Please help with swing analysis

[rbgrubbs]

I appologize for not having a video....The only ones I have are long and I do not know how to edit them down.

My son (11yo) has a decent swing...all but the moment that he fires. He loads well...and follows through well....but he has a habit of wrapping the bat behind his head and dragging it through the zone. Please see photo



He can hit the slower pitchers (to opposite field) because the bat gets into the zone in time. But he is always late on the faster pitchers.

He needs to take a more direct route to the ball...but I do not know how to teach him that, or any drills that will help break the habit.

Any suggestions?

[DukeK]

See my analysis here: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=89543

What format is your video in? What software do you currently use to edit video? Either post here or PM me and I can try to help you out.

[rbgrubbs]

Thanks,

I actually read your post earlier this week and loved it. Very informative.

The "two tees" you mentioned....do you just put the tall tee in back (6"-8" higher than the front)a nd the ball on the front tee..and hit away?


The files are .avi's and all I have is the Windows Media Player.

[rbgrubbs]

Hopefully this series of pictures will help out....minus the bat drag, it was still a single:

The big problem is between photo 1 and 2...he loads well, but drops the bat to start his swing...

[Swing Coach]

Seen this a lot. A couple years ago, I "rotated" my son out of using his hands altogether. He rotated well, dropped the bat on plane well, but had horrible bat drag. Right now his hands are way behind too. You have to emphize to him to get his hands to the ball - quickly. Tell him to take his top hand directly to the ball. DO top hand light bat drills, fence drill. This is not an easy one to fix. You are essentially trying to find that proper balance (connection) between the rotation of the core and his hands initial movement forward and downward. Good Luck!

SC

[DukeK]

Looks like another classic example of the dropping the hands and bat drag swing.

In other words, you're fighting the same battle a lot of us are.

His weight transfer appears to be pretty good and in frame 3 he even appears to have a bit of separation - which is good.

The "two tees" you mentioned....do you just put the tall tee in back (6"-8" higher than the front)a nd the ball on the front tee..and hit away?


Yes, ball on the front tee but I usually leave them set at about the same height.

There were also some good suggestions for the bat drag problem in a post I made of my son's swing:
http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=88641

The files are .avi's and all I have is the Windows Media Player.

You should be able to edit your avi file using Microsoft Movie Maker (free), then use the edited file to make a gif using Microsoft Gif Animator (free). Then create yourself a Photobucket account and put the gif in it, then post the direct link here using the "Insert Image" button.

[HYP]

Looks like another classic example of the dropping the hands and bat drag swing.

In other words, you're fighting the same battle a lot of us are.

His weight transfer appears to be pretty good and in frame 3 he even appears to have a bit of separation - which is good.

With all do respect but I do not see any seperation. Hard to see in still shots but the seperation he should be trying to create is between his hands and hips.



Yes, ball on the front tee but I usually leave them set at about the same height.

There were also some good suggestions for the bat drag problem in a post I made of my son's swing:
http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=88641

Your sons swing is farther along then this young kids swing. Your son is older and doesn't appear to have the same issues. With your son, all he needs to do is get the hands active earlier.

This young kid has different issues.

rbgrubbs,

If I was you I would try one thing and see if it helps. Your son is 11 and he may be able to understand this fairly easy. Start with front toss or side toss. If you look at how he starts now, hands in the armpit and rear elbow low. Tell him his swing needs to be one move. Nothing else but one move. Make it sudden. Get him to make this his one move. As the ball gets tossed and he wants to swing. Have him raise the rear elbow to initiate the swing. As the elbow comes up, he swings.

This will get his hips in front of his hands and keep him from dropping his hands.

There is no miracle cure and it will take time. But you need to fix the loading and unloading process.

The raising of the elbow seems like part of the loading process but IMO he needs to make it part of the unload.

[DukeK]

HYP,

Awww come on, I see just a teensy bit of separation..... :) I'm looking more though at his shoulders being a tad bit behind his hips, not his hands. Hard to tell from this angle.

I was just pointing him to the couple of posts in my son's thread where bat drag was being discussed.

I do appreciate you critiquing my posts; I don't consider myself an expert by any means so I learn a lot from feedback to my suggestions.

[rbgrubbs]

Here is his swing after a good days work.....improvement?

[HYP]

Here is his swing after a good days work.....improvement?

From the stills. It looks better but we need to see a clip. Did you say you had an AVI file? If so I may be able to help.

[DukeK]

If the AVI file is less than 100mb then create yourself a free drop at www.drop.io. Create a guest and admin password. Then PM HYP or I with the drop address and guest password. We should be able to create you a gif from there. You can destroy the drop anytime after that.

[Mark H]

Lower the tee to put the ball no higher than the waist, don't turn the chest back to the catcher (a common problem on the tee) and think about an athletic position. http://imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/analysis;jsessionid=8fllcp2i01.lion_s

[songtitle]

Major league hitters take their elbow up as they stride forward. Looks like he takes his elbow down as he goes forward (picture 2).

Many players take their elbow down to make contact - but can't hit with power. They also drag their bat.

This is a very simple fix. Elbow up as you stride forward. Then fire your elbow down to your hips when you fire your hip open.

[songtitle]

OK, now I see your improved pics. They look good.