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Hitting flaws & fixes

Collapsing the Backside

The rear hip, knee, or shoulder loses posture and drops underneath the swing, often producing an excessively uphill path and inconsistent contact.

Definition

Dropping or collapsing the backside occurs when the rear hip, knee, or shoulder loses posture and sinks underneath the swing. Rear-side tilt is part of an efficient swing; collapse is uncontrolled loss of height, space, and direction.

Recognize the pattern

What to look for

  • Back knee drops sharply toward the ground
  • Rear shoulder works under too early
  • Barrel becomes excessively uphill
  • Frequent pop-ups or swings under elevated pitches
  • Head height changes dramatically

Make the adjustment

Fix strategy

Teach the hitter to rotate around a stable posture while maintaining space between the torso and pelvis. Use posture constraints, high-pitch tasks, and ball-flight targets that punish excessive lift.

Hitting IQ

Rotate around your posture

Coach Steve | Long Island Hitting Coach@longislandhittingcoach
More Coach Steve cues
  • Keep height as you turn
  • Match the pitch, do not lift it
  • Rear hip turns forward, not downward

Test the change

Check the improvement

  • Controlled head height
  • Cleaner contact on pitches up in the zone
  • Line-drive flight instead of forced elevation
  • Rear side rotates through without disappearing underneath

More detail

Likely Causes
  • Weak or poorly organized rear-hip load
  • Trying to lift the baseball
  • Early barrel dump
  • Lack of front-side resistance
  • Confusing side bend with collapse
Blast Motion Indicators

Monitor Attack Angle, Vertical Bat Angle, On-Plane Efficiency, Connection at Impact, and swing-to-swing variance.

Practice & test

Master drills

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THE NEXT STEP

WANT THIS DIAGNOSED ON YOUR HITTER?

Seeing a possible flaw is not the same as diagnosing your hitter. Start with an Initial Hitting Assessment to find out what actually needs to change.