Fixing Bat Drag

I find this to be a difficult mechanical flaw to fix because the front elbow is pulling up and un-training the muscle memory takes lots of time and reps.  I don't know of any easy fix, but have emphasized tee drills focusing on keeping the front elbow down, rotating and pushing the back side (back knee and hip, top hand) rather than pulling the front arm, and keeping the barrel above the hands through the swing.  Time and reps have fixed this.

MLB hitters don't keep the front elbow down or have the barrel above the hands during the swing. If you're pushing anything forward, you're automatically costing yourself time and suddeness.

 

If you want to fix bat drag, turn the barrel around your hands.

would you like some help with this? do you have any video? would you like a MILB hitting coach to take a look at the video and give you feed back? let me know.  

Right, I didn't explain myself very well.  I should have said keep the front elbow "in" rather than down relative to what the photo shows.  Also my comment about the barrel above the hands refers to the start of the swing, as it appears from the photo that the barrel is dipping immediately.

Thanks for the input so far, guys. 

 

I thought I'd clarify that the photo is a stock photo I found on the internet. I used it to illustrate the position to which I was referring. (Note how the rear elbow is in front of the hands and way past the rear hip and the palm of the back hand faces the sky very early in the swing.) 

Well it's one of the easiest to see but can be hardest to fix of all swing problems. Sorry but there is no, do this drill and it will fix it, that can help because it can be caused by multiple reasons.

Anyway here is the process I take when I get a student with this problem. First if they are 10 or under I really don't worry about it unless their parents really want it fixed. Second check the bat size. The majority of the time I see this it's from a bat that's too heavy. It's a big problem with the smaller 6th and 7th graders having to use the bbcor bats.

Ok now if strength isn't the culprit different things will work for differnt kids. Here is the things I try until I find one that works.

- show them video of it. Some kids can make the adjustment just from realizing they do it.
- check where the back elbow is at foot plant. If they are starting the arms too early and the elbow is already slotted or starting to slot. This can cause the elbow to get ahead of the body.
- one hand (bottom hand) tee work
- hit off a tee and have the player release the top hand after contact. Don't know why this works but got the tip from and old coach and it's worked on quite a few students
- one hand (top hand) tee work. If they bat drag they can't support the bat and almost drop it.

After that just try to get them to understand to use their legs and hips to swing and there arms to hold on to the bat.

Good luck maybe something here or something from another poster will help. Just be patient. I've had students that fixed it just from showing them that they were doing it, to a student that took two years to fix. Although I don't think I fixed anything. I think he just finally gained enough strength that it went away lol.

What does that mean? 

Usually this happens when your back elbow is down at toe touch.  If so, just bring it up, then do what LowFinish says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjnMUCuE4M4

Probably not using lower half.  Hands and hips need to be in sequence.

Here is a good tool for guys that cast the barrel. It is great for young kids just starting out or kids that no one could figure out have to fix the drag earlier on. i bought one for my kids so that they could use it periodically as an extra tool to ensure the hands are going into the zone properly.

http://www.speedhitter.com/SpeedHitter.php

make sure that the knob of the bat is in the direction of the pitcher once he gets his hands turning. The second pic of his swing(from left to right) is what I am talking about.

Good point, but I don't think it provides a good "teach" for kids 12 and under, which is the group that typically has this problem.  By 13U kids who drag the bat are usually out of the game.

 

The "teach" for this I see is "keep your hands inside the ball"  or "throw the knob of the bat toward" the pitcher, plus tee work on hand path, either two-handed or one hand at a time, with emphasis on the bottom hand.  The "fence drill" is very simple and can be helpful too.  It's more for casting, but that's a similar problem.