Swing Chute...

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May 7, 2008
235
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Does anyone have experience with this product (little parachute that attaches to the bat and causes resistance in the swing)? Our athlete is expressing interest.

Ang
 
May 12, 2008
6
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Forget the chute. Swing your bat...without a doughnut. You must dvelop/train/duplicate a proper swing. Your swing changes with the use of "props." Lift weights, workout, train hard to get stronger. But when you swing, swing like it will be the last, best swing you will ever take...EVERY time. 1000's and 1000's and 1000's of duplicatable correct swings.
 

FastpitchFan

Softball fan
Feb 28, 2008
465
0
Montreal, Canada
Good tool... but for other reason!

Actually - I think that this is a great tool. It is often marketed for providing resistance and building strength for the swing. But if you know anything about physiology, you know it builds "slow strength", not "explosive strength" because of the resistance. So, the tool does work the muscles a little but in a way that is mostly useless for bat speed and swing strength.

BUT... it is one of the best tool to teach how to drive-through the ball. You see most athletes just make contact with the ball and are not driving through or extending through it to pursue more power. They have weak follow-through.

Often - the bat even comes back upon hitting the ball because not enough force is generated by the body. So this tool does a great job of...

1) Teaching the body to use ALL of its muscle (legs, hips, core, etc.) to overcome a resistance (air)

2) Teaching the hitter how to drive through the ball (extend through) because the chute will not fly if not.

The whole point is that this device does give the batter instant feedback and teaches the body - not the head - on how to do it which is HUGE from a learning perspective.

Most of the time, we give instructions to the head (the girl receiving the instruction) and she has to figure out how to do it.

This tool makes her "feel" the movement (the famous muscle memory) and bypass the head (which is a big obstacle between the coach and the body most of the time from a learning perspective).

This tool teaches how to use your whole body to overcome a resistance and drive through the ball.

In my opinion - not many tool do that.

Heavy objects on a bat are useless. They don't make you swing like yo uare supposed to do and don't recreate the forces in an horizontal plane but rather pull things down (vertical force) because of gravity.

Cheers,

Marc
 
May 12, 2008
2,214
0
Haven't used the chute but I would think it would be in the same category as hitting basketballs off a tee. IOW, teach a push rather than a whip. As to follow through, I've watched ULL hit check swing dingers for years. It's about what happens before contact IMO rather than a push AT contact or a follow through. Marc, pm me and I'll send you a copy and paste of a relevant thread. I look to you before everyone else on fitness and training but I have some different opinions than you on hitting.
 
May 7, 2008
235
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Follow through is precisely why she was looking at it! We did go ahead and make the purchase, and we saw results very quickly on their follow through. Thanks, Marc, that was very helpful.

Mark H...they ran that drill at my dd's last travel team practice, and I felt myself cringing a bit when some of the smaller girls made contact. The first couple of girls that hit were well developed and successful. My dd did fine with it, but I was concerned that the weaker girls could injure their arm...just my gut, though.

Ang
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
Ang, I've used the basketball drill for years. One thing to do is partially deflate it to take some of the sting out. What I like it for, though, is to teach using the body to drive the bat. Arm swingers will tend to feel the impact. Those hitters who use their bodies shouldn't feel a thing. Even the smaller ones.

I encourage hitters to go for the noise -- the louder the better. Softly-hit balls tend not to make much noise.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
Agree and disagree

Haven't used the chute but I would think it would be in the same category as hitting basketballs off a tee. IOW, teach a push rather than a whip. As to follow through, I've watched ULL hit check swing dingers for years. It's about what happens before contact IMO rather than a push AT contact or a follow through. Marc, pm me and I'll send you a copy and paste of a relevant thread. I look to you before everyone else on fitness and training but I have some different opinions than you on hitting.

Mark, I think what it teaches depends on how you use the drill. So that's why I say agree and disagree. The drill as traditionally used, which focuses on impact and after, probably does teach a push instead of a whip. But if you focus on driving before contact, achieving whip and getting a loud "whomp" at contact it can have plenty of value. As I mentioned with Ang, I look at it as incentive to get the body driving the bat into the ball, not as an arm drill.
 
May 12, 2008
2,214
0
Mark, I think what it teaches depends on how you use the drill. So that's why I say agree and disagree. The drill as traditionally used, which focuses on impact and after, probably does teach a push instead of a whip. But if you focus on driving before contact, achieving whip and getting a loud "whomp" at contact it can have plenty of value. As I mentioned with Ang, I look at it as incentive to get the body driving the bat into the ball, not as an arm drill.

Used as more of a stop swing drill as I think I hear you saying could be productive but then dad is going to take the drill to his younger daughter's practice and do it the wrong way promoting the wrong thing. I suspect with you standing there it's just fine. I'm completely sure it's more often negative than positive elsewhere.
 
May 7, 2008
235
0
My daughter and a few others can benefit from the basketball drill, but I am concerned about the less experience players who still need to learn a proper stance. There needs to be proper execution of the drill with weaker players for safety purposes. That's what I meant to say. Thanks for helping me clarify that Mark H. Ken, it is a great drill with good coaching. Your point is well taken.

Ang
 
May 7, 2008
235
0
Marc D...

I have been working with a gymnastics facility helping them develop new programming, rock climbing, teambuilding, etc. After I completed an exhaustive research...this type of training (balance, plyometrics, muscle control, discovery of underdeveloped muscles, and mastering body strength), I am absolutely convinced it will improve my children's health and game(s). I am excited to watch it unfold and will openly share on the forum the positives and negatives.

Ang
 

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