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Keeping the back heel connected to the ground is an integral part of the swing.
When it doesn't happen the hitter:
1. Loses power
2. Has timing issues
3. Bat path cuts across zone
4. Makes poor swing decisions
5. Struggles with outside pitches
Today, we're going to break down what it looks like when done correctly vs. incorrectly, and how to fix it when a hitter disconnects their back heel early.
Back Heel Disconnection:
This happens when a hitter doesn't keep the right pressure between their knees and feet or loses a stable position when they get ready to hit.
Here is what it might looks like:
Wrong way...
Can you see how the back heel pops as the front knee opens up directly at pitcher?
This is going to cause hitters to fly open and not be able to consistently hit good pitching.
Correct way:
Now let's look of some other examples of hitters who maintain back heel connection.
Don't focus on how far their back foot moves toward the pitcher.
That's going to be individualized for each hitter.
Focus on how much longer they keep their back heel connected to the ground.
You can even see it better when they take a pitch:
Okay, now that we know what to look for let's talk about how we can help hitters improve their back heel connection who are currently disconnecting early.
1 Drill To Help
Heel - Heel
1. Place bat on the ground.
2. Have the hitter put each foot on each side of the bat.
3. Instruct them to maintain pressure on the bat with each foot.
4. Don't let either heel come off the ground.
Summary:
The back heel plays an integral part in a hitters consistency at the plate.
If you want to check to see if a hitter is disconnecting early, do the following:
Video Angle: side view facing hitters face
Launch Position: When the player reaches the launch position, pause the video.
If you notice that the player's back heel is lifted or their front kneecap is directly over their front foot, this signals a case of "back heel disconnection"
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