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Re: off-season-- bag drills


Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Wed Sep 6 23:13:08 2000


As you know, fall and winter are coming up. While there isn't any snow outside I might get some live batting practice. If there is snow, I'll swing infront of a mirror.

What do you suggest I could do to MASTER this swing before next season. Remember where I live we get up to 3 feet of snow. Hard to do drills outside.

Hi Ruben

In the instructional video I strongly make the point that learning different mechanics should not be attempted in batting practice or the cage. There are just to many old muscle memories that come into play with live balls. There is also a problem with when batters reach maximum bat speed. With most hitters, the bat rotates 20 to 40 past the contact point before the bat reaches peak velocity. It is very hard to develop mechanics that will correct this while hitting live balls or even off a tee.

It is far more productive to have the batter expend the bat's energy into a heavy bag. At contact all shoulder rotation and torque forces should have been completed. The body having expended it's energy is at rest and maximum bat speed has been reached. The batter can then check his balance and form - was the arms, legs and body in a good contact position - was rotation and torque forces completed or was he still exerting energy. This should all occur as the bat becomes perpendicular to a pitched balls line of flight.

So Ruben, there is a lot that can be worked on inside once you understand what mechanics to work on. So read as much of the information on the site as possible and ask good questions. --- After you have perfected your mechanics on the bag, have some one soft-toss a rolled-up sock (or whatever). Then back to the bag - (back and forth) make sure the two swings are the same. Then progress to harder pitches but never give up the bag.

Note: Students that skip the bag drills progress slower.

Jack Mankin


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