There Is No Perfect Stride in Hitting
A 2026 study of 95 college hitters found no single ideal stride. Assess the whole move before you try to fix a stride.
READ ARTICLE →Backspin Blog — Free Instruction / The Early Days of AHD
From the 2015 archive
This is historical coaching writing originally published under Krush Athletics. The wording reflects its original period. For current guidance, use AHD lessons and SwingChecker.
Front Leg Position
WHAT: The front foot should end up flat after stride. The foot should be somewhat closed (pointing at base coach) until after contact. The foot is the anchor to the ground during the athletic striking phase of the swing. The front leg lands bent and athletic and stays bent until contact or right after contact. The front leg angle is a key factor in solid hitting mechanics. The front leg angle is generally at 55 to 75 degrees at contact point. This angle (combined with a proper base width) allows backside release to occur without drifting over the front leg. This angle allows the hitter to hit AGAINST the front leg, rather than allowing the body to drift over the front leg. This also keeps the hitter back or behind the ball with limited head movement.
KEYS: · The base (distance between feet after the stride) is approximately a bats length · The front leg needs to be flexed after stride · The front leg generally stays flexed until the hands get in front of body, then the front leg gets rigid (commonly straight) at contact point. · At contact point, the front leg angle is between 55◦ and 75◦ (angle between ankle and hip) · Another way of saying this is; the knee is behind the foot, the hip is behind the knee at contact point.
Quick answers
Should the front leg be straight or bent when hitting?
It lands bent and athletic after the stride, then firms up, often straight, around contact so the hitter hits against it instead of drifting over it.
How wide should a hitter’s stance be after the stride?
About a bat’s length between the feet.
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