I see on here that some think less movement is better and I was just wondering how this would all come together. Ive been teaching wag the tail and stir the pot with hands until the stride/load which would have them still before the ball is released as to minimize movement so they can see the ball better. Is this there a better way or is this it?
when should u stop your rythym?at the k?
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We do not want them ready too soon...lets use Cat as a typical pitcher. She gets the ball back from the catcher then walks behind the rubber holds up one or two fingers to show everyone how many outs there are, licks her fingers, tosses the ball into the glove a few times, takes a deep breath steps onto the rubber, gets her sign and maybe steps back off again, starts over....a lot of time has transpired and what was our hitter doing? We have a ready position where we have measured off from the plate and got our stance width, the bat is on our shoulder and we wait until the princess in the circle gets set to actually throw the ball BEFORE we bend at the waist and soften the knees, then we may wiggle the butt and stir the proverbial pot of soup and this is our set position. Do not get set too soon! Stay relaxed and learn to dance with the pitcher. We teach slow to load, soft to step on a flexed front knee and separating our hands rearward slightly at or during the toe touch phase and look to load as she gets to the top of the K position and be at toe touch when she gets to her window of release. Each hitter takes it a little differently from here based on their athleticism in my opinion.
Howard
Thanks, That makes sense. So I guess when the stride/load happens that is when the rythym stops and your ready to launch into rotation keeping still to see the ball.
In my mind the timing and rhythm never really ends until we break stride heading for first. I view it as a flow and simply change direction and never want our hitters to stop that flow. I use a half full bottle of water and lay it in my hand and have them put their hand under mine and make the water shift from one end of the bottle to the next. They can feel the water shifting. I point out we do not want the water to slosh, and we want to control the movement of the water. I then take my fingers and touch both sides of their hips and say the water is here! We point out the pitcher never stops their movement once they start and neither should we. Think slow to load, soft to step and land on the inside edge of your foot, with your hands separated rearward slightly. We do a very simple load by simply doing what is termed a knee cock. Turn your lead foot knee under you a little so it transfers or shifts the weight to the inside of the back leg. This allows us to lift the lead foot so our weight will transfer forward. To get then to understand the concept of weight transfer verses leaning backwards, have them put their shoulder against the wall and get their feet directly under them. Now ask them to lift the foot away from the wall and hold it up? They will not be able to do it because they can not transfer their weight to the other leg. This is why we want them to think slow to load, soft to step so when they land on the inside edge of the lead foot the hips will still be moving linear until we determine when to swing. The flow went rearward and we control the flow forward....I tend not to be too technical as I work with kids aspiring to take it to the next level. Feet first, control the weight shift so the hips move forward and keep the hands back (however never allow the hands to stop and think changing direction) as the hips continue forward and when you decide to swing in my mind the back elbows begins to lowers and heel plant my be a little before or a little after and the athlete will feel it and know when it is good, better best and work on perfecting it and continue to keep flowing to contact and through the ball and finish.
You can see the ball while moving provided you do not land flat footed to the degree it jars your body or head. We do a drill termed face the fire just to practice that.
Thanks Howard
You want to see them come to a calmness (more of heightened readiness) without completely freezing up. Whatever they do, they want them to calm down the movement to gather themselves for the load/stride. A smooth transition or gather, without being in shock by still doing some pre rhythm to late or after release.
Tell me what you call wagging the tail, it's purpose and meaning, and what it involves? And I'll tell you what I think should happen and why.
Tell me what you call wagging the tail, it's purpose and meaning, and what it involves? And I'll tell you what I think should happen and why.
stirring the pot
Wagging the tail is just what it sounds like, its purpose is just creating rythym but I am not sure if I am going to use that phrasing with the kids because when they stir the pot (move hands in a counterclockwise small circle)they are creating rythym and it transfers down to hips. I also like how stirring the pot makes a smoothe transition when loading and helps create seperation and elbow spacing as it rises slightly before droping into the slot during the swings
Wagging the tail is just what it sounds like, its purpose is just creating rythym but I am not sure if I am going to use that phrasing with the kids because when they stir the pot (move hands in a counterclockwise small circle)they are creating rythym and it transfers down to hips. I also like how stirring the pot makes a smoothe transition when loading and helps create seperation and elbow spacing as it rises slightly before droping into the slot during the swings
The hand action you describe was a big thing in the Pac 10 about 10 years ago. The entire Huskies line up used the action you described during one year. They actually had a very strong offensive season that year.
The hips combined with the legs, should be making a soft load/unload during the rythym. The hips should slightly close, open, close and maybe open before the actual load, a small recoil preparation. Meaning it shouldn't be just a bunch of waggling that has no purpose, or does not flow into the actual swing process. It should relax the hitter, while preparing for what's to follow, being ready.
The magnitude of these actions are not the important thing, more isn't better, and for most doing it quickly of in a nervous matter (building tension) can be counter produtive.
You might see the feet raise, heels, raise and lower while doing a soft load of the hips/legs. And some people have even said one loading method for getter the weight back is to push off the front foot.
The hip stuff can be done early, and you might only see the hands have rythym afterwards (Pujols). Some just seem to have hand and bat rythym.
It's better if we use examples, then just words.
I posted this awhile back,
I would say the hips are open, there is a soft lowering of the center of gravity, in which the front leg accepts weight. And then the hips slightly close, load. There is a term only a few on this board would understand, on what is happening.
I will show a clip of Pujols later. Since I enjoy someone actually answering questions and talking about something other the same old stuff that has been repeated 50,000 times.
The hips combined with the legs, should be making a soft load/unload during the rythym. The hips should slightly close, open, close and maybe open before the actual load, a small recoil preparation. Meaning it shouldn't be just a bunch of waggling that has no purpose, or does not flow into the actual swing process. It should relax the hitter, while preparing for what's to follow, being ready.
The magnitude of these actions are not the important thing, more isn't better, and for most doing it quickly of in a nervous matter (building tension) can be counter produtive.
You might see the feet raise, heels, raise and lower while doing a soft load of the hips/legs. And some people have even said one loading method for getter the weight back is to push off the front foot.
The hip stuff can be done early, and you might only see the hands have rythym afterwards (Pujols). Some just seem to have hand and bat rythym.
It's better if we use examples, then just words.
I posted this awhile back,
I would say the hips are open, there is a soft lowering of the center of gravity, in which the front leg accepts weight. And then the hips slightly close, load. There is a term only a few on this board would understand, on what is happening.
I will show a clip of Pujols later. Since I enjoy someone actually answering questions and talking about something other the same old stuff that has been repeated 50,000 times.
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