SB swing -VS- BB swing

[FiveFrameSwing]

Yeah, right.

Here's a HI client of the appropriate age showing bat drag and dumping the barrel.

In truth, bat drag is a very common problem that affects most swings at some point.

HI or not ... this is an example of bad mechanics.

 

[softballphreak]

Yeah, right.

Here's a HI client of the appropriate age showing bat drag and dumping the barrel.

In truth, bat drag is a very common problem that affects most swings at some point.

Notice the hands start the swing. That, IMO, is the same thing that contributes to the bat lag in your son's first clip. It is less in the second clip (the deltoid clip). In the deltoid clip I believe there would be even less bat drag had the hands been in a normal launch position.

The kid in this clip has a great hip finish but there is zero hip at the start. Also, I wouldn't be too surprised if the bat isn't too heavy. Many batters end up with bat drag due to a bat that is too heavy for them.

The deltoid drill is a good drill but the "stretch and fire" drill is much better IMO. It's the same as the deltoid drill but with the bat in game launch position with the lower half already in the finish position. The core will be the engine with this drill--not the shoulders! Done with tee, front toss, side toss, drop toss, full speed, game even; whatever you want to use it with.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Notice the hands start the swing. That, IMO, is the same thing that contributes to the bat lag in your son's first clip. It is less in the second clip (the deltoid clip). In the deltoid clip I believe there would be even less bat drag had the hands been in a normal launch position.

The kid in this clip has a great hip finish but there is zero hip at the start. Also, I wouldn't be too surprised if the bat isn't too heavy. Many batters end up with bat drag due to a bat that is too heavy for them.

The deltoid drill is a good drill but the "stretch and fire" drill is much better IMO. It's the same as the deltoid drill but with the bat in game launch position with the lower half already in the finish position. The core will be the engine with this drill--not the shoulders! Done with tee, front toss, side toss, drop toss, full speed, game even; whatever you want to use it with.

I personally use the "Stretch and Fire drill" more frequently than the "deltoid drill".

 

[Chris O'Leary]

HI or not ... this is an example of bad mechanics.

Actually, it's an example of age typical mechanics.

It's also evidence that HI's mechanics -- which you can see in the vertical bat position at launch -- don't actually eliminate bat drag.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Actually, it's an example of age typical mechanics.

It's also evidence that HI's mechanics -- which you can see in the vertical bat position at launch -- don't actually eliminate bat drag.

You forget … I’m not an advocate of HI … but of the truth.

My recollection wrt this child… assuming I’m thinking of the correct child … is that he was an unfortunate recipient of some instruction that, IMO anyway, promoted ‘barrel dumping’ and the upper body mechanics that we see here. In fact, for some strange reason this child ended up being the target of what some viewed as a ‘barrel dump’ experiment gone bad. What became even more unfortunate was that the kid ended up with an arm injury of some sort.

Again … this is from memory. If this is the child I am thinking of, then I have a fair amount of documentation on the drills that this kid was performing … and the swing we see here doesn’t surprise me at all. Your post here doesn’t change my opinion that ‘bat drag’ is often the result of “bad teachings” and/or “bad mechanics” … it only serves to strengthen the notion.

 

[RayR]

You forget … I’m not an advocate of HI … but of the truth.

My recollection wrt this child… assuming I’m thinking of the correct child … is that he was an unfortunate recipient of some instruction that, IMO anyway, promoted ‘barrel dumping’ and the upper body mechanics that we see here. In fact, for some strange reason this child ended up being the target of what some viewed as a ‘barrel dump’ experiment gone bad. What became even more unfortunate was that the kid ended up with an arm injury of some sort.

Again … this is from memory. If this is the child I am thinking of, then I have a fair amount of documentation on the drills that this kid was performing … and the swing we see here doesn’t surprise me at all. Your post here doesn’t change my opinion that ‘bat drag’ is often the result of “bad teachings” and/or “bad mechanics” … it only serves to strengthen the notion.

Never understood why the dad could not see the barrel dump...

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Never understood why the dad could not see the barrel dump...

It was, IMO anyway, extremely sad ... made sadder knowing that he was such a great kid aiming to please.

 

[redzuk]

Red, you made a comment that in some circles bat drag is non existent. Do you think they do a lot of the deltoid drill?

Idk, circles I'm talking about are what I've seen at the national Sparkler tournament. Not the batbusters where they have hundreds of kids trying to make the team. But teams from small towns that had excellent mechanics up and down the line up and wish I knew what they were being taught. I would not hesitate to use the drill, especially on those players just starting out.

 

[theaddition]

"drag" in general is inefficiency due to too much pulling the bat longitudinally and not turning the bat about an axis that gets closer to the center of mass of the bat as the swing proceeds.

Nothing could be further from the reality of why bat drag occurs.

BD

 

[theaddition]

BD ... I like what you have to say here. Worked on a similar concept today with three hitting groups ... called it the setting of the screw. Just like you said ... focal point was the inside ball of the rear foot.

If you get a chance ... take a picture of this wedge thingy and post it. I'd like to test what you are doing on my end.

I try to get it (the pic) tomorrow.