Bat Path

[Work=wins]

Meaning if you are rotating your hips instead of your middle you will struggle with direction?

among other things. Efficiency and timing as well. Imo.

 

[Buttermaker]

among other things. Efficiency and timing as well. Imo.

Timing window is certainly enhanced. Efficiency in terms of effort?

 

[Work=wins]

Timing window is certainly enhanced. Efficiency in terms of effort?

the arc of the swing is the same every time. Of course location matters. But the arc will be the same length to each location every time. No push and no drag. Tightest turn and same timing because of the consistency in length, if that makes sense. These gifs from TDS makes it obvious what the goal is.



edit: yes effort is minimal as well. The body is stretching and contracting while leveraged. Feels like you’re just trying your best to control the bat head.

 

[james27503]

the arc of the swing is the same every time. Of course location matters. But the arc will be the same length to each location every time. No push and no drag. Tightest turn and same timing because of the consistency in length, if that makes sense. These gifs from TDS makes it obvious what the goal is.

View attachment 17712

edit: yes effort is minimal as well. The body is stretching and contracting while leveraged. Feels like you’re just trying your best to control the bat head.

This is what I have been saying ever since I made the discovery when prompted by Julray. I knew just swing down alone wasn't it. There was this chopping, but where and how. I found by lucky experimenting that I could chop from the bat lag position and my swing was awesome and effortless. So there had to be two big concepts, get to bat lag and then chop. Chop means direct path, straight to the ball as possible. No loop, nothing but straight and direct.

The Ortiz video blast video really describes it all. Get to bat lag and chop. Notice how from the bat lag position he is on a direct path to the ball already.

 

[FP26]

In my opinion it seems like "behind and through" is still a key phrase. It's just that some people are focused on how/when to get "behind" and others are focused on how to get from "behind" to "through". JMHO.

 

[Buttermaker]

This is what I have been saying ever since I made the discovery when prompted by Julray. I knew just swing down alone wasn't it. There was this chopping, but where and how. I found by lucky experimenting that I could chop from the bat lag position and my swing was awesome and effortless. So there had to be two big concepts, get to bat lag and then chop. Chop means direct path, straight to the ball as possible. No loop, nothing but straight and direct.

The Ortiz video blast video really describes it all. Get to bat lag and chop. Notice how from the bat lag position he is on a direct path to the ball already.

View attachment 17714

It has finally hit me like a sack of bricks that you if use your obliques correctly you have to chop down. Otherwise you are rotating your hips. You may be disguising it but it's still hip rotation above a turning rear leg.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Let's not hurt ourselves out there.

Can you work obliques everyday?
Working abs every day can lead to muscle imbalances
Your abs complex, which is all your abs muscles are comprised of the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, internal obliques, and external obliques. ... Doing a bunch of crunches does not necessarily translate into a strong abs, or a stable core.

Abdominal oblique injuries, also known as side strains, are common in rotational sports such as baseball, tennis, golf, and track and field. These injuries are characterized by a sudden, sharp onset of pain near or on the side of the rib cage.

How long does it take for an oblique strain to heal?
Typical recovery time
While some mild oblique strains can be resolved in just a few days, severe strains can require surgery with a recovery time of 3-4 months.

- HOW TO TARGET THE OBLIQUES! | 10 Best Exercises

 

[Mudders Brudder]

so if one is ‘down and across’ that would be down to the ball and across their body. I’m just talking hand path. Ever heard ‘put on your seatbelt’.

Thank you, so it's the "hand path" that you look at to make sure is getting "down to the ball". Can I ask the reason you use the path of the hands getting down to the ball instead of the path of the barrel getting it?

I'm not singling you out, as every hitter I've had come to me with that "down (hands) to the ball" instruction previously, I'd ask the same hand vs barrel question. So have heard quite a few different answers, and I'm curious to read if yours is similar, or something different all together.

Getting across the body is the tricky part. The middle needs to move the bat. The radius of ‘turn’ of the body needs to be small and tight. The anchor needs to pull the slack out and be in sync with launch. Direction of the body needs to stays to the middle of the field (Ted W. tip, front hip cock) no matter pitch location.

OK, but that really doesn't help me understand the defining difference(s) between "across" vs "through".

What does a hitter need to do differently than you wrote above in order to get "through" the ball/body vs "across" it?

View attachment 17705
this is becoming on of my fav. clips.

That is a very good clip. But I'm also curious as to why you don't have your DD start with her hands in the same starting position as Ted?

Because Ted never does go "down to" with his hands in that clip (or any of his clips, but that's for another time), and all he does is simply take them from already "behind" his body, the plate, and the plane of the starting position "through" to the ball. No?

Also, what do you feel Ted is doing to cause the barrel to move rearward like it does before it goes forward...or does it do that simply as a result of him yanking the knob out from under the barrel? IOWs, what gets it "behind" the plate, and plane of the ball, instead of the barrel going straight "down to" and cutting "across" the plate, and plane of the pitch?

As far as teaching it. I would work high tee (middle) at an angle and ask for line drives to the middle of the field no higher than their head. I would change the tee to outside high and ask for the same to the middle or RCF. I would then work the inside a bit and deep asking for low liners as well. If having issues with the inside I would check angles of the body and make sure space and posture were maintained. As well as the anchor point.

if the middle isn’t moving the bat. None of this matters, as you know.

Other than ball flight, are there any mechanical body "checkpoints" of the goal(s) you're asking your hitters to meet?

Because aren't all their hands coming "down to" and "across" their body to the ball if they all start with their hands at their rear shoulder (or slightly behind and above it as most hitters) as most hitters do? IOWs, we know what a good "down to" and "across" looks like, but what's a bad one look like, and why?

 

[Mudders Brudder]

It has finally hit me like a sack of bricks that you if use your obliques correctly you have to chop down. Otherwise you are rotating your hips. You may be disguising it but it's still hip rotation above a turning rear leg.

Sigh...just when I think you're starting my make progress you go back to listening elsewhere.

Yes, if you focus on the obliques, you will definitely "chop down" to the ball.

There is no "chopping down to the ball" in a HL swing...

 

[Mudders Brudder]

the arc of the swing is the same every time. Of course location matters. But the arc will be the same length to each location every time. No push and no drag. Tightest turn and same timing because of the consistency in length, if that makes sense. These gifs from TDS makes it obvious what the goal is.

View attachment 17712

edit: yes effort is minimal as well. The body is stretching and contracting while leveraged. Feels like you’re just trying your best to control the bat head.

Has anyone even bothered to notice that Crystal's hands never go "down to" the ball or anything...only "across" her body, or "through" the ball? So is that problematic (yes, I'm JKing with the rhetorical question)?