"Connector" Devices

sbcowboy said:

I am like you Eric. I too am always looking for tools to add to my bag. I like what Coach James does. Seems like he uss both the connector and the drag buster for training the right swing. The more tools the better for my DD and the girls the I help!

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I like to go the other way ..... in other words, I look for an understanding that eliminates the need for tools.

My concern of relying on tools/drills is that by their very nature, they include portions that are not part of a normal swing. I'm not a believer that having more tools is better.

tjintx said:

When does that "ripping apart force" change to a focus on the ball? Your description makes me think pull forward with the bottom hand and backwards with the top hand. Tensed muscles ie. "ripping apart" don't lend themselves to being flexible/adjustable as the barrel comes around the corner to find the ball. I understand your thought to get the barrel moving but I get stuck downstream.

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What an excellent question.

IMO the bottom hand action involved with ripping the handle off the bat is part of "finding the ball".

It is the case that tension in the wrists will be greatest at swing initiation ... and dissipate as the swing progresses towards contact. Well documented in the book "The Physics of Golf".

Had a new student for her first lesson with me tonight.(16U) Initially she had a wrist roll, a dipping rear shoulder, level swing, and squished the bug.... uugggghhhhpf! Long tee shots in the cage all were topped grounders to third or foul. Now lets start fixing it!
We worked for about an hour. Started with the legs by using the walk up drill with a rear leg kick to get the weight shift down. Once she got that down we moved into the reverse top hand drill to clean up the long path. Then I put the perfect connection on her for the stop drill to the 9 zones. Then into the bat drag buster to start gaining some muscle memory. She hit two buckets with it on from the tee, and another bucket of side toss. By the time we got into front toss progress was being made. After some live pitching we moved back into long tee to gauge progress. She was now able to hit more consistent line drives to the back of the net. I believe once she learned how to have a connected rotation or turn the barrel, along with a strong weight shift and stopped squishing she showed some nice progress. Tools have their place. She ultimately had to hit with just her bat but the tools helped her to learn the correct path initially. I gave her some homework drills to further develop the path, but again these connectors have made instant improvements.

Wrist roll is very easy to correct ... often as simple as teaching lead-arm usage ... which comes for free when you learn to use the hands to turn the barrel and build structure in the forearms.

The rear shoulder should lower at swing initiation.

A level swing is generally related to a poor mental image of the swing. Not uncommon for those that resist lowering their rear shoulder at swing initiation and have a level-shoulder mentality (.... again, the rear shoulder is lowered at swing initiation), as well as those that lack an understanding of hand usage at swing initiation and the proper leveling of the barrel as the barrel is swung. Setting up tees to perform diagonal swings, while providing proper information, can clear up the issue.

Bug squishing is generally caused by incorrect leg usage. Teaching rhythm, how to get on the rear leg, how to use the rear leg, a proper sequence, and key areas of resistance, goes a long way to clearing up the issue.

It isn't that I don't have a fair number of gadgets ..... it's that I've learned not to need them.

Awesome Coach!

She is in great hands!

Imo, Few young hitters can understand how a coach wants them to hit a ball just by explaining it to them and even a harder time doing it physically in achieving a perfect swing. I feel that the right tool used the right way can help a young player b able to advance much quicker. Not all tools will work for everybody. Not all tools will work.

Can u explain the side toss? You mention spin recognition. How do you spin the ball for side toss?

What would you recommend for a hitter that dips the bat when trying to hit the ball? Would these drills help her?

Will the drag buster help with turning the barrel?

FiveFrameSwing said:

I like to go the other way ..... in other words, I look for an understanding that eliminates the need for tools.

My concern of relying on tools/drills is that by their very nature, they include portions that are not part of a normal swing. I'm not a believer that having more tools is better.

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FFS, I'm glad you posted this. I used some gadgets 16 years ago. I hardly ever do now.

FiveFrameSwing said:

What an excellent question.

IMO the bottom hand action involved with ripping the handle off the bat is part of "finding the ball".

It is the case that tension in the wrists will be greatest at swing initiation ... and dissipate as the swing progresses towards contact. Well documented in the book "The Physics of Golf".

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I agree that the bottom hand is the heat seeker. I just have a problem with the wording of "rip the handle apart". I believe the hands have 2 distinct jobs that work in unison to deliver the barrel. Saying "rip the handle apart" gives the hands the same job in different directions and that wouldn't result in a connected swing. So how do we find the wording that initiates the barrel turn and also allows for direction and delivery AND includes staying connected?

tjintx said:

I agree that the bottom hand is the heat seeker. I just have a problem with the wording of "rip the handle apart". I believe the hands have 2 distinct jobs that work in unison to deliver the barrel. Saying "rip the handle apart" gives the hands the same job in different directions and that wouldn't result in a connected swing. So how do we find the wording that initiates the barrel turn and also allows for direction and delivery AND includes staying connected?

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I meant to say "rip the handle off the bat".

In a very real sense the hands 'pull' in different directions .... and in doing so they work together in sending the barrel in its arc.

The intent to "rip the handle off the bat" is meant to be a sudden application of pressure by the hands at swing initiation .... sort of like the intent of Swingbuilder's whip drill, ... but it is more "whip with direction" ... using both hands, ... not simply the top-hand or bottom-hand, but both hands.

p.s.

IMO there should not be an intention to "stay" connected. However, when you "rip the handle off the bat", using both hands, you build structure in the forearms. From my perspective the lead-arm jut is nothing more than the result of using the bottom hand appropriately at swing initiation ... which supplies both structure and direction ... and the resulting jut.

sbcowboy said:

Can u explain the side toss? You mention spin recognition. How do you spin the ball for side toss?

What would you recommend for a hitter that dips the bat when trying to hit the ball? Would these drills help her?

Will the drag buster help with turning the barrel?

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Side toss spin recognition... I'll put back spin (rise), forward spin (drop), side spin either left or right (curve or screw) and no spin with a higher toss to throw off timing (change up)
The batter will call out what spin she saw as she hits. This teaches them to pick up the balls spin as a vision drill.

For a dipper you need to understand the root of the problem. It can be anything from an overstride, poor hand placement (low), poor rhythm and timing, an over aggressive rear elbow, or a disconnected swing...etc.
Initially, learning the concept of turning the barrel in the proper sequence along with a tip and rip approach usually does the trick for most kids.

Buying into the tools or gadgets are OK as long as you first understand that its just a devise used as an aid in teaching. It should be just a part of the routine and not the the focus of it. Secondly there is a lot junk, stupid gadgets for sale that don't work or will be counterproductive, and I recommend you do plenty of homework on that particular tool before buying it.
The tools I use are designed to teach the correct form. Once we've established what it is we're trying to fix, the tool allows them to feel the right way so that they can feel that way with their game bat etc.