Crystl Bustos's Swing

[Greenmonsters]

The good thing about the model swings posts thread here on the DFP forum is that they provide a frame of reference of how to hit effectively. The misleading thing about the model swing posts though is that it leads one to believe that the hitters every swing is like that! We don't see the swing and misses, the swings on the balls in the dirt or out of the hitting zone, or any of the swings when the batter is fooled by the speed or location etc. I know of no hitter, FP or MLB for that matter, whose EVERY swing is "good" as supported by the fact that the best and highest paid MLB hitters FAIL more than 6 out of 10 times!

So....here's the million dollar question - if your DD or student hit like Bustos, would you have her make major changes????

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

The good thing about the model swings posts thread here on the DFP forum is that they provide a frame of reference of how to hit effectively. The misleading thing about the model swing posts though is that it leads one to believe that the hitters every swing is like that! We don't see the swing and misses, the swings on the balls in the dirt or out of the hitting zone, or any of the swings when the batter is fooled by the speed or location etc. I know of no hitter, FP or MLB for that matter, whose EVERY swing is "good" as supported by the fact that the best and highest paid MLB hitters FAIL more than 6 out of 10 times!

So....here's the million dollar question - if your DD or student hit like Bustos, would you have her make major changes????

Regarding the 'bold' above ... my answer would be "no". Bustos' swing complies with the Hanson Principle.

The Hanson Principle (… the one to use)
“Always compare what anybody tells you about the swing to slow motion clips of the best hitters in the world”.
-- Mark Hanson

What you want to avoid are teachings that conflict with the Hanson Principle.

 

[Wellphyt]

I could post more, but you can see all most all the posts are attacks on her and Howard on the baseball sites, which you don't see the same posting on this site, I wonder why?

I can't speak for others, but I feel like I need to be more restrained with what I say on this site. Some of the baseball sites allow more give and take, and they are more conducive to challenging what others teach. IOW, on those sites I don't feel like I have to be as concerned about how I word stuff. You need a thick skin on sites that are more loosely moderated, but If you can handle the back and forth it's a great way to learn. I personally like to have my ideas challenged and don't consider challenges on what I teach an "attack".

The fact that you think a critique of what Howard or anyone else teaches is an attack, suggest to me that you get irritated when your beliefs or perhaps Howard's beliefs are challenged. Why is that? Why not just respond and back up your beliefs or Howard's beliefs on those sites where they are being challenged?

 

[absdad]

Just my 2 cents, but It is interesting that some people do not want you to know who they really are that post? Howard Carrier never did and at least posted what he teaches and shows drills that he and Bustos teach students.

Do you think it may be their ego of they may not actually be as smart as you would have them believe they are.

Most credible instructors do not seem to mind it.....just wondering what others have to say about hiding behind a screen name that would have you believing they are the next reincarnation of TSW.

Makes you wonder when they can never post any actual drills they do as to if they can not demonstrate it or may not actually be able to do it. I see this bunch on many sites that these people know more than those that have played the game like Bustos and Don Slaught, yet they won’t tell you who they coach or how they teach. So just because someone can post advice on the internet doesn’t mean they actually teach.

Very well said. That's why many on this site, and others, don't post in these sections. Why waste time arguing with some unknown "expert", over something so ridiculous? Talk is cheap. If I have my choice of listening to a multi-medal winning olympian, or an unknown 10u coach "somewhere"; well... it's not a tough decision to make.

 

[Wellphyt]

Just my 2 cents, but It is interesting that some people do not want you to know who they really are that post? Howard Carrier never did and at least posted what he teaches and shows drills that he and Bustos teach students.

Do you think it may be their ego of they may not actually be as smart as you would have them believe they are.

Most credible instructors do not seem to mind it.....just wondering what others have to say about hiding behind a screen name that would have you believing they are the next reincarnation of TSW.

Makes you wonder when they can never post any actual drills they do as to if they can not demonstrate it or may not actually be able to do it. I see this bunch on many sites that these people know more than those that have played the game like Bustos and Don Slaught, yet they won’t tell you who they coach or how they teach. So just because someone can post advice on the internet doesn’t mean they actually teach.

Agree. However just because someone teaches doesn't mean they teach stuff correctly. Were Enquist and Candrea teaching the high level baseball swing 10, 8, 6 years ago? The day that D1 coaches like Enquist and Candrea realized that what they were teaching wasn't the HLBB swing, were they experts on the HLBB swing? IOW, did they wake up one morning, roll out of bed and instantly turn into experts on the HLBB swing? How many people bought their old instructional material on how to hit? Were they credible instructors at the time? Posting clips of what one teaches doesn't make one credible. Having what you teach hold up to scrutiny is what makes you a credible instructor.

The truth is that the D1 coaches and instructors are learning like everyone else. The benefit of the internet is that the same material available to D1 coaches and instructors is available to the masses. For instance, many college programs have purchased Epstein's instructional material over the years. The same instructional material that I own. The internet has leveled the playing field when it comes to good instruction. The parent at home that has the gift to correctly interpret and duplicate what they see or read, has the ability to out teach D1 coaches who don't have that self awareness. The instructional material is the constant. The variable is one's ability to interpret the material, which is something you are born with. It's a gift. Some have it and some don't.

 

[Cannonball]

I want to make one clarification. I moderate one of those "baseball sites" and so, a member's opinion is no better or worse than the next poster. Because a person is an active member does not mean that they are an expert regardless of number of posts ... It is for the reader to decide who's opinions mesh with their belief systems. Per any suggestion or implication that a "baseball site" promotes any attacks etc. against Howard, I consider Howard to be a friend. We pm each other and he sometimes shares his critique of my stuff. It is always appreciated. I have found Howard to be gracious with his time and efforts.

Take care,

Darrell Butler

 

[starsnuffer]

I think that if half the arm-chair internet-guru's spent half as much time with a kid or two as they do arguing over which phrase to use to teach the same principle on the internet, then we would have twice as many great hitters in the sport.

Words are words, hitting is hitting, they have nothing to do with eachother. This thread is an argument about words, not about hitting.

-W

 

[SBFAMILY]

I would have to agree with the last two posts. If someone is spending 12 hours a day posting on internet sites then how do they teach or work with kids? Here is a PM that I have cleaned up, because I didn't want Ken to shut this down. You can understand many that no longer post on here because of what starsnuffer and others feel. Why spend your time defending what you teach to someone that is an internet hitting guru and we all know does not coach or teach hitting. Not my feeling but many others that will no longer post on these type of sites. To me that is our loss.

" However there is an element of those who attack what they actually do not know.

Chris O'Leary sat in the front row at a coaches clinic when I said, "The next time*** says this is not what she teaches remember her words!" I ask Crystl, "would you please explain the matrix in detail?" Chris just laughed as did about five other people who were there that use to post on this site. When she got to the hand stacked over the elbow and said box we all laughed again!

I then had Chris hold a rope and had a girl pull on the rope by keeping the elbow tucked in tight and then by just clearing her body. I smiled and said which one feels stronger? Away! Each hitter needs to find and under stand their body type and what feels strong to them."

I know many hitting coaches and have worked with a few. I try to keep an open mind. Tweks and some ohter hitting coaches have visited Howard and he can better explain how he has a different way of teaching than others.

 

[cshilt]

I don’t believe her swings support the vertical forearm action that some here have discussed...

You're quite like a broken record on this. Howard never said vertical, you did. He said "stacked", but that does not mean to have a vertical forearm just that the hands should be stacked over the forearm at connection.

Regarding the distance of the elbow from the body; this is dependent on pitch location primarily. Clip after clip of HLBB hitters show this.

I know you like to pull out your carefully edited clips that show Howard's forearm perfectly vertical or where straightleg's daughter's elbow is too far away from her body, but you're taking those examples out of context and you know it.

 

[cblake33]

I doubt many people teach Arnold Palmers golf swing , but he made it work for him and helped change the game of Golf with it.

Just saying , sometimes people really over analyze this stuff. Look at Nick Faldo. He was a robot. Technically perfect , but never as good a golfer as Palmer.