SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training Program V.1.3

SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training Program is the culmination of 10 years of my developing swing training equipment and systems as well as working with thousands of players both directly and indirectly through the Internet. SETPRO has pioneered a number of throw and swing mechanics and training concepts including the use of feedback, over-underload load training, backwards chaining as applied to throwing in swinging development to name a few. SETPRO has been/is a significant force in challenging and questioning the "status quo" of pitching in hitting instruction. SETPRO has pioneered and developed a number of important analytical, teaching and training concepts with respect to hitting such as scapula loading, "fish hook", "kinetic whip", "swing quickness versus bat speed", " bat drag", "hip slide".

Now available for the first time.

The SETPRO customer and value-added training and instructional forums contain thousands of pages of proprietary swing mechanics and instructional information. And now for the first time this information along with new methods and techniques are now available in a COMPLETE and comprehensive three CD swing training program entitled "SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training Program".

Why call it "Instructor Swing Training Program?" OR what's in a name?

I chose the name "Instructor Swing Training Program" because I believe there is a need for high-level swing instructional and development program that goes far beyond what is commercially available. A program that is comprehensive and yet very easy to understand and implement. I chose the word "Instructor" because I want to convey this program as one that sets a standard by which all other hitting instructional programs are/will be judged by. A program that is rigorous in detail and addresses every major aspect of the swing instructional process. From understanding what constitutes the highest level of swing mechanics to how the body creates those movements necessary to satisfy the mechanical requirements of a great swing. And then how actually apply this information, step by step, to create the desired swing movements using the backwards chaining technique that SETPRO pioneered for baseball instruction. And then how to to evaluate a player's swing before, during and after instruction training, i.e. testing and evaluating the final product of your swing training and instruction efforts. I also chose the title for this program based upon my experience and knowledge regarding the general state of hitting instruction and instructional programs with the understanding that for most players, the player's parent(s) is his/her "numeral uno" instructor-coach-support system. That there are parents who want and need to have the best information possible, whether they are directly involved with hands-on instruction or need to make informed decisions in choosing an instructor for their son or daughter.

Hitting instruction or swing instruction?

Every program that calls itself hitting instruction is in reality mostly swing instruction i.e. how to swing a bat. They all cover basically the same "stuff", from how to hold the bat, how to get in a balanced or depending upon the program what is called "athletic position". And then present various cues (cues being words that hopefully achieve the desired results) with respect to how to use the body to actually move the bat to hit the ball. Cues such as " hands to the ball", swing down on the ball, snap your wrists, get extension, etc., etc..

Rotational mechanics versus linear mechanics; the real story.

As some of you reading this know I don't buy into this whole linear versus rotational thing. Most of rotational versus linear debate is based on emotion and "sales pitch" and/or a poor understanding of swing mechanics and swing kinesiology (how the body actually create swing movement). Hitting programs that attempt to explain and sell rotational mechanics resort to scientific sounding terms such as Torque (various misapplied descriptions of it) combined with " interesting sounding" drills such as "The Enforcer Drill". Or they will have the player swing at a "heavy bag" in hopes that they will find a way to use your body to develop a rotational swing. What makes SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training Program different is that it explains that most swings are rotational UP TO A CERTAIN POINT, and it is what you do after that point that determines whether you have a "rotational" or "linear" swing.

We can only see what we are capable of seeing.

My disagreement is largely due to my training and experience in physics engineering along with my understanding of how the body works to develop athletic movements. Which is another way of saying that when it comes to swinging a bat and how to instruct it I see things differently than other hitting people who were born in brought up in the hitting business. The "SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training Program" was developed with the same mentality-process I used as an engineer in developing designing products and later on in my career managing engineering groups. Basically that format is to:

1. Identify the existing level of swing instruction. Using all available information, develop an understanding of what constitutes a great swing. Identify the needs of the coach, player, instructor with respect to what they require to develop a players abilities to maximize a players swing potential and capabilities.

2. After gathering and acquiring all the required and necessary information regarding what constitutes great swing mechanics, how the body "works" to implement these swing mechanics, what the needs of the player (student), coach-parent (instructor) are, it's time to design and implement the swing training program (backwards chaining swing instruction) to achieve/satisfy the above requirements.

3. Once you create the product or service (in this case the swing), you must then be in a position to evaluate the results of your efforts. Andgiven the infinite variability and variety of movements that the body can make, more times than not you will identify less-than-perfect results and then must have the ability to create and implement course of action to deal with what you have or have not created.

The "SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training System and Program" comes as a single CD.

But don't let that fool you.... fool you as in thinking that there's not very much information that can be put on a single CD. There is over 10 hours of video presentation. And this does not include many of the demonstration/player clips. I can say with the utmost confidence that there is nothing that comes close to the information that is contained on this CD.

Section # 1 "How the Body Achieves the Perfect Swing, The Real Story of Rotational Versus Linear Mechanics" addresses the issue of rotational versus linear. It explains the difference between what people think is happening with the swing versus what is actually happening with the swing. It explains what a rotational swing really is and how high-level players have been swinging that way for almost 100 years. It explains what a linear swing REALLY is (disconnection) versus what many people think it is (hands to the ball). In short this CD contains everything regarding how the body swings the bat that the coach, parent or player needs to know regarding the swing including swing biomechanics, swing physiology, swing kinesiology, and swing motor learning and control presented in a down-to-earth, nuts and bolts, "how to do it" format.

Section #3 "Developing YOUR Perfect Swing in 14 Days, A Backwards Chaining Approach" is a step-by-step instructional using a backwards chaining learning progression. It is broken down into 14 lessons addressing issues such as the critical role of posture, how to develop rotation from the middle (pelvic loading), how to eliminate bat drag (no such thing as slotting elbow), how to create the "fish hook" (preventing disconnection) the name some of what is covered in these lessons. Totally hands-on instruction.

Section #4 "The Seven Deadly Sins "Plus 1" Of Swinging a Bat; How to Identify AND Fix Them" shows you how to identify the "Seven Deadly Sins of Swinging A Bat", and more importantly how to fix them.

This CD features SETPRO's unique " multimedia book" format (CD plays like a book with chapters and table of contents). Each chapter (section) contains a combination of written and or audio and video information.

Section 1 table of contents

1.A A new look at why so many players will never reach their swing potential.

1A.  What IS a Perfect Swing? Is It Really What We "Think" It Is?

1B. Rotational Mechanics or Linear Mechanics or "What" Mechanics??

1C.  Some Basic Physics, Force, Torque, Momentum and Power...

1D. Some Basic Physiology, Muscles & Connective Tissue And How They Develop Force & Power...

1E. Putting Physics & Physiology Together, Bat Speed = "Kinetic Whip"

1F. The "Secret" Of Body And Bat Alignment "Or" The Secret Of Swing Consistency....

1G. Swing Quickness Versus Bat Speed, They're Not the Same Thing...

1H. The Real Center Of The Swing Universe & Pelvic Loading....

1.I Extension Or "FishHook", Also Known AS "Linear Swing" vs "Rotational Swing...."

1J. Quick Wrists And Or The "Fish Hook".....

1K.  Is It Counter Rotation "OR" Scapula Loading....??

1L.  Hands To the Ball, "Weather Vaning", "Oar Locks" And Other "Cues"....

2A. The Stance, There's Much More Going On Here Than Just "Balance"....

2B. Eccentric-Concentric Muscle Actions, "Alias" Loading & Unloading....

2C.  Where The Hands Begin Detemines Where They End....

2D.  Hands, Hitches And Home Runs....

2E. Stride vs. No Stride, The "Pro's and Con's"....

2F.  Hip Slide Or How To Minimize Your Bat Speed And Quickness...

2G. The Stiff front Leg, Squashing The Bug, The "L" AND Other Such "Nonsense"....

2H.  Extension Or "FishHook", Do You Know the Difference...???

2I. Introduction To "Backwards Chaining"....

Section #1 highlights "How the Body Achieves the Perfect Swing, The Real Story of Rotational Versus Linear Mechanics"

Developing A Great Swing Is Easy, But Hitting A Pitched Baseball Can Be Difficult.....

There are really only four fundamental movement variables in developing perfect swing mechanics that allow players to hit any type of pitch. Again the key here is to try and make every swing the same which means you want to minimize the number of movement variables (what you move and how you move it). Because the more often you take the same swing, or swing that is almost the same, the better you will become it. The only problem is that the pitcher understands this also and does everything in their power to not allow you to take the same swing every time.

The Stance, Set Up Or Launch Position. There's Much More Going On Here Than Just "Balance"....

The starting point for most swing instruction is the stance. In the starting point for the stance it is what most instructors call "balance". The word balance is subject to an if the number of ways interpretation with respect to setting up and positioning the body. More recently instructors are using the phrase "good athletic position". Again we are faced with the question of Just what is a good athletic position? As in beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Applying Eccentric-Concentric Muscle Actions, "Alias" Loading & Unloading....

Loading and unloading his fundamental to the maximizing the development and delivery of muscular power. Unfortunately most instructors either "instruct out" a players loading and unloading process or they "instruct in" a flawed loading and unloading process. Includes explanationsof how pelvic and scapula loading work.

Where The Hands Begin Detemines Where They End....

Six years ago I worked with a Major-League player for entire season while he played in Japan. This player was 6'5" tall and weight 235 lbs. was drafted out of college as a quarterback as well as a baseball player. He could hit the ball out of the park in batting practice but struggled mightily in gain situations. His biggest problem where his hands, where they began and where they ended.

Hands, Hitches And Home Runs....

Not only is the starting and ending point of the hands important, but also how they get to the starting point can have a significant impact on a players swing.. Do you really know the difference between a bad hitch and a "good" hitch?

Stride vs. No Stride, The "Pro's and Con's"....

Most instructors believe that the stride is a vital necessity to having a good swing. The stride is believed to not only provide power but also an integral part of the swing timing process. Yet many hitters are very successful with a small or no stride. And some instructors (most notably the Doyle's) adherealmost exclusively (with very good results) to a no stride instructional training program. What is the real value of the stride and is it really necessary?

Hip Slide Or How To Minimize Your Bat Speed And Quickness...

The reason why the feet gain so much attention emphasis in hitting instruction is not because the feet are integrally involved with the swing. Is because the feet provide resistance for the rest of the body to work against. Many instructors confuse what is happening with the feet with what is happening with the middle part of the body i.e. hip slide.

Cues vs Reality: The Stiff front Leg, Squashing The Bug, The "L" AND "...."

More about cues versus reality specifically with regard to issue such as the problems associated with using cues such as a stiff front leg, squashing the bug another such coaching and instructional perceptions.

Extension Or "FishHook", Also Known AS "Linear Swing" vs "Rotational Swing...."

SETPRO was the first to identify the actual biomechanics of what most call rotational swings versus linear swings. Unlike most who define linear swings as hands to the ball, SETPRO explained that 98% of all players swing a bat DO rotate. But what separates a rotational swing from a linear swing is called disconnection. And what creates an exceptional rotational swing is something called the "fishhook".

The Ends Justify The Means; An Introduction To "Backwards Chaining"....

95% of all instruction is based upon what can be termed "forward chaining". Forwards chaining is an instructional process that starts at the beginning of the sequence to be learned and works its way through to the end. The problem with forwards chaining with respect to athletic movements is that from motor learning theory and control we know that the body works on the principle of doing whatever is necessary to achieve a specific movement goal. Instructional methods that use backwards chaining design their instruction around the final goal and work backwards from there to the beginning of the sequence.

Section #2 "An introduction to Motor Learning and Control as applied to developing a player's high level swing."

Section 2 is completely new. knew not only in content but also new as in unique to SETPRO. unique in that it is a very structured and dedicated attempt to bridge the gap between analysis and instruction. SETPRO has pioneered swing analysis tools and methodology. Swing concepts such as Momentum-Swing Plane, Posture-Connection-Rotation-Direction, Bat Lag, Bat Drag, Hip Slide, etc., etc.. But analysis does not directly lead to instruction. again SETPRO has pioneered the application of backwards chaining to the throw and swing development process. Section #2 builds upon SETPRO's pioneering work in the application of motor control to developing more effective instructional and swing training techniques and methodologies.

Section 2 Table of Contents and selected exerpts.... (each section has video ranging in length from 6-15 minutes in length).

2ML1  Fundamental Principles of Motor Learning

An introduction to the field of motor control and learning as applied to developing a high level swing.

2ML2 More Introductory comments regarding Motor Learning & Control

2ML3 How effective is your instruction? Or asked differently, how much of what you do is "make work"..?

"The goal of all training is efficiency and effectiveness.  We would like all activities to create positive transfer to the desired skill/technique/movement goal.  The question is why does positive transfer of learning occur?  There are two fundamental theories that researches proposed to explain how and why of positive transfer.  The most common believe in motor learning and research is that positive transfer occurs due to the similarity between the components of two skills or of two performance situations.  In this view the more similar the component parts of the two skills or two performance contexts are, the greater the amount of positive transfer between them.  The real question here being what constitutes a "component part"? Or asked differently how do we know that a component part of one skill will benefit/transfer to a component part of another skill i.e. I we know that there is enough similarity between the two?"

2ML4 Motor Learning, two basic theories and this information can be used to explain why so many players never reached their swing potential

"A second model of learning is called the Gentile two-stage model.

In this model in our to stages of motor development.  In the initial stage the player has two important goals to achieve.  One is to acquire a movement coordination pattern that will allow some degree of swing success in achieving the action goal of the skill.  This means that the beginner must develop movement Kerber six that match what might be called the "regulatory conditions".  The "regulatory conditions" being those movement requirements/restrictions that the instructor places upon the player which he/she feels will achieve movements associated with a high-level swing.  An example of regulatory requirements are "Posture-Connection-Rotation-Change in the Direction of the Bat". Other regulatory requirements would be "Swing Quickness-Bat Speed". The second goal of the player during this stage is to differentiate between regulatory and nonregulatory conditions in what might be termed the "environmental" context in which the player performs the swing process.  As an example of nonregulatory conditions i.e. conditions that should not impact the fundamental swing process, would be the location of the pitch.  Posture-connection-rotation-change in direction the bat i.e. regulatory conditions should allow the player to take the same swaying regardless of the location of the pitch.  In other words the swing doesn't change because of pitch location.  Because posture adjustments allow the same swing to be taken with respect to connection-rotation-changing the direction the bat."

2ML5 Motor Learning provides insight as to why changing a players swing can be so difficult....

2ML6 Cognitive engagement" probably the most important aspect of motor learning...

2ML7 2ML7 Motor Learning an "Observational" Approach....

"Observational learning.

There have been a number of interesting studies regarding what people actually see in terms of movement and/or identifying movement.  One of the more interesting studies (my opinion) is done using what is called "point-light technique". This procedure involves placing lights or bright spots on the joints of a person who is then filmed a videotape performing an action or skill.  Than the researcher place film or video so that the person who wants in film or video sees only write.in motion.  It's interesting that using this technique, i.e. only viewing the point of lights moving on a black background that people can readily identify things such as walking patterns of their friends. Also interesting (to me) is that the movement characteristics people used to identify different walking patterns is not any one cinematic variable, but the ratio of the time duration between the forward and return swings of the lower leg."

2ML7OL1 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Barry Bonds..

2ML7OL2 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Albert Pujols..

2ML7OL3 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Manny Ramírez....

2ML7OL4 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Mindy Ramírez...

2ML7OL5 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Bryanna Bonds....

2ML7OL6 Motor Learning a "Observational" Approach with Alberta Pujols....

2ML8 Developing effective cues..

Why do 95% of all hitters fail to develop "rotational" swing mechanics? Several months ago I gave the following lecture on why players have such difficulty developing good hip-torso rotation transfer. As I was preparing lecture I realize that it was really a lecture about motor learning and more specifically the transfer of skills. That when a player first learns how to swing a bat he/she does so using previously learned movement patterns/skills to achieve their swing goal.  And just what is their swing goal?  What 99% of the players it's to make contact with the ball and do so in such a fashion as to create a "successful" at bat. And before the player typically has a chance to explore other ways of moving the bat they are forced into a swing that relies upon their prior learning of hand eye coordination i.e. those movements typically associated with reaching and grasping.  And therefore movement of the bat is not the result of swinging with the body is a result of moving the bat with the hands in hopes of making contact with the ball.

2ML9 Feedback = Instruction; your instruction is only as good as your understanding of feedback as applied to motor learning and control..

2ML10 How to use feedback effectively....

"The many faces of feedback. Thing about the very first time you either swung a bat and/or attempted to coach swinging a bat.  How much success did you experience on your first few attempts?  Most likely, you were not very successful.  As you practice, you probably had many questions that you needed someone to answer to help you better understand what you were doing wrong and what you needed to do to improve.  Although you may have been able to answer many of your questions on your own as you continue to try different things what you practice or coached, you found that getting an answer from someone with more experience/knowledge save you time and energy.  This is also consistent with what I frequently say i.e. instruction is nothing more than attempts to shorten the trial and error learning process.  That a good instructor i.e. someone who really understands how the body optimally swings can help shorten the amount of time it takes for a player to develop a high level swing.  In the motor learning world this help would be called "augmented feedback". Augmented feedback being information about performing a skill that is added to sensory feedback and comes from a source external to the person performing the skill: it is sometimes referred to as extrinsic or external feedback."

2ML11 How much practice is too much or too little....?

2ML12 Part versus whole practice.... how to determine which "drills" help or hurt developing a high level swing...

"In the early days of SETPRO, one of the great controversies primarily from a Pitching/throwing perspective, was the questioning of the value of certain drills.  Specifically drills that attempted to break the throwing/Pitching sequence into parts. Typical of this is the drill where the pitcher starts in the wind that and then stops at the top of his knee lift and practices getting to the "balance position".

From a swing/hitting perspective the same question could be raised regarding a player learning to swing using a no stride approach. The question being does this approach a to detract from developing what some might you/term as a complete swing?"

2ML13 Slow Pitch Training Otherwise Known As Variation in Training....

2ML14 Training using mental "rehearsal" and "imagery"...

"Mental Practice" The term "mental practice" refers to practicing using visualization i.e. the "mind's eye" at work. When a person engages in mental practice, someone observing that person would notice no movement related to the actual skill itself.  Mental practice may occur well a person observes another person live, another person on gnome or videotape, or himself or herself on film or video tape. Or it may occur without any visual observation at all.

When mental practice involves visual imagery, a can take the form of either internal or external imagery. If the player is practicing "internal imagery", player approximates the real-life situation in such a way that the player actually "imagines being inside his/her body and experiencing those sensations which might be expected in the actual situation"

2ML15 Motor Learning and Control Summary Page

"1. Based on everything I know and have observed, developing a high level swing must proceed along a "require the movement first" and then deal with the "environmental constraints".  This is almost in direct opposition to how most players learn how to swing i.e. they are thrown into a situation which forces them to deal with in my mental constraints first which then forces them to "borrow" from other learned movements, such as reaching grasping, to develop their swing movement.  The point being that a high level swing starts by developing the movement first with minimal environmental requirements."

Section #3 ""Developing YOURofof him Perfect Swing in 14 Days, A Backwards Chaining Approach"

Day 1 Introduction to the backwards chaining swing training process.

What is backwards chaining? An introduction to the concept of backwards chaining and how it is applied to instruction of athletic movements.Backwards chaining and swing biomechanics. An overview of applying backwards chaining to developing YOUR perfect swing. Backwards chaining and swing physiology. Why backwards chaining instruction better suits the needs of how the body creates movement. Backwards chaining swing training and fundamental motor learning and control. Why backwards chaining instruction better suits the needs of how the body develops and acquires voluntary movement (motor) skills. Tools for backwards chaining swing development. What the instructor needs in order to implement a backwards chaining swing development program.

Day 2 Lesson 1: Understanding and establishing the swing platform, posture, compound pendulum another such things.

Day 3 Lesson 2: The role of the hands and arms when swinging the bat.

Day 4 Lesson 3: Working backwards from contact

Day 5 Lesson 4: Maintaining connection of the hands into contact and the "fishhook".

Day 6 Lesson 5: Eliminating bat drag

Day 7 Lesson 6: Eliminating bat lag at swing initiation

Day 8 Lesson 7: Creating and developing scapula loading

Day 9 Lesson 8: Creating and developing shoulder rotation

Day 10 Lesson 9, Creating and developing hip rotation using pelvic loading

Day 11 Lesson 10, Connecting the hips and shoulders

Day 12 Lesson 11, Stride versus no stride and integrating a stride

Day 13 Lesson 12, Drill progression

Day 14 Backwards chaining and swing development wrap up

Section #3 "The Seven Deadly Sins Of Swinging a Bat, How to Identify And Fix Them"

Posture, Swing Plane, Swing Initiation
Trying to prioritoize swing sins is arbitrary at best. in my original categorization of the "Seven Deadly Since of Swinging a Bat", I put Posture, Swing Plane, Swing Initiation as number #7. also stating that could be number one because any one of the these sands will prevent a player from ever maximizing their swing capabilities. I also said that "Posture and swing plane could just as well be number one as 90% of power and much of the quickness of a GOOD SWING is developed by the rotational activity of the torso." Since the publishing of my original list I have "relegated" Posture, Swing Plane, Swing Initiation as number one with respect to the Seven Deadly Sins.

Bat Drag
Bat drag is the equivalent of pride with respect to its negative effect on the entire swing population. Bat drag is a result of how the body naturally tries to deal with moving something such as a bat through space with the requirement of putting that bat in the same location at a specific time as a moving ball.

Hip Slide
Hip slide is a consequence of how the body naturally wants to move and position itself to deliver the bat at a specific point in space and time such that the bat will intercept a moving ball.

Disconnection
Disconnection is what prevents players from reaching the highest levels and could be rated number two with respect to deadly sins for high-level players.  Disconnection is the result of the hands losing their connection to the rotation of the body and is also associated with/caused by problems such as hands to the ball and chicken winging.

Pulling off the Ball
Also can be described as flying open, stepping in the bucket. All are due to the players inability to initiate rotation properly i.e. from the middle part of the body as opposed to trying to rotate the whole body or initiating the swing itself using the feet as a starting point.

Rhythm
Rhythm is a loss of or improper coordination of the body parts during the swing process. Rhythm is not the same as tempo.

Tempo
Tempo is the overall timing of the sequencing of the body parts.  Teaching a swing using the 1-2-3 sequence where there is significant time delays between each action.

1. BAT DRAG. Bat drag is the equivalent of pride with respect to its negative effect on the entire swing population. Bat drag is a result of how the body naturally tries to deal with moving something such as a bat through space with the requirement of putting that bat in the same location at a specific time as a moving ball. Bat drag is responsible for other sins such as casting, failure to stay inside the ball and long looping swings. And for those who continue to attempt to come up with elaborate speculations as to what causes bat drag all I can say is good luck. As far as I can tell bat drag is nothing more than a natural consequence of how the body deals with the movement problem trying to move a bat in a fashion that is most efficient for the body to do so, i.e. moving the mass of the bat to achieve an "acceptable" result . But how the body wants to naturally move the mass of the bat is not necessarily the most effective way to make contact with a moving ball. And what is a reasonable result at one level of competition is not necessarily a reasonable (acceptable) result at a higher level. This (my) explanation is consistent with the fact that most young hitters never progress beyond Little League or equivalent because of bat drag. And the only explantion for such a common and wide spread problem such as this is that it is a NATURAL result (consequnce) of the body attempting to swing a bat to hit a moving ball. Hence the logic/rationale of a good hitter be an UNNATURAL hitter. It's as simple/complicated as that.

These next sins are all associated with the inability to initiate and carry out (get it to the bat) proper rotation.

2. HIP SLIDE. Hip slide is a consequence of how the body naturally wants to move and position itself to deliver the bat at a specific point in space and time such that the bat will intercept a moving ball. To me, the more I think I understand the swing process, the more that hip slide becomes second only to bat drag in terms of its destructive effect on preventing hitters from achieving a high level of performance. Hip slide contributes two loss of power and a long swing (time wise). Hip slide is usually a result of failure to properly initiate the rotational sequence. Hip slide is very much aggravated by striding and hence the reason why no stride swing training is so important.

3. DISCONNECTION. Disconnection is what prevents players from reaching the highest levels and could be rated number two with respect to deadly sins for high-level players. Disconnection is the result of the hands losing their connection to the rotation of the body and is also associated with/caused by problems such as hands to the ball and chicken winging.

4. PULLING OFF THE BALL. Also can be described as flying open, stepping in the bucket. All are due to the players inability to initiate rotation properly i.e. from the middle part of the body as opposed to trying to rotate the whole body or initiating the swing itself using the feet as a starting point.

These next sins are all fundamental to the physics and biomechanics of an effective and efficient swing.

5. RHYTHM. Rhythm is a loss of or improper coordination of the body parts during the swing process. Rhythm is not the same as tempo. Typical rhythm problems are the sequence between leadfoot contact an initiation of the actual swing such as step AND swing. Or weight shift and THEN initiation of the actual swing as opposed to rotating into foot plant, i.e. efficient sequencing of muscles and posture.

6. TEMPO. Tempo is the overall timing of the sequencing of the body parts. Teaching a swing using the 1-2-3 sequence where there is significant time delays between each action. No matter what goal directed movement we perform there is an optimum tempo that maximizes power. There is an optimum tempo that maximizes accuracy. There is an optimum tempo that maximizes power and accuracy.

7. POSTURE, SWING PLANE AND SWING INITIATION. Trying to prioritoize swing sins is arbitrary at best. Posture and swing plane could just as well be number one as 90% of power and much of the quickness of a GOOD SWING is developed by the rotational activity of the torso. But in order to deliver this power to the bat not only does one need to maintain connection but also to match the direction of rotational power to the path of the bat i.e. momentum transfer, double pendulum action. The primary requirement for doing this is establishing and initiating proper and effective posture. Disconnect problems are often result of improper posture prior to swing initiation. The starting action of the hands is hugely important. Improper starting point of the hands will doom your swing to failure no matter what else to do with your body. Becuase improper starting position of the hands will create problems through the entire swing (butterfly effect). I learned this lesson 5 years ago working with Mark Johnson (former Pirate, MET, Hanshin Tigers, Japanese League). No matter what he did after his swing began, how he initiated his swing (starting point of his hands) doomed his swing and caused many other problems. Do not mistake starting position of hands with such fallacies as THT or whatever. Starting position of hands is just that. It's the location of the hands that allows the bat to find the rotational swing plane of the body.

"Plus 1" Slotting the Elbow

SETPRO Instructor's Swing Training System & Program comes on three CDs that require Windows 98 SE and above.

An sample of the program will be available for download shortly so that you might view the program format as well as test your computer for compatibility.

For information regarding pricing, delivery and or other questions please contact: swinginstructor@setpro.com