R
RayR
Guest
Can someone show a picture of this? Howard has written this to me a couple of times and I just can't visualize it.
drag and hand activation
- Thread starter redzuk
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FiveFrameSwing
Banned
R
RayR
Guest
Starting in frame 66 she loses the front arm...Teach her how to use the hands and how not to lose the front arm...
[/QUOTE]
Theaddition, did you post that as an example of how the feet can cause drag? It looks like she has an open stance and opens it more on the stride and strides onto the outside of the foot. Its strange, like all the power is sucked out of the core and the upper half takes over causing drag.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Looks like another example of improper use of the hands.
I see the barrel flatten and a brmmmm, brrmmmm, motorcycle action of the top hand.
I've paused the swing (last frame) where I consider "connection" to be made via the bottom hand.
From here, the swing is basically initiated from a trapped position ... with no choice but to drag the barrel.
Terrible handset ... never really cocks or loads the hands ... flattens the barrel ... zero early bat speed contribution due to improper actions of connection ... never really establishes connection to the top hand ... improper use of the top hand/forearm.
I see the barrel flatten and a brmmmm, brrmmmm, motorcycle action of the top hand.
I've paused the swing (last frame) where I consider "connection" to be made via the bottom hand.
From here, the swing is basically initiated from a trapped position ... with no choice but to drag the barrel.
Terrible handset ... never really cocks or loads the hands ... flattens the barrel ... zero early bat speed contribution due to improper actions of connection ... never really establishes connection to the top hand ... improper use of the top hand/forearm.
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FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Redzuk .... take a look at this clip ... I've placed a pause on the last frame.
Look at that last frame closely.
She's rotated her rear hip ... has separation between her shoulders and hips ... ... ... ***BUT*** the barrel hasn't gone anywhere yet ... in a rotational sense that is. She basically hasn't used her hands yet ... because if she did, we wouldn't see the barrel path that she has. It's like MTS described earlier ... the hands have been left behind.
You certainly aren't seeing a "rearward C" shape with the barrel tip. Looks nothing like this clip ....
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
I wanted to review two contrasting examples of top hand usage.
In the first example below we have the Motorcycle Throttle Hand (MTH) motion. It resembles the hand movement that takes place when turning the throttle on a motorcycle. This is 'one' of the common miss uses of the top hand that can contribute to a hitter experiencing 'bat drag'.
Focus on the top hand movement in the above GIF. Notice the direction the top hand turns in and the lack of corresponding barrel arc that should be seen if one were using their hands and producing a "rearward C" (See clip below). The palm of the top hand is actually orientated to the sky, while the bat barrel is still behind the batter. This MTH motion is what we want to avoid … and as instructors we should be watchful for this, especially when dealing with a kid that has ‘bat drag’.
As instructors … it is not good enough for us to recommend “what not to do”. If the goal is to be helpful to the hitter, we have to supply a replacement action. That is … we need to provide our hitters with information on what they should be doing with their top hand, and not simply what they shouldn’t be doing.
Said differently … many hitters respond better in terms of “what TO do”, rather than “what NOT TO do” … this is especially true of athletes performing high speed sequential movements.
The action that we give the hands is a pressure sensation in the direction of top hand/forearm supination. An example of what that looks like, in ‘isolation’ (i.e., not in the context of the swing sequence), is shown below.
Take note that this is not shown in the context of an actual swing … but it does give the image of what supination is … i.e., the twisting of the rear forearm/hand … while maintaining an upright “Power-V” like relationship with the rear forearm-to-bicep.
Now for timing … or the sequence …
Within the swing sequence, the pressure sensation of rear top hand/forearm supination on the bat handle will take place ‘after’ the “hip train” has left the station … remember, we ALWAYS get a “lower body running start”, ….. and this ‘hand pressure’ will even take place ‘after’ the “fusion” takes place in the rear upper arm and rear shoulder. The pressure sensation on the bat handle is immediately after the rear arm ‘fusion’ process … and for many it will feel like it occurs at virtually the same time … but it truly is a sequence in which ‘fusion’ of the rear upper arm occurs prior to top hand/forearm supination.
Now … I understand many may be having a difficult time grasping the concept of “fusion” or “establishing connection” … so let’s try a slightly different approach.
Most people perform the ‘fusion’ process when they “laterally tilt” … and for a good reason … it’s often part of the connection process. So for now, consider replacing the thought of ‘fusion’ with “lateral tilt”. That is, if you are having a difficult time grasping the concept of “fusion”, or “establishing the actions of connection”, then see if thinking along the terms of “lateral tilt” might work for you ….. and if you are someone that avoids “lateral tilt”, then that would be a good reason that you might be having a difficult time with the “feel” of the “actions of connection” … More on that later. For now, if you are having a difficult time with the notion of “fusion”, then see if the notion of “lateral tilt” and “hands” works for you … that is “hands” in the sense of applying a force of top hand/forearm supination with respect to the “bat handle”. So it will be “lower body running start”, followed by “lateral tilt” & “hands” (top hand/forearm applying a pressure on the barrel in the direction of supination).
The secret … Shhhhh …. it’s in the hands ... and in the dirt.
In the first example below we have the Motorcycle Throttle Hand (MTH) motion. It resembles the hand movement that takes place when turning the throttle on a motorcycle. This is 'one' of the common miss uses of the top hand that can contribute to a hitter experiencing 'bat drag'.
Focus on the top hand movement in the above GIF. Notice the direction the top hand turns in and the lack of corresponding barrel arc that should be seen if one were using their hands and producing a "rearward C" (See clip below). The palm of the top hand is actually orientated to the sky, while the bat barrel is still behind the batter. This MTH motion is what we want to avoid … and as instructors we should be watchful for this, especially when dealing with a kid that has ‘bat drag’.
As instructors … it is not good enough for us to recommend “what not to do”. If the goal is to be helpful to the hitter, we have to supply a replacement action. That is … we need to provide our hitters with information on what they should be doing with their top hand, and not simply what they shouldn’t be doing.
Said differently … many hitters respond better in terms of “what TO do”, rather than “what NOT TO do” … this is especially true of athletes performing high speed sequential movements.
The action that we give the hands is a pressure sensation in the direction of top hand/forearm supination. An example of what that looks like, in ‘isolation’ (i.e., not in the context of the swing sequence), is shown below.
Take note that this is not shown in the context of an actual swing … but it does give the image of what supination is … i.e., the twisting of the rear forearm/hand … while maintaining an upright “Power-V” like relationship with the rear forearm-to-bicep.
Now for timing … or the sequence …
Within the swing sequence, the pressure sensation of rear top hand/forearm supination on the bat handle will take place ‘after’ the “hip train” has left the station … remember, we ALWAYS get a “lower body running start”, ….. and this ‘hand pressure’ will even take place ‘after’ the “fusion” takes place in the rear upper arm and rear shoulder. The pressure sensation on the bat handle is immediately after the rear arm ‘fusion’ process … and for many it will feel like it occurs at virtually the same time … but it truly is a sequence in which ‘fusion’ of the rear upper arm occurs prior to top hand/forearm supination.
Now … I understand many may be having a difficult time grasping the concept of “fusion” or “establishing connection” … so let’s try a slightly different approach.
Most people perform the ‘fusion’ process when they “laterally tilt” … and for a good reason … it’s often part of the connection process. So for now, consider replacing the thought of ‘fusion’ with “lateral tilt”. That is, if you are having a difficult time grasping the concept of “fusion”, or “establishing the actions of connection”, then see if thinking along the terms of “lateral tilt” might work for you ….. and if you are someone that avoids “lateral tilt”, then that would be a good reason that you might be having a difficult time with the “feel” of the “actions of connection” … More on that later. For now, if you are having a difficult time with the notion of “fusion”, then see if the notion of “lateral tilt” and “hands” works for you … that is “hands” in the sense of applying a force of top hand/forearm supination with respect to the “bat handle”. So it will be “lower body running start”, followed by “lateral tilt” & “hands” (top hand/forearm applying a pressure on the barrel in the direction of supination).
The secret … Shhhhh …. it’s in the hands ... and in the dirt.
R
RayR
Guest
FFS, Not that I disagree with what you are posting - I just come at from a different perspective.
In that last frame she has alreeady lost the front arm. The bend in the elbow is gone and the shoulders have started rotating the barrel instead of the hands swinging the bat. This is a common swing in that the body is swinging the bat.
The act of flattening the barrel is part of losing the front arm. I used attack the barrel dump, but the hands can still be left behind or the hitter can still cast - either way they will still figure out a way to lose the front arm by straightening it.
Looking more closely at the connector device I can see the value if the swing is started by the hands and not the shoulders. You cannot lose the front arm with the device.
In that last frame she has alreeady lost the front arm. The bend in the elbow is gone and the shoulders have started rotating the barrel instead of the hands swinging the bat. This is a common swing in that the body is swinging the bat.
The act of flattening the barrel is part of losing the front arm. I used attack the barrel dump, but the hands can still be left behind or the hitter can still cast - either way they will still figure out a way to lose the front arm by straightening it.
Looking more closely at the connector device I can see the value if the swing is started by the hands and not the shoulders. You cannot lose the front arm with the device.
R
RayR
Guest
And the act of laterally tilting should be initiated by the lower body. If you shift the legs forward as the hands go or stay back, your back elbow will drop/slot and your shoulders will laterally tilt.
The hands then fire - think of this as read the pitch time. But, if you are pinning the hands to the shoulder and relying on shoulder rotation to bring the bat around you will commit too soon. Even if you laterally tilt with the hands pinned to shoulder (deltoid drill) you still need to disengage the hands immediately to swing the bat.
For instance, on a rise ball if you use a deltoid drill swing even with good lower body mechanics you will laterally tilt the hands out of the swing. Part of adjusting to the rise (or high fastball) is that your hands stay up as drive forward and the front elbow flexes more. Can't do that with a deltoid drill or a swing that fuses the hands to the rear shoulder.
FFS made a comment that this looked like the neck drill. I agree, but the hands are not fused to the rear shoulder. Get rid of the deltoid drill do this one
The hands then fire - think of this as read the pitch time. But, if you are pinning the hands to the shoulder and relying on shoulder rotation to bring the bat around you will commit too soon. Even if you laterally tilt with the hands pinned to shoulder (deltoid drill) you still need to disengage the hands immediately to swing the bat.
For instance, on a rise ball if you use a deltoid drill swing even with good lower body mechanics you will laterally tilt the hands out of the swing. Part of adjusting to the rise (or high fastball) is that your hands stay up as drive forward and the front elbow flexes more. Can't do that with a deltoid drill or a swing that fuses the hands to the rear shoulder.
FFS made a comment that this looked like the neck drill. I agree, but the hands are not fused to the rear shoulder. Get rid of the deltoid drill do this one
T
theaddition
Guest
[/QUOTE]Starting in frame 66 she loses the front arm...Teach her how to use the hands and how not to lose the front arm...
The young lady is not a student of mine. I have not worked with her at all.
We've know her for a few years and she used to be one of the best at the 14U level due to her size.
She could get away with it at that level, but not any more. I mentioned some things to her dad over the years, but he dismisses advice.
Not from just me, but from everyone.
The front arm goes because of what FFS is saying above and the flat bat. IMO.
BD
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