radial deviation

[Erik]

Staightleg,


do you find this helps develop a push swing out of the back arm?






EL

 

[ifubuildit]

There is a lollipop end at about a 45 degree bend....the other end has a ball attached and it slides inside the other PVC tube and a pin holds it in place so it makes no difference what the length of the bat is we can adjust to it.

The concept is hands inside the ball and not hands to the ball. There is a red piece of tape and the knob of the bat is basically headed in that direction. On the newer version there is about 5 different colors and each is one inch apart. When first using it you will see them casting out!

We stand in front of the hitter and the lollipop end is about the height of the shoulder (bent end towards the shoulder) and the ball end is tilted downward at an angle. A ball hit up the middle, is positioned so the PVC stick is even with the front end of home plate. For an outside pitch, angle the ball outside and further back in the batters box. For an inside pitch angle it further forward.

As they get ready to hit, think slow to load and soft to step, separating the hands rearward at toe touch, now they make a good first move thinking the elbows work as a unit and take the knob of the bat forward inside the path of the ball (elbows hand and the knob of the bat leads the elbows) and as they turn and tilt to adjust to the plane of the pitch ( ball on the end of the stick ) and the knob of the bat is directed at the tape and we say release the barrel of the bat to the ball and they touch it with the bat!

Is it exactly perfect to the scientist and hitting guru...nah! Is it a visual you bet!

That is my world

Howard

INSIGHT on Howard Carrier.

I am going to add to the comments of others here about Howards method of teaching. Howard simplifies as much as possible when working with kids and if he can develop some method to get them to feel and see what they are doing then to the student its golden.

One of the things you have to understand about Howard is that he is an engineer. This man loves to tinker and has more time on his hands than Santa Clause. He kind of looks like Santa so that works. If Howard can invent something to help his students understand and visualize better then he will build it. This man has more contraptions in his garage that he has used and discarded over the years than most of us could ever dream of putting together. A virtual Willy Wonka of hitting invention. It was Howard who invented the Whip Hit. (You can get me back for the analogies later Howard I know you will.)

The particular day I visited with Howard he had a couple of young students come in from Dayton as I recall and they were sisters. The unique part of this is as Howard explained it to me prior to their arrival was that they had learning disabilities. Their father I think was a doctor and knew of Howards ability to work with LD players.

We were with these two for almost 4 hours. During that time I got an opportunity to get some real insight on how Howard teaches various drills to his LD students. It is not your normal approach and it requires the instructor to be patient and communicate almost every aspect of the drill. And not in a manner that is quick or abrupt. To do so would frustrate the student. You must allow the LD student time to process what they are doing and feeling when they do the drill. Then understand what they have accomplished. The other aspect that I noticed is he never used his "Outside Voice" while giving his lessons. He was always soft voiced an encouraging his students.

When it was over I was able to walk away with a whole new perspective on how to teach those with learning disabilities. I learned many things that day not as much from a hitting aspect but much more from a teaching aspect. Howards presentation skills are in a word EXCEPTIONAL. Anyone can instruct kids. It takes someone special to communicate with them on every level.

That is the best lessons I learned in my time with Howard and I use many of his techniques in my lesson plans as an instructor today. Without a doubt he has made me a better instructor.

Dana.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Here's a shot of my daughter.
ELbow / pulling the knob to the red tape as you start to open the shoulder.
The elbow slides straight 2-4 inches then starts to go up and out. Elbow above hand, hand above ball.

The last part is the release to the ball. Hands inside the path of the ball so the release will put the sweet part of the bat on the ball.

I'm not thrilled with the position of the back elbow at the Point Of Contact.

She looks disconnected.

 

[ifubuildit]

Staightleg,


do you find this helps develop a push swing out of the back arm?






EL

Erik,

I think I can respond to that one. No it doesnt if you understand the swing sequence and how the elbows should move in synchronicity during the swing.

 

[ifubuildit]

I'm not thrilled with the position of the back elbow at the Point Of Contact.

She looks disconnected.

Chris look at the relationship of the elbows to each other and the knob of the bat to the spine. The knob is directly across from her spine. If I was to take a pencil and place it in the center of her chest it would point right at the knob of the bat. She is not disconnected IMO. I think the camera angle might also play a part in the visual aspect of the picture.

I think I understand where your coming from with your comment. Your seeing what some call the Lazy L in the back arm. Correct?

 

[straightleg]

Staightleg,


do you find this helps develop a push swing out of the back arm?






EL

Eric

We focus on pulling the bat with the lead fingers elbows working in unison. We avoid pushing with the back hand so the release is not early.

I would also say I enjoyed spending the time with you, earlier this year. You gave me some insight on a couple of things.



Straightleg

 

[straightleg]

I'm not thrilled with the position of the back elbow at the Point Of Contact.

She looks disconnected.

This is a slow motion drill where the point is, to keep the hands inside the path of the pitch.

Many girl students cast out and push with the back hand early and this corrects that problem very fast as they can see it, feel it and fix it.

They then get a better bat lag, better release point and hit it more on the sweet part of the bat.
It is an instant smile.




Straightleg

 

[Hitter]

I'm not thrilled with the position of the back elbow at the Point Of Contact.

She looks disconnected.

We shot the photo only to show the device mainly and not for in depth analysis or I would have staged the shot and made it perfect. I learned a lesson by doing this. We are trying to show the visual you could get by showing the relationship of the lead elbow and back elbow working as a unit and the tilt and adjusting to the plane of the pitch with a ball at an angle and releasing the barrel to the ball.

When Straightleg comes for their next lesson after Christmas I will stage and shoot from the back, front and side and try to make it perfect.

Gerry thanks for taking the picture

Howard

 

[tom.guerry]

here's another device for good elbow action that keeps the shoulders from flying open:

THE CLUB

fireplace extra.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

Chris look at the relationship of the elbows to each other and the knob of the bat to the spine. The knob is directly across from her spine. If I was to take a pencil and place it in the center of her chest it would point right at the knob of the bat. She is not disconnected IMO. I think the camera angle might also play a part in the visual aspect of the picture.

I think I understand where your coming from with your comment. Your seeing what some call the Lazy L in the back arm. Correct?

The knob is in a decent place and the front forearm and the bat are lined up, but her back elbow is well away from her back hip and the angle of her back elbow is quite open (which is more Lazy L than Power L).