Opinions on DD Swing

[straightleg]

Thanks SL - yes your daughter is in pretty much the same position at front foot strike!

Going to make 2012 somewhat more elementary in that the focus will be on getting to this foot strike position as a main goal for the newer hitters I work with....once this is achieved we can tune up the swing! Weight coming off the outside edge of the rear foot - front shoulder down and in....front foot DOWN....




Easier said than done - lol!

All good stuff!! How about weight coming off inside edge of rear foot? I do back hip helped along with big toe of rear foot.


Straightleg

 

[RayR]

SL, I meant moving the weight off the outside edge of the foot - once the front foot is starts planting the weight is transferring off the inside edge of the rear foot - walking off the heel via the inside edge of the foot...eversion as FFS alluded to....most of the pressure will be felt on the big toe....good stuff...

 

[FPMark]

She is improving...she is still way off on a good launch position #2 though. Probably the most important position imo. I would recommend getting into a good launch position. As MTS said...shoulders down. The head will be more over the body....nose over belly button. Go have some fun...sounds like you both have come to a good communication level with it and that is a great thing! Good luck!

Cyclone, this is a great view of the difference between where she is and where she needs to be. Look at the 1st compairison, especially how she is on top of the rear leg. Like SL said, she is coiling on top of her rear leg instead of into it. Her knee is directly above her foot, and her head is directly above the knee. All her weight is over the rear leg. When she strides, she is not moving her weight (core and head) forward, but is keeping her weight back on the rear leg. Her head remains over the rear foot (picture 2). This is causing her to lean back (towards the catcher) and forces her to get the front shoulder up.

In picture 1, Caitlin has her knee inside the rear foot, and her head inside the knee, between the feet, for a more balanced position. She is also bent just a little at the waist toward the plate. Getting your DD into this position would really help position 2, which is where these things get amplified. Look how Caitlin's head stays between her feet before, during, and after the stride. Look at her hips leading, and weight transfering to the front leg.

IOWs, try to get her coiling into the rear leg instead of onto it. When you coil into the rear leg from a balanced position, you can stride "while" coiling. Coiling "onto" the rear leg makes it easy to uncoil, before toe touch, during the stride. Also watch her head, it will tell you if she is keeping too much weight back (head too far back toward rear foot-squishing the bug) or too far forward (head too far forward towards front foot- lunging). It should stay pretty much centered between the feet. This will also make it possible to keep the front shoulder down.

You have gotten alot of real good suggestions in this thread, but to me, bobbyb's pictures are worth at least a thousand words. They make it easier to see what people are talking about.

 

[RayR]

OK - let me see if I can explain it this way...she is using her shoulders to turn back...I want you to watch these clips

as they lift their front knee to coil the hips their front shoulder is dropping in....the feeling is in the back....try this yourself...

If you notice the height of the leg kick is varied....in fact watch this guy...

Hardly any knee lift at all, but can you see how he uses his back to turn the front shoulder down as he coils/winds his hips?

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

I understand all of this , but I am not the one rebuilding a swing. For some reason , this just isnt clicking for her. I need to find a new way to communicate it to her.

 

[softballphreak]

I understand all of this , but I am not the one rebuilding a swing. For some reason , this just isnt clicking for her. I need to find a new way to communicate it to her.

I believe if you tell her to turn the hip pocket toward the pitcher while leaving the shoulders and hands alone until stride that the shoulder will take care of itself. She seems to still be thinking mostly top half.

It would probably be good to lift the front knee up toward the chest to help the coil as she strides/separates the hands.

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

I believe if you tell her to turn the hip pocket toward the pitcher while leaving the shoulders and hands alone until stride that the shoulder will take care of itself. She seems to still be thinking mostly top half.

It would probably be good to lift the front knee up toward the chest to help the coil as she strides/separates the hands.

I may have to try the lifting of the front knee. I have already tried the hip pocket cue. She just seemed to turn her whole body. I wish I could just get her out of her own head. She wants this so bad that she tries to "overthink" thes movements and becomes a little robotic.

 

[RayR]

Have you shown her the clips? Instead of explaining - let her see it and try to emulate it...

 

[CycloneSoftball22]

Yes , I have shown her the clips.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Yes , I have shown her the clips.

I believe what MTS wishes you to see it the "Down To" and "Up Through" action ... the changing in the slant of the shoulders. Let's mark up the clip MTS posted and see if we can help highlight the shoulder slant.

Personally, I believe you are missing a few critical portions that may be making it potentially more difficult.

Do you feel that your daughter "loads her hands rearward" as she "coils forward"? I don't.

Let's focus on the top hand for a moment. Does bringing the top hand straight back to the catcher satisfy "loading the top hand"? Not in my book.

What are we trying to do when we "load the top hand rearward"? One thing we are attempting to do is establish a "stretch" ... and that stretch is a "rotational stretch".

While maybe not the best example, let's take a look at the lady MTS posted.

Does this lady "load her hands rearward" as she brings her hips forward. In my book she "loads her hands rearward".

Basically ... if you bring your elbow back in the direction toward the third-base coach, as you stride, then you are creating the 'stretch', or loading of the hands, that I want to see. That "up and in" action of the top hand is about all you need to "load the hands rearward". That is, the rear side lat is being stretched, and a connection is being established from the rear hip to the rear shoulder. From this position ... with the rear arm in a 'power-vee', or "pinched forearm-to-bicep" orientation", ... the rear hip & upper rear leg reverse direction, which pulls the hands forward (lowering the rear elbow in the process), and the hands respond to this 'tug' by 'turning the barrel'. That's really it in a nutshell ... we "load the hands rearward AS we coil forward", we capture transition with our lower body (hips/core/upper rear leg), and turn the barrel with the hands. No need to yank the hands forward with the shoulders and upper arms. Get the correct sequence under the hood, and it's all "hips & hands".