Please help with DD swing.

[lynsey7512]

First, sorry about the video....I know it's long....couldn't figure out how to cut some of it out...skip ahead to about 6:00 and turn down the volume so you don't have to hear me =)....obviously....I'm no good with electronics..lol...

Ok...this is my 9 year old daughter, we work really hard at home hitting but we still can't get it right...I'd love any advice you have...most of the time she strikes out but when she does hit it there's no power in it and it's normally an easy out.

http://youtu.be/EIJrJBwkoOI

I just noticed that after about 8 min I'm just recording the dirt..lol...

Thanks, for watching!

 

[softballphreak]

The first bat she was using is too heavy.

She is swinging with all arms. She needs to start her swing from the ground up, primarily using the hips ahead of the hands (but don't let the shoulders open too soon trying to use the hips first).

Read this entire thread on this site: http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/5027-megan-1-tee.html

One of the quickest ways to get her to feel the hands staying back while the hips lead is the "check-swing drill". Here it is:

The "check-swing" drill:
Bottom line is you will be swinging from a checked-swing position without re-setting after every swing. Start from the check swing position every time. IOW, hold that position unless she happens to swing and fall out of it during the swing. But don't let that happen often. Here's how to set it up:
1. Take a full swing and freeze at finish.
2. Keeping her bottom half frozen, bring the top half back to launch position.
3. The rest of the swings are from this position. You will have to keep reminding her to keep the hips thrusted forward. The swing is with the hips already thrusted and the hands forced back.
4. Do this a little with tee work but the most time should be incoming pitches; front toss or game speed. Or machine as far as that goes; there is no timing issues involved.

It's an uncomfortable drill but it works. Make sure she is getting pitches in various locations. Make sure she starts with the hips forward and hands back at their extreme positions each pitch.

There are other issues for sure but the above suggestions will jump start her.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

At the 7:40min mark you hear a description of the issue ... "all arms". What you don't hear is the answer .... in fact, what you hear is the wrong answer ... you hear "squish the bug". Instead, learn a proper swing sequence and learn about having a lower body running start.

 

[theaddition]

At the 7:40min mark you hear a description of the issue ... "all arms"

Question to anyone:

Is there a point in the swing where it is "all arms"

 

[Wellphyt]

Every kid I have every seen instinctively gets their arms in the basic position your DD's arms are in, in the second image. This basic position has the back elbow lowered down to the side (slotted), the front forearm max up off the chest, and the bat barrel pointed behind the hitter's shoulders. This basic position is what Epstein calls the universal launch position.


Here is the same basic position done by a professional MLB player. The better fastpitch hitters look very similar to Aaron.


Your DD and Aaron both get to this basic universal launch position, but they get there two totally different ways. Your DD gets there by holding her hands above her shoulders in her stance and then dropping her hands straight down to about armpit height, AS she lifts and opens her front foot (basically her stride).

Aaron starts with his hands at about arm pit height in his stance, drops then down and then back up to arm pit height As he strides; and then flattens the barrel from that position by working his back elbow underneath his hands like we do when we throw overhand/sidearm.

IMO the easiest way to transition from what your DD does and what Aaron does, is to do what FFS already mentioned. Teach her a sequence. More specifically, teach her the overhand throw sequence. Once she gets the overhand throw sequence down, start having her throw from a 3/4 delivery. Keep working down until she can throw correctly using a sidearm delivery. Replace the ball with a little mini bat/tee-ball bat. Have her throw the bat sidearm into a net. Replace the mini bat with the lightest used 29" or 30" bat you can find. Have her hold that bat with two hands and throw it into the net using the same basic action she was doing with the mini bat.

Once she gets that down have her try hitting against front toss or wiffle balls. It sounds like you were using a pitching machine in the video. IMO the best thing you can do as a parent of a 9 yo old fastpitch player, is learn to throw windmill style; and forget the machine. Hitters who have a sequence have a hard time trying to time a machine. I've never had a feeder feed the ball well enough for me to time my sequence as good as I can against someone throwing windmill. If you have to use a machine, try and get one with a timing light on the front, so the kids have an accurate way to time their sequence to the pitch.

Until she gets her mechanics worked out, try and refrain from telling her she is late all the time. Once she gets her sequence down, feedback from you as to whether she needs to get her sequence started earlier or later can be helpful to her. I'm working with a 16U player right now who is really late in her game swings. The reason she's late is because she has no sequence. She stands in her stance with still hands and waits for the pitcher to throw the ball. She does pick up her front foot prior to pitch release to get her lower body going a little, but her hands are pretty much dead. So she is starting her hands/bat from a dead stop against pitchers throwing 60mph. Some can pull it off, but most will struggle with that approach. I worked with her for 11/2 hours Wednesday at practice on her sequence. Doing exactly what I suggested above starting in my 3rd paragraph.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Question to anyone:

Is there a point in the swing where it is "all arms"

TA ... in this particular lady's case, the lower body is basically being restricted from the start. The initiation of her swing is all upper body ... she traps the barrel behind her body and then uses her upper torso to perform her swing. She is a "bat dragger" that lacks proper use of her hands ... and the issue creeps in even prior to swing initiation.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

 

[RichK]

FFS, I'm curious: if you cut off her upper body in that gif, and just look at her lower body (FFS, maybe you can make a new gif., or just put your hand over it : >) her lower body isn't dead by any means (yes she spins more than you'd like). But she is working hard to create some leverage to power her swing, she's just doing it wrong.

As Wellphyt said, it is a sequence issue, but even more directly I think it's about how she uses her hands to turn the barrel. Bottom hand should stay under top hand, bat is moving in wrong plane, etc. etc.

Boardmember recently wrote well about this (I forget the exact thread). I didn't get his carve/fillet at first, but I've started to like it. And I agree once you carve or work hands back, etc., the elbow slots naturally.

Wellphyt, how much focus do you put on hands vs. elbow slotting in the progression you describe? Particularly when you add a mini-bat, I believe, it helps to add "hands" cues/focus such as carve/fillet, pointing knob back to catcher on load, bat-tip, etc.

Very curious about these issues..tks.

 

[theaddition]

TA ... in this particular lady's case, the lower body is basically being restricted from the start. The initiation of her swing is all upper body ... she traps the barrel behind her body and then uses her upper torso to perform her swing. She is a "bat dragger" that lacks proper use of her hands ... and the issue creeps in even prior to swing initiation.

I haven't seen the vid until your post above.
My question wasn't asked with this girl in mind. So, I guess I am hijacking a thread, again.
But when I read your post, that question I asked poped into my mind.
With regards to the young girl, there is a lot wrong with it. She'll need a ton of work. But she is quite young so there is a ton of time to get-r-done. The only advice I have is take your time, have fun and don't burn her out.
Oh, and take her to a quality hitting instructor to works with younger kids. Do your due diligence with that.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

RichK ... her lower body is actually doing a lot correct ... but it is not what is starting her swing.