Posted by: Mister X () on Sat May 10 10:09:40 2003

I have my daughter working out with swings on a heavy bag. I have the bag just in front of her front foot. At contact should the hands be ahead or even with the bathead?
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> > > The hands should be even with the bat. But the contact point should be at her front knee, not past or even at her front foot.
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> > Agreed. Great point! And this placement is really important. The body will adapt to whatever contact point you try to create. Front knee is the right place. Put the bag farther forward or back and you will create problems, not solve them.
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> There are 3 zones to practice the swing. Middle, out and in. you're not suggesting that the in and the out be hit at the knee are you?
> thanks, Rich


I know everyone needs to be very clear when discussing the swing, but we also need to use some common sense. Obviously, not every pitch will be hit in the same spot. Even if the pitcher throws the exact same two pitches right down the middle they will probably be hit at different spots. You have to understand that it is necessary to simply things as much as possible at first, and then get more complicated as you work up. If you are going to practice a new swing, you have to get it down for ONE spot first, and then learn to adjust as you get better. And that one spot should be on the pitch right down the middle. Contact should be made at the knee on a pitch right down the middle. For an inside pitch, contact will be made a little closer to the front foot. For an outside pitch, contact will be made a little closer to the front hip. But you have to simplify things at first, and THEN build on your results as you get better and better.