Discover why squishing the bug batting is bad for basic baseball and softball swing fundamentals. Learn STOP squashing hitting drills and a beginners meaning of the term.
WHY ‘Squishing The Bug’ Is So Dumb
This video is a definitive guide when it comes to WHY ‘squishing the bug’ is an inferior hitting mechanic. Right now, if you find yourself asking if people STILL teach this, then sadly, the answer is yes. I ran into one just the other day on the socials. Nothing but pseudo science and circular reasoning.
Here’s fair WARNING for the small few out there still teaching hitters to ‘squish the bug’. If after watching this video, you’re still not convinced, then you’re old. Consider what Henry Ford once said:
And while we’re at it, look at what Ayn Rand said:
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
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Struggling to get your hitters ON-TIME in games? Discover HOW TO build effective laser-focused timing, so your hitters can be ON-TIME more often. These principles are validated by REAL science.
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Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Get Rid of Old Tired Hitting Dogmas Once and For All
Isn’t this diagram showing proper bat path? Both are linear!! This is part of the confusion that’s out there on the net. Diagram courtesy: BackBackBack.com
A rotational linear hitting mechanics reader question came in recently that relates well to both baseball and softball…
“What is the best to teach a rotational swing or a linear swing?”
Here’s what we’ll cover in this rotational linear hitting mechanics post:
Swing is both…and then some,
Conservation of Linear v. Angular Momentum,
Planes of Motion, and
Centripetal v. Centrifugal…
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
Even when I was wrongly teaching my hitters to ‘swing down on the ball’, I had a gut feeling rotational linear hitting mechanics were a little of both. It didn’t make sense to say it was one or the other. If you find yourself thinking this, then you have an incomplete understanding of dynamic human movement.
My advice? Get educated. Do your homework. Test. Re-test. With today’s access to quality information, experts, and sophisticated technology, there’s ZERO room for ‘willfully ignorant’ hitting theories. If you aren’t growing, you’re dying. Us coaches MUST hold ourselves to a better teaching standard. Standards that go beyond hitting absolutes, which aren’t wrong – but incomplete.
We MUST apply human movement principles, that are validated by science, to hitting a ball. Another word for ‘principles’ are “rules” or “guidelines”. Think of these principles as bumpers at a bowling alley keeping the ball from plopping into the gutter. What path the bowling ball takes between the bumpers doesn’t matter, just as long as it stays between them. Hitting absolutes are what goes on between the bumpers.
You following me? Human movement principles first. And how they’re applied (think video analysis) comes second. If it’s the other way around, then we’ll have hitters burying their chins into their chests like Andrew McCutchen (see image below)…
Many of you will see this ‘chin to chest’ image and won’t find anything wrong with it, “he’s keeping his head down at impact,” you’ll say. I’m afraid Cutch is succeeding despite this ineffective mechanic, NOT because of it.
See WHY breaking the ‘One-Joint Rule’ bleeds force at impact by CLICKING HERE.
…Or closing the gap between their rear ear and shoulder like Derek Jeter or Bryce Harper during the turn, which is a blatant breaking of the One-Joint Rule (see image below)…
Photo courtesy: http://districtondeck.com/
Again, Bryce Harper is succeeding despite this ineffective mechanic, NOT because of it. In the corrective fitness world, we say ‘shoulders are ear poison’ to maximizing force and reducing the probability of injury. So, what did I mean in the sub-title above “…and Then Some”?
That I’ll answer under the Centripetal v. Centrifugal Forces subtitle below. Let’s get started fleshing out rotational linear hitting mechanics…
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To prove the swing is both of these, watch a clip of Albert Pujols a wide-no stride swing, when he was with the Cardinals, which most purely rotational people point to as a good example of their ‘hitting theory’:
Like golf, you see his pelvis slide forward before he starts turning. This is a linear move, and I call it shifting foot pressure.
His weight goes from the outside of his back foot, inside front foot…then as his pelvis shifts forward, you’ll see his weight go to the inside of his back foot, outside of front foot.
Shifting foot pressure is what I would teach my fastpitch hitters because of their compressed reaction time, similar to these Lauren Chamberlain swings:
Also note, Pujols and Chamberlain ARE NOT ‘squishing the bug’ with their back foot, another thing purely rotational ‘hitting theorists’ cling to.
Look at this more recent clip of Pujols with the Angels. Here he employs a traditional linear stride:
Now, Ichiro Suzuki is who the purely linear ‘hitting theorists’ point to as a great example of their system. Watch this video:
You’ll see a little more linear elements to Ichiro’s swing (forward momentum and hand path), but he still starts sideways, and rotates, or turns, the center of his chest to impact. Did you catch the keywords “rotates” or “turns”?!
Show me one hitter in the Big Leagues or Professional Fastpitch that ONLY have a linear swing…or ONLY have a rotational swing.
I guarantee you won’t find ONE.
At ANY level, I GUARANTEE you won’t find ONE baseball or softball hitter, PERIOD, that does either one or the other!!
Are you getting the rotational linear hitting mechanics idea?
Planes of Motion
Planes of Motion photo courtesy: goldsgymwebsterny.wordpress.com
Benefit #6 in that post I sub-titled, “How Humans Change Direction & Planes of Motion”.
Under the sub-title, I talk about three main planes of motion that we move in:
Front to back (Sagittal),
Side to side (Frontal), and
Twisting (Transverse)…
Also, I included a YouTube video of NFL wide receivers running ‘Tree Routes’.
A wide receiver running a cut route will use the 1) Front to back plane first, then when he makes his 90-degree cut, will momentarily move onto the 2) Side to side plane before getting back on and accelerating in the front to back plane.
A hitter starts off moving on the 2) Side to side plane, but as they start turning get on the 3) Twisting plane.
In order to understand rotational linear hitting mechanics clearly, we must consider putting aside our egos, and truly look at what’s going on in video analysis.
Again, principles first, application second.
Be honest.
Like few coaches that find me on social media…DO NOT fall into the same ‘willfully ignorant’ trap they do.
If you AIN’T growing, then you’re DYING.
Know this about hitters…
There is almost always some form of linear (forward) movement that precedes the twisting. I call it getting a head start before making an explosive rotational move.
Both Pujols, Chamberlain, and Ichiro do this.
But THESE ARE THE FACTS…
The path of the bowling bowling ball down the lane may be different, but ALL three stay within the ‘bowling bumpers’.
Centripetal v. Centrifugal
Here’s a great video from YouTuber SciShow about the difference between Centripetal & Centrifugal Forces:
Centripetal Forces are ‘center-seeking’ and Centrifugal Forces are ‘center-fleeing’.
Here’s how the rotational linear hitting mechanics purist stack up with these two forces:
Purely rotational side with Centripetal Forces, and
Purely linear side with Centrifugal Forces…
But clearly the swing is a combination of both…and then some!
I actually say the swing is:
Linear at Start – hitter getting a head start before stride landing, or second phase of shifting foot pressure,
Rotational – hitter transfers forward into angular momentum to get barrel into the impact zone, and then
Linear AGAIN – after impact the hitter chases the ball with the barrel.
The last part is crucial to consistency, and is a good example of Centrifugal Force.
When talking about rotational linear hitting mechanics, I also give the swinging rock-on-a-string example in the main video above.
You see, first the hitter uses Centripetal Force to turn the barrel into the zone sideways…the turn is meant to be quick and compact from an Angular Momentum standpoint (Keeping a slight bend in the front elbow, NOT from swinging down, being short, etc.), until the barrel gets on the plane of the pitch.
Then the hitter either lets the front arm lengthen or stay shortened depending on timing and pitch location, but make no mistake…
Elite hitters will keep their barrel chasing the ball after impact, until both arms get fully extended…whereby the barrel then circles around the body during follow through.
So is it better to teach rotational liner hitting mechanics?
Yes.
As long as it’s a blend of the two.
Not one or the other.
Let human movement principles be your guide.
The path the bowling ball takes in the lane doesn’t matter, just as long as it stays between the bumpers.
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
Swing Study reveals how tens of thousands of hitters are adding 40-feet to batted ball distance by using one simple strategy.
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“Braves star Freddie Freeman gives in-depth tutorial on how to hit off a tee” Video
If you liked this Freddie Freeman swing analysis, then you may want to take a look at this…
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https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/freddie-freeman-swing-analysis-e1570509855677.png492500Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-19 09:45:442022-07-19 22:47:42Fix Swing Loop, Dropping Barrel, And Pulling Vs Hitting Opposite Field With Power For Baseball, Softball, & Slow Pitch | Do Stay Or Keep Hands Inside Cues Work? | Overload/Underload Bat Training Workout | Freddie Freeman & Ronald Acuna Jr. Analysis
Discover to teach kids hitting drills on how to hit a baseball or softball farther with quick hands for increased consistent power. The loading technique works from 4 years old up to college too!
How to Teach Power and Quick Hands Baseball Swing Hitting Training
FREE baseball hitting training drill video provided by Hitting Performance Lab on how to teach a kid to hit a baseball or softball harder with power with a step-by-step online video batting training system…
For parents, team coaches, and hitting instructors looking to brush up on their baseball and softball hitting training expertise, HittingPerformanceLab.com is offering a free video training session. The video training will be held online and will take 13-minutes.
For full details on how to access the free video training, interested parties are encouraged to visit the following webpage:
Areas of baseball hitting training that will be covered include:
How to teach a kid to hit a baseball with power – Discover how to teach 100-pound hitters to consistently drive the ball 300-feet. Best online baseball hitting training program on how to teach a kid to hit a baseball with power.
Learn how to teach a batter to hit a baseball or softball harder with power – discover how to teach a kid to hit a baseball or softball harder with power using the step-by-step online video batting training system.
Step by step fundamental quick hands power strategy – at home baseball or softball hitting drills step-by-step with popular fundamental quick hands power strategy instructional video.
When asked about the reasons behind the decision to provide free training on such an in-demand topic, Joey Myers, Founder of HittingPerformanceLab.com said,
“Coaches and instructors are making how to teach hitters too hard. The answer is applying human movement principles validated by science to hitting a ball. The science shouldn’t be scary. Even the most minimal hitting knowledge dads or moms can learn and implement the drills. This is one of the first how to teach a kid to hit for more power strategies used at Hitting Performance Lab to build more consistent power in hitters. Watch the video. Try it out. It works.”
Parents, team coaches, and hitting instructors can find out how to access the free hitting training video at:
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2776794_Optimize.jpg800711Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-19 09:30:312022-07-19 22:17:43Teach Kid Hitting Drills To Hit Baseball Or Softball Farther With Quick Hands For Increased Power | Loading Works In College Too!
Learn fun youth baseball and softball hitting practice plan station drills for 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 year olds, & High School.
13 Tips On How To Build A Productive Hitting Practice
My 6yo son Noah did this in his class. I love “I hit a line jrive.” So cute! 😍
I don’t have a lot of experience coaching teams like some do, but I do think I have a unique perspective on this…
Since 2013, I’ve been teaching human movement principles validated by REAL Science to local and online hitters. Over the past 4+ years I’ve been running small private group hitting lessons ranging from 2 to 6 hitters per group, for 75-minutes. And before that I did MANY 1-on-1’s.
And the last 5 years I’ve had the honor and pleasure of coaching my son’s teams (including all-stars) since 7u baseball. t-ball, machine pitch, and the transition into kid pitch. This year I was asked to part time as head varsity hitting coach for a local High School. I couldn’t do full time because I was head coach of my son’s little league team plus all my local and online lessons.
I’ve learned a lot about how to put together a productive practice for hitting, fielding, and throwing. Here are my notes – I hope they can help get you started in the right direction…
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
First of all, what is one of the most important concepts to work on at practice? Playing catch. CLICK HERE for an interview with legendary Hall of Fame collegiate baseball Coach Bob Bennett, where he goes into depth on this progression-regression.
What’s one of the best drills to learning how to play catch that costs ZERO dollars, and you don’t need a partner? Check out this Tweet –
An example of best training anyone can get is right here. Kid did this for over 2 hours easily. He played various games with self. He developed more this day then any games could provide and it cost 0$. Polite young man who is passionate about game. pic.twitter.com/WpJ1d3Efr0
To make the above throwing and catching drill better? Put multiple targets (could be shapes) in different locations up and down, left and right, on the wall using frog tape.
Three hitting focuses we used with 7u machine pitch: 1) Feel what swinging “up” feels like, 2) Feel what swinging “down” feels like, and 3) Swing across their face, not chasing their face. The latter was because almost half the hitters were pulling their head. Later we added the three plate timing drill to help them understand what “swing earlier” or “swing later” means (CLICK HERE for this post which showcases the 2-plate drill – you’d add one more plate). This takes care of 2 of 3 hitting dimensions. I talk about 3-dimensional hitting in this post.
Main hitting flaws I see most often in youth hitters (based on one-on-one and group hitting lesson experience): barrel path verticals, horizontals, and timing (see 3-D hitting above), pulling head out (swing across face not chase face), stepping out (CLICK HERE for this post), fear of getting hit by the ball (CLICK HERE for this post).
If working on one or two things, focus on those specific things while ignoring any other flaws that may crop up. Get to 60-80% movement proficiency and execution on either soft toss or LIVE toss, before moving onto the next thing. Make your focuses a constant drum beat. Remember, the swing, or any other aspect of the baseball or softball game, is an elephant and you don’t want to eat it all at once!
Our challenge for 7u was one practice per week for only one hour. We did four stations (about 3 players per station): 1) Taking ground-balls while throwing and hitting multiple targets (we weaved frog tape in shape of a 1, 2, and 3 on the chain link), 2) 5 Tee swings with Hitting Jack-It weight on bat (high tee – hit it down, low tee – hit it up), 3) Ground-ball communication between corner and middle infielders, and 4) LIVE hitting on field with “soft” ball machine (to get used to machine pitch).
Depending on age, don’t overdo practice. I would force practice times into 60 to 90-mins up to age 12u. 90 to 120-mins 7th and 8th grade. 2 to 2.5-hours max in High School. And I would say no more than 3 hours in college – weights would be extra. Force yourself to pick THE most essential things to work on. Long practices at youth level scream coach doesn’t know what they’re doing, and that not using time wisely. Most likely A LOT of standing around is the culprit. CLICK HERE this post for a refresher on what most “essential” means.
One of the best bang for your buck hitting drills EVERY coach MUST have in their hitting stations is overload training. CLICK HERE for an interview post I did with the father of over/under load training applied to baseball and softball hitters.
Any coaches have any other advice on how to put together a productive practice for hitters I didn’t mention? Please share in the comments below… (Thank you in advance!!)
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https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Noah-Picture-e1557378589345.jpg329500Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-19 09:15:152022-07-19 17:54:06Fun Youth Baseball Softball Hitting Practice Plan Station Drills For 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Year Olds, & High School
Discover youth baseball and softball coaching 101 philosophy examples that work for 10u, 13u, middle school, and high school programs. Learn mistakes, signs of a bad coach, and practice plan ideas in this interview with Nate Headley from Headfirst Athletics Academy.
Top-2 Coaching Youth Baseball Mistakes Academy Owners, Team Coaches, & Paid Instructors Make
In this coaching youth baseball mistakes interview with Headfirst Athletics Academy Owner, team coach, and one-on-one instructor located in Knoxville, Tennessee, Nate Headley, we go over:
“I woke up to my first morning of college with the cops knocking on our door at five o’clock in the morning…”
What do you see as the top two coaching youth baseball mistakes that academy owners make?
“I think the toughest conversations I have are the ones with the parents that are so over the top that you have to sit them down and say, hey, look, man, if you don’t back off, they’re not going to make it.”
“I think ultimately that’s where you start to lose traction in the development process and building teams and I think that the more you can continue on a daily basis to pick up, if it’s one thing a day…”
What’s your coaching youth baseball mistakes filter? How do you know to follow a guy or two to give it a try, what’s your filter for that?
“There’s so much information available. If you’re just paying attention to the game, if you’re just paying attention to how they’re attacking hitters in front of you, we force all our guys to get out of the dugout, out onto the field when they’ve got a guy getting loose.”
“We can give you all the information you need to be successful, but what you do with it is ultimately all that matters, because the development process is not going to be there.”
Where can people find you if they want to reach out, ask you questions, you got a website, social media, any of that?
This is also an episode of the Swing Smarter Hitting Training Podcast. One of my favorite coaching youth baseball mistakes gold nugget quotes from my interview with Coach Nate Headley is…
“It’s like when you go into a test, if you have all the information available, if a teacher gives you, a test prep sheet that says, hey, this is all the information that’s going to be on the test. You have no excuse to fail, so many hitters fail because they failed to prepare based on the information that’s right in front of them.”
CLICK HERE to download the coaching youth baseball mistakes interview transcription in PDF format.
ENJOY!
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/coaching-youth-baseball-mistakes-e1639375120846.png281500Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-19 09:00:102022-07-19 17:07:00Youth Baseball Softball Coaching 101 Philosophy Examples For 10u, 13u, Middle School, & High School Programs | Mistakes, Bad Coach Signs, & Practice Plan Ideas
Discover mental side, struggling hitter approach, and batter’s box psychology to overcome fear of failure for baseball and softball batting. Learn how to help your hitter relax and build confidence in the batter’s box when they feel anxiety and have a mental block at the plate.
Mental Approach To Hitting: “Failing Forward”
Michael Jordan hitting with the Chicago White Sox in 1994. Photo courtesy: http://www.sportsonearth.com/
“Failing Forward” like Derek Jeter, Reggie Jackson, & Michael Jordan. This was a “rough draft” inspirational speech I did for my local Toastmasters group. Sorry audio isn’t as good as my other videos.
I wrote it for my parents, coaches, and hitters who are struggling through the hitting process. CLICK HERE for my speech cliff notes. Big thanks go out to Ryan West and his son Ian for the text message 🙂
Here are some other great mental health, training, and approach posts we did:
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/jordan_baseball_3b76sd8w_zbjthbpz.jpg7001200Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-18 09:00:462022-07-18 20:20:17Mental Side, Struggling Hitter Approach, And Batter’s Box Psychology To Overcome Fear Of Failure For Baseball & Softball Batting | Relax And Build Confidence When Feeling Anxiety & Mind Block At Plate
Note the gentleman in the stands with the hat and Mariners shirt on (red arrow) as Mike Trout’s head moves forward to landing. Photo courtesy: YouTube user: PastTimeAthletics.com
The most common objection I hear from my hitters is their coaches are dumping on them for using forward momentum. Because – they say – there’s too much head movement! These coaches keep saying the perfect swing shouldn’t have head movement.
In a way, they’re right! But there’s a bit of confusion as to when head movement is okay…and not okay. You see, the perfect swing, has head movement. ALL dynamic movement does. Did you know our head bobs up and down when we walk and run? Try watching television upside down and you’ll see it clear as day.
Click Here for a SABR.org study titled: “Baseball Swing Stride and Head Movement Relationships”, from SAMUEL J. HAAG, an assistant professor of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at Concordia University, St. Paul. The study concluded:
“The present findings suggest stride height and stride length are not associated with displacement of the head during the baseball swing in experienced collegiate baseball players.”
But it’s the timing of head movement that matters. In this post, we’re going over:
Balance without thinking,
Debunking a common objection & a study, AND
Perfect swing examples…
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
Proprioception. I know it’s a big ugly word. But it has A LOT to do with the perfect swing. At least when we talk about head movement. Experiencing proprioception is easier than saying the word itself!
Try this…
Stand up, lift one leg, and close your eyes… You feel your standing ankle and foot wobbling to balance your body? This balance happens without you having to think about it. It’s an unconscious process, like breathing. Here’s how balance without thinking breaks down when looking at the perfect swing…
Scenario #1 The Sit Back Hitter – during stride, keep 60% of weight on BACK leg, being soft with the landing foot like you’re stepping on unbroken eggshells.
Scenario #2 The Forward Momentum Hitter – during stride, commit 60% of body weight to FRONT leg at landing, thereby breaking the “eggshells” in scenario #1.
Let’s apply proprioception to where the two scenarios left off above… In Scenario #1, to bring the body back to balance, the brain shifts the weight forward during the Final Turn. In other words, the heads moves later.
In scenario #2, to restore balance, the brain shifts the weight back during the Final Turn. Because of the transfer of linear into angular momentum, the head will become the center axis of rotation along with the spine.
We sacrifice head movement early, for little to no head movement later.
Do an experiment with the two scenarios above. Record your swing using the Coaches Eye or Ubersense app. Try and swing as hard as you can under complete control. And note the change in head position between the two scenarios. In a perfect swing, you’re going to have head movement. But the question is, when do you want it? BEFORE or DURING the Final Turn?
Debunking a Common Objection & a Study
CLICK HERE for a great FanGraphs study that Dan Farnsworth did on June 17, 2013 titled “Breaking Down the Swing: Best Hitters of 2012”. Scroll down a ways and start reading under the section: “Keep Your Head Still”.
Farnsworth compiled a list of the top 50 hitters from the 2012 season according to Fangraphs’ Batting component of WAR. He looked at side views of each of these hitters from highlights of the 2012 season in which each player hit a homerun. You can read the details of how he compiled his measurements in his post.
As Farnsworth says, the main complaint coaches have with Forward Momentum, or early head movement, is that moving the head forward “speeds up the ball”. This may be true…
But during the stride, the hitter hasn’t made a definitive decision to swing yet. So again, if you know head movement is inevitable during dynamic movement, then when do you want it to happen? BEFORE or DURING the Final Turn?
Does a quarterback “rolling out” to throw to a fast moving receiver have head movement? Yes, until his plant leg hits the ground before throwing. Does a soccer player have head movement quickly dribbling the ball down the field to get closer to the goal, weaving in and out of defenders? Yes, until their plant foot hits the ground to kick. I can go on and one with Olympic Throwers and Shot Putters!
Really think about the answer to that question.
Perfect Swing Examples…
When you watch the following videos, pick out someone or something in the stands behind the hitter to use as a frame of reference in watching for head movement. The following examples were the TOP-5 OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage) hitters in 2014:
1. Victor Martinez (toe tap)
2. Jose Abreu (toe tap)
3. Andrew McCutchen (slide step)
4. Giancarlo Stanton (toe tap)
5. Mike Trout (medium leg kick)
6. Paul Goldschmidt (little to no stride – technically a toe tap)
7. Albert Pujols (little to no stride)
Grab This FREE 'Timing Master Class' Video
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https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/perfect-swing-mike-trout-head-movement.png462657Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-11 09:45:242022-07-12 04:59:28How To Keep Head Position And Eye On Ball With Stride Length For Baseball & Softball Swing | MLB Players Load Stride Hitting Vs No Stride Batting Drills
Baseball lost one of the hardest working hitters EVER. In this video blog, I want to answer the question of why Tony Gwynn couldn’t hit for repeatable power. I’m keying in on a two interesting points mentioned in an article at Deadspin.com, “How Tony Gwynn Cracked Baseball’s Code And Became A Legend“, after his passing. We’ll talk about:
How baseball history is made on the inside pitch,
How the front shoulder is crucial to repeatable power, and
Why Mr. Padre’s swing didn’t have built-in power.
How Baseball History is Made on the Inside Pitch
The Deadspin.com article mentioned a 1992 All-Star game conversation Tony Gwynn had with Ted Williams about how Williams preached that baseball history was made on the inside pitch. Quoted from the Deadspin article:
“The year before Williams offered his counsel, Gwynn hit .315 on pulled balls; the year after, .587. And in the five years following it, he hit .368, won four batting titles, and made a very serious run at being the first hitter since Williams to hit .400, which he may have done if not for the 1994 strike.”
Increased average, check! But, according to Baseball-Reference.com, over his 20 year career Tony Gwynn only hit over 10 home runs five times in a season. Although, four-out-of-five of those seasons were after the Ted Williams conversation. His career high was 17, in 1997. In the video, I offer an explanation of why it wasn’t too late for Gwynn to develop power after that Williams conversation.
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
The last point, mentioned in the Deadspin article, was in a conversation George Will had with Tony Gwynn in his book Men At Work, where Gwynn explains – during video analysis of his swing – if he was “staying on the ball”:
To know if he is swinging correctly, he counts the frames from when the pitcher lets go of the ball until his, Gwynn’s, front shoulder “opens up”—turns to the right…There’s one… two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight… nine… ten… There,” he says with satisfaction at the high count, “ten frames. That means I’m staying on the ball. I’m keeping my front shoulder in and staying back. If I open it up before then, I’m through, I’m out in front.”
How interesting. Mr. Padre may have been ahead of his time here. In the coming swing breakdown, you’ll discover how to not lose the repeatable power opportunity that Tony Gwynn did.
Why Tony Gwynn’s Swing DID NOT Have Power Built-In
Tony Gwynn photo courtesy: MLB.com
What I reveal in the video, is proven human movement science. I’m standing on the shoulders of giants, body workers like Ida Rolf, Judith Aston, Thomas Myers, and Dr. Erik Dalton. I borrow from Dr. Serge Gracovetsky and his theory on Spinal Engine mechanics, and Dr. Kelly Starrett’s work in optimizing human movement.
Nowadays, we have a solid framework for producing power in the body through dynamic movement without having to worry about this hitting theory or that. Here are my top THREE fixes that would have built repeatable power into Tony Gwynn’s already consistent swing:
Down shoulder angle (spinal engine mechanics)
Hiding hands from the pitcher (loading springy connective tissue in the torso), and
Better spine angle at and after contact (pictured to the right, spine is too vertical).
My family’s thoughts and prayers go out to his family. We lost a good hard working man.
'Add 40-Feet' To Batted Ball Distance
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https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tony-gwynn-missing-repeatable-power.jpg262195Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-11 09:30:142022-08-05 21:41:45Tony Gwynn: How To Hit Inside Outside Pitches, Increase Hitting Power, & Teach Kid To Hit Ball Further | Last Game, Highest Batting Average, Cause Of Death, Hit Chart, & Batting Titles
Debating the intricacies of hitting a baseball (or softball) can be as bad as discussing religion or politics. This is why we look to proven human movement science first. Hitting a baseball NOT easy, but we can make it easier. It has a lot of failure built into the fabric. The objective of every coach, instructor, or parent should be to build as many “fail-safes” into the system as possible.
We’re going to explore the following, as they relate to impact:
Perry Husband & Effective Velocity,
90-Degree Angle to the Spine Rule NOT True?
University of Miami Study: The Biomechanics of the Baseball Swing
Conclusion…
First I want to start by setting the table…
Perry Husband & Effective Velocity
“Pluses” take-away from hitter’s reaction time, “minuses” add to hitter’s reaction time (images are pitcher’s POV). Photos courtesy: HittingIsAGuess.com
The one thing I like about Perry Husband’s contribution to hitting a baseball is he goes by “data, not feelings”.
He’s made a science out of a hitter’s reaction time. Perry Husband has accumulated, “Over 10 years of study and testing of amateur hitters and two years of intense study of major league at bats in a 4 million plus pitch database”. At his site Effective Velocity, Perry Husband explains his Effective Velocity system for pitchers:
“The Downright Filthy Pitching Series is a very in depth study of speed as it relates to the hitter’s reaction time. Initial velocity is the speed of the ball as the radar gun sees it, perceived velocity is the speed of the ball as the mind’s eye sees it and Effective Velocity is the speed it actually is. Effective Velocity (EV) is the initial velocity plus the location effects of the pitch due to different locations having different reaction times…A 90 MPH pitch can and does equal many different speeds, depending on where the pitch is located. “
His data (photo above) suggests that a hitter has to be quicker to pitches up in the zone, and in. And pitches down in the zone and away, give a hitter more time to adjust. Perry Husband reports from his findings:
“Did you know that the highest exit velocities off Major League hitters’ bats come off the pitches in the lowest part of the strike zone? How about that the most homeruns hit are off pitches at the very bottom of the strike zone as well?”
Over the past year, I’ve softened to some of Perry’s hitting a baseball mechanics. His information is vital to understanding if…
SCIENCE-BASED TRAINING:
Improve your hitting strategy dramatically by applying human movement principles.
Learn not only how and what to train but also the science behind the methods.
90-Degree Barrel Angle to the Spine Rule NOT True?
Giancarlo Stanton: 90-degree barrel to spine rule. Note: outside pitch slightly up in zone. Photo courtesy: MLB.com
CLICK HERE for the post that explains this Rule. The preceding post link refers to the barrel, not the front arm to spine angle. There are FOUR ways a hitter gets to pitches at the top/bottom of the strike-zone, and/or inside/outside of the plate…
Tilting at the waist with the upper body (the lower the pitch, the more the tilt),
Another reader got upset saying that I’m teaching two different swings. And enlightened me about his extensive study into the brain, and that taking a bent arm from the initiation of the swing and changing the shape to straight is impossible for the brain to do. Click Here for a conversation Perry and I had on the arm bar.
Remember, Perry Husband said that the highest ball exit speeds and home-runs were off of lower pitches? Do you think it could be because the front arm was able to extend at impact? Creating a longer lever and allowing for a smooth transfer of bat speed (angular velocity) into ball exit speed (inertial force). These are fundamental rules in the Conservation of Angular Momentum.
Look, if our goal as coaches is to get hitters 100% on-time, 100% swing effective, then we must take a serious look at the front arm bar. High exit velocity is key to batted ball distance, and without it Launch Angles alone won’t score more runs. Besides, how many commercial and/or passenger airplanes get off the ground without high horizontal velocity? CLICK HERE for an interview we did with Perry Husband about his system.
One last thing to look into hitting a baseball…
University of Miami Study: The Biomechanics of the Baseball Swing
Josh Donaldson game winning dinger high inside pitch. Photo courtesy: MLB.com
Major shout out to one of my readers and local lesson parents, Nieszka, for bringing this to my attention. This study was done by Dr. David Fortenbaugh at the University of Miami (CLICK HERE if you want to download the 200+ page pdf). Here’s the gist of how the study was put together:
Study Objective: to compare swings against pitches thrown to different locations and at different speeds.
AA-level Minor League Baseball players (n=43) took extended rounds of batting practice in an indoor laboratory against a pitcher throwing a mixture of fastballs and changeups.
An eight camera motion analysis system and two force plates recording at 300 Hz captured the biomechanical
data.
The swing was divided into six phases (stance, stride, coiling, swing initiation, swing acceleration, and follow-through) by five key events (lead foot off, lead foot down, weight shift commitment, maximum front foot vertical ground reaction force, and bat ball contact).
Twenty-eight kinematic measurements and six ground reaction force measurements were computed based on the marker and force plate data, and all were assessed throughout the phases.
The findings?
According to the Study:
“A large number of biomechanical differences were seen among the swings against various pitch locations. More fully rotated positions, particularly of the pelvis and bat were critical to the batters’ successes on inside pitches while less rotated positions keyed successes against outside pitches. The trail and lead arms worked together as part of a closed chain to drive the hand path. Successful swings had the trail elbow extended more for HIGH IN and flexed more for LOW OUT, though batters often struggled to execute this movement properly. A distinct pattern among successful swings against fastballs, successful swings against changeups, and unsuccessful swings against changeups was witnessed; namely a progressive delay in which the batter prematurely initiated the events of the kinetic chain, especially when unsuccessful in hitting a changeup.”
Hitting a Baseball Conclusion
So, let’s tie up everything we talked about in hitting a baseball…
On pitches low and/or away, the hitter has more reaction time (Perry Husband research), so tilting at the waist (on lower pitches) and extending the front elbow to impact is key (90-degree barrel spine rule). And because the outside and lower pitches will be hit slightly deeper than inside and higher pitches, the trailing elbow will have more bend in it at impact (Miami Study).
There can be a harmonious relationship between an arm bar, and consistency getting to pitches up and in the zone. CLICK HERE for this post that gets into the different “catcher’s gloves” on how to do this. HINT: it has to do with the “belly button” catcher’s glove.
Readers, I want to hear your thoughts on hitting a baseball in the Comments below…
Grab 'Finger Pressure' Video
Frustrated with fixing BAT DRAG? Beat it!
Swing Study reveals how majority of hitters are correcting 'racing back elbow' bat drag within 1-2 weeks WITHOUT overhauling swing mechanics OR buying fancy and expensive hitting aids.
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https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hitting-a-baseball-robinson-cano.jpg415525Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2022-07-11 09:15:432024-10-24 16:49:40How To Swing Bat And Hit Baseball Softball Faster, Farther, & Harder Every Time | Beginner Practice At Home Hitting To Increase Bat Speed, Power, Exit Velocity & In Certain Direction
weight on bat (high tee – hit it down, low tee – hit it up), 3) Ground-ball communication between corner and middle infielders, and 4) LIVE hitting on field with “soft” ball machine (to get used to machine pitch).
book is great for winning coaching principles as a whole.
