Posted by: The Hitting Guru () on Thu Sep 21 14:54:30 2006

> I have noticed that my sons bat occassionally drops out/below the swing plane when his back elbow is slotted. I think this is occuring because his back elbow is pressed into his side and sliding forward to his belly button. I have also noticed that the palm of his top hand (as he rotates to contact) is not straight but is flexed/bent downward. Are these potential causes for an inconsistent swing plane? Are there any drills or topics I should reinforce to correct this issue?
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Just for experimental purposes, I would have him choke up on the bat about an inch. For some reason, choking up gives the hitter more bat control. Barry Bonds chokes up. Don Mattingly (during the beginning of his historical homerun streak) and Jim Rice who also hit for power used to choke up on occasion. Jim Rice also hit with his back elbow slotted as did Joe Morgan.

Also hitting off a T is a beneficial tool that helps establish consistency.