Once the swing has launched it’s tough to alter – this is why your initial swing direction is a vital piece to being able to successfully adjust to a multitude of various pitches.
The initial move of the hands set the direction for the resulting swing. As such, a swing that needs to be directed middle, away, or pullside, will all be initiated a bit differently.
By utilizing the bands on the bat handle, we are providing an external stressor that forces your body to work to maintain the positioning you want.
When we take away the bands and get back in the cage, you’ll find it much easier to stay in proper positioning.
In short, we are getting the movement results we want without any active cuing of the athlete’s swing. Although it depends on the athlete, in general less conscious swing control is going to play better when the chaotic pressure of a game situation arises. The more we can alter the swing without conscious effort, the better.