Ximena 10yo

[Shawn]

The muscles in the crouch and psoas, get stretched because the other end isn’t go in the same direction. Call it what you will.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

Try and get the elbow underneath the hands. lots of times we don’t know where to start first.

 

[Shawn]

I'm not sure all this is helping Ximena and her dad (party crashers). We all agree that weight has to move off the backside, I'm no expert but the goal is to coil weight forward while remaining over the rear leg (forward yet back) vs laterally shifting weight (all back , all forward) . AJ got better at stretching and starting his load swing sequence earlier giving him a better stretch that helped his elbow work longer through the zone. I agree with W on the weight getting more centered.

That’s a good video.

 

[Work=wins]

Try and get the elbow underneath the hands. lots of times we don’t know where to start first.

They both look stuck to me. Just in different ways. The young girl is trapped back and the high school girl is stuck behind.

Edit: neither of the players elbows ‘get through’ either.

 

[Work=wins]

Imo thats from NOT using the weight shift to power things. Late leverage creates early unloaders. Try the Bonds drill as it was intended. Over the top. This frees up space to let the barrel work on an adjustable path according to the pitch. Not the body. The way I see it the hands set the path which the body will support if it’s in a position to do so. Try a balance/timing drill I use. Start 50/50 and move as late as possible without being late. You can naturally find your ‘walking’ pattern that way. Back to middle to front while timing the ball without lunging or getting stuck.

 

[Work=wins]

You don’t need a ball. Just intent and a target. Educate the hands.

Watch most good players, they will start 50/50 then begin their ‘load’. Some short some long some in the middle. But they’re balanced and leveraged on time for their timing.







Both start 50/50 and then ‘time’ the ball. I don’t think timing ‘twice’ or being early and slow is best. Not if you want balance w timing. I can see how timing something early and slow makes sense. But balance is a variable that needs to be thought about as well since hitters do their best work w good balance coupled w pitch timing. I think we’d all agree on that.

Edit: the other benefit to starting 50/50 is the walking pattern will be a natural thing. Early leverage won’t need to be thought of. It will already have been done long before. Just like walking. You don’t need to transfer weight when walking it just happens.

 

[Work=wins]

Starts 50/50 but then the back hip goes in and the front hip goes out (reactions from the front foot pushing and the back foot accepting). Posture flexes or the upper body reacts to the ‘walking’.. Then he ‘strides’ or times the ball.. all reactions to a balanced set up w intent to not overdo his load or his attacking posture due to a later start. He stays within his walking pattern. Just like your swing, you shouldn’t create more you should time within your pattern.

When a guy is fooled by a pitch you will see the front foot get down early relative to pitch timing and he will sit down.. but there is still plenty of energy to release due to the balanced load/stride and a barrel that is loaded but not committed. This is adjustability.

As far as bat path. An adjustable bat path is over the top or a ‘pull’ swing which doesn’t impede through the body or become under/loopy. So later committal can be had if needed. Bc things aren’t opening early. You can have an earlier committal if needed since there is no blockage of space or a draggy barrel. Just have to have a balanced/adjustable load/stride. And swing from above or down. This is what I see w both girls swings. Stuck under the chest or behind the shoulder. If you spin out or tilt early outside pitches are tough. If you stay closed inside and high pitches are tough. Not adjustable. Some gurus say to let it get deeper as a band-aid. Doesn’t fix the issue entirely though.

 

[TDS]

View attachment 28480

Starts 50/50 but then the back hip goes in and the front hip goes out (reactions from the front foot pushing and the back foot accepting). Posture flexes or the upper body reacts to the ‘walking’.. Then he ‘strides’ or times the ball.. all reactions to a balanced set up w intent to not overdo his load or his attacking posture due to a later start. He stays within his walking pattern. Just like your swing, you shouldn’t create more you should time within your pattern.

When a guy is fooled by a pitch you will see the front foot get down early relative to pitch timing and he will sit down.. but there is still plenty of energy to release due to the balanced load/stride and a barrel that is loaded but not committed. This is adjustability.

As far as bat path. An adjustable bat path is over the top or a ‘pull’ swing which doesn’t impede through the body or become under/loopy. So later committal can be had if needed. Bc things aren’t opening early. You can have an earlier committal if needed since there is no blockage of space or a draggy barrel. Just have to have a balanced/adjustable load/stride. And swing from above or down. This is what I see w both girls swings. Stuck under the chest or behind the shoulder. If you spin out or tilt early outside pitches are tough. If you stay closed inside and high pitches are tough. Not adjustable. Some gurus say to let it get deeper as a band-aid. Doesn’t fix the issue entirely though.

WW, this is a nice post !! I will only add that his move out was due to being on time for the fastball and adjusting sitting for the off-speed.

 

[Mike-Coach-Q]

All very impressive stuff. I have a different take but what matters is how does this help the OP and his daughter. Maybe you can suggest some drills?

 

[Shawn]

Coil is loading the rear leg (back butt check towards pitcher until you feel the rear leg screw into ground). The stretch is the upper. Many ways to feel it but it is not loading the shoulders.

Keeping the upper thorax stable to stretch against, shoulders.