Throwing the hands

[Jomatty]

Who focuses on this as a swing key? In baseball this, along with a downward swing plane were two major things I worked on. I have been trying to get away from this and wonder if I am trying too hard to change my swing, when many seem to still have success with this theory of hitting.
I have worked at trying to keep my hands more attached to my back shoulder, which is what I see when I see most high level hitters swing. Many still seem to like the throw the hands/show the knob to the pitcher. Who throws their hands and who try's to keep them more attached with their back shoulder?

 

[Jomatty]

Bat lag seems key and is one of the things I'm working to improve. It doesn't seem necessary to "throw the hands" to have good bat lag (which I think is what you were saying)

 

[killer mike]

I have a overlap grip. Very loose grip not tight. I notice it really helps with the wrist snap a lot.

 

[RogueWarrior28]

I usually tend to throw my hands at the ball when I swing at an outside pitch. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not. I hardly go oppo though.

 

[bimmerpilot]

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XosNGGXxGPE[/ame]

 

[Mike27]

Why would you focus on a downward swing plane in baseball?

I have never heard or seen this before.

 

[Qoheleth52]

Throw the hands all you want, just don't throw the bat. Been kicked out of a few games for that.

 

[Jomatty]

Why would you focus on a downward swing plane in baseball?

I have never heard or seen this before.

It was not uncommon, at least not in the early 90's. Not saying it's right and it certainly had nothing to do with backspin or anything. That and throwing my hands is what I blame for a lot of loss in power back in the day.

 

[Jomatty]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XosNGGXxGPE

I know a lot of people swear by this video, including some really good hitters. I suppose I'm asking who agrees and who disagrees with this? When I see slow mo of great hitters this is rarely what I see, but maybe I'm just missing it. I see lots of bat lag in great hitters swing but not a throwing of hands or that compact a swing very often.

 

[Fro Joe]

No matter how hard I throw my hands they don't go very far.

 

[Mike27]

I know a lot of people swear by this video, including some really good hitters. I suppose I'm asking who agrees and who disagrees with this? When I see slow mo of great hitters this is rarely what I see, but maybe I'm just missing it. I see lots of bat lag in great hitters swing but not a throwing of hands or that compact a swing very often.

I agree with you. Cal ripken Jr had a similar swing as what he's talking about. It's known as the power V.

Although it looks like his slow MO swing is not as he is stating at the beginning of his video

Looks like at contact his rear elbow is on his side above his hip. Which is what probably 90% of MLB swings look like

I seen a instructional video with AROD where he was saying the same thing as the above video but them u watch his live swings and he's doing the exact opposite

 

[bimmerpilot]

I know a lot of people swear by this video, including some really good hitters. I suppose I'm asking who agrees and who disagrees with this? When I see slow mo of great hitters this is rarely what I see, but maybe I'm just missing it. I see lots of bat lag in great hitters swing but not a throwing of hands or that compact a swing very often.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOkftXxFKFA[/ame]

 

[chrometip78]

I know a lot of people swear by this video, including some really good hitters. I suppose I'm asking who agrees and who disagrees with this? When I see slow mo of great hitters this is rarely what I see, but maybe I'm just missing it. I see lots of bat lag in great hitters swing but not a throwing of hands or that compact a swing very often.

You could probably put Bob Woldyk in the great hiters category, not sure anyone would really argue against that.

 

[Jomatty]

No I wouldn't argue that great hitter applies to him. Compared to me you would qualify as a great hitter and I know you follow the very compact, throw the hands theory of hitting. I guess when I think of truly elite players I think of MLB swings and guys at the highest level of softball. I think that sometimes it feels like people are doing things they are not, and without slo mo it is hard to see.

 

[swingnmiss]

I don't even roll my wrists.........Rolling your wrists at contact is bull**** anyway. Anyone that taught you to do that, should be spanked. You want to push with your top hand through the contact zone, but not roll your wrists or snap them. Mostly it's push with the top hand on the bottom hand and let things happen on their own. Most of the time it comes after the ball has left the bat.

 

[scrub]

throw the hands, roll the wrists....I don't do any of that crap. I fire my hands violently through the zone.

 

[Paulypal]

I don't even roll my wrists.........Rolling your wrists at contact is bull**** anyway. Anyone that taught you to do that, should be spanked. You want to push with your top hand through the contact zone, but not roll your wrists or snap them. Mostly it's push with the top hand on the bottom hand and let things happen on their own. Most of the time it comes after the ball has left the bat.

Thank you.

When I hear wrist snap wrist roll from guys talking about hitting I immediately ignore the rest of the statement.

No hitter that is any good on any level in any form of baseball has ever snapped his wrists or rolled his wrists before contact.

If you look at still picture of bat on ball in any major league hitter he hits with palm up / palm down on contact. A wrist snap or roll happens after contact. Strong hands/wrists/forearms are a huge plus, but wrist roll and wrist snap is a cue given by people that need to do their homework.


Wrist snap and wrist roll are terrible cues to give. These are just things people have heard, never researched and think its right because so and so said it.

This is a picture of the supposed greatest wrist hitter ever. Hank Aaron. You hear all about wrist snap etc. Here is a picture on contact with palms up palms down.

 

[Ballisttic]

wrist snap is where the bat end cap stops facing the catcher and the head of the bat comes around to meet the ball. wrist roll happens after contact of the ball. wrist snap makes bat speed and wrist roll allows you to finish your swing.

 

[Bballkking1]

[ame="http://youtu.be/Doqu5vwtqbk"]http://youtu.be/Doqu5vwtqbk[/ame]

For softball especially the explanation in this video makes complete sense. I'd also add that keeping the hand in close to the body allows for a better snap.

For those that disagree I'd be interested to hear what doesn't make sense about kens explanation.

 

[bimmerpilot]

I think we can all agree that slowpitch softball does not equal the game of baseball...

The video above even points out that the grips are distinctly different.

Most of the slow-mos show a definitive roll or snap of the wrist at contact.
They must obviously be doing something wrong

 

[Rdd/Easton 10]

Learn to use ur lower half and everything will fall into place...most people don't clear there hips and swing around the ball and cast from the top causing all kinds of problems. Learn to clear the hips which will give u space to keep arms/hands to stay inside of ball.

 

[Smcfzr]

Learn to use ur lower half and everything will fall into place...most people don't clear there hips and swing around the ball and cast from the top causing all kinds of problems. Learn to clear the hips which will give u space to keep arms/hands to stay inside of ball.

Yep exactly what i was thinkin aswell. It wasnt until i started hittin off a tee that i rediscovered my lower half that i became a consistant hitter. Once i forgot all the nonsense about throwin the hands and started livin by the rule of the hands just bein along for the ride it was alot less popups and grounders and alot more line drives and shots over the fence and the swing feels more smooth and effortless now. But yes work on drivin the hips and shoulders together in actuality the shoulders are like miliseconds behind your hips but work on those and itll fall into place. Chris oleary has an awesome ebook for slowpitch

 

[Paulypal]

I think we can all agree that slowpitch softball does not equal the game of baseball...

The video above even points out that the grips are distinctly different.

Most of the slow-mos show a definitive roll or snap of the wrist at contact.
They must obviously be doing something wrong

This is a quote from a fairly well known hitting instructor:

The research I have read says that the wrist snap is highly over-rated and is generally the effect of a good swing (or throw) and not the cause of a good swing (or throw).
In a good swing, once the hitter releases the barrel, the wrists serve as a free-swinging hinge and there is no need to try to force them to snap. In fact, trying to actively snap the wrists can actually reduce the speed at which the wrists will naturally snap on their own. As a result, I believe that actively trying to snap the wrists, as opposed to just letting them snap, is a bad idea

And to add -- the wrists snap or rolls over after contact. If you want to snap your wrists or roll them over before contact...have at it.

 

[justwhippin]

This is a quote from a fairly well known hitting instructor:

The research I have read says that the wrist snap is highly over-rated and is generally the effect of a good swing (or throw) and not the cause of a good swing (or throw).
In a good swing, once the hitter releases the barrel, the wrists serve as a free-swinging hinge and there is no need to try to force them to snap. In fact, trying to actively snap the wrists can actually reduce the speed at which the wrists will naturally snap on their own. As a result, I believe that actively trying to snap the wrists, as opposed to just letting them snap, is a bad idea

And to add -- the wrists snap or rolls over after contact. If you want to snap your wrists or roll them over before contact...have at it.

:thumb: I like most of this post.... Wrist snap or better yet what you said hinge action is a result not a action that needs to be forced. Relax your hands and let them be the pivot point and your wrist will hinge naturally as you turn.

 

[Paulypal]

:thumb: I like most of this post.... Wrist snap or better yet what you said hinge action is a result not a action that needs to be forced. Relax your hands and let them be the pivot point and your wrist will hinge naturally as you turn.

Exactly, and when your wrists are in a position to snap or rollover you should have already made contact. If you didnt your in trouble and the results will show it.

 

[goro25]

Lately I've been focusing on weight transfer and throwing my hips. Trying to get as much power from my legs as possible.

 

[bimmerpilot]

This is a quote from a fairly well known hitting instructor:

The research I have read says that the wrist snap is highly over-rated and is generally the effect of a good swing (or throw) and not the cause of a good swing (or throw).
In a good swing, once the hitter releases the barrel, the wrists serve as a free-swinging hinge and there is no need to try to force them to snap. In fact, trying to actively snap the wrists can actually reduce the speed at which the wrists will naturally snap on their own. As a result, I believe that actively trying to snap the wrists, as opposed to just letting them snap, is a bad idea

And to add -- the wrists snap or rolls over after contact. If you want to snap your wrists or roll them over before contact...have at it.

Was this not mentioned in the video, that most hitters were unaware of this element of their swing

Ken seemed to have been making a point of identifying its existence. I would venture that if you really watched the slo-mo you would notice that most of the wrist break or snap occurs right at impact and not after, of course you could argue whether it's intentional timing or a result of the amount of torque generated and released against an unconventional or overlap grip.

Is there really a one-size fit all approach to hitting ?

Lately I've been focusing on weight transfer and throwing my hips. Trying to get as much power from my legs as possible.

Totally makes sense to me. At my age, it really emphasizes the need to stretch and keep up lower flexibility...

 

[Paulypal]

Was this not mentioned in the video, that most hitters were unaware of this element of their swing

Ken seemed to have been making a point of identifying its existence. I would venture that if you really watched the slo-mo you would notice that most of the wrist break or snap occurs right at impact and not after, of course you could argue whether it's intentional timing or a result of the amount of torque generated and released against an unconventional or overlap grip.

Is there really a one-size fit all approach to hitting ?


Totally makes sense to me. At my age, it really emphasizes the need to stretch and keep up lower flexibility...

The following is why "wrist snap" is a horrible cue.

The value of what we commonly think of as �wrist snap� in the baseball/softball swing is way overblown. Keep in mind that the muscles that control wrist action are comparatively small and can only add a small percentage of the energy required to swing the bat-head around to contact. With good swing mechanics, what some perceive as �wrist snap� is actually the push-pull action of the forearms that is applying the torque that accelerates the bat-head around to contact.

If someone is up there thinking about snapping their wrists they are focusing on the wrong thing. If they are practicing snapping their wrists they are practicing the wrong thing.

By the way I stopped almost every slo-motion video at contact and at the point of contact there were hitting with flat hands. Palm up / Palm down.

The wrist and hands are the final hinge in the whip effect of swinging a bat - its going to happen without thinking about it. It happens naturally as you rotate through.

 

[jhitman]

This is a quote from a fairly well known hitting instructor:

The research I have read says that the wrist snap is highly over-rated and is generally the effect of a good swing (or throw) and not the cause of a good swing (or throw).
In a good swing, once the hitter releases the barrel, the wrists serve as a free-swinging hinge and there is no need to try to force them to snap. In fact, trying to actively snap the wrists can actually reduce the speed at which the wrists will naturally snap on their own. As a result, I believe that actively trying to snap the wrists, as opposed to just letting them snap, is a bad idea

And to add -- the wrists snap or rolls over after contact. If you want to snap your wrists or roll them over before contact...have at it.

I agree with this. I've experimented with this a lot in BP. It seems like when you intentionally snap the wrists at the point of contact it actually slows down your swing a bit. The snap at P.O.C. should be the result of a good swing not a forced action.

 

[jhitman]

The following is why "wrist snap" is a horrible cue.

The value of what we commonly think of as �wrist snap� in the baseball/softball swing is way overblown. Keep in mind that the muscles that control wrist action are comparatively small and can only add a small percentage of the energy required to swing the bat-head around to contact. With good swing mechanics, what some perceive as �wrist snap� is actually the push-pull action of the forearms that is applying the torque that accelerates the bat-head around to contact.

If someone is up there thinking about snapping their wrists they are focusing on the wrong thing. If they are practicing snapping their wrists they are practicing the wrong thing.

By the way I stopped almost every slo-motion video at contact and at the point of contact there were hitting with flat hands. Palm up / Palm down.

The wrist and hands are the final hinge in the whip effect of swinging a bat - its going to happen without thinking about it. It happens naturally as you rotate through.

Two keys in a good swing is lower body rotation and also applying torque to your swing. I agree 100% with what is written
above about the push/pull action in the swing. If both forces are going forward (like a linear swing) there is basically no torque. Get the front elbow bent and rotate your lead shoulder back towards the catcher as your top hand applies forward force creates torque and will allow you to get maximum bat speed.