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I know it’s a lot to try and figure out but maybe this post will help a little along with the one leg drills
Originally posted by Teacherman
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In our struggle to get Brandon back to where he was....we had a good moment in the living room last night.
He had been continually plunging his hands forward with his arms as he turns the barrel. This is an extreme swing killer. I call it barrel slide. And quite a shocker to both of us as his strength had always been his barrel turn.....from a very tight HPP.
It is very easy to fall out of pattern.....and IMO.....trying to hit the ball harder and harder....further and further....off the planet.....instead of just engraining the mechanics....and trusting that the real issue is bat/ball squaring....not how 'good' or 'fast' or 'powerful' your body feels. What is important is that the barrel is speeding....not you.
Anyway....he would swear he was turning the barrel. And yet....he would continually plunge those arms....taking the weight with them. I finally asked him where his arms finish on each swing he took. And the answer was at/near his front hip. Uh huh. They were plunging. And the barrel is sliding. That is NOT a tight hand pivot point.
So....I got him to truly rotate the forearms.....in this fashion....
....and to then commit to that movement as he found his handset....verifying before he swung that he could rotate the forearms....and Shazam......instantly....he had a tight HPP.....instantly his rear hip would grab....and he instantly felt the old swing.
So....you've all done the drill, I assume....and still struggle....maybe.....so what is the REAL difference. The REAL difference came from our discussion afterwards....that the 'feel'....is the barrel turning perpendicular to the rear forearm. The path of the barrel is a wheel....the bat is a spoke....the rear forearm is the axle. And the barrel MUST turn perpendicular to the forearm.
Now.....look at my demonstration video....it doesn't 'look' perpendicular does it? At least not at the initiation. But MY GOD...the feel is absolutely perpendicular.
Now look at Longoria....and feel the axle/wheel relationship between his rear forearm and his barrel path.
Not turning the barrel perp to the forearm is a very weak position from which the barrel is not 'driven' by the forearms....but turned by the hands.....the weak hands.
Make your forearms take over. Turn the barrel perp to the forearms by feel.....and watch your rear hip grab.
In my clinics I talk about the hand path being 'across the chin'.....don't let the hands drop down toward the hip. Do Not
Go Down Through The Nipple. This is extremely important. the swing must be launched....sent to autopilot....then the hands can take the speeding barrel to the ball.
Why does Longoria look so smooth and free and easy? Because he is trusting his barrel turn. He is not interested in a powerful fast feelling body. He wants his barrel to speed....not his body.
He had been continually plunging his hands forward with his arms as he turns the barrel. This is an extreme swing killer. I call it barrel slide. And quite a shocker to both of us as his strength had always been his barrel turn.....from a very tight HPP.
It is very easy to fall out of pattern.....and IMO.....trying to hit the ball harder and harder....further and further....off the planet.....instead of just engraining the mechanics....and trusting that the real issue is bat/ball squaring....not how 'good' or 'fast' or 'powerful' your body feels. What is important is that the barrel is speeding....not you.
Anyway....he would swear he was turning the barrel. And yet....he would continually plunge those arms....taking the weight with them. I finally asked him where his arms finish on each swing he took. And the answer was at/near his front hip. Uh huh. They were plunging. And the barrel is sliding. That is NOT a tight hand pivot point.
So....I got him to truly rotate the forearms.....in this fashion....
....and to then commit to that movement as he found his handset....verifying before he swung that he could rotate the forearms....and Shazam......instantly....he had a tight HPP.....instantly his rear hip would grab....and he instantly felt the old swing.
So....you've all done the drill, I assume....and still struggle....maybe.....so what is the REAL difference. The REAL difference came from our discussion afterwards....that the 'feel'....is the barrel turning perpendicular to the rear forearm. The path of the barrel is a wheel....the bat is a spoke....the rear forearm is the axle. And the barrel MUST turn perpendicular to the forearm.
Now.....look at my demonstration video....it doesn't 'look' perpendicular does it? At least not at the initiation. But MY GOD...the feel is absolutely perpendicular.
Now look at Longoria....and feel the axle/wheel relationship between his rear forearm and his barrel path.
Not turning the barrel perp to the forearm is a very weak position from which the barrel is not 'driven' by the forearms....but turned by the hands.....the weak hands.
Make your forearms take over. Turn the barrel perp to the forearms by feel.....and watch your rear hip grab.
In my clinics I talk about the hand path being 'across the chin'.....don't let the hands drop down toward the hip. Do Not
Go Down Through The Nipple. This is extremely important. the swing must be launched....sent to autopilot....then the hands can take the speeding barrel to the ball.
Why does Longoria look so smooth and free and easy? Because he is trusting his barrel turn. He is not interested in a powerful fast feelling body. He wants his barrel to speed....not his body.
o
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