Tony Gwynn

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Dec 12, 2020
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Love Tony's statement about the upper body and the hands

I love Frye finally taking a proactive approach here, but this particular video feels like it doesn't come from a good place lol.

Anyway, 100% agree about the upper body and hands up to and at go time, super simple concept, VERY difficult to maintain, especially if you release the rooted rear leg early.

What he says doesn't exactly match what he's doing, imo, besides keeping his upper body still and hands back. I feel like his rear leg is the foundation of a stabile everything so he can get to contact against a stiff front leg.
 
Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
I love Frye finally taking a proactive approach here, but this particular video feels like it doesn't come from a good place lol.

Anyway, 100% agree about the upper body and hands up to and at go time, super simple concept, VERY difficult to maintain, especially if you release the rooted rear leg early.

What he says doesn't exactly match what he's doing, imo, besides keeping his upper body still and hands back. I feel like his rear leg is the foundation of a stabile everything so he can get to contact against a stiff front leg.
I don't care about the stupidity of Frye and Rich crap, back and forth :rolleyes:😂 It was probably meant as a jab 😂

I do agree that it can be difficult. I think he said the that his rear leg is not a concern, because he is focused on keeping the upper body and hands basically stationary, since naturally the lower is going to go first anyway. I guess you could call that as some say, "overlap", or "x-factor". Its basically what I consider the point in time in which one is leveraged. If the upper and lower unload together then there is no meaningful leverage being created and or maintained.

As far as how this is created, whether 1 leg or 2, dead legs or what have you, can be up for debate, IMO. Everybody has their preferences. It really boils down to what direction you choose to do it.
 
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Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
I watched Tony Gwynn his entire career, and even crossed paths with him a couple of times. I would listen closely to whatever he said about hitting. However, I can't see what specific statement you're referring to.

Few things bring so much confusion to this board as a discussion about hitting. While there are a number of constant fundamental principals, we're all built differently, and we also perceive and communicate things differently. Even worse, how those fundamentals are described by hitting gurus seem to evolve over time. Trying to look at video or read a description and match up a kid's swing to that is very much a "hit and miss" proposition.

I could hit a ball as a kid and adult, but I knew that my mechanics weren't as good as some others I watched. I could teach my kid to swing a bat, but I could only take her so far no matter how many videos I watched. I solved many of her remaining issues by getting her to a guy who not only was a successful player, but could also teach in a way she could understand, execute, and remember. Some of the best money I ever spent with softball.
 
Oct 2, 2017
2,283
113
I watched Tony Gwynn his entire career, and even crossed paths with him a couple of times. I would listen closely to whatever he said about hitting. However, I can't see what specific statement you're referring to.

Few things bring so much confusion to this board as a discussion about hitting. While there are a number of constant fundamental principals, we're all built differently, and we also perceive and communicate things differently. Even worse, how those fundamentals are described by hitting gurus seem to evolve over time. Trying to look at video or read a description and match up a kid's swing to that is very much a "hit and miss" proposition.

I could hit a ball as a kid and adult, but I knew that my mechanics weren't as good as some others I watched. I could teach my kid to swing a bat, but I could only take her so far no matter how many videos I watched. I solved many of her remaining issues by getting her to a guy who not only was a successful player, but could also teach in a way she could understand, execute, and remember. Some of the best money I ever spent with softball.
Hopefully you can see it in the video I made below. Its the simplelest way I can show or explain it. One is the upper and lower turning together. The other is me trying to resist with the upper body from going with the lower. In both cases I am not using the upper body to turn, I'm using the lower. Notice on both and especially on the ones I'm resisting, the lower half wants to turn the upper half with it.

Try it if you have a office chair or stool that spins. Its a good way to gain an understanding of it, IMO. I believe that is what Tony was communicating when he said he has to keep his upper body in position.

 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Hopefully you can see it in the video I made below. Its the simplelest way I can show or explain it. One is the upper and lower turning together. The other is me trying to resist with the upper body from going with the lower. In both cases I am not using the upper body to turn, I'm using the lower.

Try it if you have a office chair or stool that spins. Its a good way to gain an understanding of it, IMO. I believe that is what Tony was communicating when he said he has to keep his upper body in position.


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Jan 6, 2009
6,591
113
Chehalis, Wa
No one swings like Tony. His backside is weak because he thinks the front leg is the most important. Great for slapping the ball around.
 

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