Closed stride

Do you have any video of your swing? Are you stepping towards 3rd or is your foot stepping at a 45 degree angle?

If you 'coil inward' as you stride forward, it's hard to have an open stride.

Work on coiling in.

The video I have is of my old swing, I'll post a new one soon.

I step towards second base and my foot steps at a 80-90 degree angle completely open. For some reason I hit a lot towards the middle instead of right field, like those 80's swings kind of thing.

My lower body looks very similar to what George Brett does as in I step to the opposite field, I pull some balls and generally hit up the middle for whatever reason. My stride is HUGE too, a la Dustin Pedroia.

You could loose pull-power if your front hip gets closed off and is not releasing through the ball... I've seen this happen to hitters before... Most are tremendous opposite field hitters, who have good pop the other way though...

This is not THAT bad a habit, unless you feel like you can't get to an inside/inside middle pitch and pull it.

Here's a great drill that Kevin Long works on with Yankee hitters that you should try...

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com...id=11061776&c_id=nyy

The problem is that I stand away from the plate and everything looks like an inside fastball with my stride LOL I'm gonna try that drill and stand closer to the plate.

quote:

Originally posted by dalvarez11:
People say I have an open stride and it makes me lose power, could you explain to me how and what are some drills to work on it?

Striding open is fine, IF you let the rear leg turn the pelvis and front leg open. It's not an active step with the lead leg. The lead leg is supposed to feel as though it isn't doing anything. That's why I hate the word "step" when it relates to hitting.

If you stand in a hitting position with your foot closed and swing the bat into the contact position, hold the bat where you would make contact with the ball and have someone push on the bat. Now do the same thing with your foot open. You should see a significant difference in the amount of force your body gan generate to push back against the pressure applied by your helper.

It is assumed that this increase in power also transalates into power hitting the ball.

I may have misunderstood your post though!

Jose Baustista lands with an open front hip and exhibits massive power.

Imagine the power if he landed with a closed foot! LOL!

quote:

Originally posted by LAball:
Jose Baustista lands with an open front hip and exhibits massive power.

Yes, because he lets his rear leg and rear hip drive his pelvis open and then whips.

He isn't actively opening his pelvis with the lead leg.