Turning the barrel

[HYP]

Yes, it is the spine tilt, and the tilted shoulder turn that flatten the barrel path out. His hands start it directly down and the body action and angles, flatten the path.

That's why telling someone to keep the back shoulder up and stay tall, will not work. If you take the barrel down while doing that, the barrel will go straight down across the ball's path and never level out.

Not true. If they literally stand straight up and stay tall on the back side. Then yes, they will be chop down through the path of the ball.

The stay tall on the back side is more of a feel thing. It keeps a strong backside that allows you to attack from above instead of below the ball. It tightens up the path of the barrel. It helps with creating a short, quick, direct, tight barrel path.

Jim, you have been around and if you have seen MLB players train, you know that they are thinking tall backside and stay on top. You should also know why those cues work.

 

[HYP]

IMO, the reason that A-Rod goes into horrible slumps, is that he gets into making game swings like these practice swings. He DOES get into streaks of swinging down, and he pops up, swings and misses and grounds out. Then you watch him when he gets on a power streak and you can see his swing levels out as it should.

Why wouldn't you want to practice what works instead of something else? Practicing swinging down is good if you're trying to fix a loopy swing, or a habit of dropping the hands before launch. But, if you don't have those issues, why would you practice pounding the ball into the ground 20 feet in front of you?

IMO, the reason he struggled is because he wasn't using his lower body properly. His rear hip was not clearing. This is a PM that I sent to Tewks a while a go. I do not think he will mind because it is only my PM.

Rodriguez-Alex-2011-06-29-1-1-Slider-86-Take-Overhead-300x200.gif


http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums...06-29-1-1-Slider-86-Take-Overhead-300x200.gif

Thanks,

The reason I asked is because I honestly believe that what he is doing in this check is what he was doing this year in the playoffs and is why he struggled.

In this clip his arms are doing the work without the lower body. In the Posada clip you can clearly see the lower body working on the barrel. In the ARod clip, his hands are sliding forward and the hips never clear.

It is why he was getting jammed. I will also go as far to say I think it could be because of the fence drill that Kevin Long likes. I think it is a good drill but if it is over done it can create a hand slid forward.

I can be completely wrong, won't be the first time, but when I see kids letting their hands slide that far forward. I try to fix it.

What do you see, think?

If you look at the clip you can see his rear hip not clear. It is forcing him to use his arms. He is not creating any stretch. So there is no suddenness. He is all react and go. No recognition phase. No stretch and read. I think that you can over cook some drills.

After I wrote the PM to Tewks. It later came out that he was having pain in his rear hip. Which would indicate what I saw was happening. He couldn't engage his lower body. He became all arms.

 

[HYP]

Getting the barrel to level out after the initial downward action, has nothing to do with the rear hip. It has to do with the spine and shoulder angles as rotation occurs. And, what the front elbow does.

Again I say not true. If the rear hip does not clear in front of the hands. You will then get lean not tilt. You will be leaning over at the waist instead of tilting with the rear hip pulling.

 

[HYP]

IMO, you shouldn't even think about the scapula. It is a non-issue. Bio-mechanically, the scapula moves in conjunction with any movement of the humerus. If you load your hands in the correct position, the scapula will also get in the correct position. The scapula is a stabilizer. Because the humerus "hangs" or "floats" at the shoulder joint, it needs support. The scapula attaches to the spine, and the clavicle and the humerus. It moves with the humerus in different directions. It protracts, retracts, adducts, elevates, and depresses. The muscles that move it help with front arm action in a swing, but the rear scapula movement doesn't do much in regard to providing power in the swing.

Pinching the rear scapula aids with powering the swing because when the scap is pinched it means that you have loaded your hands well, and have stretched the anterior muscles of the rear deltoid, and the rear pecs and some other muscles that will then contract when you swing. The rear scap simply moves with the humerus when those other muscles pull on the humerus and the scap.

Jim,

Since you are the muscle guy. Can I move my rear elbow back, as if to nudge someone behind me without tightening the scap? Can I tighten my scap to the spine to pull my elbow back to do the same nudging?

 

[00fpdaddy]

Actually what the problem is, people do not understand the "down to" cues. They do not understand "down and through". I can almost guarantee you that someone reading this right now is thinking "chop down" or "throw the barrel into the ground". It is not that at all. It is just away to stay short with the barrel. It is away to keep the hands above the ball.

Why do you think Jeter does what he does in the on deck circle?

I will give it a shot. To get mentally focus of what he wants to do, short to ball long thru it, years of his pre at bat swings muscle memory of what got him to the bigs.

 

[jbooth]

Not true. If they literally stand straight up and stay tall on the back side. Then yes, they will be chop down through the path of the ball.

The stay tall on the back side is more of a feel thing. It keeps a strong backside that allows you to attack from above instead of below the ball. It tightens up the path of the barrel. It helps with creating a short, quick, direct, tight barrel path.

Jim, you have been around and if you have seen MLB players train, you know that they are thinking tall backside and stay on top. You should also know why those cues work.

Once again, you misunderstood what I said. Amazing.

Keep going with what you feel, that's fine. Just stop trying to describe the technical parts.

 

[jbooth]

IMO, the reason he struggled is because he wasn't using his lower body properly. His rear hip was not clearing. This is a PM that I sent to Tewks a while a go. I do not think he will mind because it is only my PM.



If you look at the clip you can see his rear hip not clear. It is forcing him to use his arms. He is not creating any stretch. So there is no suddenness. He is all react and go. No recognition phase. No stretch and read. I think that you can over cook some drills.

After I wrote the PM to Tewks. It later came out that he was having pain in his rear hip. Which would indicate what I saw was happening. He couldn't engage his lower body. He became all arms.

Isn't that what you say is supposed be thought of? Use the hands and the body will do what it's supposed to? Now, you say he has a problem because his lower half isn't working right, because he is all hands. You sound like the people you criticize. What is it? Do the hands magically make the lower half work, or not?

 

[jbooth]

Again I say not true. If the rear hip does not clear in front of the hands. You will then get lean not tilt. You will be leaning over at the waist instead of tilting with the rear hip pulling.

Whatever. You don't understand what I described. And, what you say is bio-mechanical nonsense.

 

[jbooth]

Jim,

Since you are the muscle guy. Can I move my rear elbow back, as if to nudge someone behind me without tightening the scap? Can I tighten my scap to the spine to pull my elbow back to do the same nudging?

You admit that you no little about bio-mechanics, yet you continue to argue with me. Why?

The scapula moves in conjunction with moves of the humerus. Now, answer your own question.

 

[HYP]

Once again, you misunderstood what I said. Amazing.

Keep going with what you feel, that's fine. Just stop trying to describe the technical parts.

This is the practical forum is it not? BTW, thanks for giving me permission to keep doing what I do.