High Impact Technical Coaching

2. High Impact Technical Coaching Gary Palmer’s Approach. Sir Viv Richards bats using the same techniques that I have identified as best practice. I believe these basic techniques can be taught to all batters with positive results. These techniques make batting easier and is a more natural way to bat.

3. Philosophy as specialist technical batting coach. • To make batting easier by training batters to hit between mid-on and mid-off to the highest technical standards. • Basics must be of the highest quality before flare and improvisation is introduced. • Basics are the foundations of batting technique and are of the utmost importance to achieving high level of skill and performance

4. Front-On or Side-On • I believe batting is a more front-on skill than side-on unless you are driving through the covers.

5. Sir Viv Richards is the key ! • I believe Viv Richards had the best batting technique ever and we should use him as our manual. • Viv was more open that most batsmen when he was playing his shots. This this is part of the reason he made batting look so easy. • Richards had a more open stance and his laces pointed down the wicket when he was driving off the front foot. This made balance and alignment easy to achieve and why his head was always in a good balanced position. Being side on would have made it more difficult to maintain balance and alignment, so why in England is everybody obsessed with side-on and therefore making batting more difficult? • I believe its possible to coach players with the techniques used by Sir Viv Richards and not the text book. This I would like to prove is possible if you have the correct set of technical check list coupled with drills, caching techniques and my 4 Angles System. • The 4 Angles system will expose any flawed batting techniques. The only way to bat effectively against the angles and swing types is to adopt Viv Richards basic techniques. Viv used to play across the line and around his front pad but he did this by choice not by accident. Viv’s basic’s Alignment- Balance- Completion were perfect and when he wanted to he could play straight better than anybody because he had a sound foundation to his technique. Viv’s more open batting technique didn’t limit him in any way being more side on would have done.

6. Good coaching is about outcome. What is the aim of a specialist batting session? To improve a batter’s skill level: • To constantly improve technique • To enhance consistency of technique. • To progressively challenge technique • To enhance their basic game plan knowledge. • To constantly set the highest standards of technique. • Players clearly understand the correct techniques of the basics and how to service them.

7. How do we improve a Batters skill level during a 1-2-1 session? • Encourage the player to chat freely with you and exercise humor where possible. • Have thorough and clear knowledge of your topic. • Know what the perfect technique looks like. ( Praise shots when perfect ) • Set clear and simple guidelines on technique to the player. • Encourage the player to set a very high standard of technical expectation. • Strive for consistent repetition of correct technique. Avoid casual repetition with flawed technique. • Coach it in a progressive and structured way. ( Block by block with foundations first) • When grooving with a talented player strive for perfection on every shot • Constantly give feedback where needed. • Give feedback one piece at a time but give lots of different pieces where necessary. • Specific drills to fix specific faults and make the drill progressive. • When faults are identified correct them at their source. • The last part of the session should be where the technique is challenged and tested. • The last part of session question the player more on what you have taught him/her. • When good consistent technique is achieved, then challenge it. ( Different Lengths & Lines - Angles – Swing/Spin types – Run Chase targets). • Coaching Sequence: Identify Fault- Explain Restrictions – Show Correction – Explain Benefits

8. What should we expect to achieve within the session? The player has improved – goal achieved. Batting has become easier. How do we measure the improvement. • Improved technique • More consistent technique • Player understands the faults and how to fix them • Player knows what drills to fix and enhance particular techniques. • Player knows how to challenge their technique. • Player begins to set a higher standard of technique for his/her self. • Game plans are executed more effectively and consistently. • Players technique now looks more natural and batting looks easy. • Player has improved beyond the point he/she was at the last session. • Players is much moreconfident with their skill level.

9. How do we know we are improving as a batter? • Batting has become easier. • Player has more confidence and belief in their technique. • Player has more confidence and belief in delivering their game plans under pressure. • More low risk scoring options. • Wider variety of scoring areas. • More effective against the swinging & turning deliveries. • Player’s performances are better and overall the player has lots more confidence and self-belief.

10. What is the best technique? • What’s the best technique? • What are the drills to achieve and enhance technique? • How do we thoroughly challenge technique? ( The 4 Angles System is the ultimate way to challenge the A,B,C’S of batting technique) I believe my job as a coach is to enable every batter I work with be able to play My 4 Angles consistently well with good technique. Coaches with the correct technical information, drills and the 4 Angles system should be able to do this.

11. What constitutes a perfect shot? • The ball must be hit in the middle of the bat. • The ball must go to the correct target area. • Alignment – balance & completion of shot. Now you have the technique, you need to make it a skill that you can consistently reproduce under pressure. To do achieve the above you must over exaggerate the completion of shot and hold the shape for a few seconds.

12. Measuring Kit for the - A,B.C’S ALIGNMENT - ( Horizontal Lines ) Aligning the bat path and body to target area, using straight line BALANCE - Tram lines to vertically measure balance i.e. Alignment of Head , Hands & Feet ( Vertical Lines) COMPLETION OF SHOT. Diamond shape made by arms, from backswing to full completion of shot. ( Diamond = area with in arms)

13. Identifying the A,B,C’S Completion – Diamond Shape Alignment Horizontal Lines Balance Vertical lines

14. Practical in the Hall • What are the different techniques? • What are the drills to construct and enhance technique? • How does the 4 Angles Construct and Assess Batting Technique? Aim - To prove that being more open is more effective!