Teach Kid To Increase Power, Hit Baseball Or Softball Farther, & Swing Harder With Catapult Loading System | Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, & Yordan Alvarez Hitting Mechanics Breakdown
Learn how to teach a kid to increase power, hit a baseball or softball farther, and swing harder with the Catapult Loading System. Discover how in this Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and Yordan Alvarez hitting mechanics swing breakdown…
Small Slugger Hacking Featuring Alex Bregman Hitting Mechanics
What we’re going over in this Alex Bregman hitting mechanics video:
- Sizing up: Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Ronald Acuna Jr, and Yordan Alvarez
- Catapult Loading System (CLS) principles: Alex Bregman hitting analysis
- Compare Alex Bregman’s use of principles to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, & Ronald Acuna Jr.
I don’t agree with using technology to steal signs as these Astros did, but let’s look at their mechanics purely through the lens of mechanics. Look, they still had to hit in 81 games outside of Houston. Instead, consider how sound are they using human movement principles validated by real Science to hitting a ball?
All these guys, excluding Alvarez, are considered small sluggers. They swing a big stick without not a lot of gifted-ness in the size department. How? The following make up the Big-3 of the Catapult Loading System:
- ‘Showing numbers’ also known as ‘Neck Pressure’,
- ‘Downhill shoulder angle’, and
- ‘Hiding hands’ from the pitcher.
There are other Catapult Loading System principles like Hollow, Finger Pressure, One-Joint Rule, etc., but these are the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to building more consistent power. Now, some guys exhibit all of these, or a couple, but the closer to all a hitter can get to, the more power they can generate.
The following free video takes care of #1…
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Joey,
Bregman’s front arm is bent in his load and approach to the ball. So is Alvarez’s. I understand the principles. Barring the front arm into contact creates a longer lever. A longer lever produces higher ball exit speeds. But we still have to get there. Are you then rescinding your own catchphrase, “the science of turning faster?”. I see Acuna Jr’s early arm bar. He is an athletic freak and can stretch his body better than Alvarez and even Bregman. Yet, you still have to get there on the fastball up in the zone. So, what is the fastest way to get there? Not, what creates the highest ball exit speed, you still have to get there first. Then, lengthen the lever.
Joe, my hitting strategy changes with better data and information. I’m not like other hitting “gurus” out there who get stuck in their teachings. Transitioning a bent front arm at the beginning of the turn to a straighter front arm at impact causes an inconsistent barrel path. It’s a fact. You said you watched Perry and my convo about the straight front arm, so you saw how we get our hitters to the inner and upper half of the strike zone. I make it REALLY difficult for my hitters on this by not only challenging them to maintain the longer shape of the front arm, throwing them on the inner and upper half of the zone, but I also make them swing 36 to 40 oz end loaded bats!! They get REALLY REALLY good at it.
Joey,
NFL HOF coach, Bill Parcells, said that, “The worse thing a coach can be is inflexible.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, a person you like to quote, said that, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” But then, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. That said, I try to strike a balance. I deal with the individual needs of each client.
Listen I get what you are saying. I’m just not sold on the high inside fastball. Ok, so there’s a 20 mph ball exit speed difference between the balls Mike Trout hits on pitches down with a locked front arm and those he hits up in the zone with a bent front arm. And, your solution to this is to lock the front arm on all pitches?
As far as Perry Husband’s demonstration with the bent front arm – what not to do – I wouldn’t teach what he did.
The apples and oranges comparison of Khris Davis and VGJ – Davis can load his scap better because he is not as thickly built as VGJ. He can twist his body better.
Joe, I agree. The locked lead arm is a couple things: mechanics, strength, and strategy. Mechanics – learning the what, how, and why. Strength – use overload training to build strength in young hitters to hold that 90-degree angle (bat and front arm). And Strategy – hunting pitches in certain locations based on a pitcher’s pattern or pitch sequencing. Getting to the high inside pitch with a locked lead arm is possible…it’s not as simple as saying ‘lock the lead arm’.
On Davis v. Guerrero, it could be a T-Spine mobility issue, but that can be optimized with body work. It would make superman into super duper man!
So, are you turning away from what you said about the “science” in Part 4 of the “Pitch Plane Dominator” course? Don’t mean to be contrary or an instigator here. I still believe that you have tied more loose ends with your stuff about the linear/rotational aspects of hitting than anyone out there.
On barrel acceleration (Part-4), which you are referring to…not at all Joe…centripetal/centrifugal forces, conserving linear and angular momentum…all still relevant. What I have changed on is maximizing inertial force (front arm long) versus angular velocity (front arm short).
Joey,
I don’t disagree with what you say in Part 4. I understand the science behind it. It’s the timing of the arm bar – when it begins to bar out is my issue. I’m not so sure a hitter can get to that high velocity up and in fastball. Maybe Ronald Acuña Jr. or Mookie Betts can, though clips of Betts shows a bent front arm on that pitch more often than not. You can’t hit it if you don’t get to it first. I agree with what you say in Part 4. The contents of your convo with Perry Husbsnd seems like you are deviating from you say in Part 4.
Part-4 has definitely been revised. As per that convo with Perry, I discuss how to get to the middle in or middle up high velocity pitch with a straight arm. It has more to do with when the barrel enters the hitting zone. Can’t deep barrel dump on those pitch locations.
Joey,
No, no deep barrel dump, which I am starting to think that it is being taught more than it is actually done. Barrel enters late on pitches up and in and early on pitches low and away.
Bingo!