Haley

[Mike-Coach Q]

I think those should be HARD swings. And then work it up with HARD swings.

If you go back to the first page of this thread and go to the very last post and look at the swings you can see something that doesn't look quite right..Hard to explain. The bonds drill corrects it imo.

She is a great candidate for it. That bat should be wrapping around and hitting her in the back. The 1rst page swing it just hovers kind of. It's getting better though and looks great.

Thanks, we both feel she is moving in the right direction. Probably the end of next week we will start swinging harder with this drill. I don’t see swinging harder if it causes a breakdown in her mechanics as a step forward. I’d rather build good habits moving forward and then adjust from there.

If you have a clip of how to properly do this drill it would be helpful to see. Thanks again for the support.

 

[Mike-Coach Q]

Here is the swing you mentioned. She’s made several changes over the last 6 months. Probably the biggest thing is a better coil and timing of the ball.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Thanks, we both feel she is moving in the right direction. Probably the end of next week we will start swinging harder with this drill. I don’t see swinging harder if it causes a breakdown in her mechanics as a step forward. I’d rather build good habits moving forward and then adjust from there.

If you have a clip of how to properly do this drill it would be helpful to see. Thanks again for the support.

Here is a clip of the 'clear your hands drill' (aka Barry Bonds drill)

- Eliminate Pop Flies | Hand Path Drill

 

[DRDRODD]

I believe the video that BigSkyHI just posted is a pretty good representation of the Bonds drill but it is missing a key component IMO. The thing that I think is missing is intent. The intent should be to compress the ball, to get "into it" and not just get through it, if that makes sense. The key word that I heard form the Yelich video when he was talking about the Bonds drill is that he said that Bonds wanted him to "POUND" the ball into the plate. To me the word "pound" represents compressing the ball much like if you took a sledge hammer and starting pounding a big rod into the ground. When swinging a sledge hammer the body braces going into impact it stiffens up. So IMO it isn't just about hand path. There is a movement component involved as well and that is the bracing (some call this slamming on the brakes) into impact. I see this intent in a lot of elite hitters but not in all of them. I see it in Bonds, Yelich, Arod & Trout just to name a few. I don't really see this intent in Miggy, Altuve or JDM just to name a few. I also believe this intent is why we hear so many different views concerning hand path from the elite hitters. It really depends on what their intent is to do to the ball. Some what to "POUND" it and some want to get "THROUGH" it. Just wanted to share my thoughts on the subject.

Edit: Have you ever noticed some hitters just have this smoothness in the bat that others don't? I believe that is the difference between the two intents.... The pound guys vs the get through it guys..... IMO you see it in the follow through the best. I find that the pound guys typically have a sharper turn of the barrel in the follow through vs the other guys.

 

[RichK]

IMO, I don't think the video above is what Bonds described or the feel he is trying to attain. Hitting the PLATE off a live pitch vs. having a tee in front of the plate and hitting a lid even further in front are two totally different bat paths and feels.

The latter (the video above) involves a hand-push forward and contact with the ball at the bottom of a V that's out in front.

What Bonds is advocating is a deep barrel path that catches the ball at the bottom of the V (or the turn of the swoosh if V is too in and out of the zone for you) at a point that is at or behind the body. As the hitter moves to hitting low liners, they still pass-through the deep bottom V/pound the plate position but begin to make contact a bit more out front.

Re: the idea of 'pounding' -- the video swing doesn't pound the ball into the plate at all. The Bonds drill 'pounds' the ball into the plate as both a reality and a feel due to where the hitter is catching the ball and the fact that it is pounded almost directly into the ground (ie, the plate) vs skipping it out in front.

 

[BigSkyHi]

Another version

- Bonds Drill

 

[DRDRODD]

IMO, I don't think the video above is what Bonds described or the feel he is trying to attain. Hitting the PLATE off a live pitch vs. having a tee in front of the plate and hitting a lid even further in front are two totally different bat paths and feels.

The latter (the video above) involves a hand-push forward and contact with the ball at the bottom of a V that's out in front.
Every video that I have seen of Bonds showing his intended path to the ball represents this action.

What Bonds is advocating is a deep barrel path that catches the ball at the bottom of the V at a point that is at or behind the body. As the
I am pretty sure Bonds talks about catching the ball out front...... Can you elaborate on the Blue? I don't understand "behind the body" or the V you are speaking of.
hitter moves to hitting low liners, they still pass-through the deep bottom V/pound the plate position but begin to make contact a bit more out front.

Re: the idea of 'pounding' -- the video swing doesn't pound the ball into the plate at all. The Bonds drill 'pounds' the ball into the plate as both a reality and a feel due to where the hitter is catching the ball and the fact that it is pounded almost directly into the ground (ie, the plate) vs skipping it out in front.
I believe Bonds intent is to turn the ball into a pancake and not so much to make the ball hit the ground hard if that that makes sense to you?

I would like to discuss some things where I believe we have a difference of opinions. I embedded where I believe we have these differences.

 

[RichK]

I would like to discuss some things where I believe we have a difference of opinions. I embedded where I believe we have these differences.

Sure. My take is my interpretation is largely based on the drill set up (pitched ball vs. tee) and the goal (hit the plate as a starting point). In the video with the tee, the hitter can't hit the plate with the ball, right? So the two drills aren't the same from this very important starting point.

As far as catching the ball out front, yes, once you progress beyond pounding the plate the point of contact moves further out in front. My take is moving from the pound the plate point of contact to the low line drive POC to the drive the ball out of the park POC is the value of the drill because it establishes a bat path via results of the swing rather than thinking about it or some other checkpoint.

 

[Buttermaker]

I so wish there was a video of Bonds or Yelich doing this drill.

My interpretation is that swinging a sledge hammer straight over the top to pound ball into the plate. The barrel is not going down the back side of the arc - it needs to comes almost straight down. Then as you hit balls further out the barrel path flattens out. Same exact wrist action.

BTW - cannot do this on a tee. Need either a flipped side toss or front toss

 

[DRDRODD]

Sure. My take is my interpretation is largely based on the drill set up (pitched ball vs. tee) and the goal (hit the plate as a starting point). In the video with the tee, the hitter can't hit the plate with the ball, right? So the two drills aren't the same from this very important starting point.

As far as catching the ball out front, yes, once you progress beyond pounding the plate the point of contact moves further out in front. My take is moving from the pound the plate point of contact to the low line drive POC to the drive the ball out of the park POC is the value of the drill because it establishes a bat path via results of the swing rather than thinking about it or some other checkpoint.

I believe I see the hang up here...... I believe the true intention of the drill is to “pound” the ball and the plate is irrelevant..... IMO It is just easier to feel the actions required to pound the ball if you swing pretty much straight down on the ball. Like pounding a rod into the ground with a sledge hammer. Turn the ball into a pancake. Then you take that same pound it into a pancake action/feeling and incorporate it into the progression of hitting the ball for distance.

Thanks for the discussion


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