Howard Drill

[FiveFrameSwing]

P.S. Why do I care about this? I don't know Howard but I do respect him. I wouldn't hesitate to send someone to him. We would probably disagree on a few things, but the guy clearly knows how to get results and move hitters in the right direction. As a result, I find the attempts to nit pick him and his work to death to be highly offensive and disingenuous. It's purportedly being done in good faith, but you really have to wonder.

It is not offensive for instructors to review the details of the mechanics being instructed during drills.

Some of what is being taught does not match up with video. That should, IMO, raise a warning flag to those particular traits. An instructor that truly cares should feel free to discuss it ….. and any attempt to bury the discussion, as I feel you are doing here, is shameful IMO.

If it is something that is being taught, then be open and honest in discussing it. So far, I haven’t seen the advocates of the hand path drill come forward to discuss portions of the drill that don’t match up to video … and make no mistake about it …. The elbows are being instructed in that video.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

It is not offensive for instructors to review the details of the mechanics being instructed during drills.

Some of what is being taught does not match up with video. That should, IMO, raise a warning flag to those particular traits. An instructor that truly cares should feel free to discuss it ….. and any attempt to bury the discussion, as I feel you are doing here, is shameful IMO.

If it is something that is being taught, then be open and honest in discussing it. So far, I haven’t seen the advocates of the hand path drill come forward to discuss portions of the drill that don’t match up to video … and make no mistake about it …. The elbows are being instructed in that video.

You shouldn't look at a hitter performing a drill in slow motion and assume it's automatically going to transfer over directly into a live swing.

Slow motion drills are slow motion drills.

If you look at this hitter's back elbow, there's clearly no problem with the angle opening up too much and her losing connection.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

You shouldn't look at a hitter performing a drill in slow motion and assume it's automatically going to transfer over directly into a live swing.

Slow motion drills are slow motion drills.

If you look at this hitter's back elbow, there's clearly no problem with the angle opening up too much and her losing connection.

Using an excuse that the drill was slow motion doesn't cut it. The fact is that many of us use slow motion drills to confirm if a hitter understands the intent of what is being taught .... and what I see here reveals a disconnect in terms of certain portions of the swing.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

CO, it is NOT “highly offensive and disingenuous” to point out discrepancies between what is being taught and what is common to a good swing. Any such implication strikes me as questioning what your true motives are.

Drop the silly “highly offensive and disingenuous” comments. That doesn’t benefit anyone and moves discussions away from the topic at hand …. Which should be about discussing the swing. Maybe you can start by explaining any potential advantage to not slotting the rear elbow during the “hand path” drill, why the rear elbow should be so far displaced during the “hand path” drill, and why the objective of having a vertical forearm out in front of the body at ‘bat lag’ as highlighted earlier.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Using an excuse that the drill was slow motion doesn't cut it. The fact is that many of us use slow motion drills to confirm if a hitter understands the intent of what is being taught .... and what I see here reveals a disconnect in terms of certain portions of the swing.

The drill was a demonstration of a concept and clearly didn't reflect her actual swing.

Perhaps her conscious mind needs to better understand the concept of connection, but her body clearly understands it.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

CO, it is NOT “highly offensive and disingenuous” to point out discrepancies between what is being taught and what is common to a good swing.

It absolutely is when those problems don't translate over into a live swing.

The whole point of this is to produce a good live swing, and she's got one.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

The drill was a demonstration of a concept and clearly didn't reflect her actual swing.

I believe we can all agree that the drill is a demonstration and that portions of it don't reflect anyone's actual swing. I believe that is the point that some are making.

 

[Wellphyt]

My definition of the elbows working independently is that the front elbow does not move forward a corresponding distance towards the ball as the back elbow slots. I believe this is an important point because I see parents and instructors on here using training devices and doing drills which indicate that their vision of the elbows is one where the elbows work in unison.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

I believe we can all agree that the drill is a demonstration and that portions of it don't reflect anyone's actual swing. I believe that is the point that some are making.

Since live swings are what matter, let's focus on live swings and the results of Howard's drills.

Perhaps they are getting results via the exaggeration effect.

What do you think of this live swing?

 

[Chris O'Leary]

My definition of the elbows working independently is that the front elbow does not move forward a corresponding distance towards the ball as the back elbow slots. I believe this is an important point because I see parents and instructors on here using training devices and doing drills which indicate that their vision of the elbows is one where the elbows work in unison.

How does your you view hold up against this clip...