Turning the barrel 7

[fanboi22]

That is good to hear.... I hope you didn’t take my comment the wrong way, I truly meant no disrespect.

None taken at all. If anyone I am probably pushing peoples buttons but I am truly on here to help my DD. I just know that she faced faster pitchers and her hitting struggled greatly. And at 14u she will be seeing it more consistently. I want (and she does too) her to be the girl that pitchers fear and not the other way around.

I could care less about style this or that I just want her swing to be the most accurate and powerful. Just trying to find the magic combination to do it.

Thanks again.

 

[Buttermaker]

One of the "directions" is to swing down. If you just think turn the barrel rearward without the direction of swinging down/forward (swing down, back elbow lowers while hands remain in the same space/height).

Swinging down is a absolute to arcing the barrel backwards, or to turn it forward,

The barrel's path is initially down the rear side of the arc. It is also around the forearms. A cue of turning the knob up immediately has helped some to NOT plunge the hands down as they attempt to turn the barrel.

 

[FP26]

Lau Sr called the launch position with the back elbow down and next to the side. The lowerbody was not started yet, flat footed. Is Pujols showing that position or passing through it with this swing? Is the launch position as Lau Sr identified it, or is it the modern day the launch position at toe touch?

My apologies, but I have not read Lau's stuff. My first experience with the theoretical side of hitting was Dr. Yeager. I have dabbled with some other "gurus" as well, but never investigated Lau. As far as launch goes, IMO that occurs as soon as the hitter applies torque to the handle of the bat. This will typically occur shortly after toe touch, but isn't an absolute. Timing plays a part in that.

Note: I'm currently in the process of reading Jim Dixon Sr's book. Maybe I will read Lau's stuff next...

 

[RichK]

The barrel's path is initially down the rear side of the arc. It is also around the forearms. A cue of turning the knob up immediately has helped some to NOT plunge the hands down as they attempt to turn the barrel.

To me, these above are useful cues and words. I don't think there's anything wrong with talking about a rearward barrel launch. Makes sense to me, in particular to distinguish from a push launch.

Earlier Pattar said: Some kids just push their hands across their body before anything else is done to get the barrel to the ball. Those kids need to be able to develop a feel for working the barrel around their hands/forearms in addition to the direction "feel" which is often implicit/intuitive in developing hitters swings.

I think those words/thoughts are useful when trying to fix the hand-pushy swing so many softball players are unfortunately taught.

When I work with hitters, I don't say "turn the barrel"...I think it can be interpreted in too many ways. Instead, I tend to say:

"Turn it" -- and demonstrate a hand pivot, a tip and tip. Most hitters have no idea they should be doing this.
"Behind and through"-- to demonstrate the barrel path a good hand pivot/TTB will get you -- particularly useful terminology when combined with a demo of tilt to get to a low pitch/tee position
I'll talk about and show the *concept* of rearward to shake up a hitter's way of thinking, break them out of a push forward mentality, and demonstrate how that old phrase hips before hands actually works, ie, a turned barrel becomes a pulled barrel. I like to sit a hitter on a bench (of if you're sitting in an office, a swivel chair), bat between their hands in front of their face. They start to tip and turn and their legs start to move back and forth too such that when their barrel turns rearward their legs turn forward (opposite) -- it's a useful 'feel' demo for how NOT to move all back-all forward.
I also really like "snap it" as an aggressive encouragement to be quick with the barrel turn and leg snap -- I know it's a loaded term around these parts but it's also very descriptive and gets across the idea of launch quickness, which I don't think is taught enough.

 

[ian]

Can you expand this clip more please. I love watching the forward movement of the body get transferred into the forward movement of the bat. The kinetic chain is so beautiful to watch.

 

[Shawn]

Can you expand this clip more please. I love watching the forward movement of the body get transferred into the forward movement of the bat. The kinetic chain is so beautiful to watch.

I don't think forward momentum plays a very big role in the swing. You hit from the backside, which snaps the front leg/hip.

 

[Work=wins]

I don't think forward momentum plays a very big role in the swing. You hit from the backside, which snaps the front leg/hip.

From a technical stand point I guess... but from a style/rhythm timing stand point it’s a necessity imo.

 

[Work=wins]

The frontside is used in a good swing IMO. Maybe not from a ‘power’ stand point. But definitely the front side is used to leverage the swing.

 

[ian]

I don't think forward momentum plays a very big role in the swing. You hit from the backside, which snaps the front leg/hip.

I just like watching the forward momentum continue unabaded through the bat from the beginning of stride to contact. Yeah not a big role. Probably only adds 10'-15'