more video to analyze

[Hitter]

Balance is balance in my mind and it is not posture or just tilt. Do you tell your hitters to get postured? Do you tell them to get tilted? Ground force reaction happens as a result of being able to get your body into the proper sequence on time with whatever your movements are you are trying to perform.

When responded I was thinking in terms of shoulder tilt. Not a balanced core as hitter is discussing. It appeared that some were wanting an upper cut swing. that is what I thought I was responding to.

No problem I was just trying to help...

Howard

 

[Chris O'Leary]

I can't believe individuals want to teach tilt. The video that is being used is of a chest high pitch. What do you guys think a hitter gains by tilt?

The tee swings are of balls down the middle, which are going to require some tilt.

What she's doing is flattening out her swing plane immediately and swinging level to the ground. That's due in part to the bat drag, but is also due to connection problems and where's she's trying to get her power from.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

I am saying teaching tilt is the wrong way to go about it. You have to hit the best pitchers where ever they allow you to hit it at. teaching tilt is counterproductive to a high average with power swing. Tilt is more of a result of ground forces being applied during the swing by the elite athlete not something they are trying to do. simply an action of force.

How do you adjust up and down in the strike zone if not by tilting the shoulders?

By hinging the back knee? By leaning back toward the catcher?

 

[ifubuildit]

Balance is balance in my mind and it is not posture or just tilt. Do you tell your hitters to get postured? Do you tell them to get tilted? Ground force reaction happens as a result of being able to get your body into the proper sequence on time with whatever your movements are you are trying to perform.

When responded I was thinking in terms of shoulder tilt. Not a balanced core as hitter is discussing. It appeared that some were wanting an upper cut swing. that is what I thought I was responding to.

I dont think anyone wants an uppercut swing but I do think most elite hitters have a swing plane that is slightly upward at contact with the ball. When you see pictures or watch video of elite hitters none of them have a swing plane that is level or downward and certainly not a severe uppercut.

So I guess its how you define uppercut.

 

[Hitter]

How do you adjust up and down in the strike zone if not by tilting the shoulders?

By hinging the back knee? By leaning back toward the catcher?

Chris

We have our net marked at 51 (26 degrees) and 39 inches (10 degrees) with horizontal lines and a vertical line exactly in the center and term this our hitting zone. We position the tee about 4.5 feet from the net with the tee located in the middle of home plate and about 3 inches forward of the front edge of home plate. We line up off the back corner of home plate for all soft toss and tee work. Within reason the ball should go up the middle and be in our zone. If it goes left or right up or down I should be able to understand why and communicate it.

We do a bat angle adjustment drill by having the hitter drop balls using the lead hand while holding the bat in their top hand. They drop the ball palm down at shoulder height level and slightly in front of them. Each ball bounces a little differently due to type ball and age and they attempt to hit the ball into the zone. We thinking working up is easier to teach than top down. As we explain the hands are always above the plane of pitch even if it is a rise or drop ball and I hold a ball in the rise position and at the knees and ask them to position them self and show me where their contact point would be. We start the up the middle first and soft toss below the knees, at the knees, mid thigh, waist, belly button and under the elbows. They look through the net as if they are tracking the ball and as I move my hand down they see it out of their peripheral vision and decide when to load and I throw the ball.

We want every ball to be in the zone no matter where the ball is tossed. We want it up the middle by the center line if we are tossing it up the middle so every pitch/ toss has feed back associated with it and adjustments can be made. They understand tilt and bat angle adjustments and it is to what degree the height of the ball is to the degree of angle in the bat. We repeat for outside next and the inside last. We want them to demonstrate bat control first and then learn to rotate as needed based on the balls depth in box.

Thanks Howard

 

[tom.guerry]

I think of "balance" from the "if you can throw you can hit" perspective.

universal MLB swing pattern:

rhythmic preswing activity
cock hips
cock hands
wind rubberband
dorp and tilt/GO
swing/release

In the MLB pattern swing, there is an initial back and forth "rhythmic preswing activity" (Lau Sr absolute) which is different from the more symmetric front/back rhythm of the throw and which serves to prepare the body for what is overall a different motion from throwing, but the next few phases of the swing are very similar to preparation for overhand throw.

As swing starts there is inward turn/negative move/hip cock which is like the way you get sideways and break the hands and cock the hips in the overhand throw.

"cocking the hips" involves the establishment of what Dixon called "offcenter balance" triggered by lifting the front foot and involving a pinch at the waist, "lift by pinching".

Next you have to carry the weight forward as you "cock the hands" and "sit" as you coil/"wind the rubberband".

Once the hips have cocked, the "center of balance" is the rear hip socket and arm and leg actions on one side of the pivot will be balanced with lower body actions on the other side.

when hands cock by lifting back arm (ABduction) the legs spread by ABduction as the bat finishes cocking/tipping.

when the body coils, there is synched back arm and front leg EXternal rotation as the bat begins to untip/uncock. there is balance behind and in front as well as above and below the back hip pivot, as for example the back knee turns down and in as rear hip gets ahead of hands.

weight stays back/balanced on either side of the rear hip pivot until the GO/swing puts the front foot down.

 

[mm_max]

danyele

Yeah that lefty looks familiar.

Hey Mark H, Danyele works with my young daughter (10U) here in Metairie (LA). As someone who played professionally and coaches a lot of older hitters (guys), it was eye opening to see such a high-level swing on a female, and has changed my perspective on what girls should be striving for as hitters. Keep up the good comments.

 

[ssarge]

Hey Mark H, Danyele works with my young daughter (10U) here in Metairie (LA). As someone who played professionally and coaches a lot of older hitters (guys), it was eye opening to see such a high-level swing on a female, and has changed my perspective on what girls should be striving for as hitters. Keep up the good comments.

There is a reason she was 4th all time in career NCAA Hrs. And one of the absolute class acts in the sport. Didn't know she was coaching / instructing, now, but you've got a good one there!

Best regards,

Scott

 

[Mark H]

Hey Mark H, Danyele works with my young daughter (10U) here in Metairie (LA). As someone who played professionally and coaches a lot of older hitters (guys), it was eye opening to see such a high-level swing on a female, and has changed my perspective on what girls should be striving for as hitters. Keep up the good comments.

Good to hear. It was fun just watching her take bp.