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YHF and I got a lot of video during the Atlanta camp. It will probably take me a week to get through all of it....
Teach said it was basically up to us how much we wanted to post, because the dads in attendance paid for the clinic. My suggestion is that I will will post the drills along with a short clip and discussion of the important teaching points. This will be free to everyone who is a member. Then I will burn discs that contain all the clips from the clinic: I will send these to everyone who was in attendance in Atlanta or San Diego....if you want a disc, just PM me your address. It will probably take me a week to get to it, but you should get it after Thanksgiving. If someone was not in attendance at a clinic, but wants a disc anyway, I will leave it to Teach to determine a fair price.
Check back here often, I will keep updating this post as I review more of the film from the clinic. Also, I'm still having the problem with making gifs from my Mac....if anyone wants to take these youtube clips and make gifs from them, I would be appreciative.
Day 1: Saturday
Drill 1: Swivel with top hand, both feet planted. Don't pull the knob, and don't push/hammer with your hand....just swivel. Make sure your top hand is in the "swearing in" position. Then add bottom hand and repeat the swivel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClVEJsIp2fA. Here is a little more detail on the proper 2-hand swivel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuGi2Fr8eIY What NOT to do is shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXI3I-8i4NE. Here is another look at the swivel performed quickly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s__lddkP4
Drill 2: Swivel balancing on back leg. Get up on your front toe. Turn and look at the pitcher....belly button to the pitcher. Barrel starts on shoulder and then swivels in sync with the rear hip swivel. Both pivot points work together to turn the barrel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEQRhAVq94 After you get good at this, do it with your front foot off the ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp6arXf_BPc
Drill 3: Spread feet, SIT, coil and uncoil. This is the only way to get the "whoooosh" sound behind you that shows early bat speed. Firm up the rear knee and feel the bind as the coil wants to move the knee, but the knee won't let it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFSDygv8nuE http://www.hittingillustrated.com/library/RearKnee.mov Related to this topic, SB demonstrates the right way to unload the rear hip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glhzyWn2ZGo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb4JfY0ZIe0 Here's one way to see if you're doing it right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yER9JqbRvVo. The coil and uncoil should happen without a pause between http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPO9mM7jBVc.
Drill 4: Top hand swivel to ball on tee. "Sit, coil, turn your belly button to the pitcher HARD". Try to stop swing right after you hit the ball. No stop or pause. Front elbow up. Don't shorcut the coil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu6R08E3e3g Some pointers for this drill: make sure the lead arm is turning properly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBM2-hbSlA; think of snapping off a pole (not swinging it out of the ground) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-wx9iNq5qs; show your pocket to the pitcher, not your number....an interesting point I got from this clip was that if you "load" by counterrotating shoulders, you will "unload" by rotating shoulders too much (equal and opposite)....control counterrotation with a firm rear leg/hip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yG72FMHebE.
Drill 5: Using the coil to set the hand load. This is the way to get the much-discussed "overlap". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VoUvtCFChU
Drill 6: Swing with a "ridiculous" uppercut. This is not considered a "good swing", but its a way to get the lower body feel of keeping the weight back into the rear hip that should be part of a good swing. This is a way to learn to get a "good movement". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ6i--llDJ4
Day 2: Sunday
Drill 7: Self-toss with insider bat. Helpful technique for getting rid of hard right and left turns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmo7jA7ponw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f25QqZSvY0A
Drill 8: Stop swings. Another good technique to stop hard right/left. Also teaches the launch and spend.....you launch and have to get up to speed immediately. The swing is spent when the lead elbow juts and the bat contacts the ball. The barrel whips after the hands stop. Get rid of "flatten then swing" mechanics. If you're doing this right, your middle will get recruited strongly and it will hurt after a number of these swings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUwpGvJKH5s. Can also do stop swings with soft toss: stop immediately AFTER you contact the ball http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnCr8OjLDCw Try to hit the ball deep and to the opposite field http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDmbRaORXI0
Drill 9: Bat throws. This is a good drill to check for the hard right/left. There was no video for this one.....SB described it. Take a couple old bats and saw off the knob; if there is a hand grip, take it off. IMPORTANT: go out to a field and make sure no one is IN FRONT OF YOU. Now swing the bat pretending that pitches are inside, down the middle, or outside. If you are a RH hitter, when you swing at an inside pitch the bat slips out of your hand (no knob to hold onto) and should fly in the direction of 3rd base; the bat should fly toward second with a ball down the middle, and toward first base with an outside pitch. If a RH hitter is taking a hard left, then with an inside pitch the bat will actually fly toward the third base dugout; for the other pitches it will also fly too far in the direction of left field. Remember: you'll take a hard right/left turn if you "pull the triangle" around your spinal axis; instead..."turn the triangle to the pitcher".
Drill 10: Stretch and fire. Good drill for understanding how to load the back hip, feel the stretch, and then fire the barrel. You should also try taking BP like this; you'll be surprised how well you can hit the ball. This is a hip-driven drill....the hands turn but do not push. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocOneZfcp5A
Drill 11: Syncage. Not really a drill, but a demonstration by SB on how the 1st and 2nd engines should be sync'd using stop swings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPIO5KwBrp8
Drill 12: Front foot on bench. Another good drill to get the feeling of holding weight in rear hip. Fire off from the rear foot. This drill is particularly good if the bench/chair can slide....it should NOT slide when doing this drill. If it does, there is too much weight transfer to the front leg. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5usH9djGp9A A variation on this drill without a bench. SB also shows how he "sits into his coil" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Pr3h60qTw
Teach said it was basically up to us how much we wanted to post, because the dads in attendance paid for the clinic. My suggestion is that I will will post the drills along with a short clip and discussion of the important teaching points. This will be free to everyone who is a member. Then I will burn discs that contain all the clips from the clinic: I will send these to everyone who was in attendance in Atlanta or San Diego....if you want a disc, just PM me your address. It will probably take me a week to get to it, but you should get it after Thanksgiving. If someone was not in attendance at a clinic, but wants a disc anyway, I will leave it to Teach to determine a fair price.
Check back here often, I will keep updating this post as I review more of the film from the clinic. Also, I'm still having the problem with making gifs from my Mac....if anyone wants to take these youtube clips and make gifs from them, I would be appreciative.
Day 1: Saturday
Drill 1: Swivel with top hand, both feet planted. Don't pull the knob, and don't push/hammer with your hand....just swivel. Make sure your top hand is in the "swearing in" position. Then add bottom hand and repeat the swivel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClVEJsIp2fA. Here is a little more detail on the proper 2-hand swivel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuGi2Fr8eIY What NOT to do is shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXI3I-8i4NE. Here is another look at the swivel performed quickly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8s__lddkP4
Drill 2: Swivel balancing on back leg. Get up on your front toe. Turn and look at the pitcher....belly button to the pitcher. Barrel starts on shoulder and then swivels in sync with the rear hip swivel. Both pivot points work together to turn the barrel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVEQRhAVq94 After you get good at this, do it with your front foot off the ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp6arXf_BPc
Drill 3: Spread feet, SIT, coil and uncoil. This is the only way to get the "whoooosh" sound behind you that shows early bat speed. Firm up the rear knee and feel the bind as the coil wants to move the knee, but the knee won't let it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFSDygv8nuE http://www.hittingillustrated.com/library/RearKnee.mov Related to this topic, SB demonstrates the right way to unload the rear hip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glhzyWn2ZGo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb4JfY0ZIe0 Here's one way to see if you're doing it right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yER9JqbRvVo. The coil and uncoil should happen without a pause between http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPO9mM7jBVc.
Drill 4: Top hand swivel to ball on tee. "Sit, coil, turn your belly button to the pitcher HARD". Try to stop swing right after you hit the ball. No stop or pause. Front elbow up. Don't shorcut the coil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu6R08E3e3g Some pointers for this drill: make sure the lead arm is turning properly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfBM2-hbSlA; think of snapping off a pole (not swinging it out of the ground) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-wx9iNq5qs; show your pocket to the pitcher, not your number....an interesting point I got from this clip was that if you "load" by counterrotating shoulders, you will "unload" by rotating shoulders too much (equal and opposite)....control counterrotation with a firm rear leg/hip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yG72FMHebE.
Drill 5: Using the coil to set the hand load. This is the way to get the much-discussed "overlap". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VoUvtCFChU
Drill 6: Swing with a "ridiculous" uppercut. This is not considered a "good swing", but its a way to get the lower body feel of keeping the weight back into the rear hip that should be part of a good swing. This is a way to learn to get a "good movement". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ6i--llDJ4
Day 2: Sunday
Drill 7: Self-toss with insider bat. Helpful technique for getting rid of hard right and left turns. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmo7jA7ponw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f25QqZSvY0A
Drill 8: Stop swings. Another good technique to stop hard right/left. Also teaches the launch and spend.....you launch and have to get up to speed immediately. The swing is spent when the lead elbow juts and the bat contacts the ball. The barrel whips after the hands stop. Get rid of "flatten then swing" mechanics. If you're doing this right, your middle will get recruited strongly and it will hurt after a number of these swings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUwpGvJKH5s. Can also do stop swings with soft toss: stop immediately AFTER you contact the ball http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnCr8OjLDCw Try to hit the ball deep and to the opposite field http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDmbRaORXI0
Drill 9: Bat throws. This is a good drill to check for the hard right/left. There was no video for this one.....SB described it. Take a couple old bats and saw off the knob; if there is a hand grip, take it off. IMPORTANT: go out to a field and make sure no one is IN FRONT OF YOU. Now swing the bat pretending that pitches are inside, down the middle, or outside. If you are a RH hitter, when you swing at an inside pitch the bat slips out of your hand (no knob to hold onto) and should fly in the direction of 3rd base; the bat should fly toward second with a ball down the middle, and toward first base with an outside pitch. If a RH hitter is taking a hard left, then with an inside pitch the bat will actually fly toward the third base dugout; for the other pitches it will also fly too far in the direction of left field. Remember: you'll take a hard right/left turn if you "pull the triangle" around your spinal axis; instead..."turn the triangle to the pitcher".
Drill 10: Stretch and fire. Good drill for understanding how to load the back hip, feel the stretch, and then fire the barrel. You should also try taking BP like this; you'll be surprised how well you can hit the ball. This is a hip-driven drill....the hands turn but do not push. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocOneZfcp5A
Drill 11: Syncage. Not really a drill, but a demonstration by SB on how the 1st and 2nd engines should be sync'd using stop swings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPIO5KwBrp8
Drill 12: Front foot on bench. Another good drill to get the feeling of holding weight in rear hip. Fire off from the rear foot. This drill is particularly good if the bench/chair can slide....it should NOT slide when doing this drill. If it does, there is too much weight transfer to the front leg. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5usH9djGp9A A variation on this drill without a bench. SB also shows how he "sits into his coil" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3Pr3h60qTw
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