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Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Can you explain the "resistance to that elevation" part? The lead shoulder does become elevated (moreso on lower pitches), but not sure what is resisting or how. It naturally/easily elevates for me.

Consider reviewing the video at the beginning of this thread here ==> https://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/35456-importance-lead-shoulder-speed.html

As you watch professional swings, notice that the lead shoulder goes in the opposite direction of the bat head. You want your lead shoulder to become opened quickly. Unfortunately young body-unaware type hitters key into the "lead-shoulder to barrel relationship" and begin opening up the lead shoulder with the lead shoulder. They figure that if opening up the shoulder makes the bat move, then why not try to move the shoulder directly? That is too slow! Instead, it is better to resist the lead shoulder going up & out, and then you release that resistance so that your shoulders accelerate opening ... then they will 'snap' open. They open much faster by not trying to use the shoulders directly, but instead by resisting the opening that is happening and then releasing that resistance.

 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
"After being introduced to the "gun site" in the swing, then I would occasionally quiz her ... "what part of our body finds the ball?" After she would get that correct I would ask "which two engines are responsible for getting our gun site aligned?" After getting that right, the questions are "how do you use the torso-engine to align the gun site?" ... "how do you use your hands & forearms to align your gun site?"."


FFS what and where is the gun site?
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
"After being introduced to the "gun site" in the swing, then I would occasionally quiz her ... "what part of our body finds the ball?" After she would get that correct I would ask "which two engines are responsible for getting our gun site aligned?" After getting that right, the questions are "how do you use the torso-engine to align the gun site?" ... "how do you use your hands & forearms to align your gun site?"."


FFS what and where is the gun site?

The upper lead-arm can be thought of as the gun site in the swing.

The lead-arm is a swinger consisting of three sticks ... the upper lead-arm, the lead forearm, and the bat.

The upper lead-arm is controlled by the torso-engine on one end (shoulder) and by the forearm/hand engine at the other end (elbow).

The gun site is aligned quite early in the swing ... shortly after the initial pull on the lead-arm by the torso engine while the bat is well above the hands. At this point you pretty much have a hit ... not necessarily a square, but a hit, ... you basically remain in your inclination and swing/throw.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Would it be ok to say "lead elbow to the ball and stay in your posture."?

Just spent time on Justin Stones site, wow! Dude is getting in deep. See if we agree with this conclusion:

Though the legs aid in creating rotational hip speed, their primary function during the swing is stabilization. From the EMG study by Shaffer, he noted that the stability of the legs allows the middle of the body (glutes and core) to unwind with maximum force. The legs need to anchor to the ground, providing enough ground force to increase hip acceleration through opposing leg-to-leg forces. The bracing of the legs into the ground provides for better segment disassociation, which allows the middle of the body to stretch and turn against a stable base, thus creating better kinetic energy transfer. The ability to stabilize and disassociate allows for faster deceleration rates by the hips which increases turn speed of the torso. The increase in kinetic energy transfer promotes potential for overall, optimal, angular velocity output and bat speed.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Would it be ok to say "lead elbow to the ball and stay in your posture."?

Just spent time on Justin Stones site, wow! Dude is getting in deep. See if we agree with this conclusion:

Though the legs aid in creating rotational hip speed, their primary function during the swing is stabilization. From the EMG study by Shaffer, he noted that the stability of the legs allows the middle of the body (glutes and core) to unwind with maximum force. The legs need to anchor to the ground, providing enough ground force to increase hip acceleration through opposing leg-to-leg forces. The bracing of the legs into the ground provides for better segment disassociation, which allows the middle of the body to stretch and turn against a stable base, thus creating better kinetic energy transfer. The ability to stabilize and disassociate allows for faster deceleration rates by the hips which increases turn speed of the torso. The increase in kinetic energy transfer promotes potential for overall, optimal, angular velocity output and bat speed.

Thank you for the description on the legs. I agree with a lot of that.

Regarding the "lead elbow" ... if that works for your hitters, then fine. For me, the elbow is at the end of the upper lead arm that is heavily influenced by the hands/forearms ... whereas the other end of the upper lead arm is influenced heavily by the torso-engine. I want both engines involved in the "finding of the ball" ... so for me it's the upper lead arm as the 'gun site'. However, any 'gun site' in this area is better than no gun site in the swing ... so if the elbow works for you, then go for it.
 
Jan 28, 2017
1,662
83
Thank you for the description on the legs. I agree with a lot of that.

Regarding the "lead elbow" ... if that works for your hitters, then fine. For me, the elbow is at the end of the upper lead arm that is heavily influenced by the hands/forearms ... whereas the other end of the upper lead arm is influenced heavily by the torso-engine. I want both engines involved in the "finding of the ball" ... so for me it's the upper lead arm as the 'gun site'. However, any 'gun site' in this area is better than no gun site in the swing ... so if the elbow works for you, then go for it.

Can you explain a little more about how the upper lead arm works in your swing? Thanks
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Can you explain a little more about how the upper lead arm works in your swing? Thanks

The upper lead-arm is acted upon ... first by the torso-engine, and then virtually immediately by the hand/forearm-engine.

The lead-arm is a "swinger". If you are 'swinging', the lead forearm will align with the upper lead-arm, and the bat aligns with with the lead forearm.

The bat is basically an extension of the lead-arm.

As Bonds' would say ... you play catch ... with the sweet spot of the bat replacing the glove. The barrel is an extension of the lead-arm.

The height of the ball is found early ... immediately after the lead-arm is being pulled by the torso-engine. The upper lead-arm is quickly put on plane.

The notion of getting the bat on plane early, in a sense of being on plane with the incoming ball (i.e., in line with the incoming pitch), is foolish ... sure, it makes sense to the uninformed ... but it is ignorant of how the swing actually works. The barrel, from a 'swing vantage point', is put 'on plane' much earlier ... with the barrel well above the hands.
 
Feb 5, 2019
6
0
I think the #1 thing for kids (at least ours) is to make sure they are having fun . When they're that young, if they are not having fun they will quit.It happened to me when I Was a kid...
 

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