Audio Interview Talking About: 2nd Edition of Catapult Loading System Book, REAL Science Versus “Bro-science”, Difference Between Hitting Principles Versus Theories, Improving Hitters, & More
(PLEASE NOTE: the audio isn’t quite the best on my end, since he was interviewing me over the phone.)
I’ve included time-stamps below, so you can freely navigate through the audio interview…ENJOY!
At about 0:10 second mark, James asked me to tell him about the Catapult Loading System (CLS) book, working on the second edition of the book now and new additions to it.
At about 2:40 minute mark, what the Hitting Performance Lab is all about, applying human movement principles validated by REAL science, to hitting a ball, Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers, The Spinal Engine by Dr. Serge Gracovetsky, Dynamic Body by Dr. Erik Dalton. Base system off higher standard: REAL science, not “bro-science”, data (experiments, stats, etc.) and technology (Zepp, SwingTracker, BlastMotion, HitTrax) are great to measure, test, re-measure.
At about 6:30 minute mark, James asked what the difference between hitting “philosophy” versus hitting “principles”, talk about bowling “bumper” analogy, “Theories” are okay but MUST have a REAL science to back them up, is body-weight a good indicator of batted ball distance? Are athletic “freaks” the only ones who can triple their body-weight in batted ball distance?
At about 10:30 minute mark, James asked me to clarify “body loading”, is the body just a rubber band system? The difference between compression and tension forces and springy fascia, what is fascia and why the secret to consistent power is found in it. How an elite hitter loads these compression and tension forces, the Springy ‘X’ Pattern, and the Goldilocks Golden Rule, how to match the plane of the pitch, not teaching hitters to hit “pop-flies” or ground-balls.
At about 15:30 minute mark, James asked how we teach the Springy ‘X’ Pattern to younger hitters, ‘Showing Numbers’ and “back eye test“, using back elbow for Downhill Shoulder Angle, to get the ‘Scap Row’ we use “hiding their hands from pitcher” cue, “Finger Pressure”, the “Hollow” or “Hunched Position“, head positioning and following the “One-Joint Rule“,
At about 21:00 minute mark, James asked who taught or supported me in this information? Where learning this originated from, self taught, started from trying to fix a chronic knee tightness, reverse engineered the swing through human movement principles validated by science, Aaron Judge and Sierra Romero as great models for an effective swing.
At about 24:00 minute mark, follow up question on the difference between first and second edition of the CLS book, the path to finding the truth to consistency in the swing, how the tens of thousands of coaches reading and applying the principles are getting the same results – if not better – with their hitters that I am with mine! How we improved free agent Professional hitter recently using a wood bat off Backspin Tee, 75-mph Ball Exit Speed to 85-mph in one hour.
At about 28-minute mark, where can people learn more about what we’re doing here at Hitting Performance Lab? Where you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin, etc., BIG ask from the audience: SHARE, SHARE, SHARE
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/TheGruelingTruth_Logo_220-300x300.jpg300300Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2017-12-28 20:07:442020-04-28 17:31:55Improving Pro Hitter From 75-mph Ball Exit Speed To 85-mph In One Hour?
Want To Move Better? Simple Adjustments To Move Like Today’s Best Hitters
Watch Tai Chi Combat’s Master Wong in point #4 below: Notice Weight Transfer for Instant Agility. Photo courtesy: Master Wong, from his YouTube video Tai Chi for Beginners.
What Smokin’ Joe Frazier, China’s Tai Chi, the Headspace meditation app, and Ted Williams have in common will become clear moving through this post, I promise.
But first, here’s the glue that connects all these seemingly random things…
The first time I read through it, I thought, well this could help hitters…
The second time I read through it, I thought, dang, this could REALLY help hitters…
And then the 3rd, 4th, and 5th times, in my head I screamed, “DUDE!!”
Which is WHY I’m bringing it’s information to the attention of my coaches.
Here’s what I have for you…
Some quick notes from each of the five main points of the Ryan Hurst GMB Fitness post above,
Supporting videos that help put the ideas into “hitting” terms, and
A few resources I think are becoming more popular in helping hitters control their breathing (VERY IMPORTANT as you’ll soon see).
ENJOY!
1. Slow It Down for Instant Awareness
Being mindful is really the key to better movement.
Pay attention to how your hips are moving, your weight distribution, your eye gaze, and your breath.
Slow down your movement and you’ll be able to pay better attention to the details.
I’m not sure on the name, but I once heard boxer Joe Frazier used to practice a super slow motion punch that would last 20-minutes! Talk about slowing it down for instant awareness.
Here are swings from different angles to practice specific movements in slow motion…
2. Use Your Hips for Instant Power
Hips are your body’s center of mass.
The better you can initiate motion from this point, the more efficient your movements will be, as you’ll move with less wasted action.
With any stepping motion, rather than your feet propelling you forward, you want your hips to lead.
Yes, I agree with Ted Williams when he said the “Hips Lead the Way”. But even before the pelvis begins to turn for a hitter, the front hip MUST lead the way during the stride.
Watch this short 1-min Justin Turner slow motion swing video I put together for you, and key in on how his front hip initiates his pre-turn movement in the stride…
3. Use Visual Aim for Instant Control
Head is hardwired to follow your eyes, and the body is hardwired to follow your head. Basically, the body will follow the eyes.
If your eyes are not gazing in the right place, you won’t be able to control your body properly.
If you want to move better, think of it this way: your eyes should always be pointed where you want your spine to be.
This is WHY hitters who “pull their heads”, go chin to chest, back ear to back shoulder, or nose to sky at impact is not good.
My good friend Matt Nokes at Hitting Solutions calls this “swinging across your face”…this cue will help correct pulling the head. The best hitters “keep their head in the fire”, as Nokes says. Control the head, and hitter controls the direction and “squaring-up” of impact.
Watch this head movement modeling video of a few top MLB hitters…
4. Notice Weight Transfer for Instant Agility
The correct transfer of your weight is the beginning of a smooth and controlled motion.
While side stepping (or lunging) to your right, notice that you shifted your weight to the left a split second before you went to the right? It’s a natural loading response that you do without even thinking about it.
With any movement, if your body’s natural weight transfer mechanisms are not working properly, it will hurt your balance.
This is natural weight transfer behavior coaches!! If any hitting coach tells a right handed hitter to NOT shift their weight towards their right leg before striding to the left, then RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!
Watch the following three-in-a-half minute video from Master Wong, founder of Tai Chi Combat (over 1.4 million subscribers to his YouTube channel!!), performing a beginner’s Tai Chi movement. Notice the split second weight shift one way, in order to go the other way…
5. Breathe for Instant Poise and Calm
Difference between holding the breath and bracing during movement…for skill-based movements holding your breath isn’t going to help.
Breath holding and hyperventilation are signs of anxiety, but in that wonderful body-mind connection loop, it can also create anxiety.
Poor breathing creates feelings of anxiety, anxiety, creates tension, and unmediated tension causes poor movement. Smooth and purposeful breathing leads to smooth and purposeful movement.
This is “bigly”! The leading resources for this are the following guided meditation apps:
Headspace(I’ve been using this one for the best 3 years), and
I can’t speak for the Calm app, but Headspace is not Eastern “woo-woo”. It focuses on controlling the breath, being aware of the breath, and the use of visualization practice.
These are second-to-none resources for reducing rapid breathing during competition or any other signs of anxiety.
I think this quote bares repeating because it’s VERY important for hitters:
“Smooth and purposeful breathing leads to smooth and purposeful movement.”
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/master-wong-tai-chi-e1509569317234.png404500Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2017-11-02 04:34:452018-09-07 04:43:14What Do Joe Frazier, Tai Chi, Headspace, & Ted Williams Have In Common?
I have a treat for you (and it involves the swing of hot hitting rookie sensation Cody Bellinger)…
…an analysis of an analysis if you will! lol
I’ve been licking my chops over the past week, to share the above video that multiple reader-friends asked my opinion on.
This was a perfect opportunity to discuss the “real” versus “feel” debate that confuses many new coaches.
Look how well Cody Bellinger uses Knee Action to consistently “get under” the ball. Photo courtesy: MLB.com
And here are interesting Jim Thome talking points from the above video (watch this first, don’t jump ahead to the video below):
“Hit through the middle…not hook the ball”. Not letting top hand get out in front at impact…wanting to keep “bat flat” or flush at and through impact (about 1-min & 3:00 mark)
Want wrists to come through impact towards the pitcher, Harold Reynolds using terminology “stay inside the baseball”, Thome saying “stay through the baseball”…Thome makes comment that this game will tell you what to work on next (about 2:00 min mark)
About Cody Bellinger’s swing: “Hands are absolutely electric”, back leg is straight (during stance), knob points down to back foot, back foot has a little bit of turn in it…allows hips to get through? Everything stays straight (he mentions “level” later in the video) to the baseball with shoulders and pelvis, hands are above the baseball (about 3:30 mark)
“King of the Mountain” Drill…down to the baseball means level to the baseball, barrel flat and level with the baseball, hit middle to a little bit below. Hit middle of the ball, not bottom or top. Hands above the baseball. (about 4:50 mark)
Load slower and control my breathing…”diving steep”, not falling forward committing too much weight forward. Good drill for controlling forward momentum (about 6:50 mark)
Straight back leg, turning the back toe slightly forward toward the pitcher. Creates torque in the back hip. (about 8:15 mark)
I was just going to do a post and ask for your thoughts on this Cody Bellinger swing analysis, but some of the talking points fired me up, so I couldn’t help myself with the following analysis of the Jim Thome analysis… 😉
Yes, I know, the video is a bit long, but there are MANY gold nuggets in there I think Jim Thome touched on, EVERY coach can learn and share with their hitters.
Here’s a list of my talking points (in this order)…
Addressing Jim Thome Comments of Cody Bellinger’s Swing
“Hands electric”,
Back Leg Straight,
Knob points down at stride landing,
Back foot turned slightly in towards pitcher (Supple Leopardbook by Dr. Kelly Starrett), and
Shoulders/Pelvis should be straight or level.
And,
Jim Thome General Swing Comments
Hit through middle – “flat” or flush with impact,
Game tells you what to work on next (Golf Flowbook by Dr. Gio Valiante)
Load slower, control breathing (CLICK HERE for this Jose Bautista video that discusses “load slow and early”,
“Diving deep” cue,
Swing down, and
Barrel above the hands.
Please share any comments, questions, or criticisms below… 😀
'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.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
Little Known Way To Optimize Bat & Ball Exit Speeds By Rotating “Under Load” (not what you think)
In today’s video, you’ll learn how to fix your flat feet…
…(insert record scratch sound effect)…
“Wait a cotton pickin’ minute, so you’re showing me a video on how to correct ‘flat feet’?! How is this suppose to help my hitters?”
…Someone somewhere might be saying 😉
The above video will be a game changer for the progress of your hitters. It may even improve bat and ball exit speeds over time. It may even fix some of the hitting faults you’re having a challenge correcting right now. The content in the above video will improve both the rotational effectiveness and efficiency of your hitters.
Strength & Conditioning Coach Naudi Aguilar understands and applies Thomas Myers’s springy fascia principles in Anatomy Trains, and that’s WHY I follow him. I highly recommend you CLICK HERE and “Subscribe” to his YouTube channel FunctionalPatterns and look into the courses on his website. He already has 183,942 YouTube subscribers!
Oscar Pistorious (the Blade Runner) won 3 Gold Medals in the 2008 Olympics. Photo courtesy: DailyMail.co.uk
He’s a locomotion expert, and by the way – he talks really fast! Here are a couple notes I took while watching the above video:
Naudi talks about how the body doesn’t need lower leg to sprint at the highest level. Don’t believe me, CLICK HERE to watch this video of South African sprinter Oscar Pistorious who won 3 Gold Medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (about 0:45 minute mark).
Relationship between pecs, lats, and glutes – anterior and posterior oblique slings, highly neglected part of training and carries a bigger influence on efficient movement (about 1:45 minute mark).
Leg and knee should land as close to neutral as possible when running or walking with effective rotation. If deviation occurs, then most likely there’s a deficiency in either the anterior and/or posterior oblique slings (about 3:05 mark).
The idea of rotating “under load”. Using feedback mechanism – the resistance band – to “feed the mistake”. Click to get WODFitters Pull Up Assist Bands on Amazon. (about the 4:45 mark).
Practice functional movement patterns, walking, running, or hitting while using the feedback bands (about 8:30 mark).
In Application…
About point #1 above, as most of you know, I’ve been promoting a spine driven swing for the past 4+ years. If you read Dr. Serge Gracovetsky’s book The Spinal Engine and Thomas Myers’s Anatomy Trains, then you’ll discover that the legs aren’t necessary for locomotion, they’re an enhancement. CLICK HERE for a post on this titled, “The Swing Does Not Start From The Ground And Move Up?”
About points #2 & #3 above, some experts call this the “Serape Effect”, “Power Slings”, or Thomas Myers labels these a combination of Spiral, Functional, and Lateral fascia lines. Hitters, both young men and women, will have a deficiency here. Since a majority of hitters DO NOT take the same amount of swings and throws from the opposite side, there will be an imbalance created that MUST be addressed. Diversifying in other sports does help, but most likely, there MUST be correction.
About point #4 above, Naudi Aguilar uses a band that’s much longer than the one I use at home, so you may not need to wind it around the mid-section as much as he does in the above video. For me (I’m a right handed hitter/thrower), to correct dysfunction in rotational locomotion, I wrap my band over my left shoulder, then around my middle back, and then loop the end around my left leg. You’d do the reverse to enhance rotation for a lefty. I put this on at least 5 days per week, and wear it for about an hour while doing my morning routine. I’ve found the tightness in my right foot, Achilles, and inside part of my right knee almost vanished within 3-4 weeks of doing this.
Also, CLICK HERE to learn where I talk a little more about “feeding the mistake” using Reactive Neuromuscular Training, or RNT to correct ‘stepping in the bucket’.
About point #5 above, Naudi mentions rotating “under load”. Coaches, I’d advise having hitters experiment using the feedback bands while hitting, and recommend they wear it at home too, as a recovery tool.
These bands are a great way to counter-balance the imbalanced movements baseball and softball inherently promote. If your hitters move better, they’re perform better. Swinging smarter by moving better.
'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.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
The above video is Part-1 of a three part series showcasing a local lesson of mine.
The objective of this video series is to share with coaches – literally – an “over-the-shoulder” look at how I do a local lesson. More on this in a moment…
Zack is a 14-year-old hitter from Visalia, California, which is approximately an hour drive from me, one way. And this is the first time I worked with him since about a year ago. We’ve had about half a dozen session together in total.
Before we started this session, Zack was having a challenge with hitting line drives. He was either hitting the ball on the ground or non-productive balls in the air.
DISCLAIMER about the video:
Fortunately the video quality is great because Dad used his GoPro, but unfortunately I wasn’t mic’d up, so the audio isn’t like some of my other videos.
We’re at a public High School on a Saturday afternoon, so there are other team noises, bird sounds, emergency vehicles, etc. going on in the background that can be distracting.
Now, what’s in this Part-1 video?
Let me expand on the video’s objective and how it can benefit coaches…
Sadly, a few coaches on the socials will be overly critical of this hitter, and I’m asking you to suspend judgement. The purpose of this video IS NOT about being overly critical of the hitter’s swing, it’s about the demonstration and use of sticky coaching principles.
With that being said, swing suggestions are welcome, but be nice coaches. Also, coaching suggestions are welcomed…but again, be nice.
Now, for those coaches looking to learn and help their hitters get better…ONWARD!
A typically lesson I do, is organized like the following, from start to finish (I’ve cut some parts out of this video for the sake of brevity):
Dynamic warm-up,
Beginning Ball Exit Speed readings,
Record and analyze current swing,
Lesson, and
Ending Ball Exit Speeds readings.
What you can look out for in above video
Talking about how to pick the right bat size (1-3:30 min mark),
Showing him Miguel Cabrera’s landing position top hand and elbow positioning on my phone after video analysis of Zack’s swing (about 7-min mark),
Working on Zack’s top hand Finger Pressure (about 8-min mark),
Switching bats – over-loading with heavier end loaded bat with goofy PRX knob (about 13-min mark), and
Teasing the Part-2 video where we talk about lowering Zack’s hands to not get above armpit line to landing – and the benefits of (about 15:30-min mark).
Also, when it comes to sticky coaching principles, notice how I:
Move the tee positioning around after every swing (both high/low and inside/outside),
Vary soft toss heights and depths,
Vary mechanics on certain swings in a 5-swing round (I call these Varied Rounds), or practice one thing the whole round (I call these Block Rounds),
Ask quite a few feel, visual, and/or audio feedback questions AFTER round is over (think of it like a hitting quiz),
Keep my mouth shut during the 5-swing round(little to no feedback from me),
Don’t make Zack take a lot of swings during our time together,
Have him change his bat size during rounds, and
Work with him on simplifying the juggling of a couple different mechanical cues.
How a Dad Turned Around His Struggling 16-year-old Fast-Pitch Softball Daughter’s Swing in 1-Day?
1-day difference between swings, yes I know one is a game swing and one is off the tee, one is a back view and the other is a chest view, but the changes are still dramatic…
I was blown away by an email I recently received from the dad of Kelli, a struggling 16-year-old fast-pitch softball hitter…
And by the way, the following email was unsolicited, much like Marty White’s testimonial in this post about his son, 14-yo Hudson White, who participated in Brian Domenico’s 2016 National Power Showcase hitting 11 consecutive dingers out of the Texas Rangers ballpark in Arlington, averaging 398-feet, at only 5-foot 7-inches, 130-pounds.
I feel the following story of Kelli’s struggle holds true for quite a few baseball and softball hitters out there, and I wanted to share it. It breaks my heart to hear the BEFORE stories. But without the bitter baby, the sweet ain’t so sweet!
Please pay special attention to how Mike introduces new hitting content to his daughter. Sometimes this can be a slippery slope with parents and their daughters and/or sons.
DISCLAIMER: results aren’t typical. Hitters getting “it” or “not” depends on a few things: 1) Player engages in consistent deep practice, 2) Coach successfully connects player to message (the WHY), 3) Material presented in a way to set player up for success not overwhelm, and 4) Coach taps into player’s primary learning style to name a few of the biggies.
Enter Mike’s email…
“Joey: I saw your book “Catapult Loading System” on Kindle and figured I’d take a chance on it because I have always liked to read different philosophies on hitting. I’ve been coaching my daughter and her teams in fast-pitch softball for over 8 years starting with Rec through Club ball here in AZ.
Lately, to my disappointment my daughter has taken a break from club ball for the last 6 months but has just started playing again on her High School JV team. She is a power hitter but has been struggling with weak grounders and pop ups.
After I read your book I asked her to work with me for 10 minutes a night hitting into the net off a T. (She’s 16 and this was all could get out of her, so I took what I could get.)
I noticed when I took some videos of her during games that she was stepping into the bucket on her stride and was leading her hands with the back elbow, which I know is a no, no and creates bat drag.
Those two things combined were causing her to dip the bat off plane and not hit the ball solid, causing the pop ups and grounders. She was basically trying to “lead with the hips and start her swing from the ground up” like I had been teaching her for years.
After reading your book, I didn’t want to overwhelm her or totally change her swing so I just focused on the bottom three fingers of the top hand tightening in the swing and showing the numbers by loading the shoulders as you explain in the book.
I also told her to shorten her stance a bit so she would focus on loading the shoulders (showing the numbers and hide the hands) rather than taking a big stride and stepping into the bucket.
I wish I could send you the videos of the before and after of her swing after one 10 minute session. I’m not kidding when I say that it was almost an “instant” change for the better.
What I noticed by having her tighten her bottom three fingers on the top hand, is it forced her to keep her back elbow in the slot and her hands to stay in front of the back elbow. This immediately corrected her bat head to stay on plane in the zone longer with no casting or weak bat angle.
I also noticed that by having her load with the shoulders rather than relying on her hips with a big stride, she didn’t step into the bucket or fly open with her hips.
These simple little tweaks helped to correct the things I’ve been working with her for years but to no effect. I couldn’t believe the difference from such a small simple adjustment.
I’ve told some of my softball friends and fellow coaches about it and they just look at me and chuckle like I’m making up some kind of tall tale. I’ve even shown them the before and after video and they still seem skeptical.
But here’s the bottom line…
The day after I worked with my daughter for all of 10 to 15 minutes, literally hitting about 35 or 40 balls off the T, against one of the best teams in our division, she got up with two runners on, with two strikes and launched a bomb for a three run HR. She went 2 for 2 that day.
That night we spent another 10 minutes working the same drills and the next day, she did the same thing on her first at bat hitting another bomb. She went 3 for 3 that game.
Now look, I’m not a scientist nor am I into hockus pockus but I have to admit I’m a true believer and just had to tell you about our instant success by using some of the small tweaks you talk about. I plan to keep using these ideas and I’m going to re-read your book again to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
Thanks for the info and know you have another success story here in Arizona.” – Mike Monaghan
After I asked for Mike and Kelli’s permission to publish her story and for the BEFORE and AFTER videos to do analysis on, I received this follow up from dad…
“I apologize that these two videos are from a back vs front view but the differences can still be seen. The before video is a game swing with her uniform on and are only a day apart. If you can run them in slow motion, you’ll notice a couple things that made the world of difference.
In the before:
Wider stance (in my opinion, too wide)
More lateral movement because she doesn’t load at the shoulders (show her numbers)
Steps in the bucket as her hips fly open
Back elbow is leading the hands
Bat angle is well below the ball plane as she starts her swing
Result….pop up to pitcher
After video:
All we worked on was tight bottom three fingers on top hand, loading at the shoulders (showing the numbers) and a slightly narrower stance. Results:
Back elbow is behind the hands and she has a much more solid impact on the ball
Bat head stays on plane with ball longer allowing a line drive impact on ball (not too much bottom half or top half on the ball)
She doesn’t fly open with her hips and her body stays in alignment longer (notice where her foot lands on the second video…..right on the line in the cement on the floor.) I think the shoulder load (and I know she could probably show even more of the numbers if we keep working on it) prevents her or at least minimizes her from flying open. You probably have a video link to some sport’s scientist that can explain how the shoulders and spine work together and keep the hips in check….Lol!
Bottom line results….2 HR’s in two games….much more solid impact on other hits.
Stepping in the bucket has been a huge issue we have tried to correct for years with little to no success and although I know we need to keep working a couple minutes a night to turn these tweaks into habit, I still can’t believe how quickly she made a change. It might also explain why I get so many skeptical looks and opinions when I talk about your book to other coaches and show them the results after a one day difference. If I hadn’t witnessed this with my own eyes, I’d probably be skeptical too.
Her instant success has also done a few things I never thought possible. She actually likes working with me in the garage hitting into the net at night because it is no more than a 10 minute session and she can still enjoy being a teenager. She actually will listen to my instruction and corrections and wants me to video her so she can see that she’s doing it correctly. When she was little, we use to go to the park and hit 100 balls off a machine or soft toss but those days of daddy/daughter time are limited so a 10 minute session is something she is OK with. Its a win/win for both of us.”
Thank YOU Mike I appreciate your support. Great approach in getting that young lady of yours “hooked” again. It sounded like a tall order, but you pulled it off nicely Coach. I’m proud of both of you!
Also Mike, here are my next step swing suggestions:
CLICK HERE for a video on how to fix stepping in the bucket using resistance bands,
CLICK HERE for a definitive guide to forward momentum.
For those of you who may have missed Coach Mike’s effective approach with his teenage daughter, here are a couple key points:
Mike set his daughter up for success by telling her to only commit 10-mins per day to this new information (I tell my hitters to spend 5-mins/day, at least 4-days/week in deep practice),
He had the humility to admit (to his daughter I assume) that his teachings may have been misplaced in the past (this is part of a Growth Mindset by the way),
Didn’t want to overwhelm her, so Mike started with one thing first, “Finger Pressure”, then when she got that, he moved onto “Showing Numbers”, and lastly
Mike has a “results don’t lie” story to tell the naysayers, whether they heed his advice only time will tell…but the truth is undeniable.
This works for softball players folks…not just baseball. If you aren’t growing as a coach, then you’re dying. Dead things get thrown in the trash. Cultivate a Growth Mindset coaches or else you’ll be short changing your players, and your significance as an effective coach.
The times are a changin’…
UPDATE on Kelli…
Joey: You had asked me to keep you up to date on how Kelli had progressed after I worked the Catapult Loading System with her. I’m proud to give you her final stats after 17 games. You can note that we worked the system after game 7, so her results were really proven in the last 10 games. Up until we worked the system, she had only one HR and most of her hits were weak ground balls in the gaps and bloopers over the infield. Although she had decent numbers before working the system as I had told you in previous emails, her hitting really came alive and her hits were much more powerful. She had very few if any extra base hits in the first 7 games and the triples and doubles really took off in the last 10 games. Although she was playing JV, we are in the 6A division playing some of the largest and most competitive schools in the state of AZ and she lead the team in almost every category or was in the top three out of 19 girls on the team.
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.png00Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2017-04-08 02:24:582018-05-17 19:53:19How To Fast-Track Repeatable Power (A Struggling 16yo FP Hitter Case Study)
You Don’t Have To Be A Pro To Be An Effective Hitting Coach (BEST-Of 2016 Blog Posts)…
Get The Catapult Loading System book on Amazon in paperback or for Kindle by CLICKING the image above…
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I know I’m a little late,
But I’ve been working on getting the new book, The Catapult Loading System, published on Amazon these past 4 weeks or so.
Before getting into this BEST-of 2016 post, I wanted to discuss that…
With the New Year typically comes New Year’s resolutions.
And this year my goal for the content at the Hitting Performance Lab is as follows:
More posts from knowledgeable industry experts via webinar, audio, or written,
I will be conducting many more swing experiments, and
Tackle more of the tough questions – via video – my readers have submitted through the emailed survey (I have over 350 of them!!!!).
Rest assured, it’s going to be a good year for your hitters.
Now, for the BEST-of 2016 post…
In looking at my Google Analytics for January through December of 2016, the following three posts were – by far – the most popular (sorted in descending order)…
#3: Batting Timing Drills: 2 Little Known Ways To Get “On-Time”
A hitter’s timing is like a wave, building slow and early, picking up momentum, then crashing with force.
If you didn’t catch this post, then please CLICK HERE.
I did this post a few years ago, but after sharing it on social media a couple times, it became the “village bicycle”.
This post includes my two favorite timing drills:
Float Variance Drill, and the
Varied Reaction LIVE Toss Timing Drill.
In my opinion, timing is more important than effective hitting mechanics.
WHY?
Because you could have the most effective mechanics in baseball or softball but if you can’t make timing adjustments, then you will not last long in the sport.
Many coaches/instructors I highly respect in their knowledge of hitting, don’t believe you can teach timing.
I disagree.
My hitters are drilled from the beginning on timing. They’re frequently quizzed on their ability to adjust their timing. And their timing gets better, oftentimes within three to five 5-swing rounds.
The key is using the two drills [videos] included in the above link.
Grab This FREE 'Timing Master Class' Video
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.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that has been downloaded over 6K times!
#2: Blaze Jordan (14u): 6-Ft, 217-Lbs Hits TWO 500-Foot Moonshots, But…Did You Catch The Performance Of The Small Slugger That Beat Blaze Jordan?
Hudson “The Hawk” White making it rain 😀
If you didn’t catch this post, then please CLICK HERE.
I remember seeing everyone ooooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over 14 year old, 6-foot, 217-pound Blaze Jordan on Facebook about the two 500-foot monster home-run derby shots he hit at the Texas Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
But nobody was talking about how 14 year old, 5-foot 7-inch, 130-pound Hudson “The Hawk” White hit 11 consecutive homers in the same home-run derby, beat Blaze Jordan, and came in second overall! Not to mention, the average homer Hudson hit was 398-feet.
On Facebook, people actually wanted me to dissect Blaze’s swing, and NOT Hudson’s!
Wa??!
Don’t get me wrong, to have the ability to hit a ball 500-feet (twice) as a 14u, you have to be doing something right in your swing…
BUT,
Hudson is tripling his body-weight in batted ball distance – 130-pounder hitting the ball 400-feet…wouldn’t you want to see what he’s doing?
Here’s what Hudson’s dad said:
“Hello, i just wanted you to know that i have followed you for years and teach your principles to my 14u son who just came in second place at the 15u power showcase in Arlington Texas ahead of the world champion Blaze Jordan . he also broke the world record for most consecutive home-runs in a row at 11. he was a year younger and 50 to 100-lbs smaller than all the other contestants who were made up of the best hitters in the country. It was the most amazing thing that anyone had ever seen . i wanted to share the video with you and hopefully you can help make it go viral. all the hype is about Blaze Jordan for hitting a 503 ft home run, but for a smaller younger kid to go out and break the world record for most consecutive and beat blaze in the final round to come in 2nd place is a major feat. my son is a lead off hitter. so all hit hits were 395-ft line drives. this is your student. this is the result of your teachings. i am very grateful!”
'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.
Click the button below to access the FREE video that's been downloaded over 30K times!!
And the #1 blog post of 2016 was… (drum roll please)
#1: Baseball Hitting Drills For Kids: The UGLY Truth About Hitting Ground-Balls
The Backspin Batting Tee Pro Model
aka “The Ground-ball RANT”.
If you didn’t catch this monster post, then please CLICK HERE(20-min read for average reading speed).
I did this post at the beginning of 2016 and coaches LOVED it, garnering over 4,200 Likes on Facebook! To say this post went viral was an understatement.
The main reason I felt I had to write it was the dialog the two Backspin Tee co-founders, Taylor and Jarrett, shared with me in their conversation with a pair of college coaches (from same school) at an ABCA conference a year or two ago.
It went something like this…
Backspin Tee Bros:“What do you teach your hitters to do?”
College Hitting Coach:“To hit the top of the ball and get backspin.”
Backspin Tee Bros:“What do you teach your pitchers to do?”
College Pitching Coach:“To keep the ball down in the zone.”
Backspin Tee Bros:“What part of the ball do you want the hitters hitting?”
College Pitching Coach:“The top half.”
Backspin Tee Bros:“Why the top half?”
College Pitching Coach:“So the hitter drives the ball into the ground.”
Backspin Tee Bros:“So what part of the ball do you want your hitters hitting now?”
College Hitting Coaches:“Uh, well, I guess I’ll be teaching them to hit the bottom half now.”
Buahahahaha! 😀
Excluding Hit & Runs and Move Runner Over scenarios, WHY the heck are we teaching our hitters to hit the top half of the ball, when that’s what pitchers want hitters doing?!
I make many more arguments in the above linked RANT, but I think the above dialog puts the argument as a whole to bed.
By the way, over 8,000 Backspin Tees have been sold over the last couple years and only a dozen have been returned. CLICK HERE to see how a swing experiment I ran turned out between the Backspin Tee and a regular tee. And if you haven’t invested in a Backspin Tee yet, then please CLICK HERE.
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.
Click button below to access FREE video that has been downloaded over 20K times!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/TCLS-Front-Cover-Mockup-e1484329299908.png500405Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2017-01-14 03:47:462018-07-23 20:37:25To Hitting Coaches That Want To Get Optimized Results But Can’t Get Started
A Simple Way To Make Adjustments, Build Swing Tempo, AND Elevate The Ball That Works For Mike Trout & Josh Donaldson
I have a treat for you…
A “grab-bag” of golden nuggets…
The following 11 hitting tips come from my most popular social media non-HPL links of 2016.
To give you an idea,
I typically promote 1 non-HPL link per day on the socials, so that’s 365 links getting put in front of my 20K+ followers.
I get a front row seat to see what coaches think interesting and worth their time.
The following creme-of-the-crop link montage, is arranged in descending order, least clicks to the most.
You’ll find these somewhat of a random sort, but they all relate to hitting, albeit indirectly in some cases.
Happy learning!
#11: 30 Clubs in 30 Days: How Mike Trout Approaches Hitting
This is the featured video above.
Sean Casey interviewed Mike Trout during Spring Training of 2016, where Trout discusses his hitting routine…I jotted down 9 key notes for you:
First few rounds he works on hitting to RCF,
Stay up the middle,
A few times hit the ball to LCF, to stay square with the pitcher,
He mentions not getting too ‘chicken wing’,
Tee work: set it high and ‘get on top of the ball’ (to counteract dropping the shoulder and barrel too much),
10-20 swings trying to hit a ground-ball every time,
In games, sit fastball, react to off-speed and breaking balls,
On top of the plate, back of the batter’s box, and
Work up the middle in games.
All these tips are pretty solid…
…for Mike Trout.
When I posted this, and made a note that Mike Trout is definitely not looking to optimize hitting the high pitch in games,
AND
He’s most definitely NOT trying to ‘get on top of the ball’ in games (both in reference to tip #5 above)…
There were a few men on Facebook that got their panties in a bunch, saying I was calling Mike Trout a liar…yada, yada, yada.
If we look at Mike Trout’s Sabermetrics at FanGraphs.com, the reality is, he’s THE BEST at hitting the low ball…and THE WORST at hitting the high ball.
So WHY does he practice hitting off a high tee?
Another look at Mike Trout’s metrics, and we see he’s:
Well below average in Ground-ball percentage (39.6% v. league average is 44%),
Above average in Line Drive percentage (22.1% v. league average is 20%),
Above average in Fly-ball percentage (38.2% v. league average is 36%), AND
Well above average in his Fly-ball to Home-run ratio (19.6% v. league average is 9.5%).
What does this mean?
It’s a ‘what’s real’ AND ‘what’s feel’ sort of thing…
Because he’s definitely NOT trying to hit ground-balls in games (contradicting hitting tips #5 & #6 from above).
So am I calling Mike Trout a liar…
And, WHY would he practice like this?
Earlier, notice how I said,
“All these tips are pretty solid…for Mike Trout.”
No, I didn’t say that because Mike Trout is a mutant, and only Mike Trout can do that and get away with it.
When coaches say this, it’s a cop out. It means they have no REAL clue what’s REALLY going on.
Here’s where I’m going with this,
And it’s VERY important…
And also WHY I made popular link hitting tip #11 the featured video…
What John Doe Coach missed in the interview was when Trout mentioned he has a tendency to ‘chicken-wing’ and ‘drop his back shoulder and barrel’ too much.
In other words, uppercut too much.
Mike Trout is using these seemingly counter-intuitive hitting tips to make adjustments to his swing’s extreme tendencies.
I’m not calling Mike Trout a liar.
He’s a friggin’ smart competitive athlete.
He knows himself and his swing, and makes the necessary adjustments to stay in the black, and not get too far in the red.
There’s no secret,
Mike Trout is trying to get the ball in the air.
It’s like the advice Lightning McQueen heard in the animated movie Cars, “Turn left to go right”…when attempting to correct a spin-out.
#10: Hitting A Baseball – “The Hardest Thing To Do In Sports”
The parent and player behavior is probably not going to surprise you…
However, I want you to ask yourself the question as you read this,
“How did the coaches respond to the parents that clearly didn’t work?”
How could coach be more effective in dealing with parents in this environment, if a million dollar bet was on the line?
Look, maybe the athletes are spoiled brats, or maybe the coaches just don’t have an effective strategy for dealing with this situation.
In other words, don’t label the players or parents “mean” right away…
Be creative, brainstorm, and future pace how you’d handle this situation.
Because chances are, you will run across this scenario, in some form, in your lifetime.
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.
Click button below to access FREE video that has been downloaded over 20K times!
Most understand Line Drives MUST be the main hitting objective (for a majority of swings), however I want you to compare the Ground-ball metrics to the Fly-ball metrics from the chart above:
A 32-point increase in Batting Average with Ground-ball over a Fly-ball,
A 358-point INCREASE in ISO (or raw power) with Fly-balls over Ground-balls…AND
A 115-point INCREASE in weighted On-Base Average with Fly-Balls over Ground-balls, which according to FanGraphs.com…
“Weighted On-Base Average combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value. While batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage fall short in accuracy and scope, wOBA measures and captures offensive value more accurately and comprehensively.”
So, WHY are we still teaching hitters to hit ground-balls, and NOT to elevate? Beside situational hitting of course.
“Scooter Gennett’s offense has declined every year since he broke into Major League Baseball, are ground balls the reason?”
After careful metric analysis, Shawn Brody the post’s author, says:
“In my mind, Gennett should be closer to his 2014 level of production, which is something he could return to if he put the ball in the air more often.”
Hitting consistent ground-balls will land you on the bench at the higher levels, unless of course you have plus running speed.
In which case, analysis shows that any launch angle above 10-degrees, makes faster running speed irrelevant.
So, what if a hitter hits the ball just plain hard?
Maybe the following #1 link post from my 20K+ followers will shed light on that…
The great case study article discusses how Jon Lester ranks second among Major League hitting pitchers with an average Ball Exit Speed of 92.5-mph.
So, what’s the problem?
Quoted from the article:
“…(He ended up with four hits on the season in 71 plate appearances, a .065/.108/.065 line.) Part of it is that, like many pitchers, contact was an issue — Lester’s 42.3 percent strikeout rate was above the 37.7 percent average for pitchers.”
How could Lester hit the ball so hard without finding much hitting success?
Again, quoted from the article:
“…it’s because 19 of Lester’s 24 tracked batted balls failed to get above 7 degrees of launch angle. Sixteen of those 19 failed to even achieve positive launch angle, which is to say that he pounded the ball into the ground constantly.”
In other words, to get the ball in the air, the hitter MUST have a positive launch angle. About 10-degrees positive will get the ball to the outfield grass…on the “big” field.
If the hitter has a negative or less than 10-degree positive launch angle, THEY WILL:
Hit A LOT of worm burners,
Strikeout more,
NOT get many hits, and
Professionally speaking, NOT make it past A-ball(if they’re lucky enough to make it that far).
Even if they’re lighting up the BES radar guns.
Here’s a BONUS link for ya…
CLICK HERE to read a Cut4 article highlighting Giancarlo Stanton hitting the hardest ball ever recorded by Statcast at 123.9-mph, but it was hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
Here’s the lesson folks…
Line drives tend to be between 10-20 degree positive launch angles (see image above).
Dingers tend to be between 20-40 degree positive launch angles (see image above).
Of course, whether it’s over the fence or not will depend on the Ball Exit Speed.
It’s not enough to hit the ball hard.
Teach hitters to elevate.
Get barrel on path of incoming pitch.
Focus on striking bottom half of ball.
That, my coaching friend, is how to decrease strikeouts, mishits, and weak fly-balls…AND increase BA, ISO, and wOBA.
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.
Click button below to access FREE video that has been downloaded over 20K times!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/josh-donaldson-interview-sean-casey-timing.png432649Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2016-10-21 01:36:392018-12-24 04:53:4911 Popular 2016 Links Revealing How To Make Hitting Great Again
Tim Tebow Hitting Analysis: Get To The Big Leagues Without Playing College Or Pro Baseball?
Before we get to the Tim Tebow hitting analysis…
I wanted to take you BACK TO THE FUTURE!!
We all know the quote by Ted Williams that hitting a baseball is one of the single most difficult things to do in sports. FP Softball ladies included.
Do you remember Michael Jordan hitting a double in an April 1994 MLB exhibition game…?
Arguably the best athlete ever, summarized by the Chicago Tribune that:
“…he was quitting because he couldn’t develop at the rate he wanted due to complications caused by the baseball strike”.
Or how about one of the best cricket players in the world, Kieran Powell, trying to make it to the Big Leagues…?
Did you hear him say that the hardest thing in baseball, “is to keep the bat on plane” 😉
Or how about Shaq O’Neal’s Versus show, where he took on Albert Pujols in a Home Run Derby for charity…?
We know Jordan retired permanently from baseball in 1995…
Shaq couldn’t even beat Pujols in a home-run derby where he was handicapped with a Little League distance home run fence…
…and time will tell if Powell’s determination to be a Big Leaguer will continue.
Now we have another high profile athlete jumping into the quest for the Big Leagues, but this time a football player.
The NY Mets just signed him to a Minor League deal (CLICK HERE for this Cut4 article).
I’ll say, Tim Tebow has a pretty good finish. Must be from his golf game 😉 Photo courtesy: USAToday.com
In the above Tim Tebow hitting analysis video,
Using recent August 2016 MLB tryout footage, I compare Tim Tebow’s swing to Victor Martinez,
Analyze what Tebow’s swing has going for him, and
Discuss what he MUST change in order to be successful in baseball…
Here’s a quick rundown from the Tim Tebow hitting analysis…
PAT (‘Pat’ on the back):
Athletic Position – triple flexion at the hip, knee, and ankle.
Head Position at Impact – no sign of breaking the One-Joint Rule.
Knee Action – gets and stays shorter at landing and through the swing, definitely can get under the ball.
POP (‘Pop’ in the mouth – constructive criticism):
Limited forward momentum for such a big body – too much muscle use.
Abbreviated barrel path – he gets decent extension post-impact, but he’s too short to the ball. This may hurt him the most.
Catapult Loading System (CLS) – minimal showing numbers to pitcher, downhill shoulder angle, and hiding hands.
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.
Click button below to access FREE video that has been downloaded over 20K times!
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/tim-tebow-swing.png334600Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2016-09-08 02:10:472019-01-14 05:27:38Tim Tebow Hitting Analysis: How To Crush The Ball Like Victor Martinez
To People That Want To Fix Baseball Swing Mechanics But Can’t Get Started
About 4 months between these synced frames. Notice: better weight shift forward, knee action, better barrel launch angle, NO more racing back elbow bat drag…Thomas is in ATTACK MODE on the right!
With permission from Dad, I wanted to share 9-year-old Thomas P.’s hitting journey after 12 baseball swing mechanics slow motion online video feedback sessions with me at The Feedback Lab.
We started session #1 January 18th, 2016, and finished session #12 June 2nd, 2016. The video above is an actual Feedback Session I routinely do for my online hitting students.
I’m so proud of Thomas persevering through the struggle and frustration that comes with honing effective mechanics.
AND, the same can be said for Scot, his Dad, who’s persevered right alongside his son. Not to mention how much Scot learned in the process…
How to train Thomas in these mechanics at home,
How to offer just the right amount of feedback, and
Finding out when too much is too much when it comes to learning a new skill.
In this video post, I wanted to share:
How far Thomas’s swing has come,
What he’s working on next, and
Some of the ‘Ah-Ha Moments’ for Thomas along the way.
https://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/baseball-swing-mechanics-slow-motion-thomas-p.png441810Joey Myershttps://hittingperformancelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/hitting-performance-labs_c90c0362088ef1d3d528f3078f4f8ac1-300x75.pngJoey Myers2016-06-08 21:30:282018-09-22 05:26:409yo 5-Month Swing Transformation Case Study
(CLS) book, working on the second edition of the book now and new additions to it.
(CLS) book, working on the second edition of the book now and new additions to it.
by Thomas Myers, 
by Dr. Serge Gracovetsky, 
by Dr. Erik Dalton. Base system off higher standard: REAL science, not “bro-science”, data (experiments, stats, etc.) and technology (Zepp, SwingTracker, BlastMotion, HitTrax) are great to measure, test, re-measure.
book by Dr. Kelly Starrett), and
book by Dr. Gio Valiante)
, and that’s WHY I follow him. I highly recommend you 
on Amazon. (about the 4:45 mark).
and Thomas Myers’s 
, then you’ll discover that the legs aren’t necessary for locomotion, they’re an enhancement. 
