Newbie questions
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Absolutes are pretty easy. It depends on how you teach what constitutes an absolute.
I look at the swing as having two phases, preparation to swing and then swing. The launch position is the position in-between the two phases. The preparation phase is everything up to toe touch the launch position. The preparation phase is the coil, loading the back leg/hip and scap pinch. There are only to things to worry about, loading the pelvis/back leg and setting up the back/scap.
The loading of the back leg/hip is an absolute. It is the same for every hitter. The style is toe tap, open stance, small knee lift, larger knee lift, knee tuck or pushing off the front foot (push the load/weight back)
To put it in simple terms the loading starts and never stops, the hands are moving back (even if they don't move at all) as the lowerbody starts, begins to change direction. It's like fly fishing the line is going backwards until the line gets taut and yanks the fly forward. Same thing in hitting you start by going backwards or the hands move backwards (even if they don't move, more of a feel thing) and they will change direction on their own. Your always loading. You can say that one starts to counter rotate and never stops, the swing will change direction all by itself. You don't want to actually counter rotate but the feel is what your trying to accomplish
How the swing works is to arch the lower back and tilt rearward at the launch position.
Style is taking a stride, how far one strides. Open stance and striding back toward the pitcher. How far the hands are from the body. No stride. Where the hands start low, forward away from the body.
more later.
I look at the swing as having two phases, preparation to swing and then swing. The launch position is the position in-between the two phases. The preparation phase is everything up to toe touch the launch position. The preparation phase is the coil, loading the back leg/hip and scap pinch. There are only to things to worry about, loading the pelvis/back leg and setting up the back/scap.
The loading of the back leg/hip is an absolute. It is the same for every hitter. The style is toe tap, open stance, small knee lift, larger knee lift, knee tuck or pushing off the front foot (push the load/weight back)
To put it in simple terms the loading starts and never stops, the hands are moving back (even if they don't move at all) as the lowerbody starts, begins to change direction. It's like fly fishing the line is going backwards until the line gets taut and yanks the fly forward. Same thing in hitting you start by going backwards or the hands move backwards (even if they don't move, more of a feel thing) and they will change direction on their own. Your always loading. You can say that one starts to counter rotate and never stops, the swing will change direction all by itself. You don't want to actually counter rotate but the feel is what your trying to accomplish
How the swing works is to arch the lower back and tilt rearward at the launch position.
Style is taking a stride, how far one strides. Open stance and striding back toward the pitcher. How far the hands are from the body. No stride. Where the hands start low, forward away from the body.
more later.
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I asked a question like this and some replied that I wouldn't get much of an answer, but I think that's wrong. I think most people here agree on what is absolute. They just don't always agree on how to perform/achieve those absolutes.
For example, turning the barrel is an absolute for a high-level swing, but people here often disagree on how the barrel gets turned. I'm still not sure who I side with on that, but I do know to ignore any videos that advocate for a "push" swing instead of turning the barrel.
For example, turning the barrel is an absolute for a high-level swing, but people here often disagree on how the barrel gets turned. I'm still not sure who I side with on that, but I do know to ignore any videos that advocate for a "push" swing instead of turning the barrel.
I for one think of the hands as a rotational point. You set up a deep rotational point through the back leg/hip. Hit from the back leg.
- Sep 29, 2014
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The preparation phase as Shawn stated comes first and it is all about getting your hitter into this position which I consider the first absolute, if you don't get here which as described includes load, coil, scap pinch and separation your swing may work but it will not be optimal. Some hitters will look just a little different but if you analyze enough swings it will just amaze you how almost every elite swing at this point look very, very similar.
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Here's a clip paused at the launch position. They both have a tap back.
Do you agree with my overall point, both generally (the what vs. how) and specifically with turning the barrel?
Yes I do agree. I was going to highlight part of your post.
Just watched Lau's video last night. And of course he talked about pulling the barrel through. You must think about the entire arc and start turning the barrel immediately. Anything else is just going to create slop.
