Tenley
@p_tenley has only been in a few times from Massachusetts, but she is already doing a very nice job working through our movement progressions.
She is extremely strong, moves well, and is learning how to apply that athleticism with purpose.
Early in our movement warm up and resistance training progressions, we take the shoes off so she can feel the ground and understand how her feet connect to the rest of the body.
Today, we were working through the emergency brake option of the front leg. The front heel has to pull back so the front hip can pull back, creating room for the back hip to turn up underneath and into it. That compression into the front side gives the body a true brake something to turn against, stabilize against, and redirect force through.
Too many hitters allow the front hip to simply pop up. They never close it back against the front heel, so the body cannot meet back and replace under center.
That creates early extension.. the hitter comes out of posture too soon and loses the ability to hold the turn long enough to stay inside the ball.
Once early extension occurs, the top hand often comes off the rear shoulder too early and works around the ball instead of allowing the barrel to stay connected and work through the zone. Without the front-side brake, hitters lose stability, direction, and the ability to release the barrel with real speed.