Opinions on attacking the lead elbow

[RayR]

Lots of people want the front elbow down, to prevent chicken winging, but I think that's a bad idea.

I agree with you.

It sure doesn't cure bat drag based on the youtube clip. And the I really don't what to make of the front arm action after contact displayed below.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

FFS, do you believe what Yeager says here? Or are you just regurgitating someone else's information...

I'm pointing out that an instructor that works at a relatively high level, finds value in promoting a swing in which the upper arm can be thought to ride along the upper chest.

IMO, if you promote the "actions of connection" with respect to the lead shoulder and lead humerus, then you will realize the particular 'feature' that Yeager speaks of.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Don't like the device. If you watch the front elbow, this might work in baseball , but how would you use this motion and hit a riseball pitcher in softball?

 

[Wellphyt]

I would not buy a device that places an emphasis on the lead elbow. IMO, the back elbow picks up the lead forearm/elbow. Or, if the lead forearm/elbow is already up in the stance, then it pretty much stays put, while the back elbow slots. The elbows actually work independently. Yes, the lead elbow has to get up and stay up until contact, however IMO the position of the lead elbow is directly tied to how the back elbow slots. I have observed three ways that hitters use to tuck the back elbow. All three will affect the lead forearm/elbow in a different way.

 

[RayR]

Well - one thing common amongst bat dragger is the rear elbow tucking in tight to the rib cage. I agree the back elbow path effects the front elbow immensely.

 

[SBFAMILY]

The back elbow gap away from the body or how close it is to the body effects the power of the swing. Try a little test. Have your hitter pull a rope as it was a bat. I use the whip hit. Have them try to pull it thru with the elbow close to the body, and far away from the body. Each time they will feel the power. They will be able to understand where the back elbow and arm must be in relationship to the body to create power. This is a big issue with females based on the type of upper body developement that female has.

 

[Wellphyt]

Well - one thing common amongst bat dragger is the rear elbow tucking in tight to the rib cage. I agree the back elbow path effects the front elbow immensely.

IMO, the closeness of the back elbow to the rib cage when it tucks down is not the cause of bat drag. The closeness of the back elbow to the rib cage during the tuck phase, will often vary because of body type and pitch location. IMO, how the back elbow tucks down is more important than how close it gets to the rib cage.

I agree that if hitters simply "drop their hands and drag" or, "lower their elbow to their side via simple adduction", they will almost certainly bat drag and have their back elbow up against their rib cage.

If a hitter has a poor sequence, they will also likely exhibit bat drag, regardless of how the back elbow gets tucked.

 

[RayR]

I guess it is how you look at it. I agree with SB that a player will be more powerful with the elbow spaced - meaning quicker and stronger. If the elbow is tucked their is drag on the swing and thus the bat.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

The back elbow gap away from the body or how close it is to the body effects the power of the swing. Try a little test. Have your hitter pull a rope as it was a bat. I use the whip hit. Have them try to pull it thru with the elbow close to the body, and far away from the body. Each time they will feel the power. They will be able to understand where the back elbow and arm must be in relationship to the body to create power. This is a big issue with females based on the type of upper body developement that female has.

Purposely displacing the elbow far away from the body is, IMO, a bad idea if we are talking about swinging a bat.

But if you would clarify your position, perhaps I could understand it better. At what point in the swing are you talking about being more powerful? Certainly the earlier demonstrations by SL, with the excessive elbow displacement and vertical forearm up to 'bat lag' may be more powerful in terms of pulling on a rope, but there is a reason you won't see such a swing at the high level of this game ... it wouldn't be productive.

 

[Wellphyt]

I guess it is how you look at it. I agree with SB that a player will be more powerful with the elbow spaced - meaning quicker and stronger. If the elbow is tucked their is drag on the swing and thus the bat.

IMO, the hands are braced by the body. The closer the hands are to the body the stronger the position and the quicker the swing. If the hands get to far away from the body the swing becomes too arm-z and the swing slows down. Think of a figure skater spinning. When they want to spin faster they pull in their arms. When they want to stop spinning, they throw their arms out. IMO, on an inside pitch, the rear elbow will tend to be closer to the rib cage than for an outside pitch. Common wisdom is that hitters need to be quicker on the inside pitch.

The rear elbow needs to tuck down in order for the hands to stay inside the ball.

"Staying inside the ball (1) keeps the hitter "short" and compact, (2) maximizes bat quickness and bat velocity, (3) supports the hands at contact, and (4) gives the hitter more "time" to look pitches over."

- Mike Epstein