Nice Hitting Video

[ManitouDan]

Here is a pretty good summary of the swing that I teach . He doesnt talk much about grip but most everything else he covers in this 15 minute video I really like. His quick clips of the human skeleton are great spots to use the " pause" function to stop the video and look at the rotation of the shoulders and the plane of the bat path .... how to keep the proper plane and keep the bat in the strike zone for the longest amount of time possible.
The very first point he covers about keeping the lead elbow flexed until AFTER contact points out the most common flaw that girls have in their swing, they over extend and lock out the arms forming a triangle ( or pie shape) as opposed to maintaining the integrity of the square . When you make contact with your arms locked out you lose large amounts of power.
And his description of how to rotate the shoulders and maintain proper bat angle is really shown well also. Notice the elbow is ALWAYS above the hands , and the hands are ALWAYS above the barrel of the bat at contact . This is explained by him as the proper path of the hula hoop . Ive never heard of this guy nor the hula hoop analogy but it describes bat plane really well . great video .

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 7188&hl=en#

[ManitouDan]

here is another from a acquaintance of mine in Cinci . His girl has a beautiful swing . This is actually part of a drill he uses , you tell your hitter to flip the top hand UPSIDE DOWN, or as he calls it , reverse hand drill . It helps the hitter to release after contact and get to full extension .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A2tuXwB ... e=youtu.be

[old-timer]

Just viewed both videos, I will take the girls swing for Softball over the guys swing. I hope I misunderstood about these swings being taught by the same person. These two swings are COMPLETELY different philosophies and technique to hitting. The girl throwd hands, full extension, balance strong and stays behind her hands. Could probably hit with power to all fields regardless pitch location. Great finish.
the guy's swing is what I would consifer poor back side power, probably neds perfect pitsn to hit hard and elevate. High back heel???

I teach the girls technique.
Thanks for the viewing though.

[ManitouDan]

no , I never stated the video's were from the same person. To be clear i statyed i've never heard of the guy in the baseball video, but the guy from cinci is a acquaintance of mine. . The baseball guy doesnt say much about heel plant and lower body but in my opinion the upper body part of the two swings is very close . Could you explain a little more about the comment " poor back side power" on the baseball guy. And are you saying he should finish with the back heel up off the ground ? If so , I agree . also the girl has a great negative more before going into her swing. Thanks for the comments , I love to talk hitting.
I dont see the swings as totally different philosophies. At least as far as hand path and importance of mainting a strong flexed lead elbow and not locking out at contact. Both finish FAR higher and have better extension than 90% of the girls in scioto. co

[old-timer]

Didn't me to imply that you knew the guy in the baseball video, I thought you said that you taught same technique as the baseball and softball video? I was implying that the weight distribution and balance of power at time of contact looked completely different and would be contradicting styles. Can't see how one could teach both of those and stay consistant with what the girls take from the lesson. As to backside power, I was referring to his inability to "hit behind his hands" with the balance at contact point. I am a FIRM believer that a baseball swing and a softball swing have a few CRUTIAL points that are different when the swings are studied. Just my opinion, but enjoy talking and viewing hitters and the flaws I notice for high average hitters, but still abilities to drive the better pitches one sees. I don't teach HIGH BACK HEEL, I believe it has to be the perfect pitch for that situation to take place, I prefer to be balanced where I can hit ALL pitches hard regardless of location and HIT TO ALL FIELDS with power.

Enjoyed explaining, even though it may sound like garbage to some.

[ManitouDan]

Yes after studying the baseball guy a little more he does not stress the importance of hips leading the hands . He talks a bit about rotation but doesnt stay on that topic too long , maybe because he is talking to 8-9 year olds ? not for sure , hopefully he stress's that in other classes with his players. I do like his upper body explanations and because so many players dont understand the description of a flexed lead elbow . In saying his balance of power is not good or off do you mean his hips are not rotated soon enough ?

[old-timer]

No, what I was implying was that his base doesn't look powerful to where he is capable of adjusting midstride to a pitch because of movement on the ball or location not exactly where he thought. I think he only hits the perfect pitch hard, not able to make an adjustment on the fly. We can ALL hit the ball hard when it is placed perfectly on a tee.

Would like to come watch your hitting instruction and take in some information. Maybe talk a little hitting.

[ManitouDan]

I do some instruction to the girls that play for the Ohio Passion out of Waverly , just started with them 3 weeks ago . I only have about 3-4 14u kids and then the 8,9 and 10u kids which are a real challenge , you correct one thing and 4 others go bad ...lol . we go at 5 and 6 pm but with the time change coming up and weather turning colder I'm not certain what the schedule holds .

I'm a rookie at teaching , I made that clear to everyone who was interested ,so I've got plenty to learn about how to commumicate what i know . and in what order to start , ground up is what i was ( and my dd) was taught . but its so tempting to jump right in with hands and arms . I would have loved to brought a few kids up to Jackson to the indoor stuff but dont know how free they are due to hoops. We ( Notre Dame ) have some bashers for sure . good talking with you . MD

[ManitouDan]

Old Timer , here is another video of the same girl and her dad doing a hand path/bat angle drill that shows the proper location of elbow/wrist/barrel of bat at contact determined by pitch location.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_DxMRXQ ... ure=relmfu

[The Flush]

There is a lot of good hitting discussion over at the Baseball Fever Forums. The first video Dan posted look like some of the stuff discussed there.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/forumdisp ... ndamentals

[ManitouDan]

here is another video I like showing how to fire the back hip .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjaOLpyG ... el&list=UL

[gemssoftball]

took my daughter out to see this Guy very good at what he does not only did my DD learn alot from him i did as well....

[ManitouDan]

Ol straightleg knows his stuff.