Full Overlap Grip

NoNameJames

NoNameJames

Star Player
So I have been working on this and have finally gotten it down pretty damn good. It almost feels like cheating! Its a game changer and in combination with a solid bat, game over. Up until now I use full overlap for power hitting and partial (2 fingers) for base hits and need to work on using to go oppo. Any tips on going oppo with full overlap?
 
B

B-radical

Addicted to Softballfans
I don't go full overlap, I drop my pinkie, L ring finger is on the knob, then on my top hand (R) my middle and index are on the handle, the ring and pinkie overlap my L hand.

Works well (for me) in all situations. I have been trying to work on my oppo game, and what seems to work for me being I'm not patient enough is to stand more towards the side of the box, further away from the plate, and step into the ball, not directly "at" home plate, but more towards home and the front of home, while keeping my foot in the box.....Seems to work well for me, now to just work on generating power while doing that
 
killer mike

killer mike

Addicted to Softballfans
Full overlap is a great advantage to improving bat speed. I hit some pretty hard liners. My only problem is hitting hr's with ease. I tend to have those enormous warning track pop ups when I over think the hr.

As far as going oppo with full overlap. Live bp is your best bet. Wait for outside pitches and let it get a little deeper in the zone, plant your front foot to the ball and smack it to the other side.
 
TheMick1385

TheMick1385

Addicted to Softballfans
is it wise to do full overlap with a heavier bat, like 29 or 30? i currently just drop both pinkies. i've switched to heavier bats now but wondering if full overlap would be good, guess i would need to practice it.
 
P

pontiacfb78

Star Player
I hit oppo a lot, but not with power. I usually separate my hands a touch, which lets me place the bat a lot more accurately. Works really well for dropping the ball in front of RF.

If you are trying for power, stand forward and further from the plate, then step into your hit. If you face more to the right, you can hit oppo with more of a natural swing, plus you can get your typical power into the ball.
 
oilslick58

oilslick58

Addicted to Softballfans
I overlap..but going oppo I use a normal grip. That does mean I have to determine to go that way before the pitch of course.
I did this because When I tried going with the overlap...I poped everything up.
But that could just be me
 
P

pontiacfb78

Star Player
When you guys overlap your hands, do you grip the knob of the bat? I started trying this, and grip over my left thumb with my right hand (kind of like golf) and I seem to be getting a lot more distance in my hits....I cant ever get comfortable when I interlock my fingers.....
 
Glitch

Glitch

Starting Player
I'm in the same boat as oilslick. Whenever I try to go opposite I can't do an overlap grip or I end up completely biffing it.
 
Jammer

Jammer

Coach
I guess I don't understand how the overlap grip keeps you from hitting oppo. If you can't control the bat with full overlap, just bring a finger or two back onto the handle until you can. Then work your way back to full overlap once you get that down. For me, it's less about the grip than about pitch selection and timing.
 
BOLTMAN21

BOLTMAN21

Manager
I went full overlap last year. Went from 28's to 27 or 26.5's. 28's feel too heavy now. Definitely hit the ball harder. Swinging with conventional grip feels funny to me if I try.
 
L

lilhoff

Coach
Switched to overlap two years ago. I drop my pinky on left (lower) hand and wrap ring finger around the knob. Only thumb and index of top hand touch the bat at any time. Much more accurate, more power and went up an ounce on the bat. Oppo has very much improved, only now trying to hit more on a line when going oppo.
 
Glitch

Glitch

Starting Player
You best bet is to rub your nipples as you approach the plate and then never break eye contact with the picther
 
NoNameJames

NoNameJames

Star Player
lilhoff said:
Switched to overlap two years ago. I drop my pinky on left (lower) hand and wrap ring finger around the knob. Only thumb and index of top hand touch the bat at any time. Much more accurate, more power and went up an ounce on the bat. Oppo has very much improved, only now trying to hit more on a line when going oppo.
Click to expand...

^^^^ This is where I am at. I can go oppo but usually straight up. Trying to flatten it out. Going out this weekend for more BP for this and to open up the BB AM.
 
chrometip78

chrometip78

The Hungarian Barbarian
Swung 30's with a pinky dropped on each hand for a long while, half ass attempted overlap a couple times and never stuck. Tried it again last year just screwing around and hit surprisingly well so I stuck with it. Found out I was holding back on my swing with a more conventional grip and trying too hard to control the bat with my hands.

Overlap grip forced me to control the bat by pulling the knob to change where I wanted the bat head to snap. Kept swinging 30's and hitting everything much harder but I didn't have the control I wanted. HR's happened more regularly and liners were hotter but I wasn't choosing when which was happening all the time. Tried a buddy's 27.5oz end loaded bat (suppose to be 28oz equivalent) and hit almost as far with an easier swing, but I was able to do so much more consistently. I was able to get more accuracy on the ball with a little better timing making up for the loss of bat weight and equaled more consistent HR's.

I then struggled when HR's were used up cause I was being a jackass and hadn't practiced anything else. Now I've gotten better at HR vs a hard liner where I want on the pull side. Oppo is difficult unless it's a ball really outside and there's still a chance it will end up going middle, but that's just do to less practice than mechanics of the grip. I'd also like to go back to 30's now that I'm comfortable with the overlap but it's not worthwhile to change again.

Morals of this cool story:
*Overlap does have some mechanical benefit of extension and snap but it's not necessary to hitting the ball hard.
*Likely forces the realization you have to be aggressive to the ball, relaxed hands are faster, and snapping the bat with your wrists translates power from your hips to the bat.
*30oz options are fading away whether we like it or not, can get ahead of the curve or run over by it, 28's have plenty of oomph.
 
NoNameJames

NoNameJames

Star Player
chrometip78 said:
Swung 30's with a pinky dropped on each hand for a long while, half ass attempted overlap a couple times and never stuck. Tried it again last year just screwing around and hit surprisingly well so I stuck with it. Found out I was holding back on my swing with a more conventional grip and trying too hard to control the bat with my hands.

Overlap grip forced me to control the bat by pulling the knob to change where I wanted the bat head to snap. Kept swinging 30's and hitting everything much harder but I didn't have the control I wanted. HR's happened more regularly and liners were hotter but I wasn't choosing when which was happening all the time. Tried a buddy's 27.5oz end loaded bat (suppose to be 28oz equivalent) and hit almost as far with an easier swing, but I was able to do so much more consistently. I was able to get more accuracy on the ball with a little better timing making up for the loss of bat weight and equaled more consistent HR's.

I then struggled when HR's were used up cause I was being a jackass and hadn't practiced anything else. Now I've gotten better at HR vs a hard liner where I want on the pull side. Oppo is difficult unless it's a ball really outside and there's still a chance it will end up going middle, but that's just do to less practice than mechanics of the grip. I'd also like to go back to 30's now that I'm comfortable with the overlap but it's not worthwhile to change again.

Morals of this cool story:
*Overlap does have some mechanical benefit of extension and snap but it's not necessary to hitting the ball hard.
*Likely forces the realization you have to be aggressive to the ball, relaxed hands are faster, and snapping the bat with your wrists translates power from your hips to the bat.
*30oz options are fading away whether we like it or not, can get ahead of the curve or run over by it, 28's have plenty of oomph.
Click to expand...

Very well spoken and I agree. But all I can see out of the corner of my eye is your avatar swingin his "hammer". lol
 
oilslick58

oilslick58

Addicted to Softballfans
chrometip78 said:
Swung 30's with a pinky dropped on each hand for a long while, half ass attempted overlap a couple times and never stuck. Tried it again last year just screwing around and hit surprisingly well so I stuck with it. Found out I was holding back on my swing with a more conventional grip and trying too hard to control the bat with my hands.

Overlap grip forced me to control the bat by pulling the knob to change where I wanted the bat head to snap. Kept swinging 30's and hitting everything much harder but I didn't have the control I wanted. HR's happened more regularly and liners were hotter but I wasn't choosing when which was happening all the time. Tried a buddy's 27.5oz end loaded bat (suppose to be 28oz equivalent) and hit almost as far with an easier swing, but I was able to do so much more consistently. I was able to get more accuracy on the ball with a little better timing making up for the loss of bat weight and equaled more consistent HR's.

I then struggled when HR's were used up cause I was being a jackass and hadn't practiced anything else. Now I've gotten better at HR vs a hard liner where I want on the pull side. Oppo is difficult unless it's a ball really outside and there's still a chance it will end up going middle, but that's just do to less practice than mechanics of the grip. I'd also like to go back to 30's now that I'm comfortable with the overlap but it's not worthwhile to change again.

Morals of this cool story:
*Overlap does have some mechanical benefit of extension and snap but it's not necessary to hitting the ball hard.
*Likely forces the realization you have to be aggressive to the ball, relaxed hands are faster, and snapping the bat with your wrists translates power from your hips to the bat.
*30oz options are fading away whether we like it or not, can get ahead of the curve or run over by it, 28's have plenty of oomph.
Click to expand...

Im sure you are right.............but this is too damn long for my phone.
Big ups:(
 
L

lilhoff

Coach
NoNameJames said:
^^^^ This is where I am at. I can go oppo but usually straight up. Trying to flatten it out. Going out this weekend for more BP for this and to open up the BB AM.
Click to expand...

I may have the better side of the fly ball issue. All oppo hits this year have been HR's or long fouls. Not complaining but I would hate to come up with no HR's left, defence shifts on me and I DBO off field. Even in BP I can't get the line drive down, I have mastered the dribbler to first though.
 
rmp0012002

rmp0012002

Addicted to Softballfans
I tried the full overlap grip a couple years ago but couldn't get comfortable controlling the bat. It's amazing that something so simple as just dropping the pinky can increase your power.
 
phxraida15

phxraida15

Addicted to Softballfans
I started overlapping about 2 years ago... I couldn't go back to conventional grip again... Feels awkward... I did how ever go to interlocking overlap... Helped me gain some of the control I lost with a traditional overlap... The best of both worlds to be honest... Also forces you to keep your hands loose and let go of the bat with your top hand on follow through... Because if you don't, it will hurt your fingers... If you do it properly you won't feel a thing... I picked it up from a local C player who sprays the field and rakes at will... Best hitter I've seen... I'm not no all star hitter... But it's been the most consistent hitting I've had since I've been playing ball.... Takes some BP to get use too...
 
IDP

IDP

Part Time Player
i think the only way to consistently go oppo and control it with a full overlap is to go with a much lighter bat and just wait for pitches to get deep.

the thing i dont get about the full overlap is how do guys hit pitches on the inner half? seems like the whole idea behind the full overlap is max extension and whipping/snapping through...but can that be done if you pull your hands in? i might need to try that tomorrow during bp.
 
phxraida15

phxraida15

Addicted to Softballfans
The best way to learn and get use to it... Is hit off a tee... Maybe 100/200 hits a few times in a week... Grab the bat with you front hand and just push your hand with the top hand to hit the ball off the tee... If you do this and then go overlap it will feel natural and and have more control... Its the way I learned...
 
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