Brother's swing

[Gehrig27]

Taped my brother taking some cuts today, getting in shape for his summer league and just looking for some c&c. He was a little tired at this point, but let me know if you see anything he should work on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okzISY_Au-8&feature=BFa&list=FLrrkqDPDZ95HpJSnViP_CJQ&lf=mh_lolz

[songtitle]

At toe touch...
gehrig1.JPG
His front hip is already open, and his back elbow is already down, and his shoulders may be 'upside down' (the front should be lower than the back at this point).

This is causing a host of later problems in the next phase ('toe touch to contact' phase)- gate swing, pushing, hips freezing, etc.

I would work on the 'stride to toe touch' phase in the mirror to fix these things. And here he should coil back as he goes forward.

[tradosaurus]

Have him practice the Happy Gilmore drill and then film him while he is doing it.

Personally I can't see anything unless you can slow the swing down by 50%.

The only obvious thing to me is he is bouncing the bat after the swing. I would encourage him to
take the top hand off after contact like Albert Pujols.

[azmatsfan]

Before he works on anything else he needs to load his hands as he strides forward. His hands are currently moving forward as he strides. He wants to "load" them by "elbowing the first base coach" as he strides. Think of it like cocking your fist as you step into a punch. Here's a gif of Andre Ethier demonstrating what I'm talking about:

ethier.gif

[songtitle]

I agree with azmats, but I would not 'reach' with your front foot like Ethier does.

[Swing Coach]

Guys,
You are all missing the major flaw here. This kid is strong and athletic, yet he starts his bat totally vertical. His lack of early bat speed rearward is leading to some problems later. Tell your brother to stop listening to people who have told him to hold the bat vertical (to increase bat speed) or to "not wrap." what he is doing is not athletic or natural and really hurting his swing. Find pics of mlb'ers at landing and show him the angle of their bats. This is an absolute since 98% of the best players in the world angle the bat behind the head and point the knob in the direction of the catcher.

SC

[tradosaurus]

Ted Williams in his book "The Science of Hitting" advocated holding the bat vertical was the ideal position although I belive the pre-swing is for the most part irrelevant except for the comfort and timing of the batter.

ted-williams-science-of-hitting2.jpg

Look at youtube videos of swing analysis of MLB hitters. The pre-swing is different for many of them.

[jbooth]

I agree with azmats, but I would not 'reach' with your front foot like Ethier does.

Eithier isn't reaching with his foot. He picks it up, pushes from the butt and drops it down as his butt pushes him forward. His rear hip moves forward almost the same amount as his foot moves forward, and they both move forward simultaneously. He's pushing from the butt, as I've tried to explain to you before.

[Gehrig27]

Hey guys, just bumping this. A couple years later and my brother is still playing amateur ball in the HVNABA. He's been a little frustrated with his swing recently, he's put on more muscle, but says he doesn't feel comfortable at the plate right now. Had trouble in the past dropping his shoulder and tried to work his way out of bad habits, but feels he has gotten too far away from his natural swing/comfort level. He gets on base a lot via his speed and still batted .350 but he wants to be able to square the ball up more and make more solid contact to drive the ball with authority. He feels he is just missing too many hittable pitches IE: the singles should be doubles. He took a couple cuts in the basement (so his follow through might be a bit abbreviated) and says he feels too mechanical; in particular his lead leg/base in general and he thinks something is throwing him out of sync. I thought maybe he should keep his hands back a little more to begin with and be more direct and steady with his upper body but what do you guys think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH6xSQutIYQ&feature=youtu.be

[PhilliesPhan22]

Video is private. :\

[Gehrig27]

Video is private. :\

Sorry about that. Should be good now though.

[skipper5]

Sorry about that. Should be good now though.

A highly visible symptom is a lack of extension after contact.

[mudvnine]

....says he feels too mechanical; in particular his lead leg/base in general and he thinks something is throwing him out of sync. I thought maybe he should keep his hands back a little more to begin with and be more direct and steady with his upper body but what do you guys think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH6x...ature=youtu.be

Your brother's correct, the overactive use of his lead leg is throwing him "out of sync", as it's pulling any coil/load he might have previously created along his rear side. His sequence is also effected by it, as his hands start down to the ball, before his rear leg/hip has even started, much less take them to the ball as they should be.

Moving "his hands back a little more" won't hurt, but that won't really fix the underlying problem that his lead leg movement(s) are causing....IMO obviously, I'm sure you'll hear others.

[songtitle]

1. the overactive use of his lead leg is throwing him "out of sync"

2. as it's pulling any coil/load he might have previously created along his rear side

1. Plenty of hitters have the same lead leg action, without issue. I like the strong lead leg drive. Why hamper it?
2. The lead leg is not causing this, but you have identified exactly the issue. Lack of back leg drive/coil.

Having said all that, if he tamped down the front leg for a few days until he felt more action in the back leg, I'm OK with that. But, I would like him to reincorporate the front leg drive as well at some point.

At toe touch...
2015-0301-greg.JPG

1. The head is over the back leg. The back leg has not driven forward.

2. The back forearm is almost vertical. There is no leverage left to turn the bat head. The back forearm should be mostly horizontal here. And the hands should be in front of the back elbow.

[mudvnine]

1. Plenty of hitters have the same lead leg action, without issue. I like the strong lead leg drive. Why hamper it?
2. The lead leg is not causing this, but you have identified exactly the issue. Lack of back leg drive/coil.

Having said all that, if he tamped down the front leg for a few days until he felt more action in the back leg, I'm OK with that. But, I would like him to reincorporate the front leg drive as well at some point.

At toe touch...
[ATTACH]146287[/ATTACH]

1.) No, they have the same front leg lift, but not "the same lead leg action". They do not turn it open with the lead leg, like Gehrig's brother does (see your still above), but rather with the lead hip/pelvic girdle opening from the use of the rear leg turning the pelvic girdle open, while the lead leg after (or just slightly before) toe touch....


....and why I said "throwing him "out of sync", as it's pulling any coil/load he might have previously created".

2.) Of course the lead leg is causing it as I just stated, and showed above how he's using the leg incorrectly out of the lead leg lift he's using. I didn't say to get rid of the lead leg lift, if that's what he likes to do, or even "tamp" it down a bit, but simply learn to use it correctly.

The other stuff you posted is of zero use if he doesn't get the lead leg/rear leg synced properly....and then that's even questionable, as you continue to worry about "effects" from other troublesome sync/sequence "causes" problems.