Swing Analysis: Video

[new2thesport]

Will put up new videos with hitting balls soon.



This is after I started to read instructionals here in baseball fever (chris o'leary, mark h, jbooth, jake patterson, etc.)

I know there is alot to practice, any suggestions that you can see? Thank you.

[Mark H]

Tilt over and vertically load the body with hip and knee flexion something along the lines of a dead lift position and rotate in that position. Work on the bat drag. I expect he hits well enough against mediocre pitching.

[Go Cardinals]

just practicing hitting the ball would be so much better then working on mechanics. Have hit hit a live pitch.

[new2thesport]

Tilt over and vertically load the body with hip and knee flexion something along the lines of a dead lift position and rotate in that position. Work on the bat drag. I expect he hits well enough against mediocre pitching.

I only started reading here after his season had ended. I pitch to him when we practice. (Ironically, the day I wanted to capture him on camera, it was raining, so we did the camera at home so we can see what he looks like). It is impossible to see his swing when I throw to him.

"Tilt over and vertically load the body with hip and knee flexion something along the lines of a dead lift position" I am picturing Albert Pujols stance, is that what you mean?

[PhilliesPhan22]

"Tilt over and vertically load the body with hip and knee flexion something along the lines of a dead lift position" I am picturing Albert Pujols stance, is that what you mean?

Basically, it mean lean over the plate when you swing. Hip and knee flexion is lifting you leg back as the ball is coming to load your hips.

There is a clip of Adam Dunn doing this, but I can't find it at the moment.

In short, it is hitting goober-speak for use your lower body. But honestly, I think his swing looks fine for his age.

[Mark H]

just practicing hitting the ball would be so much better then working on mechanics. Have hit hit a live pitch.

Yeah, look at kids everywhere with all those great swings. That'll work great. :dismay:

[Mark H]

Basically, it mean lean over the plate when you swing. Hip and knee flexion is lifting you leg back as the ball is coming to load your hips.

There is a clip of Adam Dunn doing this, but I can't find it at the moment.

In short, it is hitting goober-speak for use your lower body. But honestly, I think his swing looks fine for his age.

Well grading on the curve for his age, yeah, I've seen much worse, often. Looking at what he's developing, no. Bat drag is one of the hardest bad habits to get rid of. Teaching a kid in their late teens good posture and rotation is a piece of cake compared to getting rid of bat drag.

Yes, vertically loading is engaging the muscles with hip and knee flexion to both load the body prior to unloading but also to set up good angles that help with rotation. IOW, start emulating the best hitters as best he can. Not by watching you emulate your best approximation of great hitters but rather let him watch the clips of great hitters. You can find them on the net or you can email me and I'll send you more than you want to devote hard drive space to.

[new2thesport]

Mark H,

Can you show me or tell me where the bat drag is?

I am going by the meaning of bat drag as defined in bat drag 101 by Chris O'Leary.
I am assuming that you mean that his back elbow leads the swing and overtake his hands. I dont see that in the 3 videos. Am I missing something or am I confused?

Thanks

[jbooth]

just practicing hitting the ball would be so much better then working on mechanics. Have hit hit a live pitch.

Your brain creates a program of instructions that executes movements after those movements have been repeated many, many times. Once, the program is created it is very difficult to change it. Studies have shown that it takes about 300 - 500 reps to create a program in the brain, and 1,500 - 3,000 reps to change what was created.

So, your statement is very bad advice unless he is swinging perfectly already. Just practicing hitting the ball does nothing other than execute reps that create a very locked in brain program, that executes a bad swing. Then when a good coach comes along and tries to change it to make it better, he will have to work 3 times as hard. If he starts out with proper instruction, so that he can practice hitting balls correctly, then practicing hitting balls is great.

[callyjr]

Your brain creates a program of instructions that executes movements after those movements have been repeated many, many times. Once, the program is created it is very difficult to change it. Studies have shown that it takes about 300 - 500 reps to create a program in the brain, and 1,500 - 3,000 reps to change what was created.

So, your statement is very bad advice unless he is swinging perfectly already. Just practicing hitting the ball does nothing other than execute reps that create a very locked in brain program, that executes a bad swing. Then when a good coach comes along and tries to change it to make it better, he will have to work 3 times as hard. If he starts out with proper instruction, so that he can practice hitting balls correctly, then practicing hitting balls is great.

dont entirely agree that his advise is bad. Like TG always says about his kids, they never had the constant instructions. He let them figure out how to adjust to balls on their own. I am doing this with my boy this year after having him pretty technically sound. He is having a ton of success playing up 2 to 3 years, no k's still to this date and we only have 6 games left to go. Closest kid on the team in k's is a 10yr old(my boy is 7) with 3 and everyone else has 8 or more. We were camping this last weekend and he had the plastic bat out crushing rock after rock into the woods. Thats the advise I would give in addition to what Go Cardinals has given. Give the kid an old bat and let him hit rocks, video him doing this and lets see how it looks. I would be willing to bet he is not over his front leg and I would also bet the flat swing will have some upwardness in it.

Cally

[Mark H]

Mark H,

Can you show me or tell me where the bat drag is?

I am going by the meaning of bat drag as defined in bat drag 101 by Chris O'Leary.
I am assuming that you mean that his back elbow leads the swing and overtake his hands. I dont see that in the 3 videos. Am I missing something or am I confused?

Thanks

Not just leads but also leads with the top hand forearm laid over. Creates a big swing radius and a big whip with lots of bat speed. Just takes too long to execute against good pitching. In the mind of a youth hitter facing mediocre pitching it is a VERY rational solution to the problem of how do I hit this ball real hard. Scroll down the page below till you get to the bat drag part. After that, study everything on this link.

http://imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/...0&m=20&w=0&p=0

[Mark H]

Your brain creates a program of instructions that executes movements after those movements have been repeated many, many times. Once, the program is created it is very difficult to change it. Studies have shown that it takes about 300 - 500 reps to create a program in the brain, and 1,500 - 3,000 reps to change what was created.

So, your statement is very bad advice unless he is swinging perfectly already. Just practicing hitting the ball does nothing other than execute reps that create a very locked in brain program, that executes a bad swing. Then when a good coach comes along and tries to change it to make it better, he will have to work 3 times as hard. If he starts out with proper instruction, so that he can practice hitting balls correctly, then practicing hitting balls is great.

That's what I said only you weren't sarcastic and your answer was much better and more informative.

[Go Cardinals]

Jim, I think he should learn how to hit, not just how to swing.

[Mark H]

dont entirely agree that his advise is bad. Like TG always says about his kids, they never had the constant instructions. He let them figure out how to adjust to balls on their own. I am doing this with my boy this year after having him pretty technically sound.

Cally

I think "after having him pretty technically sound", we could all agree with GC's advice.

[Mark H]

Jim, I think he should learn how to hit, not just how to swing.

More advice that no one in the world would argue with.