Fact:
a) I had not swung a cricket bat in the last 25 years or so.
b) This was my first exposure with a baseball bat as one can tell from my stance – baseball bat with cricket stance.
Result: Cricket stance & baseball swing
Learning: It doesn’t matter what you are holding in your hands. Yes, it could even be a tennis racket. The basics of a swing remain same as proven in the video. What changes is the position or the angle from where your bat or racket is coming and that should not change the fundamentals of your swing.
Still head at the point of contact, hip rotation and smooth finish.
Ques: Have I trained myself for this drill specifically?
Ans: NO….never. Not in the last 25 years. Therefore the ‘still head’ is an outcome of my physical training and not skill training. Interesting?
Analyse the muscles in the picture frame to check how each muscle is active and working to its best potential. The result: an effortless swing as shown in the video above.
Ques: IS perfect timing, form, balance or power an outcome of training?
Ans: YES
Ques: If I were to surrender myself to a cricket or baseball coach in my current state, then how much time do you think a coach will take to fine tune me whether for a cricketing shot or a baseball swing?
Ans: Think…
Bottom line: One needs a perfectly trained body (sport specific) for coaches to exert the best in you. Skill comes second.
For Coaches: A well trained body (sport specific) is a prerequisite to teach a skill. If you don’t see your best athletes improving at the game then either your athletes training is not helping them in their cricketing movements and hence no improvement; or you are not able to teach the skill correctly?
It is mostly the former in my experience. What do you say?
Simplifying training….
Umesh Chhikara
Movement Specialist I S&C trainer I Relaxation therapist
Umesh Chhikara 