Is this a good method for working swing mechanics?

[FJRGerry]

I'm always trying to think of ways to work on improving my teaching good hitting mechanics so I had this idea the other day which I tried with my daughter the other night - she thought it was "stupid" ( 13yo ), but I think it may have some merit.

Essentially it's using a slow motion swing to just before contact with a ball on a tee, pausing a second or two to review body position, then using the wrists to flick the ball off the tee followed by good extenstion and follow-through.

Your thoughts are appreciated and thanks for the input!

Gerry

 

[Flash101]

One of the gurus will step in here and comment, hopefully, but I'll offer my two cents FWIW.

I'm not sure about the wrists flicking the ball off part - what does that accomplish? Nonetheless, I think your idea can useful, and you can build on that by going to different points of contact instead of the single POC of the tee (have coach or teammate hold a dowel or something - the hitter doesn't actually hit it, but uses it as a visual point of reference).

We use what I call a "stop" drill. I'm sure I didn't invent it but I don't recall where I saw it first - I think Englishbey's site. Anyway, it involves going to contact at full speed, not slow motion, but stopping right at contact (if the ball is tapped off the tee, no big deal). Kids who are hands-swingers or casting or any number of other things are exposed very quickly - the hands-swingers usually can't even stop the swing. We usually alternate swings with about a total of 8 or 10: one to stop, one through the ball, another to stop, etc. They will find it odd and somewhat difficult at first, but then the light bulb goes on (hopefully ) At the stop, of course, there is the opportunity to check the whole range of body postures and positions you're looking for.

 

[Mark H]

Both of those are very good. The slow motion thing is as useful as your knowledge is deep but it can be very good. The stop swings are to a great extent self enforcing. Good plan on both.

 

[Flash101]

Thanks Mark - I've learned so much from your posts in various places over the years - it feels good to be validated at some level

 

[Mark H]

Thanks. Your explanation of the stop swing was clear and accurate.

 

[FJRGerry]

To me the wrist flick comes into play at contact thru extension - it seems to add to bat speed at contact and maybe aid in extending contact an extra millisecond to transfer more energy to the ball. Maybe?

 

[Mark H]

I think you are looking at the late uncocking of the wrists. The angle between the bat and the lead forearm should remain about 90 degrees or a little more acute till late in the swing. Approximately one frame or so before contact on a 30fps video. The wrists' small muscles can't power that. It's a summation of the kinetic chain. Some believe a push/pull between the hands powered by the shoulders and arms plays a significant part in the late uncocking/whip and some think it's the transfer of momentum from good rotation and connection of that rotation to the bat. I think if you get to one frame before contact in good shape, you can think about the whip either way and you will be do well. You can google double pendulum model if you want but basically you are doing fine.

 

[Wellphyt]

I prefer a heavy bag. The bag can be positioned to stop the swing at contact or slightly after contact. The student can start off slow and gradually increase the speed of their swing. Mankin uses heavy bags when he teaches and I've heard that Epstein also uses them at his camps.

 

[Mark H]

Heavy bag can be very useful. Stop swings have a more self enforcing aspect than the heavy bag but I use both.

 

[FJRGerry]

I had used my heavy bag with my son when he was in LL years ago - I thought I was being rather unique in this approach! I haven't tried it with my daughter though - my concern is it may put too much stress on the wrists. I've tried the hitting a deflated soccer ball of a tee as well and feel this puts too much stress on the wrists as well.