Model swings

[LAdad]

Can't pitch much more through the middle than that.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Jennie Finch, HR:

 

[Wellphyt]

Jennie Finch, HR:

Pretty good sequence here. Notice how she drops her hands a little right before her hands go back. That action is what some of us refer to as a "hand cock". Notice how the hand cock occurs at the same time as her hip cock. Immediately following the hand cock her hands go back and up to about arm pit height. This action is what some of us consider the loading of the hands. Notice how the up and back movement of the hands occurs at the same time as the stride. When the hands go back during the stride, some of us refer to that as the "stretch" part of the swing.

This entire sequence is the same as in the overhand throw. The "hand cock" in hitting, is the down motion of the throwing arm when the hands break in the overhand throw. The "hand load" and "stretch" in hitting, is the internal rotation of the throwing arm as it goes back during the stride in the overhand throw.

What I see all the time are players who have had this very important sequence coached out of them. The "hand cock" especially is still viewed by many as a no-no. The hand cock is synced to the hip cock, so if the hand cock is removed it almost always throws off the sequence. The hand cock is a timing device that gives the hands something to do when the hips cock. If you remove that from the sequence then the hands will almost always go back during the hip cock and then go forward during the stride eliminating the stretch part of the sequence. This is what is commonly called "all back all forward". I say leave the hand cock in as long as it's not too severe. You don't want to drop the hands too much because they will have to come back up to armpit height to swing the bat. I consider Jennie's hand cock perfect.

If you decide to remove the hand cock from a player's swing, you need to help the player figure out what to do with their hands to stay in sequence. I tell my daughter to keep her hand cock as IMO it helps her rhythym.

Just putting this out there to give others a better idea of how some of us relate the overhand throw to the swing.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Good post Wellphyt. IMO the hands should not load directly back, but follow the "down & in then up" movement that we see here. Coaching that sequence out of the swing would be a big mistake IMO ..... as I generally work to coach the sequence into hitter's swings.

I've had some success lately using an analogy of putting the hands on the shelf and using the hips to pull them off the shelf. The arms remain relaxed while putting the hands on the shelf. We 'relax' to stretch and 'contract' to explode (PTAF).

Also notice the lead shoulder "down & in" action and the downhill relationship between the 'rear' and 'front' shoulders during this portion of the swing. This "down & in" action, sets up a hitter to naturally establish connection during the "up through" action ... as in "down & in", then "up & through".

 

[softballdoc]

Howard's Matrix

Does anyone know or know how to find Howard's Matrix? If I google him all I find is some of his clinics but nothing else.

 

[SBFAMILY]

softballdoc. If you need this let me know and I will e mail you.

 

[lhowser]

FFS Sez;

I've had some success lately using an analogy of putting the hands on the shelf and using the hips to pull them off the shelf. The arms remain relaxed while putting the hands on the shelf. We 'relax' to stretch and 'contract' to explode (PTAF).

I have used this with a 10u group since you introduced it here. I like it and is helping me with some of them great a connection beteen the core and the bat barrel.

 

[TravelMomma]

DD's coach is teaching the styling of UGA, thanks to the posts on this thread she now has a slo-motion example.

 

[ecflyguy]

FFS. I echo the thanks of everyone else. You have provided an invaluable set videos for us to use.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Alabama's Courtney Conley, 3 RBI HR: