Mental approach

I just ran across an article about the "mental approach " to hitting.

This was from a guy who is really a pitching guy.

Here's what I just wrote him:


Hey **** this is Steve Englishbey ---------I just ran across an article on hitting you wrote recently.

While ,in general I agree with much of what you are saying [see ,for example what I wrote in 2007 here at Webball http://www.webball.com/cms/page3400.cfm] ,I want to focus on one thing you said :

"This is the irony of why a large percentage of hitters, who work so hard on their hitting in practice, may find it difficult to translate this hard work into a game situation."

Yes, many "work hard."

But most ---and I do mean most----do NOT work in what I consider smart and EFFECTIVE ways.

Why?

Because VERY few hitters/instructors understand the ACTUAL biomechanics/physiology of a good swing.

That being the case they do NOT have a good understanding of cause and effect relationships that help or hinder the development of of REALLY good swing.

And that being the case they[hitters /instructors] do NOT know how to go about creating the kinds of EFFECTIVE practice methods that would actually yield a better swing.

Thus ,most hitters never really improve upon their capability to swing a bat ----in a manner that allows them to continue to compete against the increasingly good pitching they will eventually run into.

Which eventually translates into a condition wherein you can have all the confidence ,mental preparedness,etc., in the world ,but if you have what I consider a poor swing plane [which is most] ,or poor swing quickness [again most ] ,you ARE going to fail at some point .

So,my argument here is pretty straightforward  .

What I'm saying is that most fail to reach their potential ,not because of mental flaws ,so to speak,but due to the fact that neither the player nor instructor really understand "how the body works" in the context of swinging a bat.

My evidence ?

Well, 15 or so years looking at instructors and their instructions ---for example ---I have yet to find A SINGLE dvd or YOU TUBE hitting instruction demo ---wherein I would say along the lines of : "ok ,this guy here really understands the dynamics of a swing in a manner that could really serve a hitter well."

Not a single one.

This includes Epstein ,Yeager, Lau ,etc.,etc. [as well as many others that one may or may not be real familiar with].

 Some are better that others of course --but none really  understand the dynamics of a kinetic chain in the context of swinging a bat.
 
Think about going to a heart surgeon who had SOME knowledge of the body.

Would you want to go to THAT guy?!

This is the current state of hitting instruction ---from little league to MLB.

A collection of guys who know SOME things -----but for the most part they do not really know enough to truly help many hitters.

steve

-------------------

When I get some time,I may add to this.

Or,if the author responds I may put it [and my response ] here .

steve