I did not tape the fingers together...I put saran wrap on one finger, the index finger so they put the bat handle just in front of it and not in the back of the hand.
Howard
practice bat drag- before / after
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I did not tape the fingers together...I put saran wrap on one finger, the index finger so they put the bat handle just in front of it and not in the back of the hand.
Howard
- Oct 12, 2009
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I happen to like this drill, in large part because it's consistent with what I see in video.
Before I had heard of this drill, I was cropping footage and I observed that, if I ignored the follow-through, I could crop the clip pretty much right at the hitter's back foot. That was because on good swings the head of the bat pretty much never got outside, or more than a couple of inches outside, the back foot. As a result, putting a screen or wall 6 or fewer inches behind the hitter's back foot would encourage something that you DO see in high-level swings and that you DO NOT see in draggy swings.
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Howard -
Your ENPF pattern is the same as the MLB pattern.
The reason is because the way you teach is compatible and resonates with the SAME inborn pattern that exists in both boys and girls, males and females.
There are a finite number of patterns and combinations that organize learning of the skill. Humans are not born as blank slates.
Kids are not doing what you say directly. What you say is invoking a certain pattern which is what is preformed.
A good throw pattern is very similar to a good ENFP/MLB pattern. Bustos pattern is same basic one as Pujols.
So if Pujols says he likes the feel of "throwing the hands", this is compatible with what you teach and what Bustos feels.
The details of how you teach this will be important in how well the CUE fits and encourages a consistent pattern.
If unstead you believe in a "core controls appendages" as some do, you will promote a different pattern and result.
Your ENPF pattern is the same as the MLB pattern.
The reason is because the way you teach is compatible and resonates with the SAME inborn pattern that exists in both boys and girls, males and females.
There are a finite number of patterns and combinations that organize learning of the skill. Humans are not born as blank slates.
Kids are not doing what you say directly. What you say is invoking a certain pattern which is what is preformed.
A good throw pattern is very similar to a good ENFP/MLB pattern. Bustos pattern is same basic one as Pujols.
So if Pujols says he likes the feel of "throwing the hands", this is compatible with what you teach and what Bustos feels.
The details of how you teach this will be important in how well the CUE fits and encourages a consistent pattern.
If unstead you believe in a "core controls appendages" as some do, you will promote a different pattern and result.
Tom
I teach a lot of kids and at various levels of the game and each one is unique like a snow flake, in that I have to understand how to get them to feel what it is I am teaching them...see it, feel it and fix it. There is no one way to teach however there is a core structure to every swing.
As to AP verses CB I see it as apples and oranges and both taste great....now choose one and see if you can describe the differences and each kid must have a foundation, so which one would you choose to teach if you had a choice? TSW, AP, CB, Bonds, Manny? I choose CB and have had a great deal of success by using it.
This is why I choose a model and it works for both boys and girls and is considered by many to be easy to teach and pattern.
No body I teach uses AP a model as to grip, set up, minimum stride, high elbows as it is unique to him and possibly a few others only.
Please do not show me what he does from connection to contact as that is not relevant as to teaching the individual them self.
Thanks Howard
Howard -
I don;t think AP and CB are apples and oranges. Sure everyone is unique, but the amazing thing about MLB hitters is how similar the swing is so that there are indeed absolutes as popularized by Lau for example.
An example of a totally different pattern for example would be the gate swing.
As as snow and rain.
Sure every snow flake is unique, but they all have a lot of structure in common.
In the swing, for example if you emphasize turning the shoulders, you get a gate swing pattern.
If you emphasize live and independent hands you are more likely to get the ENPF?MLB pattern, but you may need a lot of other swing attributes to be present such as the similarity to throwing/etc.
This is why things like "flying open" or not are important, but the pattern is inborn and shared across mles and females which is the only way to explain how similar swings/snowflakes look.
I don;t think AP and CB are apples and oranges. Sure everyone is unique, but the amazing thing about MLB hitters is how similar the swing is so that there are indeed absolutes as popularized by Lau for example.
An example of a totally different pattern for example would be the gate swing.
As as snow and rain.
Sure every snow flake is unique, but they all have a lot of structure in common.
In the swing, for example if you emphasize turning the shoulders, you get a gate swing pattern.
If you emphasize live and independent hands you are more likely to get the ENPF?MLB pattern, but you may need a lot of other swing attributes to be present such as the similarity to throwing/etc.
This is why things like "flying open" or not are important, but the pattern is inborn and shared across mles and females which is the only way to explain how similar swings/snowflakes look.
Tom
I will stand by this statement: "As to AP verses CB I see it as apples and oranges and both taste great....now choose one and see if you can describe the differences and each kid must have a foundation, so which one would you choose to teach if you had a choice? TSW, AP, CB, Bonds, Manny? I choose CB and have had a great deal of success by using it."
Which one do you teach?
I have settled for CB's swing and it works for both the girls and boys. Nothing flamboyant as it just works and if I had a student who did not want to use it they can find another hitters style to emulate and a instructor who believes in that.
Thanks Howard
I will stand by this statement: "As to AP verses CB I see it as apples and oranges and both taste great....now choose one and see if you can describe the differences and each kid must have a foundation, so which one would you choose to teach if you had a choice? TSW, AP, CB, Bonds, Manny? I choose CB and have had a great deal of success by using it."
Which one do you teach?
I have settled for CB's swing and it works for both the girls and boys. Nothing flamboyant as it just works and if I had a student who did not want to use it they can find another hitters style to emulate and a instructor who believes in that.
Thanks Howard
Howard -
They all have the same foundation, so you teach the same thing/way.
I prefer Williams/Epstein as a foundation with more detail on teaching weight shift and arm action based on similarity to overhand throw.
If you get SCIENCE OF HITTING BY TSW (The S is for Samuel, not Splinter), see the mechanics sections which he describes as "the area that breeds controversy." Williams goes through the swing sequentially as cock hips (which even then few knew how to do and fewer how to describe) cock hands, hips lead, top hand as power hand,power push swing,slight upswing, top hand wrist still unbroken or at least not rolling before contact.
Epstein played for and studied under Williams and concentrates on the core/middle move of the swing which he describes as powered by "body torque" which is created and controlled by "winding the rubber band" as you stride to balance at toe touch with the front foot open, followed by "drop and tilt" to launch an adjustable swing.
When you put these together, you can start with grip,stance and rhythmic preswing activity (the last of these is a Lau absolute), then:
cock hips/lift front foot
cock hands/stride
wind rubber band/coil
drop and tilt/GO
swing/release.
Epstein has a simple set of "numbers drills" which teaches the flow through numbered standard positions and teaches adjustment nicely.
The back arm action/flow/sequence is the same for both throwing and swinging in the ENPF/MLB pattern until drop and tilt where the action becomes quite different/distinct.
During the "drop and tilt", the upper body turns the bat with simultaneous twist of the forearms ("scoop sand with top hand" is the Epstein cue for this forearm swiveling action), rotation of the elbows as they maintain their spacing, and tilting of the shoulders. At the same time, the hips snap or fire primarily via back hip thrust.
regardless of the descriptive cues used, the sequential flow of the ENPF/MLB pattern is the same, permitting efficient sequential summation/addition of velocity as opposed to the later/less efficient sequencing of the "gate swing", for example.
This was a previous analysis of AP from the radial deviation thread with link to oleary clip:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting/1918-radial-deviation-18.html#post16686
The same is true of TSW and BB and MF and AP. I have also posted some links to parts of the swing for AP and MF.
Here are BB and TSW together, obviously executing the same basic pattern:
Here is a Bustos clip from Siggy's site for you to look at:
http://photos.imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/olympic//CrystalBustos_Olympics.gif
For orientation, frame #23 is contact:
Prior to this she has crouched a little, then as this clips starts she cocks the hips staying well balanced on the back leg, hands go down and back a little
then she cocks the hands during the stride/positive move, hands continue back and go up a little, notice anti-bugshish heel leads toe rotation of back foot.
frames #11-12, "shows front sole" which is transition to "winding rubberband"/coiling into toe touch. ground up rotation of back leg seen with push from back foot eversion. hands continue up and over as they stay back and swivel of back forearm starts around frame #14.
shoulders do not start tilting until frame #16. shoulders tilt, elbows rotate retaining spacing, hands do not start forward until frame # 17. no extension at back elbow until frame#20.
"addition"/Summation-wise hip thrust/shoulder tilt/rearward acceleration of bat during "drop and tilt" creates final stretch of torso as bat turns and hands stay at back shoulder.
torso turn/unloading maxes out and has started decelerating at frame #20, lead arm has started hinging off chest,then is decelerating by frame #23.
Lead wrist uncocks last 2 frames to contact reaching max batspeed at contact, frame #23.
They all have the same foundation, so you teach the same thing/way.
I prefer Williams/Epstein as a foundation with more detail on teaching weight shift and arm action based on similarity to overhand throw.
If you get SCIENCE OF HITTING BY TSW (The S is for Samuel, not Splinter), see the mechanics sections which he describes as "the area that breeds controversy." Williams goes through the swing sequentially as cock hips (which even then few knew how to do and fewer how to describe) cock hands, hips lead, top hand as power hand,power push swing,slight upswing, top hand wrist still unbroken or at least not rolling before contact.
Epstein played for and studied under Williams and concentrates on the core/middle move of the swing which he describes as powered by "body torque" which is created and controlled by "winding the rubber band" as you stride to balance at toe touch with the front foot open, followed by "drop and tilt" to launch an adjustable swing.
When you put these together, you can start with grip,stance and rhythmic preswing activity (the last of these is a Lau absolute), then:
cock hips/lift front foot
cock hands/stride
wind rubber band/coil
drop and tilt/GO
swing/release.
Epstein has a simple set of "numbers drills" which teaches the flow through numbered standard positions and teaches adjustment nicely.
The back arm action/flow/sequence is the same for both throwing and swinging in the ENPF/MLB pattern until drop and tilt where the action becomes quite different/distinct.
During the "drop and tilt", the upper body turns the bat with simultaneous twist of the forearms ("scoop sand with top hand" is the Epstein cue for this forearm swiveling action), rotation of the elbows as they maintain their spacing, and tilting of the shoulders. At the same time, the hips snap or fire primarily via back hip thrust.
regardless of the descriptive cues used, the sequential flow of the ENPF/MLB pattern is the same, permitting efficient sequential summation/addition of velocity as opposed to the later/less efficient sequencing of the "gate swing", for example.
This was a previous analysis of AP from the radial deviation thread with link to oleary clip:
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting/1918-radial-deviation-18.html#post16686
The same is true of TSW and BB and MF and AP. I have also posted some links to parts of the swing for AP and MF.
Here are BB and TSW together, obviously executing the same basic pattern:
Here is a Bustos clip from Siggy's site for you to look at:
http://photos.imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/olympic//CrystalBustos_Olympics.gif
For orientation, frame #23 is contact:
Prior to this she has crouched a little, then as this clips starts she cocks the hips staying well balanced on the back leg, hands go down and back a little
then she cocks the hands during the stride/positive move, hands continue back and go up a little, notice anti-bugshish heel leads toe rotation of back foot.
frames #11-12, "shows front sole" which is transition to "winding rubberband"/coiling into toe touch. ground up rotation of back leg seen with push from back foot eversion. hands continue up and over as they stay back and swivel of back forearm starts around frame #14.
shoulders do not start tilting until frame #16. shoulders tilt, elbows rotate retaining spacing, hands do not start forward until frame # 17. no extension at back elbow until frame#20.
"addition"/Summation-wise hip thrust/shoulder tilt/rearward acceleration of bat during "drop and tilt" creates final stretch of torso as bat turns and hands stay at back shoulder.
torso turn/unloading maxes out and has started decelerating at frame #20, lead arm has started hinging off chest,then is decelerating by frame #23.
Lead wrist uncocks last 2 frames to contact reaching max batspeed at contact, frame #23.
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Tom I feel the way we teach is simple and easy for the kids and parents to understand. We probably teach balance better than most hitting instructors especially those that work with females as they are taught first how to throw. A friend of mine just attended Carol's camp at UM and observed kids attending the clinic and his observations were the kids did not throw well or have a weight shift and because he has worked with us for a couple years he knew what to look for.
This is what you may be over looking is how we teach balance and weight shift is not the same as the others I will leave it at that.
Manny hits like CB as he does get lower like a female and that is his style.
Read TSW's book many years ago and noted on page 63 I think."Now, it is true that Epstein swung up a little too much..."
I see the glass as half full and some have empty, I know what we teach works and the kids and their success speaks volumes of how simple it is too teach it also. I understand what and how to teach and again try to make it easy so the average parent can help their kid AND recognize when some one is giving them bad advice or tries to alter their swing.
We are doing a clinic this weekend in Columbus Ohio so those of you who live close, please stop by and judge for yourself.
Thanks Howard
This is what you may be over looking is how we teach balance and weight shift is not the same as the others I will leave it at that.
Manny hits like CB as he does get lower like a female and that is his style.
Read TSW's book many years ago and noted on page 63 I think."Now, it is true that Epstein swung up a little too much..."
I see the glass as half full and some have empty, I know what we teach works and the kids and their success speaks volumes of how simple it is too teach it also. I understand what and how to teach and again try to make it easy so the average parent can help their kid AND recognize when some one is giving them bad advice or tries to alter their swing.
We are doing a clinic this weekend in Columbus Ohio so those of you who live close, please stop by and judge for yourself.
Thanks Howard
Howard -
I think it is more than obvious that what you teach works.
I would just say HOW it works is ultimately by distilling/developing/perfecting/triggering an inborn pattern that is so common and preferred because it is by far the best pattern for the task. It is also the pattern that is similar to the best overhand throw pattern.
It is NOT a middle out/core controls appendages/1 plane rotational gate swing pattern.
It is not an arm extension/arm swing pattern.
A key to understanding/analysis (which can be communicated/shared) is to determine how to best describe what the pattern involves which can be done as a universal sequence/muscle action/flow through positions producing the expected range of summation/addition as measured by motionanalysis. There is not much agreement on the importance of this and how it s best done.
I think this type of motionanalysis data and applying this to video analysis to recognize good connection/addition/summation:
YouTube - Motion DNA and Jennie Finch with Pro Softball Players
See next post for data summary.
I think it is more than obvious that what you teach works.
I would just say HOW it works is ultimately by distilling/developing/perfecting/triggering an inborn pattern that is so common and preferred because it is by far the best pattern for the task. It is also the pattern that is similar to the best overhand throw pattern.
It is NOT a middle out/core controls appendages/1 plane rotational gate swing pattern.
It is not an arm extension/arm swing pattern.
A key to understanding/analysis (which can be communicated/shared) is to determine how to best describe what the pattern involves which can be done as a universal sequence/muscle action/flow through positions producing the expected range of summation/addition as measured by motionanalysis. There is not much agreement on the importance of this and how it s best done.
I think this type of motionanalysis data and applying this to video analysis to recognize good connection/addition/summation:
YouTube - Motion DNA and Jennie Finch with Pro Softball Players
See next post for data summary.
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