- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,335
- 48
I've never taught that drill but I just tried it with a volleyball. Why would it teach disconnection? Why would the elbows necessarily be pointed to the ground?
Has anyone tried it or just judging it without experiencing it?
Hand Path Device
- Thread starter mkral
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
I've never taught that drill but I just tried it with a volleyball. Why would it teach disconnection? Why would the elbows necessarily be pointed to the ground?
Has anyone tried it or just judging it without experiencing it?
You are correct try it your self. Set your hitter up in their stance. Age will make a difference as also physical size. Now try to find a ball the is not too big around that will fit between your elbows and not hit your chest and then as you swing figure out how and when to let go of the ball at or during contact unless you are just using it as demonstration of showing how the elbows work together and stay connected. You will also find getting their hands positioned from the shoulders will be awkward because of the circumference of the ball especially for the girls for obvious reasons!
This is why many use a rolled towel and place it under their lead elbow arm pit to set what they feel is the correct angle and in my opinion you have to custom fit it as one size does not fit all. I have found getting them to feel what connection feels like and looks like is important in the beginning. So use a mirror to let them see where the elbows should be. I like using an old bat handle either using stretch tubing or rope and then coaching them into slow to load, soft to step, landing on the inside of the lead edge foot and separating the hands slightly rearward, top of hands about the top of the shoulders and hands inside the elbows. Then point out the hips will start at or about when the elbows begin to move and heel plant begins and then allow them to figure out the feeling and sequence in slow motion pointing out the back elbow is coming downward as the lead elbow is moving forward and up at the SAME time and then put a little tension on the rope/ rubber tubing so as they go to bat lag they will get that feeling in the elbows/ shoulders and hips. Try it yourself by having the hitter keeping the back elbow in too close and you will feel less power in their ability to pull on the rope/ rubber cord and then with the elbow away a little more you will feel more power being exerted and so will the hitter. The girls especially because of breast size/ upper chest thickness may have to allow for more distance in spacing the hands from their shoulder in their set up so the back elbow clears during connection.
Then have a ball on a tee set up to hit up the middle while doing this for a visual and see what direction her hands go? Then as she gets there have her unhinge the wrist and release to the ball and this should be an eye opener for you and her as to what she feels. Pay attention she does straighten the lead arm out completely and that there is some flex in the arm. Then set her up with an outside pitch and repeat and most likely she will over rotate. Then point out we rotate as needed using the belly button as the indicator of rotation and the hands are still inside the path of the ball however we have to unhinge earlier because of the ball depth in box.
Thanks Howard
Last edited:
- Oct 12, 2009
- 1,460
- 0
This gadget does a nice job of forcing disconnection.
But I'm not sure why that's desirable.
My problem with putting a ball between the arms of any hitter is they will squeeze it while trying to hold it in place during the swing. This can create the feeling of them doing that same kind of thing without the ball. I want the elbows to move together. Not squeeze together. You squeeze them and your disconnected and dropping the back elbow in front of the hand. You dont want to create a bat drag situation by using a ball in a drill. Just my opinion.
I would be interested that if you try what we suggested how you think it works.
Thanks Howard
This gadget does a nice job of forcing disconnection.
But I'm not sure why that's desirable.
Chris, would you or Hitter please point out the relative plusses & minuses to using to using that contraption. Keep in mindIm a bit SLOW!! Simple terminology please! In my eyes, that thing looks easy to build, & inexpensive & a possible help for my DD's bat drag/ barrell path problems. Thanks Lane
If the swing could be slowed down I would be interested in if the back elbow is ahead of the hand a little as to the top hand.
Secondly I see no extension or at least what I would consider to be good extension that we teach as to finishing a little higher over the shoulder. I think I see the lead elbow fold up and the hands roll over. I made some thing similar to this and I will leave it at that for now. I know enough that one size does not fit all and that up to contact it work well in slow motion however the key is what happens during contact and through to finish while it is still attached?
Let the person who linked it explain how or if it works with his students as to the aspects of teaching connection.
Thanks Howard
- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,335
- 48
The ball I tried was actually a little smaller than a volleyball. Also, I didn't actually hit a ball; just went through a few dry swings.
I can see where it might be useful with some players. One positive is the ball being round you can adjust your arms to most any position to hold it. You could even let it ride on top of your forearms, for example. Unless you're a bigger male athlete I think a basketball would be way too big.
It's definitely not a one-size fits all training tool. I can see how someone could find it useful but it's not one of the drills I'll be using.
- Oct 12, 2009
- 1,460
- 0
The elbow action it teaches isn't terrible, but if you look at this clip frame by frame, you'll see that there is too much space between the front arm and the body and the back elbow is too far forward.
The PVC pipe forces that.
