The Other Thread

[Howe]

JJ, getting the rear elbow in front of the hands is very natural. Think about it. The player wants to pull the hands, so the hands can pull the bat. If we get hung up on the rear elbow too much, we start coaching the rear elbow and forget the purpose of hitting. Hitters start gluing their elbow to the ribcage, or they begin pushing the bat. The fact is, the rear elbow has to support the hands properly, as the hands load the barrel. That means, sometimes they may be on the verge of the dreaded "bat drag"... Can you tell the difference between the two swings below?

 

[JJsqueeze]

JJ, getting the rear elbow in front of the hands is very natural. Think about it. The player wants to pull the hands, so the hands can pull the bat. If we get hung up on the rear elbow too much, we start coaching the rear elbow and forget the purpose of hitting. Hitters start gluing their elbow to the ribcage, or they begin pushing the bat. The fact is, the rear elbow has to support the hands properly, as the hands load the barrel. That means, sometimes they may be on the verge of the dreaded "bat drag"... Can you tell the difference between the two swings below?

Not really. But if I had too look closely I'd say:
On the bottom swing I see the hands getting a little more of a head start on the hip. On the top they look like they are starting with the hip. Also the finish on top has more push back than the bottom (body/head move towards catcher more than on the bottom).

And the hip looks like it holds longer on the bottom then fires harder

 

[JJsqueeze]

I looked at the clip in slow motion and I see what you are talking about I think. on the top the elbow looks to be purposely staying behind the bat....on the bottom he lets it get under a little at first. the bottom has a lot more bat speed at the end because of the whip action of the pull vs. push.

 

[tjintx]

We are working on this exact problem. For us getting the hands to work the barrel can be inhibited by what the front shoulder and bottom hand is doing. If the front shoulder and bottom hand doesn't work properly it forces that ELAE, then the barrel becomes attached to the torso. When the barrel is attached to the torso its hard to get the hands behind the rear elbow AND have good angle.

Look at Evan's front shoulder and watch how it works to allow the hands space to work the barrel.

There are several different issues that can affect the hands working properly IMO, the front shoulder and bottom hand actions represents the issue a lot of female hitters struggle with.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Love that clip of Longoria ... that late barrel movement doesn't come about from thinking about using the elbows to move the hands, but by focusing more directly on the hands.

 

[Howe]

I looked at the clip in slow motion and I see what you are talking about I think. on the top the elbow looks to be purposely staying behind the bat....on the bottom he lets it get under a little at first. the bottom has a lot more bat speed at the end because of the whip action of the pull vs. push.

Nice JJ! The rear elbow doesn't have to get "underneath", but it does have to get into the proper position to support the swivel...

 

[Howe]

Love that clip of Longoria ... that late barrel movement doesn't come about from thinking about using the elbows to move the hands, but by focusing more directly on the hands.

Yes Five. We humans are very "hand-centric". Whatever we need to do to support the hands.

 

[bullethead]

Love that clip of Longoria ... that late barrel movement doesn't come about from thinking about using the elbows to move the hands, but by focusing more directly on the hands.

It comes about from doing the opposite of what 99percent of all hitters think you should do, no?

 

[bullethead]

Clips like howes son would be more useful to the average dad if they could see what happens with hands/barrel before this point. If you don't get to see the overlap and then see resultant whip you will keep spinning your wheels. Most kids don't have overlap when they throw and even more don't have it when they swing. It's counterintuitive. Why in the heck should my hand(s)go back in order to go forward? Correct coil will put a young hitter in a position to experience this. Without it they are going to simply be pushing or pulling. Neither of which are ideal because you are not going to have any snap or whip

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

It comes about from doing the opposite of what 99percent of all hitters think you should do, no?

IMO many decent hitters truly believe they use their hands.