Mobility Screen

Makaylin sets up in an “S” spine posture in her athletic stance.  She passed her pelvic tilt screen.  She passed her pelvic dissociation and torso dissociation screen.  She passed her overhead squat screen as well as her toe touch screen.

Makaylin created 80 degrees of active thoracic rotation to the right and 90 degrees of passive thoracic rotation to the right.  She created 80 degrees of active thoracic rotation to the left and 90 degrees of passive thoracic rotation to the left.  She created 45 degrees of thoracic tilt to the right and 45 degrees of thoracic tilt to the left.  She passed her scapular palpation screen.  In her scapular retraction screen she was able to pull her elbows behind her back 6 inches.  

Makaylin created 90 degrees of right internal hip rotation and 80 degrees of right external hip rotation.  She had 90 degrees of left internal hip rotation to the left and 80 degrees of left external hip rotation to the left.  She passed her single leg glute bridge screen while noting activation in her hamstrings on each leg respectively. 

Makaylin passed her eyes closed single leg balance screen by balancing 10 seconds on her right leg and 10 seconds on her left leg.  She passed her wrist deviation screen.

Force Plate Swings

Makaylin produces a whole foot pressure load in her rear foot.  She maintains that load well as she advances.  Her peak vertical force in the rear foot is 93% BW which is a good place to be.  She maintains that % all the way into foot down.  She does show a slight pause and shift afterwards where the vertical force subsides.  Her vertical force on the lead leg is low at 127% BW, 1027 N and comes with a slow rate of force production.  There is early vertical force here as her lead knee shifts forward near her lead ankle before swinging.  Her horizontal force in the lead leg is 43% BW, 349 N which also comes with a slow rate of force production due to the knee being over the lead ankle; there is very little leverage to push back against the ground.  Her torque in the lead leg was good at 172 N-m and comes from her having a closed stride.  With the med ball she produced relatively the same amount of overall force but rate of force production improved.  

KVEST Sequencing & Rotational Speeds

Makaylin presents as an in sequence swing pattern (pelvis, torso, upper arm, hand).  Her pelvic speed was 441 deg/sec., which is low and needs improvement.  Her pelvic deceleration was slow.  Her torso speed was 637 deg/sec., which is low but a good gain over the pelvis.  Torso deceleration is slow.  There is an excessive amount of torso side bend seen at contact (66.14 degrees of tilt).  Her arm speed was 820 deg/sec., which is low overall and slightly below average speed gain over the torso. 

Bat Sensor Data

Makaylin had bat speeds of 56-61 mph, which is on the low end.  Her attack angles were 3-14 degrees which are within normative ranges.  Her time to impact was .17 to .18 seconds which is on the slow end and should be improved.  With improvement she will have more time to make good swing decisions and manage over speed pitches.  Her rotational acceleration was 8-11 G’s which shows some looseness in the swing (hands moving away from the spine).  Her vertical bat angles were -40 to -48 degrees which are on the high side (we are looking for -30 to -40 degrees at the bottom of the zone).  This could be due to the excessive torso side tilt through the swing.

Movement Prep

Swing Recommendations

Connection – Time to Impact

1. PVC 90 degree check swings (split grip – two fist lengths) – start in a normal stance with the PVC (5’ recommended) as your bat.  Split your grip about two hand lengths to help ease pressure on wrists and hands.  Take your step and check swing to where contact would be.  These need to be done at 100% intent (hear the wind off the PVC or try to bend it as much as possible).  Repeat from multiple hitting postures (high pitch, middle pitch, low pitch).

2. PVC 180’s (no rollover) check swings (split grip) – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and go as far through your finish as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat from multiple hitting postures.

3. PVC 180’s (no rollover) check swings (split grip) – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and go as far through your finish as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat going into multiple directions (pull side, center, opposite field).

4. Bat 90 degree check swings (split grip – one fist length) – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and check where contact would be.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat going into multiple hitting postures.

5. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and go as far through your finish as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat going into multiple directions (pull side, center, opposite field).

6. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and go as far through your finish as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat going into multiple directions (pull side, center, opposite field).

7. Bat 90 degree check swings (split grip) off tee – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can and then abruptly check the bat after.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different tee heights.

8. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) off tee – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can while continuing to finish as far as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different tee heights.

9. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) off tee – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can while continuing to finish as far as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different tee locations (in, out, middle).

10. Bat 90 degree check swings (split grip) off flip – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can and then abruptly check the bat after.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different tee heights.  This also helps with timing as you need to resist until the ball is in the proper location because you only have slightly over 90 degrees to get to full speed and stop.  Don’t let the hitter lean forward as a cheat.

11. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) off flip – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can while continuing to finish as far as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different tee heights.

12. Bat 180 degree check swings (split grip) off flip – start in normal stance with split grip.  Take your swing and strike the ball as hard as you can while continuing to finish as far as you can without rolling over.  These need to be done at 100% intent.  Repeat to different locations (in, out, middle).

Pelvic Centering – Deceleration

1. Rotational medicine ball throws – start in stance with a medicine ball around rear ribcage/abdomen.  Stride and throw medicine ball with focus on staying in posture.  Repeat from multiple hitting postures (different pitch heights) and different directionality (opposite field, center, pull side).  Make sure you maintain hitting posture (keep tilt towards the plate).  

2. Closed stride medicine ball throws – start in a closed cross body stance (lead foot starting closer to the plate than back foot – at least a foot in between).  Full speed throw trying to maintain feet spacing.  Repeat to different postures (pitch heights).

3. Back foot slide disk med ball throws – start in normal stance with slide disk under rear foot.  Throw medicine ball in direction of the pitcher while kicking out slide disk rearward (in the direction of your back) as far as possible.

4. No stride feet down swings (tee) – start at post stride and complete a normal swing.  Make sure the feet stay completely flat on the ground the entire time.  The movement (turn) should come from the center of the body.  Repeat to different ball heights and locations.

5. Regular stride feet down swings (tee) – start in normal stance and complete a normal swing.  Make sure feet stay flat on the ground after the stride.  Don’t pause between stride and swing.  Repeat to different ball heights and locations.

6. No stride feet down swings (flip) – start at post stride and complete a normal swing.  Make sure the feet stay completely flat on the ground the entire time.  The movement (turn) should come from the center of the body.  Repeat to different ball heights and locations.

7. Regular stride feet down swings (flip) – start in normal stance and complete a normal swing.  Make sure feet stay flat on the ground after the stride.  Don’t pause between stride and swing.  Repeat to different ball heights and locations.

8. Normal stance closed stride full swing – start in normal stance, stride closed (at least a foot).  Take a full swing trying to maintain feet spacing.  Repeat to different postures (pitch heights) and directionality (opposite field, center, pull side).

9. Full swing limited torso turn – normal stance and stride.  Take a swing trying to have the least amount of torso turn needed to get to full speed and best ball strike. Repeat to different postures (pitch heights) and directionality (opposite field, center, pull side).

10. Banded resistance swings – banded resistance to the lead hip (belt).  Normal swings with thought of resisting the band from pulling you forward in the turn.  Band resistance can be altered as necessary.  Repeat to different postures (pitch heights) and directionality (opposite field, center, pull side).

Rate of Force Development – X-Axis Timing (heel pressure)

1. Plyo box jump downs (soft acceptance) – start on ply box and jump off.  As you’re coming down prepare to land and go into a slow squat.  Try to make this as fluid and controlled as possible.  Can change the heights of the jumping surface as needed.

2. Plyo box jump downs (rigid landing) – start on plyo box and jump off.  As your coming down prepare to land in a squat position and immediately stop.  Try to stop all downward momentum as fast as possible. Can change the heights of the jumping surface as needed.

3. High jumps with soft acceptance – jump as high as you can.  As you’re coming down prepare to land and go into a slow squat.  Try to make this as fluid and controlled as possible.  Can change the heights of the jumping surface as needed.

4. High jumps with rigid acceptance – jump as high as you can.  As you’re coming down prepare to land in a squat position and immediately stop.  Try to stop all downward momentum as fast as possible. Can change the heights of the jumping surface as needed.

5. Broad jumps with rigid acceptance – jump as far forward as you can.  As you’re coming down try to land in the same position as your counter move (think bent over and arms behind you).  Try to be as rigid as possible.

Posture – Vertical Bat Angle

1. PVC two tip turns – start with hands gripping the center of PVC.  Choose a posture (pitch height) and have the athlete target that turn.  Start with tee at desired height with no ball.  As the athlete rotates have them hit the top of the tee with both ends of the PVC.  The VBA should be equal at both contact points.  This is not a speed drill.  The top of the zone is generally -20 to -30 degrees and the bottom of the zone is generally -30 to -40 degrees.  

2. PVC two tip turn with whiffles/tennis balls. – start with hands gripping the center of the PVC.  Flip a ball from the front and have the player strike it with the barrel side of the PVC.  Just focus on quality of the turn posture and checking VBA of PVC at initial turn (knob side) ball strike (barrel side).

3. Targeted swing practice – start with an objective target (usually a sturdy tarp or softer punching bag).  Set a line on the object to meet VBA requirements desired.  Have a direct spot for barrel strike and a line extending out in VBA direction.  Adjust distance and horizontal angle by desired pitch location.  Have the hitter move full speed through their swing with emphasis on barrel accuracy.  

4. Targeted swing w/ball interaction – start with an objective target (usually a sturdy tarp or softer punching bag).  Set a line on the object to meet VBA requirements desired.  Set a ball on a tee in front of the already chosen VBA positioning.  Adjust distance and horizontal angle by desired pitch location.  Have the hitter move full speed through their swing with emphasis on barrel accuracy.

Mechanics Summary

Makaylin strides to an open foot closed stride.  In her stride she initially strides out to a centered position by staying into flexion in the rear leg.  After foot strike she slides her hips forward.  This puts her in a position where she has to overly tilt rearward to get behind the ball.  This over tilt causes a steeper arc which is why her vertical bat angles were so high.  The amount of time it takes to make these compensations will likely push the ball deeper in her stance creating a more downward ball flight bat arc (the bat is still in the down portion of the swing).  She landed in the same posture for every ball flight.  Her posture matches up better with bills middle up as opposed to balls middle down.  She should work through matching postures to ball flight height.  This will allow her to manage up to down in the zone better.  She did manage less disconnection on the higher pitches in this assessment.  The pelvic centering drills should assist her to better navigate not sliding her hips forward.