Friday, November 6, 2015
How-To Hit The Ball Consistently Hard Like Hank Aaron
http://hittingperformancelab.com/how-to-hit-the-ball-consistently-hard-like-hank-aaron/
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This is Part-1 of a 3-part video series coming straight out of the Catapult Loading System online video mini-course:
- Part 1 – [You Are Here] How-To Hit The Ball Consistently Hard Like Hank Aaron
- Part 2 – [COMING SATURDAY] Head Position At Impact May Be Causing You To Lose Out On Repeatable Power [The Neck Brace Drill]
- Part 3 – [COMING SUNDAY] #1 Biggest Lie In Hitting
In this video post, we’re answering the reader question…
“How does a smaller slugger compete with a bigger one?”
We’ll be going over:
- Writing v. Typing speed skills
- Effectiveness – doing the right things v. Efficiency – doing things right
- Better technique v. athleticism – some athletes succeed despite their ineffectiveness, not because of it
Writing v. Typing Speed Skills
Imagine entering a contest to win a million dollars by copying a simple 1,000 word document…
And you had the choice to either write the essay using pen and paper, OR
Type it on a computer keyboard.
If the contest chairperson crowned the new minted millionaire to the fastest produced document, using one of the two aforementioned methods, which would you choose to compete?
What if, to get ready for the contest, you were given 3 weeks to prepare and practice pacing your writing OR typing skills?
Would this practice time make a dramatic difference on the speed of your writing skills?
How about your typing skills?
Which method do you think you’d make a bigger jump to compete with the best of the best?
Remember, there are no separate categories in the contest. In other words, if you decide to write with pen and paper, you’re still competing with the fastest typers, not ONLY with writers.
Which leads us to…
Effectiveness v. Efficiency
Hank Aaron waits for the pitch in an empty stadium. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Let’s define terms…
Effectiveness is doing the right things…
While efficiency is doing those things right.
In the case of our Writing v. Typing million dollar contest,
Choosing the right method to win the contest is huge. The fastest typer in the world can blow away the fastest writer, any day of the week.
So, effectiveness in winning the million dollars would be choosing to compete as a typer. Then the next step would be to get really efficient at typing during the 3-week practice period.
How does this metaphor relate to hitting and repeatable power?
Smaller sluggers like Hank Aaron (6-foot, 180-pounds) have to be effective with their mechanics, in order to compete with bigger sluggers.
What’s more…
Better Technique v. Athleticism
Arnold Schwarzenegger photo courtesy: loupak.cz
Bigger sluggers get away with MURDER!
They often succeed despite their ineffective technique, not because of it…
A bent neck position at impact…NOT pre-loading the springy fascia in the body…OR thinking if we ‘load and explode the hips’, then all will take care of itself.
These are REAL examples seen in big slugger swings that young hitters may copy, and get left with ineffective energy transfers, resulting in inferior results.
Then why are we studying big sluggers like Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, and Big Papi?
Although these big sluggers do A LOT effectively with their mechanics, at least in the eyes of validated human movement science, BUT they get away with energy leaks most young hitters won’t be able to pull off.
Look, let me put Better Technique v. Athleticism another way…
One of the best athletes to ever walk the earth is Michael Jordan. His short stint in the Minor Leagues never amounted to Major League time. He complained he couldn’t hit the curveball. And by the way, Michael Jordan would be considered a bigger slugger today at 6-feet, 6-inches tall.
How about Arnold Schwarzenegger in his heyday using steroids during the 1970’s? Could he beat Jose Bautista or Josh Donaldson in a Major League home-run derby?
Of course NOT!!
It doesn’t matter how big a hitter is, or how athletic they are, or if they take PED’s. All can achieve repeatable power by using effective hitting mechanics. It’s a recipe anyone can follow.
Sure, being more athletic is a component, but is not THE method to hitting the ball consistently hard like Hank Aaron.
I’m the founder of the Hitting Performance Lab. I’m a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), the International Youth and Conditioning Association (IYCA), and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).I’m also partnered with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA).
I’ve spent 10 years in the corrective fitness field, and have too many certifications to bore you with.I also played four years of Division One baseball at Fresno State (2000-2003).
It’s NOT how you study, but what you study that counts.I apply proven human movement science to hitting a ball.
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My name is Joey Myers and I'm the founder of HittingPerformanceLab.com.
I'm a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), the International Youth & Conditioning Association (IYCA), and Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). I'm also partnered with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA).
I played four years of Division-1 college baseball at Fresno State, I've spent the last decade in corrective fitness, and have a passionate curiosity to help baseball and softball players follow human movement rules validated by science.