Which is Better: Top Hand vs. Bottom Hand? (What I learned From Barry Bonds & Barry Larkin) 

Which one do you prefer; The Top Hand or The Bottom Hand?

Jermaine- Another great video and thank you for your channel. Definitely two thought processes and both were very successful hitters. Me personally , I am more of a top hand hitter guy and favor more top hand drills. I am an ex-professional baseball player that came from humble beginnings that played from 93-98. I am now a coach for my son's travel ball teams and they are very good teams with very good players. We have a hitting routine now due to your teachings. Bunt round, top hand catch round, tap drill round, 3/4 round, full swing round. We have already signed two of my 2023 guys to D1 scholarships. I am always researching , learning , attempting to teach and provide the best advice to our players. I came across a guy by the name of Richard Schenck . He also is a guy ex collegiate player attempting to really understand the swing and he too studied Barry Bonds and many great hitters . He was featured in the NY POST back in 2016-2017 as saving Aaron Judge's career back in 2017. Judge came out and credited Schenck for his success from 2017 on. Some what of a cinderella story or a script out of hollywood. You also broke down Bond's swing (excellent job by the way) but what are your thoughts with Schenck's break down of Bonds? As you know there is much feel vs real when it comes to hitting. I'm just curious if Bonds ever mentioned to you anything that Scheck is trying to describe here and if you ever felt what this instructor is teaching. I am not trying to bash anyone , Schenck dedicated many years with his teachings and now has large professional following as his clients. We are all in this together but when you have time , please check this video out , I thought you might enjoy this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5Od26VW8U-c.html . Thank you JC . If you want to go offline , my baseball email is fivestaravalos@gmail.com. Thank you JC

Another great topic and discussion! I am a top hand believer and explain to use the hammer effect. Pull with the lead / bottom hand and punch with the top hand. The top, provided it’s the batter’s dominant hand is not only stronger but sync’d up to the batter’s central nervous system. It’s stronger, more coordinated and should find a better path to the ball based on barrel control. I explain that the lead / bottom hand pulls the back shoulder, hip & knee and the top hand follows through it. I have found that most inexperienced or ill advised hitters have major upper cut ( loop & scoop ) swings which would imply that they are body and bottom hand (non dominant hand) hitters. They hit with their bodies and swing with their arms. It should be control and hit with their hands and let their body join in as it rotates through the swing. This really stands out when a batter first tries doing isolation one hand drills. They miss all together or are very weak with their bottom / lead hand accuracy. I have found this most evident with young hitters who have been taught with the emphasize to use a top hand release. Kid’s don’t continue / stay on the pitch / swing long enough with the top hand to control the barrel. It’s another one of those all styly’n without substance swings. The proper use of the top hand in my opinion is essential to a hitter’s success. Unfortunately, I have found that it is rarely if ever emphasized outside of a pro environment.

Top hand bottom drills are both great to do. My youth hitter I used light bats, he did not have the strength to use heavy one hand bat trainers. Its more important to make sure there mechanics are right. Putting him on one knee is important if you see them open there chest to pitcher. Barry Bonds has a drill for the top hand that is great, best described as playing catch or serve the pizza drill but play catch, look it up hopefully you can find it. GREAT TOPIC, top hand, bottom hand.

Best baseball instructional channel. Keep up the good work!!

It's interesting to me that if you draw a line, from the barrel of Barry Bond's bat, through the handle, it lines up perfectly with his back leg. Conversely, if you do the same with Barry Larkin's bat, it lines up with the front leg

Great video mr Curtis 💯❤️⚾️

Great video! Awesome stuff

Great stuff here!!!

Great explanation! Especially about getting to the inside pitch without opening!

thanks... very interesting analysis. i found it could be also interesting to put this topic in connection with the controversy between rotational and linear swing (even if i find it a little bit outdated today).

Great video brother!

Lark reminds me of Ted Williams. With that odd launch positioning. Worked for them, but neither had as much power as top hand hitters. Physics wise, less distance before impact causes less energy transfer.

This video is amazing, I prefer the top hand the bottom hand didn’t work well I kept pulling off top hand kept me in check

If you listen to Barry he speaks of the top hand as a “guide hand” he clearly speaks of his bottom hand as the hand that create his extension and backspin. Lead arm dominant which is the bottom hand represents the majority of hitters in the last 40 years. Hitters explain it different ways, but the fact that bonds fairly consistently released his top hand post contact indicates that he had a very strong lead arm(bottom hand)

Both, for different pitches.....top hand for middle/away - let the ball travel and drive with back hip, but, bottom hand for inside pitch to catch it out front and pull

Nice video!

Hello Jermaine. Luc bats left but throws right. I notice when he does one handed drills the top had is harder for him to control. Do you have any advice for him to get his top hand stronger? Thanks

I would completely disagree that most power hitters are top hand dominant in their hitting approach. 1. Frank Tomas(lead arm or one arm extension) 2. Mark McGuire(Transitioned to lead arm) one arm extension 3. Ken Griffey Jr, very pure lead arm hitter 4. Rafael Palmero very much a lead arm extension hitter. 5. As stated been Barry released the top hand quite often post contact 6. Sammy Sosa(lead arm hitter) 7. George Brett hit for power and average, clearly a lead arm hitter.

This is a perfect example of why there is no perfect swing (Teacher cough) . Different players have different strengths and weaknesses. While Larkin was no Bonds. He had a great professional career. I think the best hitter know how to maximize the use of both hands. This was a great video. Thanks for the breakdown

I originally believed that one should hit with the bottom hand…but I started questioning my beliefs when Hank Aaron said that the top hand was how you place the bat on the ball…I think he said that the bottom hand was used for power…which didn’t make sense to me because I thought you’re driving the ball with the back hand. Hank Aaron’s approach would mean you’re pulling the bat with you’re front hand. I believe I was wrong…and mistaken in my earlier modeling of hitting…and that Aaron and Bonds are correct. I also think that Aaron and Bonds hitting model correlates with the idea of choking up on the bat to get more control…the top hand is higher on the bat…so it should give more control. The bottom hand is lower on the bat…so it should give more leverage. Mr. Aaron is a very smart guy. He’s smarter than me…I got fooled…I modeled it backward. I am wise enough though…to consider that I’m misinformed when I hear Aaron first and then Bonds second say the same thing about hitting. These two are very successful hitters…neither one would have had their success if they could not place the bat on the ball. Thank you for explaining what you believe the bottom hand is for. You model hitting very well…in your RU-vid videos. My modeling of hitting has improved just by watching your videos. Now I need to find a video on bunting…and try to figure that out…I would guess the top hand also should be used to put the bat on the bunted ball…it should create more control. Thanks again…sir.

Is it possible to have a dual mentality or both? Or is it mostly one over the other? Thanks for sharing.

Your lead arm (bottom hand) drill is broken from the start. You're trying to hit without firing the hips and torso, and you're complaining that your body is moving after the fact. Power comes from the whole body, which is why no one stands there and just moves their arms like you seem to want to do in both of your one-arm drills. Fire your hips, and then fire the arm thus creating whip-like action. Keep experimenting until you get powerful one-arm contact. For bottom hand drills watch elite frisbee players, and tennis players hitting backhands. Note their lower half power position, and the torgue in their arm. The hips go, the torso goes, and all that energy fires up into the lead arm that THEN begins to use all of that energy into a powerful throw. This isn't to say top hand (back arm) isn't also important. But you can't pick one over the other when you're doing one of them completely wrong

Good stuff 🔥🔥⚾️

Bottom hand is power hand, but the bottom hand ain't shhh if you don't guide the sweet spot with the top hand. You will never be proficient if you don't guide the sweet spot with that top hand. However, of course keep your hands back, and initiate swing with Bottom hand by swinging down. You got to remember what Barry said about the X factor. Bottom hand communicates with back leg, and top hand communicates with lead leg. I'm not going to argue with Barry. You hit of a stiff front leg and your guiding the sweet spot at the point of impact.

Top hand for sure

I agree even Ted Williams said the hand closest to the sweet spot controlled the bat and was one thing that gave you the power also hip rotation l think one thing when Charley Lau came out with the pull through that worked for George Brett everyone got on the band wagon top hand was bad Barry Bonds would be a player who went against that grain also Miguel Cabrera and l am sure others now if the top hand rolls over a problem but taking a tip from golf the trigger finger on your right hand (if your right handed) will get you in trouble you have to leave it out until you can control it one baseball great l once heard comment on that was Willy Mays he said his power came from the area between his right hand trigger finger ok my eyes got opened up as to how your hands work by a video by a guy named John Schlee the palms only make up 12.5 per cent of your hand your 4 fingers 75 percent so l think that is good to know like you say top hand and stay behind the ball there are bottom hand hitters of course but we are all different l just never could understand why they wanted to do away with it like you said so many hall of famers top hand hitters

Well I right and right I agree with you tried pulling did nothing for me

Top Hand all the way!!!

When i use the bottom hand i feel a lack if control and a level swing

Can't disagree with the teachings from Barry.

Old school Pete Gray😎

Let’s see a video of Gary Sheffield and Barry bonds workouts

I think Barry is right

Bottom hand steers, top hand is power

Balance.....both

Jesus. I’m teaching my son top hand type batting and he crumbles his posture all over the place. Weak ground balls. Inside pitches he contorts his hands in to where his top hand thumb turns downwards and palm to the pitcher 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ if I say anything aggressive I’m too intimidating according to his mom. Just can’t win. Good info though. Thanks.

Larkins worked for him, but is overall awkward. Bonds works for most, but takes a lot of technique

Top hand is better

Doing a one handed drill does not sum up a lead arm extension or bottom hand approach. Charlie Lau who is The Godfather of lead arm hitter never taught spiky bottom hand only drills.

To hand💩💩💩💩💩

Can you please explain in layman terms the difference between backhand and bottom hand because I watch this video and it makes no sense to me!!!