Learning the rotational swing can be difficult because it requires you to understand what most instructors call staying. “Connected”. This term, which was used a lot in softball and baseball 10 years ago, was almost unheard of by most instructors and coaches.
What is the definition of connection? What is connection? We learn as children that our instincts tell us when we grab something, whether it’s a fly-swatter or a yardstick, and swing it. For all children, this is a natural instinct. No matter how small the damage is to the coffee table or Mom and Dad’s faces, they don’t look happy. Contrary to the lessons we all learned as kids, learning connection can be counterintuitive.
The engine driving the ball hard in the world of rotational swing connections is called the motor. On the Internet, you will find a variety of discussions about both rotational and linear hitting techniques. There is much debate even among the rotational purest about which method works best. One of the purest never debates connection. This is most likely the one thing they all agree must happen in the rotational cycle.
What is connection? How can you tell if your swing is connecting properly? The hitter should be in a comfortable position in which they can take a swing. The hitter is slightly bent at the knees and tilted in front of their bat. Bat can be seen positioned in a 45-degree angle with their hands, or through the helmet’s ear holes. If you are looking at the helmet from the back, cut it in half. You can also see the catcher of the hitter.
You can instruct them to take one stride or another depending on their current position. A stoppage of stride is one of my first actions when a student comes to me. To help my students improve their swing, I stop the stride for a period of time. Many students that come to see me are suffering from the “good friend” terms. “Rotational deficit”. It is possible to teach the children how to spin first, and they will be able to move faster and have more power. This applies not just to Linear hitting, but also Rotational. Both methods have been taught to me and I am comfortable with that assertion.
Here is a player who has good hitting skills and good rotational skills, but is not connected to the ball. Rotational disconnection can take many forms. These will be discussed in more detail later on. Let me just say that disconnection refers to a leak in the rotational engine. It drains the power.
When the hitter swings to the ball, they focus on the point at which they will see it. Many a coach has said that they watch their players’ hips. This view is the best way to get a clear shot at the ball. They touch their toes as they begin the swing. Linear movement is created towards the ball by this. The hands move backwards towards the catcher at the same time.
In this case, I am referring to an advanced student. At footplant the back hip fires against a solid front leg flexed. Once the hips rotate, the knob of the bat will initiate the swing. This is the heart of the swing. The rotational swing’s engine is the back arm. The arm moves into the slot as the arm begins to move in the opposite direction. You need to keep the arm away from your body. The hand and forearm should not be stacked over each other. The rear arm should be parallel to the ground if viewed in front, with the tee directly in front. It would be like a hitting instructor and good friend describes. This is called the Bat Lag position.
This is the point where the bat’s knob should face the axis. The swing would be stopped immediately. I took out a pencil, and used it to mark the knob of bat. The CONNECTED swing can be defined as one that is in line with the belly button. These arms don’t move, but they are holding onto the bat, allowing the core rotation to drive the swing into contact. This is the other important thing. During the rotational part of the swing into contact, it’s crucial to hold that position for as long as you can. Due to the barrel’s weight, the wrist will un-cock and create a whipping effect in the area of contact. Combining the power of rotation with the connection between the batter and the wrist, is what makes today’s top hitters hit the ball hard.
The engine breakers: Disconnection
A lot of things could happen in the swing and cause a batter’s to break or disconnect from the box. These are the things you should be aware of. “Box”This is the angle at which the front arm rests. “Set”Place the bat in front of the shoulders. It would look as though the batter is holding the bat in a box.
These are:
- Take the ball in your hands.
- Bat Drag is achieved by dropping the elbow backwards to the side (close to the body), as the first step.
- The ball is then dropped by dropping your hands.
- Not having the bat parallel to the shoulder when the ball touches it (Created from all of the above)
- Casting hands.
- Too soon, the shoulder is open in front.
This article should have given you an idea about what connection is in relation to the rotational swing. To help improve the connection between your swing and the rest of the game, I recommend that you consult a professional hitting instructor. This will allow you to learn how to drive the ball well to all areas. It is this connection that is at the heart of the rotational swing.
The picture below shows an example connected swing. The core rotation drives the arms into the power position. The bat at contact has a slight upward swing plane.