Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Fri Mar 19 10:49:56 2004

I have a couple of 12 year olds on our team who are fine hitters, yet both have the same bad habit of dipping their back shoulder to reach low or outside pitches. Any suggestions of drills to break this habit?
> > >
> > > I wonder how many naturally good hitters have been ruined by poor coaching.
> >
> > Hi Teacherman,
> >
> > Everybody assumes that dipping the back shoulder facilitates numerous mechanical breakdowns; however, this is not so. Williams, Ferroli, Epstein, and countless other rotational instructors will argue that the back shoulder must lower in order to enable "the plane of the pitch to match the plane of the swing." Even Mankin and Elliot would agree that the back shoulder must lower into the swing plane, the only difference being that the former would stress making an conscious effort to do so, whereas the latter would say that this is just an action that happens as the swing progesses. Although I favor the former, the latter point of view has just as must merit. I have just read Adair's "Physics of Hitting" for the twentieth time, and he also agrees that the bat is traveling upwards to meet a ball traveling downwards at impact.
> >
> > Now, I understand that some may argue about providing backspin on a ball by swinging down to induce the "dragging effect." Yet, one online article that pertains to the science of hitting a home run argues that trying to self-induce these results (i.e., changing the "rotation" on a hanging slider) will produce "negilible" results. Seen in this light, Lau-based theories are purely anecdoctal.
> >
> > Therefore, I urge you to work with, rather than against, laws of physics that argue how an upwards "collision effect" are beneficiary. From a geometric perspective, dropping the back shoulder should assist an individual in waiting for and rotating the bathead to the outside part of the strike zone. Contrary to popular believe, dipping, whether conscious or unconscious, is an integral part of the baseball swing.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > BHL
> > Knight1285@aol.com
> >
> > It seems as if do not dip the back shoulder is poor coaching, but, in view of the facts I have presented, is really great advice!
>
> Which is it BHL? Your paragraphs explain the importance of dipping the shoulder whether intentional or just part of a good rotational swing. Then your PS says "it seems as if do not dip the back shoulder is poor coaching, but, in view of the facts I have presented, is really great advice". So, is "do not dip the back shoulder" really good advice? Or not.

Hi Teacherman,

Sorry for the ambiguity. Telling individuals to dip the back shoulder great advice. It can help polish an unrefined hitter.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com

P.S. Perhaps what I meant was that all great hitters, whether told to do so or not, dip their back shoulder. Therefore, if it is such an essential part of the swing, why not take the first step in the right direction, and teach your hitters how to dip properly? Just a thought.