Dropping the Hands

[cshilt]

In many good swings, the hands will drop but then come back up to the shoulder level. I think it's clearly bad when the hands drop at this point and then never rise back up again to the level of the armpits at least.

For instance, here's Musial dropping his hands.

However, the thing to notice is that, as his hands go back during his load, his hands go back up again.

That is precisely what I was talking about. Where are the hands at the launch position? In this clip when Musial gets to toe touch/heel plant his hands are back in a good position. Prior to that it is kind of a style choice.

I would argue that, if you see too much of this, then you're seeing the bad form of dropping the hands. It may not be bad if the hands drop to the armpits during the swing, but any lower than that, except if you got fooled, is likely problematic.

Here is an entire page of Pujols from your site. In many of these his hands are below where they were at launch/load. Yes there is some tilt involved, but this is the point I was trying to make.

Photos of Albert Pujols' Swing

Sometimes an adjustment has to be made and the hands will have to create a new swing plane. Unfortunately pitchers don't always pitch to the same spot every time.

 

[cshilt]

"In 20 years I have never been wrong when I observe no weight shift in a female hitter, she demonstrates poor throwing techniques." Howard Carrier

Howard, are you really starting to cite yourself in your own quotes? This is hilarious! When you start referring to yourself in the third person I'll really start to worry.

 

[Hitter]

RichK

At your next practice try this....get two clothes pins that have the spring action clamp and a tape measurer and get a piece of caution tape about 10 feet long and attach it to the net and attach the other end to the tee and stretch it out. Make the end that is attached to the net higher so there is an angle. In the middle place a tee exactly under the tape and this is the plane of the pitch. Have your hitter measure off from the back corner of the plate and lay the bat down across the outside corner and place her lead foot at the knob of the bat and adjust your stance width. Mark your bat with electric tape so you and the hitter can see the sweet spot of the bat. Explain to the hitter we are going in slow motion and to load, stride to toe touch and separate the hands rearward slightly. Then start her swing slowly allowing the knob to lead the elbows and when the bat begins to cross the tape put a clothes pin there and continue directing the knob inside the path of the ball (caution tape) and try to keep the sweet spot on the plane of the tape as long as possible and then at full extension bat pointing at the direction of the pitcher attach the other clothes pin. Measure the distance between the clothes pins and that is your big zone. Most kids starting out may not even get to 35 inches. Those that swing down, level or cast away will also have short big zone however the hitters will now see why! Then make your hand height adjustments or work on the elbows staying connected so they can see their improvements. Point out our hands are inside the caution tape just as it was a ball.

At my house I have two huge mirrors 36 x 74 and have eye bolts glued to the mirrors and use a dog lead roll up cord that has two whiffle balls verses clothe pins and they can see them self from head on and from the rear because of the mirrors. The bat has red and blue electrical tape and where it meets is the sweet spot. They can see the elbow MUST be higher than the hands and the bat head is below the hands matching the plane of the pitch so it makes an excellent visual of what it is we are asking them to do.

AP has a big zone of 60 inches and Bustos has 72 inches and keeping the bat on the plane of the pitch gives us more room for error and a better chance of at least fouling the ball.

Keeping the lead arm flexed and not straight at POC is new for some kids as is the unhinging of the bat and barrel to the ball as to the direction we want to drive the ball and that is up the middle for this demo, so the belly button should be pointed in the direction of the pitcher. Make your adjustments and they will see the difference. It is an interesting process to observe when they can see what the bat is actually doing verses what they think it does. You will see what happens when you are too linear and too rotational also.

Thanks Howard

 

[Hitter]

Remember I said it years ago and want to be remembered for getting something right once in a while!

When I die you can lead the charge...I thought I was going to last Monday as my heart went out of rhythm again!

Howard

 

[ifubuildit]

Howard

You have too much Jack to drink. You cant leave yet.

 

[ifubuildit]

If I stop asking questions, and in particular dumb ones that everybody supposedly knows the answer to, you should probably check my pulse.

AMEN Chris. At least you asked and got a great response IMO.

 

[TowPilot]

Ever asked the girls that drop their hands if they play much tennis? Nice backhand but bad softball swing.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Dana he scared the **** out of us!

 

[RichK]

Howard, tks. That's very interesting....

 

[Dragoncoach]

Chris I think that if the wrist are hinged (cocked) and the bat angle was set you wouldnt be able to drop hands too far because the bat would lay on the shoulder. This is just my observation from trying it on a dry swing but I never played high level ball unless you count slow pitch.Ive just learned mostly from you guys on here and a few videos. But it is very respectfull and wise for someone at your level to still be asking questions!