If you wanna critique me the best you can go ahead, sorry its only a picture. Picture
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Good position to be in at contact. Question is How'd you get there?
welll i guess i loaded my hands and just elevated them to the ball, even though i still missed
Swingbuilder:
I agree that the hitter’s in a good position at contact. But do you feel it's important that a high school hitter recite how he got there?
THop
I agree that the hitter’s in a good position at contact. But do you feel it's important that a high school hitter recite how he got there?
THop
If you don't know how you got there it is harder to repeat your successful swings. If it's not important at the High School level, I believe that your chances of success at the next level will be diminished. We focus on the finnish...the how you get there...If he can get to the right finnish, you had to do alot of things right along the way.
Well, THOP, lets look at it this way. Did it take him 10 frames on the camera to get here or did it take him 5 frames on the camera to get here? Which would you rather have and which do you think would have more success? A long swing at 10 frames or a quicker swing at 5 frames?
But as far as him reciting it, probably not.
But as far as him reciting it, probably not.
Thanks
THOP, your very welcome. THOP, some interesting points here. Can you tell me(us)
HOW you move your weight gently from center to inside the front foot/ leg?
Next, do you believe the knee, hips and shoulder all move together? So HOW would you teach that?
and HOW do you teach "TAKE HANDS BACK"? are you a believer of counter rotation? Where are the hands when you take them back? How do you take the hands back? Do we extend the arms? Is taking the hands back your definition of loading?
and HOW DO YOU teach "plant the foot and violently twist hips in place?
OR.....is this all simply as easy as telling them to do it as you describe?
HOW you move your weight gently from center to inside the front foot/ leg?
Next, do you believe the knee, hips and shoulder all move together? So HOW would you teach that?
and HOW do you teach "TAKE HANDS BACK"? are you a believer of counter rotation? Where are the hands when you take them back? How do you take the hands back? Do we extend the arms? Is taking the hands back your definition of loading?
and HOW DO YOU teach "plant the foot and violently twist hips in place?
OR.....is this all simply as easy as telling them to do it as you describe?
quote:4. When pitcher separates his hands: Gently move weight from center to inside of back foot/leg. This is a great timing device and allows a Tension Free inward turn of the shoulders, hips and front knee.
5. When pitcher releases the ball: Gently step at the pitcher and at the same time, “take hands back” (continued inward turn of shoulders, hips and front knee). This is another timing mechanism and transfers most of the hitter’s weight back to the front side. It also fluidly activates the hamstrings, hips, back and shoulders without deterring vision.
6. Swing: Plant front heel and violently twist hips (in place) as fast and as far as possible (Release all Tension!).
Swingbuilder:
Sorry for the delay. I have been traveling and also wanted to take a little extra time with this response.
First of all, to me “when” a hitter gets his hands back is a personal thing (style). In other words, it’s a fundamental or an absolute but “when and exactly how” a player does it should be left up to him.
Some start with them back in their stance, some take them back when the pitcher separates his hands and some do it when the pitcher releases the ball (during their stride). I don’t teach it any one way. I just make sure hitters do get “their hands back” during one of the three.
I was also glad to hear that you do not think it’s necessarily important for a high schooler to be able to recite exactly how he got to contact (physically). I totally agree.
For what it’s worth, I only played through high school (I chose professional golf). However a scout did tell my parents once in high school that I had “the most natural baseball swing” he ever saw. No kidding. He probably meant “fluid”.
I study so many parts of the game that I am not used to reciting exactly what happens physically during my swing, but will give it my best shot here (I lack the know how to post a clip).
I set MY hands very near my back armpit during my stance.
When the pitcher separates his hands, I move my upper AND lower body weight from the center to the inside of my back leg/foot. I refer to this as “the move back” which should not be confused with the stride, which begins moments later. I prefer a wide stance so my front foot often moves toward my back foot a bit, hips turn a little and my shoulders turn a little more than my hips during this. But I do not push my hands back during this time (however some do). And when I say push them back, the front elbow doesn’t bar or lock. In fact the angle of the hands, elbow and shoulder changes very little (like backhanding a ball from the ground up).
When the pitcher releases the ball is when I begin MY stride. In doing so, my front knee and hands immediately move back in unison. Then I step toward the pitcher causing my hips and shoulders to begin to open (I prefer the term square up) while my hands (hands, arm and shoulder angle) continue back one more notch. This enables me to transfer my lower body weight back to the inside of my front foot/leg and gain balance by taking my upper body weight back at the same time. This also keeps my shoulders closed (more than my hips).
I gently land on the ball of my front foot then heel and though my “swing thought” is drop the front heel to initiate the violent hip rotation, this may not be clipually correct. And I’m convinced it doesn’t need to be to hit at a high level. I don’t think a professional hitter, prospect or even hitting instructor would benefit from thinking about this on or off the field).
During my stride, MY hands go from very near my back armpit (about where they had been during my stance and “move back”) back toward the umpire about the same length that MY stride foot travels toward the pitcher (and at the exact same time).
When it’s a pitch I like, I feel like most of my weight is inside my front foot/leg and the only thing I think about is turning my front hip back (in place) as fast and as far as I can. Granted they don’t actually turn far at all, but more importantly, this triggers and adds speed to my shoulders (they do not turn with my hips during the swing), then arms, then hands during the actual swing. My last swing thought is to throw the bat handle/”hands” and watch the ball as long as possible (without dropping my head down literally).
I agree with you that it is this violent hip turn that causes the front leg to straighten during the swing and not the other way around.
THop
Sorry for the delay. I have been traveling and also wanted to take a little extra time with this response.
First of all, to me “when” a hitter gets his hands back is a personal thing (style). In other words, it’s a fundamental or an absolute but “when and exactly how” a player does it should be left up to him.
Some start with them back in their stance, some take them back when the pitcher separates his hands and some do it when the pitcher releases the ball (during their stride). I don’t teach it any one way. I just make sure hitters do get “their hands back” during one of the three.
I was also glad to hear that you do not think it’s necessarily important for a high schooler to be able to recite exactly how he got to contact (physically). I totally agree.
For what it’s worth, I only played through high school (I chose professional golf). However a scout did tell my parents once in high school that I had “the most natural baseball swing” he ever saw. No kidding. He probably meant “fluid”.
I study so many parts of the game that I am not used to reciting exactly what happens physically during my swing, but will give it my best shot here (I lack the know how to post a clip).
I set MY hands very near my back armpit during my stance.
When the pitcher separates his hands, I move my upper AND lower body weight from the center to the inside of my back leg/foot. I refer to this as “the move back” which should not be confused with the stride, which begins moments later. I prefer a wide stance so my front foot often moves toward my back foot a bit, hips turn a little and my shoulders turn a little more than my hips during this. But I do not push my hands back during this time (however some do). And when I say push them back, the front elbow doesn’t bar or lock. In fact the angle of the hands, elbow and shoulder changes very little (like backhanding a ball from the ground up).
When the pitcher releases the ball is when I begin MY stride. In doing so, my front knee and hands immediately move back in unison. Then I step toward the pitcher causing my hips and shoulders to begin to open (I prefer the term square up) while my hands (hands, arm and shoulder angle) continue back one more notch. This enables me to transfer my lower body weight back to the inside of my front foot/leg and gain balance by taking my upper body weight back at the same time. This also keeps my shoulders closed (more than my hips).
I gently land on the ball of my front foot then heel and though my “swing thought” is drop the front heel to initiate the violent hip rotation, this may not be clipually correct. And I’m convinced it doesn’t need to be to hit at a high level. I don’t think a professional hitter, prospect or even hitting instructor would benefit from thinking about this on or off the field).
During my stride, MY hands go from very near my back armpit (about where they had been during my stance and “move back”) back toward the umpire about the same length that MY stride foot travels toward the pitcher (and at the exact same time).
When it’s a pitch I like, I feel like most of my weight is inside my front foot/leg and the only thing I think about is turning my front hip back (in place) as fast and as far as I can. Granted they don’t actually turn far at all, but more importantly, this triggers and adds speed to my shoulders (they do not turn with my hips during the swing), then arms, then hands during the actual swing. My last swing thought is to throw the bat handle/”hands” and watch the ball as long as possible (without dropping my head down literally).
I agree with you that it is this violent hip turn that causes the front leg to straighten during the swing and not the other way around.
THop
very nicely put, if u have a video you can just upload it to a free video hosting site, for example vidilife.com, and show it from there
