Slow Pitch Softball Swing Mechanics - Part III : Rotation

Rotation begins the process of transferring all the strength and energy from our lower half ("the pyramid") to the softball. When complete, rotation also squares your hips to the softball which prepares the bat to do the same. The rotation step involves the feet, knees, hips, mid-section, and shoulders. Elbows, wrists, and hands stay back and on-plane.

Immediately after the Stride is complete and we've achieved a 50/50 weight distribution, the rotation movement begins. Because rotation has so many moving parts, it is a challenge to perform and repeat the mechanic. So let's take this complex movement and break it down into two simple steps:

1. Squash the Bug
You've undoubtedly heard this beauty since you played t-ball, because it works. Upon completion of stride, you should be carrying weight evenly across the front foot and on the ball of the back foot. Rotate counterclockwise on your back foot while collapsing the the back knee towards home plate. At the completion of this step, you should still be in 50/50 weight distribution with your back foot and knee pointed directly at the pitcher.

2. Slam the Door
Hip rotation is a major power source in slow pitch softball, the one place you can generate some serious bat speed if you perform this step properly. Once the back knee is collapsed, rotate the hips and shoulders counterclockwise until your upper body faces the pitcher. Think of a string tied to your navel pulling you to center field. There is a tendency to drop the back shoulder in this step, in response to the high slow pitch arc. Practice keeping your hips and shoulders on the swing plane and parallel to the ground - rotating both as a single unit or "door". Also make sure that you aren't "leaking" to your pull-side. A common mistake in the Stride step is to step to the pull-side instead of staying on-plane ("stepping in the bucket"). When this occurs, the hips and shoulders will open early or "fly out". The correct position keeps your hands (and your power) inside the ball with your head, shoulders, and hips square to the pitcher. Rudy Jaramillo, Batting Coach for the Texas Rangers describes hip rotation as "slamming the door" while "staying inside the door jamb". Visualize your hips as the door and the rotation as the "slamming" action.

It is important to keep the elbows, wrists, and hands relaxed during Rotation. Once the lower half begins rotation, you'll feel your hands naturally move away from the body. Encourage this separation as you practice. You'll also want to make sure to keep your hands on a level swing plane. There is an inclination to drop the hands during rotation - usually preceded by dropping the back shoulder. Discourage this movement by keeping the knob of the bat pointed directly at the ball. At the end of rotation, you've loaded all the power we stored in the lower half and the power generated by rotating the hips. The spring is torqued, and the front shoulder is the release mechanism. Keep those hands back and relaxed as we prepare to trip the spring in the Hands step.

Until next time, Play Hard!

Coach Brian