The hip hinge is a vital part of having a powerful and consistent swing. Most young kids have a tough time figuring this out because they have yet to step in the weight room. Therefore, as an Instructor I have to get a little creative with how I can get hitters in the positions they need. Every hitter responds differently and this drill below may just help your hitter to get that swing they desire.
Written By: Garrett Gordon
How The Squat And Deadlift Can Improve Your Swing
How the Squat and Deadlift Matches launch Position in the Swing
Every great hitter since the beginning of time has some sort of hip hinge either in their starting stance or as they load and stride out. The knees are slightly bent, the hips are back, and the chest is forward a bit. This also happens during the squat and deadlift. Getting athletes to understand and become aware of the hip hinge as they load and stride forward is key for posterior chain and lower half engagement. Hitters who have never deadlifted or squatted before have a tough time hinging at the hips and creating solid posture at landing.
Posture At Contact
So much power and explosiveness can be gained by maintaining correct posture throughout your swing. Athletes who lack strength in the lower half and posterior chain tend to have bad posture at contact due to the fact that they cannot keep their ribs down and core braced. This leaves hitters in a weak position in the video below. By getting stronger at the squat and deadlift you can improve strength of course but also your posture so you can transfer more force into the ball as safely as possible!
Hitting is a Rotational Hip Thrust
We all know we have to turn and rotate to hit the ball hard. Hitters who have trouble getting good hip extensions and glute activation most likely just spin on their backside. Therefore, power is being lost to their pull-side and swing direction truly suffers. Tying in the quality movement of the squat and deadlift and translating it to the swing can be tough. Hence why I want you to get under and pick up a barbell this winter! You will be doing yourself a huge favor!
Good Squat vs. Bad Squat
Good Deadlift v.s. Bad Deadlift
Final Thought
If you're looking to take your game to the next level then getting in the weight room this off-season is what you need to do. Don't be afraid of compound lifts like the squat, bench, and deadlift. And most importantly don't be afraid to push some heavier weight after you have your technique dialed in. Just because you play baseball or softball doesn't mean you shouldn't lift heavy for what is relative to you. To be an athlete you have to train like one, and picking up a barbell is a great way to get stronger and have fun!
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How To Correct An Open Or Closed Landing
The position we land in can set us up for success or failure right from the start. If we begin our swing from an open or closed stance, this will dictate the direction of our swing no matter how good the movement is. Just like when throwing a ball, you want to stride towards the target so you can be more accurate.
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Balance | Exit Velocity | Garrett Gordon | Hitting Theory | Lifting | Load | Lower Body | Off-Season | Power Swing | Practice | Rotation