Let the Arrow Go: Launch Position Timing
When the eyes say yes, is your hitter ready to fire? The hidden delay most hitters have, and how to train it out.
READ ARTICLE →Backspin Blog — Free Instruction / The Early Days of AHD
From the 2015 archive
This is historical coaching writing originally published under Krush Athletics. The wording reflects its original period. For current guidance, use AHD lessons and SwingChecker.
Finding your Number
The three little bears... one was too hot, one was too cold and one was just right! We can learn something from a fairy tale that may help us become better hitters.
In very simple terms, we want hitters to hit the ball more often, harder and farther every day. There are many factors and variable such as swing mechanics, pitch recognition, timing and more... but I want to focus on something that can tie all those variables together and help the final outcome significantly.
Rhythm, tempo and pace are fairly common terms used to summarize the overall swing as far as speed and control is concerned. We teach a technique we call "finding your number" which is basically finding out which is the best tempo, speed and intent a hitter swings with.
We teach using these ques...
· Hitters in general, want to hit the ball often, hard, and far. All hitters are not home run hitters but they still want to hit the ball as hard and far as their ability allows them. · In order to maximize their talent, the hitter needs to have a solid, mechanically sound swing as well as use as much of their physical strength as possible. · The hitter needs to swing as “hard” as they can without compromising their swing technique. · Most hitters cannot swing as hard as they can (100 percent) without losing some of their technique, which in turn inhibits proper swing mechanics/ · Finding your number is to find the maximum percentage of physical effort without losing any technique. Most elite hitters are generally in the 80 to 90 percentile.
Examples: · Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees is one of the best hitters with one of the sweetest, smoothest swings I have ever seen. I would give him a number of about 75.
· Miguel Montero, the talented catcher of the Arizona Diamondbacks has a number somewhere between 95 and 105.
Hitters need to experiment to find out what their number is by swinging as hard as they can and just drop the effort by 5% of more until the hitter finds their perfect number which will help each hitter hit the ball more often, harder and farther!
Quick answers
Should hitters swing as hard as they can?
Not usually. Most hitters lose technique at 100 percent effort. The goal is the most effort a hitter can use while keeping a sound swing.
How does a hitter find their swing number?
Swing as hard as possible, then drop the effort by about 5 percent at a time until the swing stays clean. Many elite hitters land around 80 to 90 percent.
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