Bat Speed -- Baseball Hitting Forum

Posted by: () on Fri Jan 17 11:56:27 2003

>
> >
> > Tom, this is what I feel at the "golden moment".
>
> First, I have a hard time striding (lower body) and going back (upper body). I feel a whole lot more comfortable started back (upper body) and as the ball is coming just rotate. Any drills to help me FEEL or LEARN this.
>
> Next, when I pinch my shoulder blade or rotate my shoulders, my bat wraps and the front elbow firms/bars. Is this good or not? I watch Bonds and Sosa and I cannot figure out if this matters or not?
>
> With the bat wrapped and my inability to get any momentum as I stride, it feels at the golden moment, that when I turn my hips, everything rotates together - hips, shoulders, bat.
>
> My bat speed has increased about 12 mph since I started rotating vs. just "throw my hands"; and I am hitting the ball real hard; but my timing is not as good. Why is that? Is there anything you can offer me to work on TIMING - what is the best drill or the best advice or the best thinking so I can know mentally what the objective really is.
>
> Thanks for your help, Brittany
> Timing -- I have a very ha

Brittany-

I would recommend a video review like Jack offers here for you and your coach.

As for timing,with rotational mechanics you will be much quicker to the ball.It is very hard,especially under game presure to keep your timing.You will tend to be overanxious,tight,and want to start your swing too early and then let the hands and arms make a corrective/decelerating action.You have to learn to trust your swing and build up the challenge gradually in practice so you master each stage from dry swing to front toss to live situations.

If you think of "hips,then hands" and "trust the hands",remember these are hands that are fixed to the torso following the 3 arcs,not going off and doing something on their own.

In high level Lau terms,"stride then swing" don't swing("launch")while you are still striding.Another Lau cue "don't let the top hand dominate"(take over and degrade circular handpath).

If you are trusting your swing and your good rotational mechanics are not breaking down,then it's better to be a little early than alittle late(easier to avoid mechanical breakdown if you speed up acceleration than if you have to slow down,risking deceleration).You can think of this in terms of when you need to get the front foot down for a given pitcher.Practice doing this and find the right timing for the given pitcher's fastest go to pitch.You should be anticipating so you get a good pitch to hit.Then get the front foot down at the right time.

Most likely the basic mechanics will need a lot of work too.

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Text:

> >
> > > 
> > > Tom, this is what I feel at the "golden moment".
> > 
> > First, I have a hard time striding (lower body) and going back (upper body).  I feel a whole lot more comfortable started back (upper body) and as the ball is coming just rotate.  Any drills to help me FEEL or LEARN this.
> > 
> > Next, when I pinch my shoulder blade or rotate my shoulders, my bat wraps and the front elbow firms/bars.  Is this good or not?  I watch Bonds and Sosa and I cannot figure out if this matters or not?
> > 
> > With the bat wrapped and my inability to get any momentum as I stride, it feels at the golden moment, that when I turn my hips, everything rotates together - hips, shoulders, bat.
> > 
> > My bat speed has increased about 12 mph since I started rotating vs. just "throw my hands"; and I am hitting the ball real hard; but my timing is not as good.  Why is that?  Is there anything you can offer me to work on TIMING - what is the best drill or the best advice or the best thinking so I can know mentally what the objective really is.
> > 
> > Thanks for your help, Brittany
> > Timing -- I have a very ha
> 
> Brittany-
> 
> I would recommend a video review like Jack offers here for you and your coach.
> 
> As for timing,with rotational mechanics you will be much quicker to the ball.It is very hard,especially under game presure to keep your timing.You will tend to be overanxious,tight,and want to start your swing too early and then let the hands and arms make a corrective/decelerating action.You have to learn to trust your swing and build up the challenge gradually in practice so you master each stage from dry swing to front toss to live situations.
> 
> If you think of "hips,then hands" and "trust the hands",remember these are hands that are fixed to the torso following the 3 arcs,not going off and doing something on their own.
> 
> In high level Lau terms,"stride then swing" don't swing("launch")while you are still striding.Another Lau cue "don't let the top hand dominate"(take over and degrade circular handpath).
> 
> If you are trusting your swing and your good rotational mechanics are not breaking down,then it's better to be a little early than alittle late(easier to avoid mechanical breakdown if you speed up acceleration than if you have to slow down,risking deceleration).You can think of this in terms of when you need to get the front foot down for a given pitcher.Practice doing this and find the right timing for the given pitcher's fastest go to pitch.You should be anticipating so you get a good pitch to hit.Then get the front foot down at the right time.
> 
> Most likely the basic mechanics will need a lot of work too.

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