Turning the barrel, direction?

[FiveFrameSwing]

I'm not a big core guy as a point of emphasis or action but truth is I DO focus on the idea of *activating* body parts -- both pre-activated and flow-into-activate -- including the thighs (upper rear leg), butt and core as a key part of taking slack out (usually first time young hitters have ever thought about the swing and their body in this way). So maybe I have more in common with the core guys then I thought

Regarding the slack removal ... it is not so much a 'loading', or even a 'stretching' ... simply a 'coiling' of the torso.

Jim Dixon: The torso cocked or coiled by the shift back against a rigid receiving back leg moves out to the right of the target.

Jim was referencing a right-handed person.

 

[RichK]

Regarding the slack removal ... it is not so much a 'loading', or even a 'stretching' ... simply a 'coiling' of the torso.

Jim Dixon: The torso cocked or coiled by the shift back against a rigid receiving back leg moves out to the right of the target.

Jim was referencing a right-handed person.

apparently a 'coiling' OR a 'cocking'

 

[Mudders Brudder]

This here, from my perspective, is too important to go without a follow-up comment.

The way I teach it, it isn't just that the core/rear-hip setting "initial direction", but it is also largely involved with "final direction". Let me briefly attempt to explain.

Agreed, but I've learned over the years to tread lightly on saying that in public forums, as there's a group (admittedly less active now) who are more hung up on it all being about the hands/knob as the only thing that matters per any "direction" discussions, and quite frankly....I'm tired of arguing about it any longer. "To each their own" is my new motto....oh yeah, and..."you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him to drink".

During the initial "core/rear-hip" usage at swing launch, there is a 'stretch' felt along the front-side ... between the 'front-hip' and 'front-armpit'. If this feeling of 'stretch' is maintained until the barrel is released/worked down (hands stay up, bat-head is released/worked down) ... then the front-side ... or actually the core ... hips if you wish ... is largely involved in the setting of final direction.

I've never had to "teach" the front side (front-hip and front-armpit) as part of anything more than an accompaniment to the loading of the backside ("getting in the way" if you will), and then letting the backside control its movement in the going forward part ("getting [it] out of the way").

But again, if teaching its use works for your hitters, then by all means that's what you should definitely continue to do. Results are all that matters, not specific vocabulary words or teaching techniques.

From my perspective both engines ... the core/rear-hip engine and the forearms/hands engine are used in establishing 'direction'.

This we again agree on, but just go about it a little differently in our individual teaching techniques and modalities it sounds like. All good either way.

 

[Mudders Brudder]

Regarding the slack removal ... it is not so much a 'loading', or even a 'stretching' ... simply a 'coiling' of the torso.

Jim Dixon: The torso cocked or coiled by the shift back against a rigid receiving back leg moves out to the right of the target.

Jim was referencing a right-handed person.

apparently a 'coiling' OR a 'cocking'

As long as the the "torso" includes the entire pelvic girdle/"hips", or we interchange it with "trunk" of the body I'm good with that. But I've seen too many hitters simply turn/coil their interpretation of the "torso" as everything about the pelvic girdle, and end up with a simple "waist separation", and never incorporate the much more important (IMO) pelvic girdle/rear leg coiling/loading, and as a result have a far less desirable swing than those who get their entire "torso"/trunk involved in the swing.

Maybe just more semantics, but did want to make some clarifications as how I read, and have seen other interpret some of this stuff...so the newer folks here or those just lurking possible get a better understanding of some of the verbiage we use, but that sometimes have more than one meaning or interpretation. My apologies if I'm simply repeating already accepted/understood definitions, and/or terminology due to my relatively short time here, and not knowing all that's been talking about, or discussed in the past.

 

[Rolling Hard]

So my question to you guys is this:
What % of power is contributed to each engine? I just saw Ian Desmond (CR) hit a 472 ft. HR with exit speed of 110 mph and launch angle of 30 degrees with no snap of the barrel. Turn the barrel, yes. Snap, no. Hand action is important. Turning the barrel is important. How important is snap?

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

So my question to you guys is this:
What % of power is contributed to each engine? I just saw Ian Desmond (CR) hit a 472 ft. HR with exit speed of 110 mph and launch angle of 30 degrees with no snap of the barrel. Turn the barrel, yes. Snap, no. Hand action is important. Turning the barrel is important. How important is snap?

Can we get a clip of that swing?

 

[Mudders Brudder]

So my question to you guys is this:
What % of power is contributed to each engine? I just saw Ian Desmond (CR) hit a 472 ft. HR with exit speed of 110 mph and launch angle of 30 degrees with no snap of the barrel. Turn the barrel, yes. Snap, no. Hand action is important. Turning the barrel is important. How important is snap?

"Snap" is just another adjective or verb to say "get the barrel turning now!", getting it up to speed (running start) before the lower half pulls it into contact...instead of "launching" a "dead barrel" that the lower half is simply dragging into contact.

That's how I interpret it anyway, and could be way wrong on how some of the true advocates of that particular teaching see it. Just my take on it anyway, and what I've found works for my hitters.

As far as your initial question, my guess/feeling is 80/20, maybe 75/25....lower half/upper half, hips/hands. But again, JMO...OMMV.

 

[Tango]

Was taught if you have a nail in the knob of the bat get it back toward the pitcher as fast as possible without pushing. That was around 35 years ago. I told my DD this yesterday and boy it looked like she snapped the barrel and has just killed the ball. Added to get the knob in front of the back elbow. I was also taught to take my back knee to the ball but teach to take the back hip to the ball now. I think a lot of the old stuff is just being said different.

 

[Buttermaker]

As long as the the "torso" includes the entire pelvic girdle/"hips", or we interchange it with "trunk" of the body I'm good with that. But I've seen too many hitters simply turn/coil their interpretation of the "torso" as everything about the pelvic girdle, and end up with a simple "waist separation", and never incorporate the much more important (IMO) pelvic girdle/rear leg coiling/loading, and as a result have a far less desirable swing than those who get their entire "torso"/trunk involved in the swing.

Maybe just more semantics, but did want to make some clarifications as how I read, and have seen other interpret some of this stuff...so the newer folks here or those just lurking possible get a better understanding of some of the verbiage we use, but that sometimes have more than one meaning or interpretation. My apologies if I'm simply repeating already accepted/understood definitions, and/or terminology due to my relatively short time here, and not knowing all that's been talking about, or discussed in the past.

 

[Rolling Hard]

"Snap" is just another adjective or verb to say "get the barrel turning now!", getting it up to speed (running start) before the lower half pulls it into contact...instead of "launching" a "dead barrel" that the lower half is simply dragging into contact.

That's how I interpret it anyway, and could be way wrong on how some of the true advocates of that particular teaching see it. Just my take on it anyway, and what I've found works for my hitters.

As far as your initial question, my guess/feeling is 80/20, maybe 75/25....lower half/upper half, hips/hands. But again, JMO...OMMV.

Teach them how to hit line drives off the tee!

In order to hit consistent line drives/ fly balls (launch angles of 7 degrees or higher) the hitter must turn the barrel. If they were to launch a dead barrel they would be chopping down on the ball and would have a very inconsistent swing to say the least. So, of course the hitter must turn the barrel. But I don't think they need to snap the barrel. With that being said, I am working on DD hand strength so she can turn the barrel faster.

Thank you for your 80/20 answer. I would agree with that also.