Whats the best training aids out there? Has anyone used the insider bat? what is this homeade device that helps guide the elbow around the corner?
top 3 training aids to use with tee/soft toss
- Thread starter Dragoncoach
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They gave me three of the insider bats and it destroyed our hand path to the ball. You must get the hands ahead and hit the ball further back in the box. If you look at the demo you will see where they must set up. The handle is not round and my kids felt it was awkward. Don said they were going to change it. I did like the index finger grip however.
I will try and get Gerry or Chris to post a picture of the hand path device.
Thanks Howard
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http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting/2006-hitting-devices-2.html Picture by Gerry on post 15.
Thanks Dan!
Should we show you using the bat axe breaking the ice for the annual polar bear plunge?
Howard
Better not, by hand path was terrrible and the grip wasn't very good.
Dragoncoach
Look at the end that has what looks like a curved piece of plastic on it. We want the lead elbow to touch it, so we hold that up just at or slightly below the lead shoulder ( the elbow moves about 2 to 4 inches on what we term a good first move) with the curved edge at the lead arm elbow. The ball end will be lower and at an angle. Elbow above the hands and hands above the barrel.
We stand in front of them holding the device at the angle described, the hitter loads and steps and separates the hands rearward slightly and then they make a good first move by the back elbow starting to lower as the lead elbow is going forward. We use the clavicle notch, the V shaped area under your chin at the top of where your neck comes out and call it our third eye. As we are using our elbows we begin our turn and tilt and direct the knob of the bat to the red colored or white colored tape on the PVC pipe near the angled piece. This is where we are at bat lag and the hands are visually and physically inside the path of the ball. The ball can be adjusted for any length bat by pulling a pin and adjusting. You can explain it using inside or outside pitches or points in between by putting the ball where you want and they adjust by rotating as needed and the hands being inside the path of the ball.
Thanks Howard
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Howard,
I think I'm misunderstanding your discription here. Are you saying the front elbow should move first 2-4 inches first? If so wouldn't this cause the back arm to push? What forces are the back arm applying to start the swing IYO?
EL
We stand in front of them holding the device at the angle described, the hitter loads and steps and separates the hands rearward slightly and then they make a good first move by the back elbow starting to lower as the[B] lead elbow is going forward.[/B]
The elbows work simultaneously or as a unit, connected, teaming, pairing etc the lead elbow is going forward as the back elbow is lowering and you start the turn and tilt.The knob of the bat is leading the elbows. Nothing is working independently. We do this in what we call matrix slow motion so you can get the student to feel and see what it is we are doing and so they see the hands are visually inside the ball. It becomes very visual when you see the hands go to the ball as some instructors teach. Tony Gwynne use to say hands to the ball in his videos and that is what some parents actually thought he meant.
Thanks Howard
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I freely admit that I am not near any of the hitting experts that post here. Anecdotally, my DD does use the Insider Bat. I happen to think it has been helpful for her. She also takes hitting lessons so the mixture of the two seem to be working.
If it works for her that is great.
The issue I have is when the hands are so far in front, look at the flat part of the paddle in relationship to the hitter trying to take the ball up the middle. For me the is too far back as to the bat head. A few friends and I were going to take so much out of the bend/ angle and then it would be a short bat and something we could do with a regular bat however. I do like the trigger portion up on the handle however I do not like the feel of the handle itself and neither do the kids who have tried it.
I was just trying to give my point of view as to why. I use a window of about 12.5 inches to hit the ball in over the plate and this reduces it in my opinion.
Thanks Howard
