door knocking knuckles
- Thread starter wannahit
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Not sure who the first person to suggest the door knocking knuckle grip, but I do know that the placement of the bat in the hands and the grip is very important.
The angle in which the bat handle lays in the top hand is more important than which knuckles line up.
wannahit, there are two versions of the door-knocking knuckles. When the door-knocking knuckles are perfectly aligned, it can result in some bat head drop. I think this is caused by a less stable platform provided by this grip. It doesn't support the bat weight as well, but mostly it promotes the back elbow getting ahead of the hands. Result, pop-ups!
When the knuckles are offset slightly, with the knuckles lined up between the 2nd and 3rd knuckles, this is more stable, but also keeps the back elbow from leading so much. It keeps the wrists relaxed, allowing more bat-head whip.
Also, this grip allows a better follow-through, or keeps the bat head in the hitting zone longer. If the knuckles of the top hand are over-rotated, causing the front forearm and wrist to be straight, the wrists roll over sooner. Also I can guarantee you will have less accuracy in your hands (bat head) to the ball. Don't palm the bat handle!
When the knuckles are offset slightly, with the knuckles lined up between the 2nd and 3rd knuckles, this is more stable, but also keeps the back elbow from leading so much. It keeps the wrists relaxed, allowing more bat-head whip.
Also, this grip allows a better follow-through, or keeps the bat head in the hitting zone longer. If the knuckles of the top hand are over-rotated, causing the front forearm and wrist to be straight, the wrists roll over sooner. Also I can guarantee you will have less accuracy in your hands (bat head) to the ball. Don't palm the bat handle!
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Jim, I like a lot of what you have to say in this video.
There is way too much emphasis on the knuckle orientation. It’s a focus of attention that misses what is truly important … and often leads one to an inferior solution. I absolutely agree that there should be more focus on how the bat is aligned ... especially in the top hand. I extend that to include that I even would place more focus on having a triangle-like relationship of the forearms rather than a particular knuckle alignment. I truly believe that control with the gripper fingers (middle finger and ring finger), and not with the index fingers, allows me to make a consistent throwing of the barrel … what I term as an “inside seam throw” that makes contact deep in the hitting zone … and for me, that’s important.
Of course the "V" in the elbows is important. Very important! But so are all other key elements to a good swing. and wannahit didn't ask about the "V". He asked about the knuckles. And the knuckles are a detail, which is important. If not to you, then your students who ever they are, are going to have a hard time hitting well. Mine will!
My Epstein "On Target" dvds that I bought back in 2005 recommend a door knocking knuckle alignment. The reason being is that when the top hand is rotated to align the top hand knuckles to the bottom hand knuckles, the back elbow gets sucked in closer to the side. It makes it easier for kids to get their back elbow slotted correctly which helps to prevent casting. On his old website, Epstein posted a picture of how he gripped the bat, and it looked more like an offset grip. My DD uses an offset grip; or at least she is suppose to
As others have pointed out, I'm less concerned with knuckle alignment and more concerned with getting the kids to get the bat out of the palms and more towards the fingers.About a year ago I took a bunch of swings alternating between holding the bat in my palms and then switching to holding the bat in my fingers. The difference between the two is very noticeable; it's not even close. There is no question in my mind that getting the bat out of the palm results in a better barrel path and harder contact.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Jim stated that he isn't concerned about the knuckle alignment ..... and I agree with that notion. There are other things more concerning IMO, that when taken care of, will largely determine knuckle alignment. In other words, for some of us, the knuckle alignment is a 'result' of taking care of other portions of the swing.
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FiveFrameSwing
Banned
My Epstein "On Target" dvds that I bought back in 2005 recommend a door knocking knuckle alignment. The reason being is that when the top hand is rotated to align the top hand knuckles to the bottom hand knuckles, the back elbow gets sucked in closer to the side. It makes it easier for kids to get their back elbow slotted correctly which helps to prevent casting. On his old website, Epstein posted a picture of how he gripped the bat, and it looked more like an offset grip. My DD uses an offset grip; or at least she is suppose to
About a year ago I took a bunch of swings alternating between holding the bat in my palms and then switching to holding the bat in my fingers. The difference between the two is very noticeable; it's not even close. There is no question in my mind that getting the bat out of the palm results in a better barrel path and harder contact.
From memory, Epstein documented in his book a recommended knuckle orientation that did not have the door knocking knuckles aligned .... but instead had the door knocking knuckles of the top hand aligned with where a wedding ring would be worn on the bottom hand.
I think it was 2007 that Don Slaught introduced the new grip and has since proved it in test labs at UCLA. I then started trying to swing the bat by placing the bat in my bottom hand where the fingers join at the palm of the hand and then placing the bat in my top hand about ½ to ¾ of inch away from the line where the fingers join the palm of the hand towards the thumb.
When I looked at my grip it was the top hand door knocker knuckles lining up with the face knuckles of the bottom hand.
When I looked at my grip it was the top hand door knocker knuckles lining up with the face knuckles of the bottom hand.
