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quote:Originally posted by yesisbest:
When I say no stride, imagine David Wright, or Albert Pujols. Travis Hafner is another one.
quote:Originally posted by yesisbest:
...This cannot be a stride, since it happens so early. The stride has more to do with WHEN it happens than anything else.
99.9% of ALL players who have ever played the game have strided, so that HoF argument holds no water. ...
quote:Originally posted by yesisbest:
Pujols may be a bad example, as he may be considered a strider. Wright, though, is not.
Most major league hitters have a front foot plant at the halfway point of the ball reaching the plate. Wright has his front foot on the ground as soon as the pitcher's throwing arm goes back to throw the ball.
This cannot be a stride, since it happens so early. The stride has more to do with WHEN it happens than anything else.
99.9% of ALL players who have ever played the game have strided, so that HoF argument holds no water. Jim Edmonds is an obvious no-strider.
quote:Originally posted by yesisbest:
If it was so asinine, you could have at least come up with a simple response, rather than a roll-of-the-eyes.
quote:Johnson said that he has seen hitters hit farther with no stride.
quote:This causes the head and eyes to drop during the stride.
quote:Overstriding makes it even more difficult to see the ball, identify the speed and type or pitch nand to hit the ball where it is pitched.
quote:Originally posted by CADad:
A stride can provide momentum which can be turned into power. Mantle is an example of this. A short stride simplifies the swing and makes hitting easier for some. Bonds is a good example of a short stride hitter who has enough power without having to convert momentum from the stride into power.
Or to put it more simply - I agree with Coach May.
quote:Originally posted by BlueDog:quote:This causes the head and eyes to drop during the stride.
Ramrod, MLB hitters do drop their heads when they stride.........
Reviving this thread from 2005. Any new thoughts? My son has never been a strider, yet hits well, and with power. A stride tends to really mess him up, as he has tried to add it on three different occasions. His weight shifts well. I did read some research that seemed to prove no power is gained from a stride, when compared to no stride (while using good mechanics and weight shift), but still don't see too many other players out there that do not stride. Opinions? Thanks!
if you like where your son is, if your son likes where your son is, your sons coaches like where your son is....don't ask for thoughts on a baseball forum. Hitting is as dangerous of a topic as religion and politics!!
just my opinion!
Not really an opinion, nor helpful, but thanks. I realize hitting, as well as any other technique issue, can bring about opinions. Looking for intelligent ones.
I guess what Coach May said 10 years ago is how I feel. Whatever works. When my son was a hitter (PO in college now). He did a pretty long stride( without measuring ever and purely on memory that is 2 years old, I would guess 18 inches ) and hit very well. For him is was a rhythm thing. We tried for years to get him to shorten his stride but every time we did we negated his power. For him when he was out of whack hitting, it wasn't about length of stride, it was where he strode too. When on he strode right at pitcher, planting foot about 2 -3 inches toward the plate from original foot position. When he was off he "pulled" his foot 2-6" toward 3rd base (RHH).
Now one of things I believe from watching him all those years, along with 1000's of other kids, is he always was fast twitch and got the bat thru the zone on time, Pulled inside pitches, lots of power to CF and RC. But at some point the velocity of pitch began to get to him form a timing point of view. He was not in a set, foot on the ground, hips rotating, bat thru the zone just in front of plate for great contact. He was just a hair late which resulted in balls to right side. For him that was about 90 MPH. Not sure if that was a stride thing or not.
Do you have any examples of good hitters who do not stride? IMO, if everything else works, then great. You mention that his attempts to insert a stride have been unsuccessful, so apparently it is not something that on the surface would appear to benefit him. I am a big fan of a 2" stride - more of a pick-up-the-foot and put it back down, but have never really been looking for home run power. The short stride does require a slightly wider stance and does require the batter, IMO, to pay more attention to shifting weight. My kids just look a little sloppy when they start taking larger strides.
I agree it is hard to find guys who do not stride, that is why I asked the question. Also agree a very small stride might be something to try and incorporate. Pujols sometimes strides, sometimes does not. Thanks and keep your thoughts coming.
Just MHO but to stride or not to stride is not really the question.
To quote (liberties taken) from Hannibal Lecter "First principles, Simplicity. Read Marcus Aurelius. Of each particular thing ask: what is it in itself? What is its nature? What does the stride do?
So the question becomes what is the stride to the swing? (I would propose the purpose is to set a definitive stable base from which the swing can begin) What is it's nature? (It provides a timing mechanism such that all aspects of the swing are coordinated) What does the stride do? (I propose it establishes the decision point from which a hitter elects to swing or withhold the swing)
In this train of thought any method a hitter uses that accomplishes these the purpose (stable base), nature (Proper timing and coordination) and function (Provides a decision point) of a stride is in fact a stride. So whether it is a lifted heal, an inward twist of the front knee, a lifted foot, a tiny step, a larger step, a rocking motion etc. etc. we have, in fact taken a "stride" in it's most simplistic form and success is the measure we use to denote if you have accomplished your "stride"
I call dibs on the first "Silence of the lambs" quote used on the forum!!!!!
MDBALLDAD,
Nice response. Appreciate it. Helps to hear similar thoughts from others out there. I guess in my realm of work, my son does a "closed chain" stride (heel lift, hip/knee turn in/load the back side, foot never completely leaves the ground) versus an "open chain" or conventional stride where the foot leaves the ground completely. Never thought of it that way before. One of my favorite movies, by the way. Thanks!
Stride can provide forward momentum and additional power. Look at smaller guys like Donaldson, Bautista, Aaron, and bigger guys Harper, Tulo, Ruth. All have aggressive forward momentum which is a good source of their power and big part of their swing. No stride - you are leaving some power behind.
My kids had wide stances and short strides. No one ever told them it was wrong. No one ever told them to change. It's what happens when a hitter drives the ball and hits to all fields.
I have never seen a live person that could coil inward properly and not stride.
Maybe you can be the one.
SULTAN,
If I am deciphering your "coil inward properly", correctly (internally rotating the back hip and inward trunk rotation, closing down, etc), then that is not a problem without a stride. At least not for my son. He has a wide stance to begin with such as RJM suggests, and seems to end up in the same position, a good hitter with a stride ends up, anyway. When I watch and break down video of different hitters (MLB guys), they all end up doing similar things when it counts the most. I guess results will tell the story as he moves forward. We shall see how it turns out. Will give a future update. I am probably not the only one out there with a stride-less son. 
This is interesting reading:
http://www.chrisoleary.com/pro...ertPujolsStride.html
Not sure if the author is promoting the stride or no-stride approach that Mr. Pujols does. He does seem to coil pretty well without a stride, if we are talking about the same thing.
Bagwell actually picked his stride foot up and brought it closer to catcher. Fellas, it's all about what makes you feel good in the box. If you can't hit you have a hitch in your swing, if you 'can' hit that hitch is a timing mechanism. Lots of MLB swings would be considered ugly and worthless to most hitting 'instructors'. But, those guys have figured out how to feel comfortable and make it work. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Yogi would probably like that line!
OVERTHEHILL,
With all the good advice on here, the fact that 2018 hits for average and power, and as you say: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!, 2018 will remain strideless. Thanks again to all who contributed.
My 2017 doesn't stride either and he hits for power. Occasionally, he'll run into a coach that tries to change him to a stride but quickly realizes it's not needed. As others said, if it works, no reason to change.
Ohio Dad posted:OVERTHEHILL,
With all the good advice on here, the fact that 2018 hits for average and power, and as you say: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!, 2018 will remain strideless. Thanks again to all who contributed.
I agree with "if it ain't broke don't fix it." But what about "it ain't broke but it could be better?" After an all conference soph year of high school a hitting instructor/pro scout changed my son's swing and approach. He went from .340 to .520. Granted some of the improvement was due to being bigger and stronger. But a majority was the hitting changes.
