HELP! please evaluate my daughters swing

[FiveFrameSwing]

Cool, good discussion.

I look at "release" just as a different term for the old word - I've heard, and used from my youth - "extension"...which IMO is an effect, and not a cause.

Although you say you "don't believe in attempting to 'hold' a hinge angle" when I hear someone use the word "release" wrt the swing, I have to ask..."what" are you holding that you have to "release", and exactly "how" and "when" do you know to release it?

In my mind, I'm swinging/launching the bat with all I've got from the "launch position", and let the force/momentum of the bat take the barrel into the ball, and then into extension or "release") of it.

Now I may try to stop or "check" my launch into the ball, but that's usually for naught because I'm launching/swinging with all I've got, and not metering my "swing" forward with my hands to maybe or maybe not "release" it once my hands have traveled out front to the ball. Just my "take" on it...pun intended.

Thank you MB.

As I tell my hitters ... let the barrel do the work.

 

[Mudders Brudder]

As I tell my hitters ... let the barrel do the work.

That works as well. =)

 

[_MIA_]

I would like to say 'yes' to you Pattar ... but my respect for the sport has me saying 'no'. He has the torquing action incorrect in that demo.

Lol..I am not invested in that drill so no skin off my back. If we are just talking about forces acting on the handle, would you care to explain how you teach it?

Edit: and by invested I mean have my DD do anything of the sort

 

[_MIA_]

I just tossed my hat for ya pattar,

Woohoo!!

 

[2br02b]

Kudos to Matt for presenting the info as if it's his, and/or new...but there's not a single thing in there that isn't/wasn't from HI ten years ago...the SnF drill, one legged, TTB, palm up, the list goes on.

Btw, I love what Matt's doing and teaching in his Youtube videos, but just find it a bit humorous that some who disparage Rich's words/work, like what Matt is teaching/saying...when Matt is dang nearly parroting/demoing word for word, action for action Rich's and others earlier work.

FWIW - he states in this or a related video that he did this drill when he was 11. He is relaying info from his own experience.

 

[2br02b]

I break it down a bit in a demo.

I perform a swing and freeze it at the beginning of swing launch ... which as I teach it will have the 'upper lead arm' finding the ball during the initial hip/torso-engine usage. While frozen in this 'orientation' (inclination), I tell my hitters that the bat head is still up and behind me, but I've already found the ball ... and that all I need to do from here on is use my hands while remaining in my body's inclination ... I tell my hitters that the hit is mine for the taking ... all I have left to do is use my hands ... so I might as well use my hands at 100%.

This brings me back to the Cabrera HR's from different pitch locations GIF. You can see he sets his launch position by finding the ball first.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Lol..I am not invested in that drill so no skin off my back. If we are just talking about forces acting on the handle, would you care to explain how you teach it?

Edit: and by invested I mean have my DD do anything of the sort

The torquing action he is demonstrating in that demo, IMO, is why others complained of dumping the barrel .... it is not in concert with the lead-arm ... it is why he spoke of late pronation of the lead-arm (showing the non-hairy/less-hairy/underside of the lead forearm to the pitcher). That is a misguided goal IMO ... a gross over exaggeration. The hand torquing action should be in concert with the lead-arm.

Simply use the hand-engine to assist in the early finding of the ball (i.e., placing of the upper leadarm in plane with the prediction of where impact will be ... an action more dominated with the hip/torso-engine) and to align/turn the barrel to the lead-arm. This statement makes some assumptions of lead-arm usage ... but I suspect we are on the same page with that already.

 

[Rolling Hard]

When I think of release, I think of the unhinging of the wrist (swivel). I also believe that at times the hitter may hold the hinge when they find themselves out in front (early). It can be part of adjustability. Not a preferred move. There can also be a release to extension. This is letting the elbows straighten usually after contact. And also a seldom spoke about release of the torso. This is the hitter losing his spine angle. Standing up or some might say thrusting their hips. The torso release is trickiest of the releases. Some want to thrust the hips prior to contact. I think all the releases should be done as naturally as possible and all can be over cooked very easily.

FFS, Why is throwing bats beneficial for some but not others? I think long tee and throwing bats (helicoptering- I love that word for throwing bats because it reminds that the spin rate of the bat being thrown is also important as the distance it is being thrown) offers the hitter instant feedback and understanding of releases.

 

[_MIA_]

The torquing action he is demonstrating in that demo, IMO, is why others complained of dumping the barrel .... it is not in concert with the lead-arm ... it is why he spoke of late pronation of the lead-arm (showing the non-hairy/less-hairy/underside of the lead forearm to the pitcher).

Bold is why I asked you if the body was in the correct position at/during launch,including correct positioning of lead arm, would you have an issue with the way he was applying torque to the handle. I probably should have been more descriptive. I am purely talking about the forces he is applying to the handle.You do agree using the hands correctly includes a torquing, right? Again, what I see in a lot of young hitters, is the initial forces applied are along the handle e.g. producing purely linear motion of the knob with no rotational motion.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

When I think of release, I think of the unhinging of the wrist (swivel). I also believe that at times the hitter may hold the hinge when they find themselves out in front (early). It can be part of adjustability. Not a preferred move. There can also be a release to extension. This is letting the elbows straighten usually after contact. And also a seldom spoke about release of the torso. This is the hitter losing his spine angle. Standing up or some might say thrusting their hips. The torso release is trickiest of the releases. Some want to thrust the hips prior to contact. I think all the releases should be done as naturally as possible and all can be over cooked very easily.

FFS, Why is throwing bats beneficial for some but not others? I think long tee and throwing bats (helicoptering- I love that word for throwing bats because it reminds that the spin rate of the bat being thrown is also important as the distance it is being thrown) offers the hitter instant feedback and understanding of releases.

RH ... I work with a large array of hitters ... some are highly athletic and have a gifted sense of body awareness ... others have a very limited sense of body awareness. I love them all ... if they show up to put in the work then that's all I ask for.