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Sports Glossary
Learn the language of your game — answer-first definitions across every SwingVantage sport, each with a real example. Free to explore.
All sportsGolfTennisPickleballPadelBaseballSlow-Pitch SoftballFast-Pitch SoftballCricket Analysis Concepts
1191 terms
- Stride (Batting)BeginnerThe stride is the small forward step or toe-tap the hitter takes to trigger timing. It is a timing mechanism, not a source of power, and must be soft and directional.Baseball
- Stride Length – PitchingIntermediateStride length is the distance the pitcher's front foot travels forward from the pitching rubber toward home plate during the delivery. It is one of the clearest visible indicators of how much lower-body drive is contributing to a pitch.Fast-Pitch Softball
- Stride TimingIntermediateStride timing is when the front foot lands relative to the pitch's position in its arc. Against slow-pitch arcs, the front foot should land early. This means near the peak. This means. At the same time, the hands stay back. This creates the separation between lower body and upper body that generates power.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Strike QualityIntermediateStrike quality is a composite assessment of how solidly and reliably a golfer contacts the ball. This means combining strike location, low-point control, and smash factor. Instead of any single measurement alone.Golf
- Strike ZoneBeginnerThe strike zone is the three-dimensional region over home plate, between the batter's knees and the midpoint of the torso, where a pitch must pass to be called a strike.Baseball
- Strike Zone – Slow-PitchBeginnerThe slow-pitch strike zone (USA Softball) is the space over home plate between the batter's back shoulder and front knee. A strike is a legal, properly arced pitch that passes through that zone in flight. At the same time, mat-play leagues instead call strikes on pitches that land on the plate or strike mat.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Strikeout PitchIntermediateA strikeout pitch is the specific pitch a pitcher goes to in two-strike counts to finish the at-bat. This means their most reliable swing-and-miss weapon given the batter's tendencies.Fast-Pitch Softball
- Strikeout RateIntermediateStrikeout rate (K%) is the percentage of plate appearances that end in a strikeout — elevated K% reduces a hitter's value by eliminating batted-ball outcomes entirely.Baseball
- String GaugeAdvancedString gauge is the thickness of a tennis string measured in millimetres or gauge numbers, with thinner strings providing more spin and feel and thicker strings offering greater durability.Tennis
- String TensionIntermediateString tension is the tightness at which strings are pulled through the racquet frame, measured in pounds or kilograms, influencing the trampoline effect, control, and power of the string bed.Tennis
- Strokes GainedAdvancedStrokes gained measures how many strokes a player gains or loses relative to a benchmark (tour average or peer group) on each category of shots. This means off the tee, approach, around the green, and putting.Golf
- Strong GripBeginnerA strong grip rotates both hands further to the trail side than neutral. This means 3 or more knuckles visible at address. This means which makes the face easier to close and is a common fix for a chronic slice.Golf
- StumpsBeginnerStumps are the three upright wooden posts. This means off stump, middle stump, and leg stump. This means that form each wicket in cricket, topped by two small bails that fall if the ball strikes them.Cricket
- Super OverBeginnerThe super over is a tie-breaking mechanism in limited-overs cricket. This means if scores are tied at the end of a match, each team bats one final over of six balls to determine the winner.Cricket
- SwayIntermediateA sway is a lateral slide of the hips and upper body away from the target during the backswing, substituting sideways movement for rotation and making a consistent return to the ball difficult.Golf
- Sweep ShotAdvancedThe sweep is a cross-bat shot played on one knee to a (usually spinning) good-length ball, sweeping it around to the leg side to counter turn and length.Cricket
- Sweeping ContactIntermediateSweeping contact is a shallow, level-to-slightly-descending strike style. This means appropriate for the driver, fairway woods, and hybrids. This means that brushes the turf rather than taking a deep, digging divot.Golf
- Sweet SpotBeginnerThe sweet spot is the center of percussion on the clubface. This means the point where a strike produces maximum energy transfer to the ball, felt as minimal vibration and maximum distance.Golf
- Sweet Spot Contact (Slow-Pitch)BeginnerSweet spot contact is meeting the ball on the bat's optimal vibration node. This typically several inches from the barrel end, where energy transfer is highest and sting or vibration is lowest.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Swing BowlingAdvancedSwing bowling is making a fast-bowled ball curve sideways through the air. This means toward the batter (inswing) or away (outswing). This means by exploiting the pressure difference created when one side of the ball is shinier than the other.Cricket
- Swing ConsistencyIntermediateSwing consistency measures how much a golfer's key swing traits. This means tempo, plane, impact position. This means vary from one swing to the next, with lower variability generally correlating with tighter shot dispersion.Golf
- Swing DecodeBeginnerSwing Decode is SwingVantage's golf-specific analysis view that breaks the swing into distinct phases. This means address, takeaway, top, downswing, impact, and follow-through. This means and annotates each phase with the relevant mechanics detected.Analysis Concepts
- Swing Fault PriorityIntermediateSwing fault priority is the process of deciding which of several visible issues in a swing to address first, since faults are often connected and fixing the right one first can resolve others on its own.Golf
- Swing LengthAdvancedSwing length is the total distance the bat's barrel travels from the start of the swing to contact. This means a shorter, more direct path generally means less time is needed to react, at some cost to the maximum bat speed a longer path can generate.Baseball
- Swing Overlay ComparisonIntermediateA swing overlay comparison places two swing videos on top of or beside each other, synced to the same reference point (usually impact). As a result, differences between them. This means a baseline versus a retest, or two different swings. This means are visible directly rather than relying on memory.Golf
- Swing PathIntermediateSwing path is the trajectory the barrel takes from the load position through contact and into the follow-through. In slow pitch the optimal path is level-to-slight-uppercut to match the ball's steep descent.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Swing PlaneIntermediateSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body during the swing. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.Golf
- Swing SequencingAdvancedSwing sequencing is the order and timing in which body segments. This means hips, torso, arms, then club. This means accelerate and peak in speed during the downswing. It is the biomechanical signature that separates efficient power transfer from a swing that looks fast but isn't.Golf
- Swing Tempo RatioIntermediateSwing tempo ratio is the proportion of time spent in the backswing versus the downswing, commonly cited near 3:1 for tour-level swings. It is one of the simplest, most widely coached numbers in swing analysis.Golf
- Swing ThoughtBeginnerA swing thought is a single, simple cue a golfer holds in mind right before or during a swing, and most coaches agree that one clear thought. This means or none at all over the ball. This means outperforms trying to consciously manage several mechanical details at once.Golf
- Swing WeightAdvancedSwing weight is a measurement of how heavy a club feels during the swing based on where its weight is distributed. It is expressed on a letter-number scale (commonly C9 to D5) rather than the club's total weight in grams.Golf
- SwingweightProSwingweight measures how heavy a racquet feels when swung, accounting for where its mass is distributed. Higher swingweight gives more plow-through and power but is harder to maneuver.Tennis
- Switch in DoublesIntermediateA switch is a doubles maneuver where partners trade sides of the court. This means one crosses to cover a shot the other cannot reach. This means requiring immediate verbal communication to avoid collisions.Pickleball
- T-ServeIntermediateA T-serve is aimed at the center service line, using the shortest distance to travel for speed and taking away the returner's easiest angles.Tennis
- T20 FormatBeginnerT20 (Twenty20) cricket is the shortest mainstream format of the game. This means each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs. This means producing fast-paced, high-scoring matches typically completed in under three hours.Cricket
- Tag PlayBeginnerA tag play requires a fielder to physically touch a runner with the ball (or a glove securely holding the ball). At the same time, the runner is off the base, since no force is in effect. This means common on steals, run-downs, and any runner not forced to advance.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Tag UpBeginnerTagging up means a baserunner returns to and touches their current base as a fly ball is caught, then takes off toward the next base. This means the legal method of advancing on a caught fly.Baseball
- TakeawayBeginnerThe takeaway is the first movement of the club away from the ball. Where and how the club moves in the first 18–24 inches often determines the rest of the backswing shape.Golf
- Tee HeightBeginnerTee height is how high the ball sits on the tee peg. For a driver, half the ball should sit above the top of the club at address to promote a positive attack angle and high launch.Golf
- TempoBeginnerTempo is the overall timing and rhythm of your swing — the ratio of how long the backswing takes versus the downswing. A smooth, repeatable tempo is what makes contact consistent.Golf
- TempoBeginnerTempo is the timing relationship between the two halves of a swing — the rhythm that separates efficient, repeatable mechanics from a rushed or laboured transition.Analysis Concepts
- Ten-Finger Grip (Baseball Grip)BeginnerThe ten-finger (baseball) grip places all ten fingers on the handle with no overlap or interlock. This means a common starting point for young children, beginners. Golfers with limited hand or wrist strength.Golf
- Test CricketBeginnerTest cricket is the oldest, longest, and most prestigious format of the sport. This means played over up to five days between two national teams, with each side receiving two innings and ten wickets to be dismissed.Cricket
- The SlotAdvanced"The slot" is the ideal delivery channel for the club in the downswing. This means an inside, shallowed path between the target line and the shoulder plane that allows an efficient, in-to-out strike.Golf
- Thin DivotIntermediateA thin divot is a shallow scuff or bruise in the turf rather than a proper strip of removed grass. This indicates a shallow, sweeping angle of attack that may be appropriate for some clubs but signals an issue for others.Golf
- Thin ShotBeginnerA thin shot is when the leading edge of the club catches the ball near its equator rather than below it. This means the opposite of a fat shot. This means producing a low, skimming ball flight.Golf
- Third Shot DriveIntermediateA third shot drive is a hard, low-trajectory shot hit from the baseline on the third shot, used instead of a drop to put pressure on the returning team and force a defensive pop-up.Pickleball
- Third Shot LobAdvancedA third shot lob is a high, arcing shot used as the serving team's third shot instead of the more common drop or drive, aimed over the returning team. At the same time, they are still at or near the baseline.Pickleball
- Third-Shot DropIntermediateThe third-shot drop is a soft, arcing shot hit from the baseline that lands in the opponent's kitchen. This means forcing them to hit upward and giving the serving team time to advance safely to the kitchen line.Pickleball
- Three-and-Two Count StrategyIntermediateThree-and-two count strategy is the hitting approach a batter takes on a full count, where the next pitch either ends the at-bat with a walk or a strikeout, demanding a swing decision that protects the plate rather than hunting for a perfect pitch.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Three-PuttBeginnerA three-putt means taking three strokes to hole out after reaching the green. It usually starts with poor distance control on the first putt.Golf
- Throwing MechanicsBeginnerThrowing mechanics are the sequence of arm and body movements used to deliver the ball accurately and with arm-safe velocity. This means applicable to every position on the field.Baseball
- Throwing Mechanics – FieldingIntermediateThrowing mechanics in cricket fielding refers to the technique for generating an accurate, powerful, low-trajectory throw from the outfield or inner ring to the wicket-keeper or bowler's end stumps.Cricket
- Tiebreak StrategyAdvancedTiebreak strategy covers the tactical adjustments players make in a tiebreak's compressed, high-pressure points, including serve selection, return aggression, and side-switch pacing.Tennis
- Time Limit RuleBeginnerA time limit rule sets a maximum game duration. This means commonly 50 to 70 minutes in recreational slow pitch. This means after which no new inning starts. This keeps league schedules on track across multiple fields and multiple games per night.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Time to ContactAdvancedTime to contact is how long, in fractions of a second, it takes a hitter's swing to travel from its trigger to the ball. This means the metric that ultimately determines how late a hitter can afford to start their swing against a given velocity.Baseball
- Time ViolationIntermediateA time violation is a code violation issued when a player exceeds the allowed time between points. This typically penalized with a warning and then a fault or point loss for repeat offenses.Tennis
- Timing the ArcBeginnerTiming the arc is the skill of tracking a slow-pitch delivery from release through its peak and descent, and starting the swing. As a result, the barrel arrives exactly when the ball reaches the hittable zone.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Timing the Pitcher's ReleaseIntermediateTiming the pitcher's release is a hitter's skill of synchronizing swing initiation to the moment the ball leaves the pitcher's hand near the hip, rather than to the arm circle's motion as a whole.Fast-Pitch Softball
- Today — LaunchpadBeginnerThe Today launchpad is SwingVantage's daily entry screen that presents three prioritized cards. This means Focus (what to work on), Practice (the drill to do), and Retest (how to confirm improvement). This means. As a result, every session starts with a clear direction.Analysis Concepts
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