Posted by: grc () on Sun Nov 30 12:09:17 2003

I've noticed on this site that everything we talk about is about visualization.
> What frame THT starts in, what are back leg looks like at contact, how many degrees the shoulders are at in frame 3 or 4.
>
>
> The thing is when you go up to bat, you can't take a mirror up with you to see what you look like. You can't just learn how to swing by watching a video or practicing in front of a mirror. I remember a basketball coach telling me that the jump-shot isn't about what it looks like, you have to memorize what it feels like when you go on the court. You can't take a mirror out there with you to see yourself while you shoot, or during a baseball swing.
> I've read few of the 'visualization' on this site. I've only read that "all slack be taken out of the arms.....shoulder rotation causes an increase in batspeed,", and any tension during the swing is from batspeed that should have occured but didn't.
>
> So what should we feel when we step up to the plate? It's not visually that we learn how to swing and hit a ball, it's what we program into our muscle memory, and muscle memory is what we feel. When we swing the bat, all the hitter is looking at is the ball, not the bat, not what angle his front elbow and back knee are at during this frame and that frame. When a hitter steps up to bat, he shouldn't be thinking about his mechanics, (as Ted Williams says). His mechanics should automaticaly be programmed (in his muscle memory). All the hitter should think about is the ball, the ball's spin, where it will go in the strike zone, it's movement, and it's velocity.
>
> So yes it's important to do the bagdrill to see what our swing look like at contact, but what about the rest of the swing?
>
>
> What should e the should swing feel, look, smell, taste, sound like?

you make a good point...the comparison with your swing and that of major leaguers for frame1, 2, etc is relevant as a starting point...for example, if, in the torque position (4 frames from contact) most major league hitters have their hips already rotated maybe 20 or 25 degrees, on average...if your hips are rotated 5 degrees, that should suggest thatyou are doing something different, if not wrong...once you determine the reason (with reason usually occuring earlier in the swing), you can then make adjustments in these earlier movements so as to look the same as the major leaguers in later frames....not that being different is always bad, but frequently, for key movements different does equate to a hitting defect...i'm sure me and others could cite many other key checkpoints throughout the swing....

as to how it feeels....first of all, assuming that you find a difference, deem it worthy enough to correct, you should feel the differences in the before and after swing...

in my opinion, some examples of movements you can "feel".....(1) elbow in the slot...(2) contacting ball with top arm in "L" position....(3) the top hand taking an active role in initiating the chp....i'm sure others could cite other examples as well....