Posted by: Graylon (g_dunc@hotmail.com) on Thu Dec 13 18:38:06 2007

> When my stride foot lands it is opening before my hip turn and causing all my weight to come forward. Does anyone know any drills that can correct this. My bat angle is also slightly upward, but it isnt an uppercut and I keep hitting the top half of the ball and pouding the ball into the ground? Does anyone have any drills to correct these two problems?
>
> Thanks

Joe,

Without actually seeing your swing it would be very hard to make suggestions on how to fix it.

It's O.K. to land with your front foot opening, I'd bet that your front hip is opening as well, Which is O.K.. I would question how much of your weight is forward. All of your weight is on your front foot or are you just slightly forward of center? I think that if your weight is slightly forward of center that is not a problem, it would matter to me what your shoulders were doing and your hands. If your shoulders are staying closed and your hands are torquing the barrel rearward then there shouldn't be a problem.

You mention that your bat angle is slightly upward, but it is not an uppercut. Your bat angle should be on an upward angle to match the plane of the ball. Now if you are constantly pounding the ball into the ground you probably have an uppercut type of swing and don't realize it. Do you get jammed a lot as well? Do you ever watch video of your swing? If your hands move in a circular path down, from your back armpit towards your waist and then back to your lead armpit, as you swing then the barrel will follow this same path, which will give you an uppercut type of swing. Hitting up on a ball is just as bad as hitting down on a ball. If you can watch a side view of your swing your hands may do this. Try to watch the video and your hands should stay, fairly close, on the same line that they started on. If they start at your armpits then when you swing they should remain on that same path throughout the swing.

Good Luck,

Graylon