Stopping at Contact

[SBFAMILY]

Gerry the other thing that Howard does that was brought up in our clinic this weekend that we try to get across to kids that don't seem to understand how much work is involved to improve your swing. Your first lesson with Howard is 6 to 8 hours long with a 30 min break. So you are not talking 1 hour and done, like many hitting coaches. The kid sleeps all the way home . Unless you want to work at it, you will not improve. We ask in many of our clinics how many times did you pratice last week. 90% one time or less a week.

 

[Tewks]

obbay

I use a certified trainer as resource to keep me and the girls as safe as possible when working out. They do not recommend hitting basketball and soccer balls as it puts to much resistance in the wrist, shoulder and elbow while it is in a vulnerable position. I do a progression ball drill where I toss a tennis ball, hard ball next, regular softball which I think weighs 6.75 ounces and then a weighted softball which weighs 10.8 ounces. I want them to hit each ball as accurately and hard as possible while still being in control of their swing mechanics.

I do not do the quick hands toss as I feel it promotes bad mechanics as the hitter gives up their mechanics in the lower half to keep up with the person tossing the balls.

When we do about 15 cycles with the progression ball drill I throw 10 more softballs and allow the hitter to set up properly before throwing another one and you can see them driving the ball harder and finishing.

Just my opinion....

Thanks Howard

Howard, you beat me to the post! Ditto on the above.

 

[absdad]

absdad

I do things a little differently in that I no longer assume what the girls know anymore and especially in the last 9 years since working with Crystl and the Chinese National Softball Team.

• Boys have historically been trained from an early age to use their body in sports activities which develop their neuromuscular systems. Girls are not exposed to this early motor learning at a young age, putting them at a distinct disadvantage when they decide to get involved in high school sports.
• It is essential for girls to receive training early, to play competitively later.
Source: Physical Therapy Corner: Knee Injuries and the Female Athlete

For the most part girls do not understand leverage or balance and the dads and coaches do not teach them what it feels like.

I will have a girl swing the bat a few times and then I challenge them to swing harder....look for the legs not to be used, little to no stride, and hitting their shoulders or back and remember they did not even hit a ball. Do not say much else and take the top hand and turn it upside down so you can see the back of their hand and the thumb is pointing down. Explain you want to pull the ball out of the top hand just about at contact by allowing the lead arm elbow to move a little forward and finish with the bat over their shoulder. Observe what happens! They do not hit their back or shoulder unless they allow the fingers of the lead hand to come loose. Now have them hit a few off the tee and usually they are hitting the ball harder with the lead hand than they did with both hands. Chris has said look up stream first to see what could be going wrong. They have no clue what up stream even is yet however they just felt extension for the first time in their life and may not understand how they did it yet however they felt it! Have them do about 10 swings hitting a ball on the tee. Then we show them how we want them to grip the bat in the hand. We do not want the thumb over the index finger as it restricts bat head movement from naturally happening. The girls want to bury the bat in the back of the hand where the thumb and index finger meet. Those that have the Easton Turbo Slot gloves do not read the directions as they lay the bat on the pad verses pinching the pad forcing the thumb against the index finger which keeps the bat out of the back of the hand. Another visual to get the girls on board faster is to take a piece of saran wrap and twist it some it looks like rope and tie it on the index finger of the top hand and explain to them you want the bat held at an angle in front of the index finger pad and saran wrap and on this position the thumb and index fingers will not touch and this keeps the bat forward in the hand. To test to see if the hitter feels it have them bring the bat to POC and use your baby finger and try to force the bat rearward and you should be able to feel the resistance. Then repeat and have them hold it in the back of their hand and you will see the bat move about 6 inches before it locks up in the hand. This may be why they give up on the ball when they hit it. Also choking up and not allowing the knob to up against the bottom hand is another power loss. Then try it again and this time have the hitter look up a little like they are trying to see where they hit the ball and you will be able to move the bat rearward. Now repeat again and this time have them look down as if tracking the ball and you will feel that resistance again. When your head is down you are stronger as you have engaged the intrinsic muscle group which is located on either side of your spine.

Now have her try to hit again using both hands and see if she hits the ball harder and drives through to extension?

Would like to hear what you find out for feed back please.

Thanks Howard

Howard... our next practice is tomorrow night. I'll incorporate this into their time on the T, and definitely let you know. Thank you much.

 

[Mark H]

What are thoughts on the cause of stopping at contact with younger players?

Is the heavier ball too much to move? Is the force hurting their hands? I haven't hit many softballs, but I know the impact is much different than hitting a baseball.

Low bat speed at contact likely with an incomplete or non existent whip/wrist uncocking.

I agree with Hitter on volleyballs and the like being a bad idea to hit. Can't make it go anywhere with just bat speed so the drill encourages an incomplete whip, putting them in position to hurt something and encourages slow batspeed to contact and a push after contact. Just bad all around.

 

[Tewks]

Low bat speed at contact likely with an incomplete or non existent whip/wrist uncocking.

What is wrist "uncocking" and how is it related to whip? Never heard this term. What is it and when does it happen?

Further, how can this be related to stopping at contact with younger players?

 

[Mark H]

Near contact the bat and the lead arm forearm should go from approximately 90 degrees to approaching parallel. This should happen in the last frame or so before contact. This is whip/wrist uncocking. It's related because it relates to batspeed at contact.

 

[Wellphyt]

I agree with Ken that girls aren't typically as aggressive as boys.

I believe another cause are coaches constantly telling the girls to watch the bat hit the ball. Combine that cue with the swing down mechanics that are still taught in fastpitch, and it leads to a hitter stopping at contact. It's very difficult to finish your swing if you swing down and your head is down while you watch the bat hit the ball.

 

[SBFAMILY]

George Brett, from The Art of Hitting .300, by Charley Lau Sr. page 1. Look at where the ball is; which I suspect is less than 3 ft. and look where his eyes are. We teach this not looking at the bat, but we do teach eye down, not pulling them up looking at where you hit the ball. Test. Make a praying position with your hands in front of you. Now have someone try to force them down with your head up and with your head down and see which is a stronger position. I do agree teaching kids to swing down is terrible. Mike does a very good job in RVP showing the big zone and explaining what happens . We use a Big Zone in every hitting clinic to show kids what happens when you cast, swing down, or level.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Look at where the ball is; which I suspect is less than 3 ft. and look where his eyes are.

It's all a matter of a "prediction" at that point.

Eyes at contact .....

 

[SBFAMILY]

Fiveframe I can post just as many looking like Brett, try the drill I posted and then explain how the muscle group in your back work , before you attack it with more pictures. .The reason for the additional resistance is the intrinsic muscles are activated with the head tilted down slightly or the chin is below the horizon. These muscles are located on either side of the spine. To prove this have the hitter reach behind them at about the belt line with their thumbs and raise and lower their head and they will feel the intrinsic muscles firm up when the head is down and loosen up with the head tilted upward or the chin above the horizon. Now have them grip the bat and pretend like they are hitting a ball off a tee and stop and hold their position and take your baby finger and push rearward with their head up and you will feel little to no resistance and then repeat with their head down slightly and you and the hitter will feel the resistance! When hitting during soft toss or off a tee you will hear the difference in the sound the bat makes when their head is down slightly. We put a white rag inside the tee to promote keeping the head down after contact