Ken Griffey Jr Hitting Mechanics

[@AntonelliBaseball]

If you enjoyed our hitting talk and want to learn more, click the link below to check out our new course explaining our step-by-step system to building an elite swing and over 25 drills! antonellibaseball.mykajabi.com/buildingtheeliteswing-lp

[@rslwannabe9475]

I cannot stop doing the arm bar so im just gonna let it happen i guess

[@je727]

Iijjjjjjuuuuuuu

[@jonparker1194]

This has always been my favorite swing! Near perfection!

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@carlospadilla4354]

es simplemente el swing mas hermoso de la historia

[@alhenyfuentes1889]

carlos padilla el de manny es mejor

[@EXPATXPLORER]

I was just wanting to see the full swing in slow motion consistently lol

[@scottevans5472]

For real wtf it this

[@QuackTape21]

I grew up watching him. Absolutely the prettiest swing I've EVER witnessed. Period.

[@curtwoelky239]

I was really looking for the whole swing breakdown and not just the loading of the arms. I’d love to see the rest of the swing and the firing of the lower body along with the hand position at impact. Thanks for the first part though

[@PiPoholic-]

Curt Woelky this is the most important part that’s why.

[@miny_kitty]

Oh my good

[@agioni99]

Hi Curt, did the up-loader (Antonelli), in reply to your question, end up making a Pt. 2? Be well, from Canada.

[@agioni99]

@Curt Just reading your comment again and had to say... Man, your comment NAILED this video i.e. you really got it! Too bad as per your question Re a part 2, nothing still. We'll keep our fingers crossed till then. Be well.

[@jasonwest2064]

Me too

[@bradenolson7640]

Absolutely beautiful swing

[@Chazaq]

Swing of beauty.

[@devinshaffer3105]

Thank you for also explaining the use of the arm lock technique. It really works and adds so much torque which leads to more power.

[@robertvantine2810]

I just watched a Ken Griffey Jr swings video and wondered if there was a mechanics breakdown. Clicked on this one without seeing the channel name. Was surprised to see the Antonelli logo come up. Big fan of Video Game Matt...

[@skullsweatz]

In case anyone is confused, griffey isnt moving his hands he just coils and moves his body foward which creates torque and he creates as much kinetic energy as possible for a great rotational swing

[@WARsportsWA]

Hands go back leg goes forward

[@skullsweatz]

@@WARsportsWA i little more like hands stay put body goes foward

[@johnson8478]

Prettiest swing I’ve ever seen! The kid was fun to watch for sure!

[@nickcampbell8619]

Awesome video! I don't know if you know anything about the biomechanics of a golf swing, but I took a course on it from a Korean professor named Dr. Kwon last summer. So this stretch obviously occurs at the top of a golf backswing as well. Here is the awesome thing; during the transition, you can continue to load up, and stretch the upper body as the lead knee bends (this has the appearance of a longer, more rythymic swing). Or, you can have a quicker tempo and fire right away. It totally explains how you can keep stretching and storing up that power while you wait on a curve ball, or react to a fastball that gets right on top of you real quick. Sorry for all the golf jargon, but your video reminds me so much of watching Tiger hit a long iron. Good stuff.

[@RealHuffleDUB]

Ken Griffey jr. = G.O.A.T.

[@Zack_410]

Nothing but facts.

[@Palrath1]

he's definitely up there. No joke on the defensive side either. He's incredible on both sides of the ball.

[@ThekiBoran]

Babe Ruth was probably the best ever.

[@jayrukks8039]

@@ThekiBoran nahhh

[@bennattj]

2:21 To me this is the motion that's missing from instruction: keep your hands still, keep them where they were, let your body come forward as you step, and keeping your arms where they were will create the stretch--_then_ fire, from a stretched position!

[@atx0025]

Single handedly the best and worst swing to mimic in baseball. With his swagger and bat movement and the natural curve up The Kid had isnt teachable. Thats just talent of the best hitter ever.

[@Logo-qr3he]

false

[@mugshotmarley]

Another guy on another vid described it perfectly. Its like he's swinging for an outside pitch, everytime. Even when its inside.

[@willwatson7859]

Would have loved for you to talk about the tension not just in the upper half, but how he creates the separation by getting into the front knee, which allows him to unlock the backside.

[@InvestBetter.]

The swing, perfected

[@Cabernet2000]

I’m working on this swing. He also moves his body to prep for this position. Kind of his timing clock with his hands/body movements prior to load. That’s a little more to add that I’m working on.

[@joeramirez1730]

Ken had an amazing swing. I was hoping for a full analysis of it. You sounded a bit winded and board when describing the mechanics.

[@NorthernLights19780]

I enjoyed the video, but I wish it had more after the bat load, but great job on explaining the rubber band effect on his swing. He's always been one of my favorite players.. just a natural swing.

[@shawnmsattler2116]

can you also breakdown Pete Rose and ted williams

[@dadof3bb]

Shawn Sattler Why.....that was the worst breakdown of a swing That I have ever heard. He could’ve been better prepared and had his thoughts together

[@tonyaquinoxx]

Good breakdown. Can you add the action of the knee to your coaching points? The sequential movement starts with the knee, then the hip then the shoulder. By doing this, the knee pulls the hip, and the hip pulls the shoulder. If this sequence is not followed you will end up the shoulder pulling the hip, and the hip pulling the knee. This will cause drag. The drag will slow down the potential bat speed. Thanks, good explanation.

[@carlosgarcia9561]

Great video but I like to watch the whole swing. Thanks

[@tannermartin2569]

Great analysis. I think you explain this better than most. While a simple explanation as to how tension/winding up occurs, some seem to explain it in a way that is hard to apply or explain to a young player. The thought of keeping the hands in the same position while moving forward, therefore creating tension and extension, is a much easier thought to apply. Thanks for the video.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks a bunch!!! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@mschafe]

Can you FFW to contact on this video? I'd like to see what the angle of the lead elbow is at contact and assuming it is bent like all good hitters, what are your thoughts on how to go from straight(ish) arm to bent arm as the swing is happening.

[@danrutherford7802]

How does KGJ's swing get his bat on the correct "bat path"? I've been enjoying watching your other videos which emphasize using the hands to get the barrel of the bat started backwards. Is KGJ doing this? something a little different? Would love to hear your comment. Thanks Dan the Dad of a two very young ballPlayers

[@aidenginn2361]

Thanks that helped me with my mechanics!

[@josephsorci2375]

Tension is the key factor in the principle of centrifugal force. Similar to a ball on a string, you have to eliminate slack in the arms to accomplish it. Then, the force applied by the turn can function efficiently.

[@joeblow1262]

Thank you for the video. Would like to see analysis of Albert Belle's swing.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks for watching and commenting! And I'll do my best!

[@rehmsmeyer]

RIP everyone who just wanted to see the ball get hit.

[@LifeStyleGM]

Your analysis is so good that this could be done documentary style.

[@kevinjenkins2108]

I learned from Tom Egan, MLB - Angels and Red Sox. He didn’t say to turn the barrel. He just taught us a movement pattern. Mike ‘Super Jew’ Epstein was teammates with Tom Egan learned from Ted Williams. Taught the same thing. I don’t think anyone called it turning the barrel…but that is what the best do.

[@ousamaabdu794]

Awesome tutorial my man! Your really putting out some dynamite content.

[@nickp249]

He's not actually pulling his arms back, that's why his hands are still in the box. He's doing what they call keeping his arm back, while stepping towards the pitcher.

[@lllllllllllllllII]

Yes he is have you ever heard of loading... probably not that’s why you struggle with power

[@ThekiBoran]

At point of contact his right arm is totally straight and his back arm is about 90° and both arms are close to his body/very compact.

[@tjgaffney9823]

Hey Matt! I'm looking to do a side by side comparison of my swing and Griffey's. Do you know of any editing services/Softwares that would allow me to do this?

[@Chandler_29]

Hey matt, would this be possible to do in a no stride swing ?

[@patrickmack6662]

How about showing us the swing??? OMG. Wanted a breakdown but seeing the swing would be nice.

[@robbyc408]

What are your thoughts on starting in a a semi pulled back position?

[@AntonelliBaseball]

I think that is fine. If you have trouble pulling back then start close to pulled back. Thanks for watching!

[@homiefromfl]

Watch on 1.25 playback speed.

[@themanwaplan1403]

thank you

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Kopavi27]

Any analysis of his head movement, seems like he still has a significant drop of his eye level. Is it not significant because by the time the ball is traveling he has leveled out his eyes? I just have some kids I'm trying to work with that I see head and eye level drops and it makes it difficult for them to make contact. Just curious about any insight on this.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Your head is going to drop a bit as you stride because your feet are spreading apart, so I think it's fine. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Bostonschwagdad]

Matt. I thought you were more in favor of pulling back vs an arm bar type of load. Are you saying ok to allow them on a case by case basis?

[@adamseidel9780]

cavassucks all athletic motions should be determined on a case by case basis around a set of fundamental kinesthetic laws

[@zenrr1]

So awesome. I don't see a lot of hitters do this and I wonder why.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks!!! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@zenrr1]

Larry Rush but what I'm really wondering is why hitters wouldn't emulate a great hitter's, like Griffey's mechanics. If I was a young ball player, that's what I'd do. Heck, I searched for this video because I wanted to learn more about Griffey's swing out of curiosity and I'm just a fan. He played in a time before KZbin so back then I couldn't see an analysis like this.

[@RickyBobby-yk8go]

The plate be right here

[@rdokty]

Hello Sir - would you mind please doing me a favor? Pretend - if you will - that you know very little about hitting a baseball but you are Hell-Bent on becoming a great hitter. Take a few minutes and watch this video back. Then - as the hungry amateur (and be brutally honest) do you feel that you now completely understand this part of the hitting process? Could you now go and explain this to someone else? Will you be a better hitter next time you practice? Is this video clear enough to apply immediately? You guys who do these videos are SO educated and SO smart about the swing that you (all of you) have a tendency to forget to remember what WE don’t know and/or understand about the swing. As Denzel says in the movie “Philadelphia”: “Explain it to me like I’m a four year old” Carry on!

[@ericgriffin5504]

OMG why didn't you let the video go all the way thru at like half spped at the end til the ball went over the fence!!! disappointed I didnt get to see that full beautiful swing truly poetry in motion

[@MH-Tesla]

Glade to see you posting far more often. Have always liked your videos and comments. Very helpful. "Hey, what's up fellows, how we doing? Matt Antonellie here....." your classic open.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks!

[@jcorpuz9323]

Idk how but this video blue balled me....

[@supsoo]

This is the swing.

[@willkittwk]

Good dry demo. Seen many in tennis like this. But you need more extensive demo of how he reacts to pitch location and other factors that influence swing path. Good though for starters. I'd like you to break down where he's stand in box does he ever change position. The reason I'm interested is Cody Bellinger is struggling mightily and has same body type as Jr. I think he stands to upright and too close to plate so he's getting beat every night on inside high pitches. A high school pitcher could get him out. He seems too stubborn to change his entire approach. What do you think.

[@donjones4334]

Yea finish the swing? Left me hanging.

[@ericedmiston5040]

"One of the better players to play the game"

[@trentalexander1143]

You sound a little tired, breathless 🤣 Get some rest coach!!

[@AbleAnderson]

Just wanted to see his swing, never got to see it

[@josephbassil4171]

The move is pretty simple. Griffey stood with a narrow base. This allowed him to get forward and gets his hands back. That’s his style.

[@XxSEETH3RxX]

Ken Griffey jr has stated he never makes adjustments. It's just extension and elevation

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Easy when your a beast lol! Thanks for watching our videos!

[@TheMrtony7]

PROUD 2 BE LEFT-HANDED

[@lgg2304]

Michael Young did that also.

[@peteacosta1023]

Where is his hip coil?

[@willscheib6098]

Great content, but show me the end of that swing!

[@chrisgauthier3689]

Uhhh why aren’t you analyzing Griffey in mid to late 90s swing when it was perfect an sweetest swing of all time

[@theonlyoned6409]

A kid watches this and now he will start arm barring.

[@BradPluth]

Show the swing!

[@dagruddicker22]

What happen? you stopped halfway through! Ken's hips were the quickest I have ever seen, look how fast he twists his back foot and how quick his back hip generates the power that goes through his body into his hands through the bat and into the ball. Study closly his hips and how he generates power!

[@miny_kitty]

Linneust king

[@miny_kitty]

I like that Is everything good 👌 Son of a baby 😭😭😭😂😭😭💙😭😭😂 mg of this 😂 mg of a new one 😂😭 go 🙌🙌😂 check 🙌🙌 have for me during

[@godspeeedcaleb1332]

I have a swing really simalar swing to that

[@justin1978]

Frustrating. Waiting to see the full swing. Would have been nice to see it a few times before going over it in painstaking detail

[@dbray1988]

Just did a full "breakdown" of the best swing in the game... but didn't show the swing.

[@Slippindisc]

Great theory if muscles actually worked like rubber bands. Edit sorry I didn’t realize this was an old antoneli video or I would’nt have been such a dick

[@joeswampdawghenry]

Babe Ruth had the best swing in baaeball... He will always be the King.

[@jordannorman1314]

Trying to analyze his swing is pointless. Everybody's body moves differently. It's a great swing but it's more than the swing. Its just how muscle. Tendons. Reflexes come together in a superior way.

[@andrewweaver8687]

Kinda it’s about the technique leaving hands back rotating and creating tension to release is super basic and important

[@carlossantiago2461]

Francisco Lindor & Javier Baez in this new era, 2020-2030

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Both studs! Thanks for watching!!

[@joshmiller3927]

Good explanation. 3 fundamentals of every major league hitter is the head never moves, the lower body walks away from the hands and the hands are in or get to the “slot” just before firing. If you’re coaching kids, don’t have them reach back with their hands for power. Have them load properly and separate their lower body from their calm hands. Griff’s hands never moved after load until his decision to swing.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Thanks for watching our stuff and commenting!!

[@michaeldbhawker3556]

John olerude hold my beer.

[@NotExplicable]

I can kinda see how he got injured not being a workout guy. Too much tension in the body and kinetic reverb to create that much power with little movement. Even though it allows you to body synchronize to what you're seeing to make pin point contact.

[@victorrivera7424]

I like everything you go over in the video, but you don't even show the whole swing. I wanna see the whole swing.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Good point will do next time!

[@McGill271]

Maybe show the swing a couple times? Or even once?

[@AntonelliBaseball]

This info would have been useful 3 years ago 😂

[@khufen8121]

yee

[@jenkyyaboi]

I don’t like the term pulling back… he’s stepping away, his hands stay put. Pulling back would imply you are moving your hands instead of them staying put and stepping away from them.

[@WW_ChickenDinner]

Terrible analysis..left me with blue balls

[@edirizarry5817]

100%

[@thebeasters]

Not gunna lie I got here through Griffey Hype vids, saw your last name and almost puked. Altobelli were the Kobe crash victims, not yourself or your family. Sorry for the weird and random comment. Great breakdown vid though!

[@박경섭-y4t]

스포츠중계는 마징가TV와 함께

[@ro9216]

How could you not take 5 or 10 seconds to finish the swing? This guy had maybe the most beautiful swing ever - lots of people will agree with me. We don’t visit only to hear you talk and say the same thing over and over and over. You’re right about loading - you could have covered it in like 3 minutes and then let the man swing the bat. So yeah, that was an OK video until at the end where it really sucked.

[@davefreckleton7962]

Hof swing

[@MyJason69]

Shuuuuttttttt upppppp!

[@AntonelliBaseball]

lol sorry to bother you

[@chriscarpenter317]

Finish his swing.

[@mpigroup4159]

Annoying you don't show the whole swing.

[@AntonelliBaseball]

This was just meant to focus on a few parts of the swing. There are a lot of full swings on YT if you want to check them out. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@X.Element_115]

Show the swing...

[@khufen8121]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof

[@isaacthegreg1490]

FIRST!!!!

[@One-lv4en]

TERRIBLE.... JR is NOT pulling his hands back. Hes leaving them in the same general position as his body and slide step laterally moves forward. Terrible terminology and it gives hitters the complete WRONG impression. Youre only adding time to get to the ball by insinuating to pull your hands back... His hands stay where they started, u can see this as there are visual background markers proving this. His body drifts away from his hands toward the ball, his shoulders and hips start their coil to get to the power-L as fast as they can and his hands go directly to the ball and you get the 3 parallels: hips, shoulders, power-L are all parallel at contact. His hands do not pull back.

[@itzkiser]

Horrible video lol

[@JoseRodriguez-xx6ws]

this dude never swung lol

[@beastmodeforever8674]

For real i feel like if he actually put more effort into his swing he would just destroy the baseball lol

[@mtlhabsss]

Him and Vladimir Guerrero = best swing ever

[@AntonelliBaseball]

Two greats for sure!

[@johnathanmolina9524]

...

[@isMike999]

C'mon man show his WHOLE swing,........FROM START to FINISH!!!!!!!!....all that diagnosis is great BUT let's see HOW Grif Jr. finishes....major let down

[@bmla88]

Wow, you didn’t bother to show the full swing. What a tease. 👎