as she is in the learning process. One suggestion would be to try the Face the Fire drill (Face the Fire Drill - University of Arkansas Camp - YouTube) to help develop a rhythmic weight shift and just swing without thinking too much about mechanics. I suspect this may be an enjoyable way for her to continue to build her swing.

 

[stiksdad]

Question about stance width.Her shoulders are 16''wide.Her height is 5'2 1/2''.Her stance width is 26".Is that to narrow? It looks real narrow on on video.I know it's up to the players style. but what should or how wide should she be?

Measure inside heel to inside other heel, about 24 inches apart would be a place to start, that is based on her shoulders being 16 inches which looks about right. Then let those knees drift forward toward her toes just a little, don't think bend the knee think soften and let them move forward, she should feel her heels lift away from her shoes slightly.

 

[straightleg]

Bass


Like others have said widen the stance. 3-4 inches. Put chalk on floor to have the same set up every time.

What I see is she bends at waist then stands back up straight then squats with knees.
That will make her flat footed at start.

Bend at waist, stay bent throughout swing.
Bend at waist barely soften knees, her knees are too bent and her back is vertical.

Maybe try some bending at waist, and try slow motion swing to impact maintaining that bend. A mirror would help to see it.

Standing straight up will disingauge the core.



SL