Proper Rotation When Hitting

[steve777]

I have a problem with my swing where I tend to extend both my
my arms about half way through the swing and before contact. I feel like I am rotating my hips and turning my back foot and leg, but after seeing video of myself, I can see that I stop rotating my hips at some point. I can't seem to tuck in my back arm as long as I should.

They say feet first hands last, but how much before do you rotate your hips?
Maybe I should exaggerate my hip rotation sooner so that I really get rotated.

I took video but I don't yet have it downloaded to my computer, I have to figure out how to do that.

[steve777]

I am really having trouble with this, I even attended Mike Epstein's hitting camp last December and still I cannot seem to do rotational hitting properly, only when I swing in slow motion I can do the technique properly, but with a real bat and a full speed swing, it all falls apart.

[Mark H]

Could be a lot of things. Can we see a clip of your swing? I suggest you study Englishbey's site while you work on getting us a clip.

[RIstar]

I am really having trouble with this, I even attended Mike Epstein's hitting camp last December and still I cannot seem to do rotational hitting properly, only when I swing in slow motion I can do the technique properly, but with a real bat and a full speed swing, it all falls apart.

Practice makes PERFECT and it's so true in all areas of life.

[Chris O'Leary]

I have a problem with my swing where I tend to extend both my my arms about half way through the swing and before contact.

Why are you trying to do this?

[steve777]

I have been watching my video, it looks like I feel I need to extend my arms so that I can actually hit the ball on the tee. My body must feel like I can't hit with any power when just rotating my arms/shoulders as a unit when seeing the ball on the tee. Just before and at impact, my hands move away from my body a lot to hit the ball.

[Jake Patterson]

I have been watching my video, it looks like I feel I need to extend my arms so that I can actually hit the ball on the tee. My body must feel like I can't hit with any power when just rotating my arms/shoulders as a unit when seeing the ball on the tee. Just before and at impact, my hands move away from my body a lot to hit the ball.

Go to Clips, Pic and Sites stickied to this forum and look at the swings there.

[steve777]

Chris, I am not trying to extend my arms just before and at contact, it just happens naturally. If I could just stop doing it I would be fine and not have created this thread. Honestly it is just what my body does.

What I think I need to do is keep my hands close to my body at all costs, while fully rotating, all rotating as a unit. All I can do is try things out.

[steve777]

The Englishbey site looks high quality, maybe that can help.

[JeffK 29]

Chris, I am not trying to extend my arms just before and at contact, it just happens naturally. If I could just stop doing it I would be fine and not have created this thread. Honestly it is just what my body does.

What I think I need to do is keep my hands close to my body at all costs, while fully rotating, all rotating as a unit. All I can do is try things out.

I have found that if the rear arm extends too early it will stall shoulder rotation. This can happen when you release the hands too early especially on pitches away. For me, I think keeping hands back as long as possible. If you think about it, the rear arm should follow the path of rotation while it's extending. If it's going away from the path of rotation (towards the ball) it will fight rotation...does that make sense? Also, the hips need to be working properly also...if not the rear arm wont track properly.

i would try thinking more hips, less hands and see what happens on video.

[steve777]

OK, I will have to try that out.

[steve777]

JeffK, when you say to keep your hands back, do you mean rotate your hips keeping your hand back, then when you are rotated to a point then allow your hands to come around? If I do that I can really see how it is hips before hands, but is it really that pronounced?

[Chris O'Leary]

Chris, I am not trying to extend my arms just before and at contact, it just happens naturally. If I could just stop doing it I would be fine and not have created this thread. Honestly it is just what my body does.

What I think I need to do is keep my hands close to my body at all costs, while fully rotating, all rotating as a unit. All I can do is try things out.

You could be setting up too far away from the plate. Try setting up closer to the plate.

You could be trying to hit the ball too far out front. Try waiting for it to come to you rather than going to get it.

When you hit off a tee, make sure the tee is positioned at your front heel, not in front of your front toe. You could be training yourself to look for the ball there.

Finally, staying connected is a muscular activity. Trying swinging a small sledge hammer as you would a bat. That can help to develop the muscles that help you stay connected.

[Go Cardinals]

JeffK, when you say to keep your hands back, do you mean rotate your hips keeping your hand back, then when you are rotated to a point then allow your hands to come around? If I do that I can really see how it is hips before hands, but is it really that pronounced?

Listen... that much detail is foolish. You don't want to think that much about your swing. Be careful of too many details... it's easy to get confused.

Listen, get your video, and compare it to the best. Watch some of these. Look at the load. Look at what you do and what they do that is different. Remember style vs. mechanics.

Also, put up your swing.

Here are some great clips for you... watch every detail of their swing... try to feel their swing... in the meantime, stay true to yourself and Your swing.

[JeffK 29]

JeffK, when you say to keep your hands back, do you mean rotate your hips keeping your hand back, then when you are rotated to a point then allow your hands to come around? If I do that I can really see how it is hips before hands, but is it really that pronounced?

That's what I meant. It seems to have given you the feel of what you might need to work on. Without a clip it's hard to know what your exact problem is. I'm guessing here that you tend to release your hands too early. We might even see that your hips dont get around completely if we had video. Agree with Chris that this symptom can happen if the ball is away, especially if POC is out front vs deep in box.
When we have a flaw sometimes we need to over-exagerate the fix to get the feel. Once you're sure the change has improved your swing then you ingrain it with practice and it wont feel as awkward.