Posted by: Coach C () on Tue May 6 22:30:44 2003

I think someone previously made a distinction between the two (maybe Teacherman?). I think the distinction was in connection with full x-t vs. less-than-full x-t.
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> > > > > I hope whoever it was might rearticulate their view, as I have reason to believe it might be a topic worth discussing. I say this knowing or thinking that at the time I myself was scoffing at the notion. But I would like to hear the idea once more.
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> > > > I believe I've brought this up before, it is something I feel strongly about. Baseball is a game of time, as a hitter we need to always find ways of gaining more time. To coin a phrase, "short in the back....long in the front". It is my contention that the majority of hitters don't account for the length of time a hitter needs to make good decisions. One could argue the most efficient batting mechanics are this or that, but are the use of those mechanics gaining you time or making you lose time. Great hitters (IMO) see the ball longer than poor hitters. If I generate great batspeed, but take to long to develop them, then I need to be quicker. This is where Jack and I don't see eye to eye. I don't believe we should swing for the fences, becasue the implication is that I will swing as hard as I can. If I swing as hard as I can, then my length will exponentially increase, but if I swing with those same mechanics at 80% to 90%, I will have decreased my length and been quicker with a little less batspeed. Ted Williams felt he always had something left in his lower body and boy was he quick.
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> > > > I would contest that on a regular basis there are no modern hitters that intentionally swing for the fences on every at bat. Inexperienced hitters try to do more (power) when they struggle, great hitters try to do less (power) when they struggle.
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> > > > Home runs come from hitting the sweet spot on the right plane, even with moderate batspeed.
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> > > > Let me know if you want to talk more.
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> > > > Respectfully,
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> > > > Coach C
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> > > >Hi Coach,
> > > I don't think hitters swing as hard as they can. when i practice with a hitter and ask them to swing as hard as they can they usually swing harder than their normal cut, but they still are holding back because most hitters don't know how hard they can swing. then i'll tell them that they indeed did swing harder than their last swing, but i think they still can swing harder. and more times than not the hitter will give me a harder swing... now their mechanics goes to hell, but they now have an idea how hard they are capable of swinging. then they back down under "control" to maybe 90% like you suggested. i don't understand your logic of swinging less harder makes you quicker??? if i have a barbell and push it as hard as i can from point A to point B and record the time it will be faster(quicker)than if i push the same barbell at only 90% effort. 10% of my muscle cells are now inactive and the other 90% are pushing the weight and it is impossible for them to generate as much power. a muscle cell contracts(if recruited)100%. there is no loafing if you're a muscle cell and you've been asked to do a job... at 90% the barbell has to slow down. take care, Rich
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> > A-Rod says he swings at 70%, I've always said 80%.....so I guess I'm over swinging (Ha! Ha!). If I asked you to throw as hard as you could (100%), would your arm travel further back, not to mention your stride get a bit longer? Now if I said throw at 70%, would your stride be the same distance and would your arm travel as far back?.....How about 10%, what would your body do then? Again in hitting you need time, most inexperienced hitters try to buy more time by swing harder, but throw them off-speed and see ya! Additionally 100% effort usually creates tension, this is the body response to instability. There are muscles in the body that make us go fast and muscles in the body that create stability (slow us down). Sprinters are taught to run with loose muscles (much like those muscles of a long distance runner). In golf loose muscles create club head speed. 100% effort will not work consistantly against 95 mph, followed by 87, then 93, 82, etc. Now, don't be confused by the notion that if hit a ball with maximum effort it will not go far, because it could, but the risk.....reward rule comes into play. Is it your view that all major leaguers swing at 100%? In your analogy of the weight, you left out two details that apply in hitting..........BALANCE and HEAD MOVEMENT.
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> > Good luck to you.
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> > Respectfully,
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> > Coach C
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> > Coach C,
> I see where your extra time to contact comes from now... larger stride, more preload etc. Now what if you've perfected your swing mechanics to your satisfaction and you strenghten the muscles that generate the power in your swing through progessive resistence weight training. You now have at your desposal more muscle that can rotate you and your bat faster(quicker) to contact. You're still using 90%(that's my est. of elite hitters at any level)of your ability, it's just that you have MORE ability now. All the Best, Rich


I would agree with that. For me the swing is 80% effort, with 100% stability. I feel the 80% effort keeps me tension free and able to make easier adjustments when fooled. Having said all of that......mastering perfect mechanics would be a license to swing with more effort, provided that effort indeed kept you perfect.

Nice chat....Take care!

Respectfully,

Coach C