Ive seen bits and pieces about grip in other threads and thought it would be important enough for its own thread. I used to teach line up the door knockers but after researching this site and a few others Im most interested in the grip hitter describes. Does anyone have any photos or video of this?
grip
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- May 13, 2008
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Although slightly dated, this video should still apply...
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The only part that might be different now is the part about lining up the door knocking knuckles. It isn't necessary to do that, but they should be close. The top hand should be relaxed enough that the door knockers line up at the point of contact.
At about 1:09 in the video, this demonstrates an easy way to get the proper grip. Pay particular attention to how the index fingers look at 1:22. When gripped properly the index fingers will have a slight separation from the middle finger and kind of "hook" around the bat. Think of how you grip a golf club and it is similar.
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The only part that might be different now is the part about lining up the door knocking knuckles. It isn't necessary to do that, but they should be close. The top hand should be relaxed enough that the door knockers line up at the point of contact.
At about 1:09 in the video, this demonstrates an easy way to get the proper grip. Pay particular attention to how the index fingers look at 1:22. When gripped properly the index fingers will have a slight separation from the middle finger and kind of "hook" around the bat. Think of how you grip a golf club and it is similar.
- Oct 12, 2009
- 1,460
- 0
Very few good hitters line up their door knocker knuckles at all.
Most match up the 1st and 2nd knuckles (aka axe grip). That still allows you to be palm-up, palm-down at contact.
We teach the girls how to use a $7 dollar hammer before we use the $300 dollar bat. Most kids especially the girls hold the bat back in their hand, the web area where the thumb meets the index finger. I tie a piece of saran wrap on the top hand index finger as a reminder to keep the bat forward of the index finger pad and for the bat to be at an angle across the palm of the hand so the index finger will look like a hook and the thumb will be resting on the side of the bat. For us it is very important not to have the thumb holding the index finger down as that is evidence of the bat is too far back in the top hand.
The bottom hand, we lay the bat in the area where the fingers join at the palm of the hand and if you choose the thumb can rest on the index finger of the bottom hand or be slightly off.
By holding the bat in the top hand as described allows for the bat / hammer to move unrestricted in the top hand which in my opinion is where the hand path can go wrong. As your back elbow is lowering and the transition to bat lag is beginning IF the bat is so deep in the back of the hand the centripetal forces allow the bat head to release too soon because you have no control of the bat with the top hand and you can not direct it as linear as it needs to be during that transition. If you extend your right hand forward palm up and then take your other hand and use the index finger and thumb and wrap it around the forearm of the right hand we can test for grip strength. While holding your forearm with of the right arm withe the left hand move the right ring finger and social finger as if gripping towards the palm of the hand. You should feel muscle activation on both sides of the right forearm and we call these fingers grippers. Now repeat and only move the index finger and thumb and grip. You will only feel a slight activation on the thumb side of the right hand and we call these the balancers. The ring and social finger share a common tendon which is why these are the two strongest fingers on the hand. As we transition to bat lag this type grip allows us to control the linear to rotational move however we maintain control of the bat and the wrist do not unhinge until we want them too. To test for the difference in the feel of the grip hold the bat your way...and bring the bat to contact as if hitting off a tee and have someone take their baby finger and try to push the bat rearward and see if you can hold them back. Now try it as described and they will not be able to do it! The bat being held in the top hand is what I term, the hand is behind the bat and not in the back of the hand. Using this grip you will notice the top hand finger knuckles will be off set slightly and the knuckles will be offset towards my wedding ring. For me a lot of the wrist rolling and casting out or hitting around the ball seems to be greatly reduced using this grip.
As soon as they take a couple of swings we then introduce the next big thing for the girls and that is extension. We use a drill termed the hand over drill. Simply hold the bat as described above and then turn your top hand upside down so you see the back of your hand and the thumb is pointing downward. The top hand is going to used ONLY as a guide and help to hold the weight of the bat until we are just about to make contact with the ball. This avoids putting too much stress on he shoulder elbow or wrists. Have them hit a ball off the tee and think pulling the bat out of the top hand by using the lead arm elbow, think the lead elbow is leading, then the knob of the bat and release the barrel to the ball and go to extension and finish high over the shoulder. For many of the girls this will be their first time to actually feel EXTENSION! I have down this on the field with college teams and they have hit the ball farther with one hand than they did with two hands and we proved it. Girls traditionally give up during contact and you will see the lead elbow fold. bend over and the bat hits the top of the shoulder or dumps over their back. After about 5 to 10 swings have them use the grip as described and they get that big smile as they know they GOT IT and could feel it. We see at least 20 to 30 feet more in the flight of the ball and you will hear the difference also.
Thanks Howard
Howard responded I deleted mine..
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- May 11, 2009
- 279
- 0
Howard
Do you have a picture of the grip as you describe it. I am having trouble figuring it out. I think I have it but I want to make sure I got it.
Thanks
Mike
Do you have a picture of the grip as you describe it. I am having trouble figuring it out. I think I have it but I want to make sure I got it.
Thanks
Mike
- May 11, 2009
- 279
- 0
Thanks guys I got it now!! That saved me from trying to do a big search.
Howard:
It seems to me that at launch, the vast majority of MLB hitters line up the door-knocking knuckles of the right hand opposite (about) the wedding ring position on the left hand. Or line up door-knockers on one hand with punching kniuckles on the other.
And we have had enormous success with this. It is the position we have found best encourages / causes palm-up/palm-down at contact, with no wrist roll until after contact. I would add that we work most frequently with Gold and college level hitters, but not exclusively (don;t know if your thinking on this is age dependent).
The position I am describing seems dramatically diferent than what the picture illustrates. Have you found (what I've described) ineffective with female hitters for some reason? Because as Chris indicates, there is little doubt that what I've described is pretty typical for MLB. I've actualy seen Bonds and other power hitters occasionally go so far as to line up the PUNCHING knuckles on both hands, but I think right hand door-knockers to left hand wedding ring is pretty typical.
Thanks,
Scott
It seems to me that at launch, the vast majority of MLB hitters line up the door-knocking knuckles of the right hand opposite (about) the wedding ring position on the left hand. Or line up door-knockers on one hand with punching kniuckles on the other.
And we have had enormous success with this. It is the position we have found best encourages / causes palm-up/palm-down at contact, with no wrist roll until after contact. I would add that we work most frequently with Gold and college level hitters, but not exclusively (don;t know if your thinking on this is age dependent).
The position I am describing seems dramatically diferent than what the picture illustrates. Have you found (what I've described) ineffective with female hitters for some reason? Because as Chris indicates, there is little doubt that what I've described is pretty typical for MLB. I've actualy seen Bonds and other power hitters occasionally go so far as to line up the PUNCHING knuckles on both hands, but I think right hand door-knockers to left hand wedding ring is pretty typical.
Thanks,
Scott
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Howard would you recommend using your method for 8 and 9 yr olds? and if they are taught the door knocks to other knocks method is your method something that could be added later on with ease?
