Posted by: grc () on Tue Jul 17 09:20:21 2001

Jack,
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> > >>> I use Tee work to work on proper swing mechanics. Just make sure the hitter is taking his hands quickly to the inside of the ball and make sure his shoulders and hips are going around as the hands are exploding to the inside of the ball. I use over emphasis technique to get a young hitter to feel what its like to explode your hands to the inside of the ball. I point out that the knob of the bat is the end of the bat by your hands. I will have him in slow motion take the knob of the bat to the ball on the tee and touch the ball with the knob of the bat. Then I have him speed up his motion of touching the knob of the bat ,from a proper hitting stance, to the ball on the tee. Then after he gets the idea of what I mean by exploding his hands and the knob to the ball, I tell him to then start turning his shoulders and hips with his hand motion to the ball and make sure that they all (Hands ,Hips, Shoulders) come around together working as one to get the best speed and power. I also explain that the quick turning of the hips and shoulders will bring the head of the bat into the strike zone and make contact with the ball. I am working with 7 and 8 year olds, so the detail is on their level. I use a bucket of about 50 balls to hit into a juggs instant screen with a tee or side toss. I try to get each kid about 100 swings a practice 3 times a week. <<<
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> > Hi Coach
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> > I'm certain that routine will produce the swing mechanics you are looking for. I just do not agree with them. A batter cannot transfer energy from his body rotation into bat speed with a straight hand-path. When the knob reaches full extension, they will have nothing left but torque to bring the bat-head around. Much of the bat speed they do develop will occur well after passing the contact point.
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> > Coach, we are having a discussion on the cue "throw your hands at the ball." Would that be similar to your "explode the hands?" I have stated that "throw the hands" is more for developing a linear hand-path. I would appreciate your thoughts.
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> > Jack Mankin
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> >
> > Jack Mankin
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> Coach -
> I applaud your dedication. Not many 8 year olds take 100 swings 3 times per week. You will get results beyond the normal.
> You are also engraining muscle memory very heavily and it is essential that the kids are doing it right.
> You need to read more on this website and at Setpro's hitting archives.
> Getting them thinking about hitting the inside of the ball is good. How you get them to do it is the question.
> You are combining hip turn, shoulder turn and hands release as one movement - a unit turn. This is incorrect. However, with the age of the players, it is not clear if you are simplifying for them or really want them to do all three as a unit.
> I always start technical work with kids by fixing lower body mechanics. Most youngsters have no clue how their feet, legs, and hips work or should be used to help start and power their swing.
> Coach Emanski's tape and Dusty Baker's book are flawed and shallow on explanation, but give reasonable basic starting points/sequences for starting this process. You could steal some of their stuff.
> But as a coach, you need to know a lot more than the kids you teach. Jack Mankin's video would, I hope, be a real eye opener for you concerning upper body mechanics, how to use the hands, etc. Mike Epstein's tapes give excellent detail for lower body/hips mechanics (his upper body understanding is shaky).
> Armed with more knowledge, you could use those 300 swings per week to create a team of future pros.
> Good luck and keep participating here.




> coach.....i don't think you understood jack's question.......jack asked "Hi Coach What if a hitter does not explode his hands straight at the ball? Suppose he keeps his hands back and lets rotation accelerate his hands in a circular path? -- What advise or drills would you use to straighten him out?".....you responded by stating your teaching methodology regarding "exploding of the hands"...........you did not respond to jack's question of " Suppose he keeps his hands back and lets rotation accelerate his hands in a circular path? "......in other words, do you agree or disagree that if you let rotation accelerate your hands in a circular path you will not need to worry about drills for "exploding the hands" ?...........respectfully, grc......