Rotational Vs Linear Baseball, Softball, & Slow Pitch Types Of Swing Mechanics? | Hitting Drills & Trunk Strength Exercise Benefits

Rotational Vs Linear Baseball, Softball, & Slow Pitch Types Of Swing Mechanics? | Hitting Drills & Trunk Strength Exercise Benefits

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Learn if there are different types of rotational vs linear baseball, softball, and slow pitch swing mechanics.  Discover hitting drills and trunk strength exercise benefits.

Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Get Rid of Old Tired Hitting Dogmas Once and For All

 

 

Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Isn't this Bat Path?

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…

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Swing is Both…and then Some

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)…

Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Andrew McCutchen breaking one-joint rule

Image courtesy: http://12075-presscdn-0-91.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/

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)…

Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Bryce Harper Shoulders Are Ear Poison

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…

Conservation of Linear v. Angular Momentum

There are a couple great Circus Physics resources from the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) website on these two concepts (each have 2-min videos):

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

Rotational Linear Hitting Mechanics: Planes of Motion

Planes of Motion photo courtesy: goldsgymwebsterny.wordpress.com

I did this post titled Baseball Hitting Mechanics for Youth: Straight Landing Front Leg OR Bent?

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:

  1. Front to back (Sagittal),
  2. Side to side (Frontal), and
  3. 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.

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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

Fun Youth Baseball Softball Hitting Practice Plan Station Drills For 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Year Olds, & High School

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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.

The first year I was an assistant coach in t-ball, in which I did this post titled: “T-Ball Drills: How To Coach Without Going Insane“…

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now
  1. 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.
  2. 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 –

  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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).
  6. 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!
  7. Before games, prime your hitters with that week’s focus, but during the game let them compete.  Things like Finger Pressure, swinging across their face, swing up or down, knock the shortstop or 2nd baseman’s hat off, are okay adjustments to make during games.  But internal cues like ‘showing numbers’, ‘dropping hands’, or ‘hiding hands from pitcher’ are not a good ideas to mention in games.
  8. To make swing adjustments, we used the concepts talked about in this video post titled: “Discover the ‘Paradoxical Intention’ Secret To Making Adjustments”.
  9. 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).
  10. If it’s just a productive hitting practice you’re looking for, then see how I run my small private group hitting sessions in this post titled: “How Do You Have Hitting Drills In A Small Time Window?”.
  11. 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.
  12. The Science Of Sticky Coaching: How To Turn Ordinary Athletes Into Extraordinary book is great for winning coaching principles as a whole.
  13. 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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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

How 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

Perfect Swing Hacking With Forward Momentum: Mike Trout

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

Learn how to keep head position and eye on the ball with stride length for baseball and softball swings.  Discover MLB players load stride hitting versus no stride batting drills.  PLEASE NOTE: it is our position at HPL that the stride mostly contributes to timing, NOT power.

Perfect Swing Hacking With Forward Momentum

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.

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Balance Without Thinking

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)

 

 

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Improve Baseball And Softball Batting Timing Rhythm Tips

How To Improve Batting Timing And Rhythm Tips For Baseball & Softball Players | Hitting Drills To Fix Late Or Early, Swinging And Missing, & Get Front Foot Down Checklist

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Learn checklist tips on how to improve batting timing and rhythm for baseball and softball players.  Discover hitting drills to fix a late or early swing, swinging and missing, and getting the front foot down.

Softball Hitting Drills Fastpitch Video: How To Improve Timing Almost Instantly

 

 

Softball Hitting Drills Fastpitch: Brandon Moss Timing Adjustment

Brandon Moss 2014 synced swings. Look at when he picks his front foot up (in relation to what point in pitcher’s delivery) when homering on a 77-mph KB off R.A. Dickey versus hitting a dinger off a 93-mph FB from Felix Hernandez. Photo courtesy: MLB.com

A softball hitting drills fastpitch reader question came in recently that relates well to baseball…

“Why is Timing not taught throughout majority instructors? Great mechanics are good but without Timing principles, you just look good going back to the dugout. What are some of the different ways you would teach/describe Timing?”

Here’s what we’ll cover in this softball hitting drills fastpitch for timing post:

  • Bad Hitting Outcome Evaluation Checklist,
  • The Art of Variance: Bean Bag Study, and
  • Varied Reaction LIVE Toss Timing Drill…

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

Bad Hitting Outcome Evaluation Checklist

After each 3-5 swing round with one of my hitters, we go through a powerful 3-step Bad Hitting Outcome Eval Checklist (in order of priority):

  1. How many strikes did you swing at?
  2. How many swings felt on-time?
  3. How did we do with our mechanical focuses?

I should probably mention that we do this while working softball hitting drills fastpitch drills such as the Varied Reaction LIVE Toss Timing Drill.

I use minimal to zero feedback between swings, until the round is over.  Why minimal to zero feedback? CLICK HERE to read this post on “What Every Coach Must Know About Giving Feedback To Hitters”.

Why 3-5 swing rounds and not 15-20?  CLICK HERE to read this testimonial on how to make practice swings game ready.

And within 3-5 rounds of 5 swings each round (so 15-25 total swings), there’s a marked difference in the hitter’s plate discipline, timing, and mechanics…for the good.

And it doesn’t matter the age.

If there IS NOT a progression in their ability to swing at more strikes, get on-time, and hone effective mechanics within that swing round, then either:

  • The coach is instructing too much between swings, OR
  • The player needs a little education on their strike zone, how timing must change at the different distances, or, to take pressure off swing outcomes, and put pressure on executing a specific swing movement instead.

It must be said, that in games, coach will only focus on points one and two of the Bad Hitting Outcomes Eval Checklist.  Players MUST be free to compete in games, not worry about mechanics.

 

Softball Hitting Drills Fast-pitch The Art of Variance: Bean Bag Study

So I don’t have to beat a dead horse, here are a couple resources to catch you up to speed on this:

Some of my hitting friends, whom I respect in their knowledge and experience, don’t believe we can teach timing.  I disagree however.  Not only can we teach timing, but we can SPEED UP the learning process!

Here’s one of my favorite drills for timing…

 

Varied Reaction LIVE Toss Timing Drill

Using the same principle as the Bean Bag Toss Study above, I regularly vary reaction times with our hitters.  The following video is how to setup one of my favorite softball hitting drills fast-pitch for timing (works well for baseball too):

Distances, whether we’re talking baseball or softball, are different, so use common sense on this.  Depending on the hitter’s official plate to mound distance, I will put 5-15 feet of distance between the two plates.

And remember, the L-screen stays where it’s at…the HITTER moves between the two plates.

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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

Fun Youth How To Teach No Stride Length, Toe Tap, And Leg Kick Hitting Tips For Beginner Baseball & Softball Swing | Where Does Front Foot Land, And When, Hit Drills For 6 To 10 Year Olds

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Fun youth how to teach a no stride, toe tap, and leg kick hitting tips for beginner baseball and softball swing. Hit drills for 6 to 10 years old questions ANSWERED: Where does front foot land, when to stride, and what is the stride length?

Baseball Batting Techniques: Simple Way To Use Forward Momentum That Works For Elite Hitters

Baseball Batting Techniques: Dustin Pedroia and Forward Momentum

Dustin Pedroia, the King of FoMo. Photo courtesy: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

In this baseball batting techniques post, we’ll talk about how elite MLB sluggers employ Forward Momentum (FoMo for short).

I’m going to answer the following questions from my readers:

  1. Does a hitter transfer all their weight to the front leg at some point in the swing?
  2. Does FoMo stride need to be big or small?
  3. Does the back foot “follow” the front with FoMo?
  4. Can a wide no-stride hitter utilize Forward Momentum?
  5. Are FoMo hitters more vulnerable to off speed and breaking stuff?

Keep in mind, forward momentum is the objective, and in this baseball batting techniques post, I’ll show different elite hitter examples of forward momentum.  The important thing isn’t what you use to get Forward Momentum, it’s the Forward Momentum itself.

Let’s get to it…

 

Does a hitter transfer all their weight to the front leg at some point in the swing?

Yes.  With elite sluggers, it’s rare you don’t find them shifting their weight from back to forward.  We typically see one of a few baseball batting techniques associated with FoMo: 1) a “Float”, or a slight weight shift back, then 2) a “Free Fall” forward.

And FYI during the Float, yes it’s okay for the back knee to drift over the foot, and NOT have to unnaturally be ‘shoved’ inside it.

You’ll see the following hitters, who try and start with the back knee inside the back foot (Jose Bautista), will accidently float the knee back out before falling forward.

The dead give away of elite hitters shifting their weight is to look at the weight distribution at impact.  You’ll see a weight-free back leg at the start of the turning pelvis…

Andrew “Cutch” McCutchen

Troy “Tulo” Tulowitzki

Jose “Joey Bats” Bautista

 

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

Does FoMo stride need to be big or small?

Whatever the hitter is comfortable with.  In other words, don’t be so specific in teaching certain Forward Momentum baseball hitting techniques.  Remember, the objective is that they’re employing Forward Momentum.  We don’t really care how they get there.

Feel free to recommend your hitters tinker with and test the following FOUR stride types:

Josh “The Bringer of Rain” Donaldson (BIG Leg Kick)

Dustin “Laser Show” Pedroia (MEDIUM Leg Kick)

Robinson “Mercedes” Cano (SMALL Leg Kick/Slide Step)

Victor Martinez (Toe Tap)

Does the back foot “follow” the front with FoMo?

It doesn’t have to, but I like it too.  If a hitter gets too wide with the stride, and the back foot isn’t allowed to follow, then the hitter will have a challenge getting a tight back knee angle, which is responsible for a better ball launch angle.  CLICK HERE for the back knee angle Zepp experiment.

Roberto “The Great One” Clemente (watch at the 0:33 mark and beyond)

Mike “Millville Meteor” Trout

Bryce “Bam Bam” Harper

CLICK HERE for one of my favorite baseball batting techniques, the Back Foot Variance Drill.

Can a wide no-stride hitter utilize Forward Momentum?

Here are my questions for a coach who would ask this about baseball batting techniques:

  • “Why are you hooked on being so wide with the feet at the start, and/or not allowing a stride?…”
  • “Is it about minimizing head movement?”
  • “Is it cutting down on moving parts?”
  • “Is it a timing thing?”

Coaches on Facebook have told me, the stride is too hard to teach, or for a young hitter to get.  Apparently this poison was shared during a speech at the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) conference.

I’m not convinced, especially when 3-year-old Chinese females are learning some of the most complex human movements in Gymnastics.

Furthermore,

Look to other explosive athletes that almost NEVER start wide with their feet:

  • Pitchers,
  • Olympic Divers,
  • Olympic Throwers,
  • Soccer Players,
  • Quarterbacks, Linebackers, and Deep Backs…

Sometimes, it’s not about choosing particular baseball batting techniques.  It’s a mindset.  I always stress to my hitters, get athletic from the start, and be athletic when you land, so you can transfer the max amount of energy from your body, into the barrel, then to the ball.

About head movement, it’s going to happen. CLICK HERE for a compelling baseball batting techniques analysis by Dan Farnsworth at FanGraphs.com, that demystifies that elite hitters are keeping their head still (Read under “Keep Your Head Still” section).

If it’s about timing, then it’s the timing that must be adjusted.  There are only two timing elements:

  1. When the hitter starts their swing, and
  2. How long they ‘Float’.

A hitter can change one or the other, or both.  It’s up to them.

Those are the adjustments, it’s not a “stride issue”.  CLICK HERE for my favorite baseball batting techniques for timing.

Even big guys use Forward Momentum.  It just looks more subtle…coming in the form of a ‘sliding’ of the pelvis (Cruz and Pujols are great examples of this below)…

Miguel “Miggy” Cabrera

Nelson “Boomstick” Cruz

Albert “The Machine” Pujols

 

Are FoMo hitters more vulnerable to off speed and breaking stuff?

This is common issue #2 that coaches have with Forward Momentum, a hitter cannot adjust to breaking or off-speed stuff.

I invite you to look at the following sluggers who use FoMo, and their stats don’t reveal they had trouble adjusting to off speed and breaking stuff:

All these hitters had exceptional power, high averages, low strikeouts, and high walks compared to today’s hitters.

Last but certainly not least…

David “Big Papi” Ortiz

And how about Big Papi?  Why wouldn’t we mention him, right?! He just hit his 500th career homer!  He starts and finishes in the same spot, but there’s a whole lot of FoMo going on in-between:

 

In Conclusion

When it comes to baseball batting techniques, Forward Momentum is the objective.  How we get our hitters there doesn’t really matter.  Just give them examples of how to accomplish more FoMo, and allow them to tinker and test until they find something they’re comfortable with doing.

CLICK HERE to Enter for a chance to Win one free account access to The Truth About Explosive Rotational Power online video course (a $77 value).  You have until 12:00pm PST today to enter.  To better your chances of winning, you can spread the word on social media.  I’ll be picking the winner Monday, September 21st, and reaching out via email.  Good luck! 😀

Contest UPDATE: this contest is now closed, and Jon Ball was our winner!

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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

MLB Network Swing Analysis: Player Giancarlo Stanton Talks Hitting Approach | High School Pre Game Routines For High School Baseball & Softball 2022

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MLB Network and Alex Rodriguez swing analysis interview with New York Yankees player Giancarlo Stanton as he talks hitting approach.  Learn concepts applicable to High School pre game routines.

Giancarlo Stanton Swing Breakdown Video

 

 

Giancarlo Stanton Swing Breakdown

Giancarlo Stanton swing breakdown photo courtesy: ESPN

“Directional force”

I can’t believe I missed this Giancarlo Stanton swing breakdown video.  I remember how on fire he was July of 2018, when he made a certain change to his stance.

Also, other information people search about Giancarlo Stanton (as of July 2022): he’s 32yos, batting average is .245, he’s 6-foot 6-inches, and is American: Irish American, Puerto Rican, and of African American descent.

One more cool note of interest before getting into the interview above, New York Post article: “Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton home run was hardest-hit ball in MLB this season”.

Some of the things you’ll discover in the above video:

  • Hard work with a purpose,
  • His pitch hunting approach,
  • Line drives on a “fairway” strategy,
  • WHY a closed stance, and
  • How to hit Jacob DeGrom…

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

Here are some thoughts and time stamps from the above video…

  • At the 0:45 minute mark, A-Rod makes the observation that Giancarlo Stanton works hard.  Before, during, and after games, like A-Rod says, “Almost working too much.”  I don’t agree with that.  As long as the player digs the hard work, and works on the right things.
  • At the 1:00 minute mark, Giancarlo Stanton gives a little insight into his approach at the plate.  Focusing on what he expects to see from the pitcher.  I’m assuming this is based on data collection.  Pitch patterns and sequencing.  Based on what the pitcher is trying to do to him.  “Altering” Stanton’s homework a bit.  Wants the video analysis he watches to be as fresh as possible, so at least 30-mins before going out to the game.
  • At the 1:45 minutes mark, A-Rod asks how Giancarlo Stanton’s hitting strategy changes based on ballparks – in reference to his trade from Marlins (big park) to the new Yankee stadium (small park).  Is he trying to lift more or just hit line drives?  Stanton says he’s still trying to hit line drives.  Still have to put barrel on the ball for the short corners. A-Rod tells Stanton that when he used to hit there, he’d pick out sponsorship signs as targets to drive to.  Act like a fairway and have targets?  Giancarlo Stanton said he likes the bullpen and Toyota sign as a target at Yankee stadium (RCF) – keeps him “inside the ball”.  Gives his hands a chance to strike, and get good barrel on the ball.
  • At the 2:44 minutes mark, A-Rod asks Giancarlo Stanton about the change in his stance – to more closed.  Why did he do it?  It keeps his direction towards the bullpen.  Less chance to pull off – shoulder and hip.
  • At the 4:00 minute mark, Stanton is asked what his ideal pitch and location is.  Slightly in from middle and 92-mph, 4-seamer, straight.  Interesting to note, Perry Husband has said a majority of pitchers throw to 88 to 93-mph perceived velocity.  They throw to barrels by slowing their fast stuff down and speed up their slow stuff – based on pitch location and sequencing.  I’m not shocked Giancarlo Stanton picked 92-mph, regardless of FB, CB, CU, etc.  It’s ideal timing zone of most Major League hitters.
  • At the 5:20 mark, A-Rod asks Giancarlo Stanton how he hits Jacob DeGrom so well.  And btw, DeGrom does well with Effective Velocity according to Perry Husband.  Be patient and lock in what Stanton is trying to do, not what DeGrom is trying to do.  Sometimes you’ll get what you want and sometimes not.  He’s thinking right center against DeGrom.
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Brandon Moss

How To Hit Slow Pitching, Improve Batting Timing Rhythm Mechanism, & STOP Swinging Early For Beginner Baseball And Softball | Drills & Tips For Better Hitting

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Discover how to hit slow pitching, improve batting timing and rhythm mechanism, and STOP swinging early.  For beginner baseball and softball players.  Learn simple drills and tips for better more on-time hitting…

Brandon Moss Swing Analysis REVEALS Slow Pitcher Timing Secret

 

Brandon Moss REVEALS Slow Pitcher Timing Secret

Brandon Moss photo courtesy: Zimbio.com

This Brandon Moss analysis comes from a conversation I had with Coach Justin Karr and his 12-U Bakersfield Sliders Black team.  Thanks Coach Karr, I hope this helps your troops!

I want to compare what Brandon Moss does differently hitting a slower pitcher, like knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey of the Toronto Blue Jays, to a hard throwing “King” Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners.  We’re going to:

  • Make the complicated, uncomplicated,
  • Learn how-to adjust to slower pitching according to Brandon Moss, and
  • Discuss what a hitter can do to adjust timing.

 

Make the Complicated, Uncomplicated

Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

Brandon Moss photo courtesy: MLB.com

First of all, executing flawless hitting mechanics mean nothing if timing is off.  I love how Dr. Kelly Starrett describes learning complicated movements (or strategies) in his book Becoming A Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance:

 “When it comes to learning complicated movements efficiently, the key is to make them uncomplicated.  We do this by breaking them down into precise, manageable steps.  Then we emphatically encourage like-your-life-depends-on-it focus in performing each step.  This is the path to a tight learning curve.  It’s the foundation required for optimal performance.”

We focus on one aspect at a time.  In respect to the calibration of timing, we have to forget swing mechanics and focus solely on adjusting the timing.  Making in-game adjustments, timing is THE most important priority.  We teach three possible swing adjustments with our seven hitting strategies.  We refer to these as the three dimensional hitting adjustments:

  1. Timing – is hitter out front or behind?
  2. Vertical (Launch Angle) – did hitter hit popup or ground-ball (or line drive?), and
  3. Horizontal (Barrel Path) – did hitter get jammed or hit ball off the end?

Which one of these after an in-game swing, if tweaked, fixes the other two?

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

How-To Adjust to Slower Pitching According to Brandon Moss

In the video, I compare and analyze two 2013 home-run swings by the Oakland A’s first baseman Brandon Moss:

  1. 77 mph knuckle-ball from R.A. Dickey Moss (left-handed) hit over the center field fence (418 feet*), and
  2. 93 mph fastball from “King” Felix Hernandez Moss hit over the right-center field fence (387 feet*)

(*You can find out more home-run stats at BaseballSavant)

CLICK HERE to revisit a video blog article I did, featuring Josh Hamilton and Mike Trout, where I went over:

  • When does a swing start?
  • Leg kick or slide step? and
  • How to practice timing?

For an average velocity pitcher, each hitter MUST figure out at what point in the pitcher’s delivery that they start their swing.  Then experiment starting the swing at a later point with a slower pitcher.  This will be slightly different for every hitter as the Josh Hamilton article shows.

The main point is, the hitter has to make a a conscience effort to change their timing.  They can’t just use the same timing for every pitcher.  Hitting is a game of inches…being one inch ahead or behind can mean barreling the ball or not.

What’s the best way to practice this? The 2-plate drill shared in this article, and home run derby??  Using the 2-plate drill and throwing seated from 25-30 feet away (under or over hand front toss).  The thrower will be literally lobbing the ball to the hitter as they take two swings and switching plates.  Six swings per round.  The slower the throw, the better.  In our system, this is hitting strategy number 4.

Also, if the whole team’s offensive numbers are suffering against a slower pitcher, then the adjustment DOES NOT necessarily have to be a mechanical one.

One more interesting point…notice how far Brandon Moss cranked the Dickey knuckle-ball?  418 feet!!  “King” Felix?  387 feet…a pitcher’s velocity doesn’t dramatically contribute to batted ball distance.  It’s bat speed that does.  According to a forum at eFastball.com, for every 1 mph of added pitching velocity, 1 foot of batted ball distance is the outcome.  BUT for every 1 mph of increased bat speed, 4 feet of batted ball distance is the result!!  Don’t let low velocity pitchers slow your bat speed down hitters!

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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

Improve Sports Vision Training When Hitting, Keep Eye On Baseball, & How To See Softball Better | North Virginia Doctors Of Optometry Falls Church Apps, Glasses, & Drills

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Improve sports vision training when hitting, keep eye on the baseball, and learn how to see softball better. Discover the North Virginia Doctors of Optometry, Falls Church apps, glasses, and drills training.

Baseball Vision Training That Bryce Harper Is Talking About

Baseball Vision Training: Bryce Harper's amber tinted lenses

Check out Bryce Harper’s amber tinted lenses that help with the sun and different hitting backgrounds in the 2012 playoffs. Photo courtesy WashingtonPost.com

I have the honor and privilege of introducing baseball vision training expert Dr. Keith Smithson to you.

What does he do?  I HIGHLY recommend CLICKING HERE for a piece the Washington Post did about his baseball vision training, titled, “Washington Nationals Go Beyond The Eye Chart With Vision Training”.

In a nutshell, Dr. Keith helps his hitting athletes try and ‘buy time’.  By the way, his baseball vision training works for fastpitch softball as well!  His background?  Dr. Keith Smithson is the:

  • Director of Visual Performance for the Washington Nationals,
  • Team Optometrist for the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Washington Spirit and DC United, and
  • Visual Performance Consultant for the Washington Redskins, Washington Capitals and Nike.

He’s also graciously contributed more BONUS baseball vision training videos that I’m including in my Reaction Time Mastery online video course that will help hitters track pitches crystal clear, accelerate decision-making reaction time, & get ON-TIME without losing swing effectiveness.

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

You’ll find nothing like this course in the hitting industry.

Dr. Smithson has also agreed to share new technologies and strategies with HPL in the future, so you guys and gals will truly be on the cutting edge of vision and tracking!

The Doc is a very busy guy, but he agreed to answer a couple interview questions, so without further adieu,

Enter Dr. Keith Smithson…

 

If you were to train me for four weeks for a HUGE tournament and had a million dollars on the line, what would the baseball vision training look like? What if I trained for eight weeks?

I would begin with a comprehensive visual performance enhancement using the latest dynamic vision testing technology such as the RightEye system.

Based on objectively quantifiable test scores, we would begin a protocol of in-office and home based visual performance enhancement.

We would discuss visual acuity and contrast enhancement using corrective lenses and nutritional supplementation. We would maximize eye muscle function, as well as neurological visual processing function and achieve results, as current studies predict.

 

What makes you different? Who trained you or influenced you?

VIERA, FL February 15 : Dr. Keith Smithson, sports vision specialist. works with Washington Nationals second baseman Steve Lombardozzi (1) on his vision skills where they would toss a ring and call out a color and they would attempt to catch the color during spring training workouts on February 15, 2013 in Viera, FL (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)

VIERA, FL February 15 : Dr. Keith Smithson, sports vision specialist. works with Washington Nationals second baseman Steve Lombardozzi (1) on his vision skills where they would toss a ring and call out a color and they would attempt to catch the color during spring training workouts on February 15, 2013 in Viera, FL (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)

All of my testing and training methods are scientifically driven. I use objectively quantifiable testing and training tools to establish performance baselines before training and follow those results throughout training to target the training program and customize each program per the individual athlete’s needs.

I also work with multiple different professional sports teams, therefore I gain a vast understanding of the complex and differing needs of these athletes specific to their sport and position in that sport. I truly learn as much from them, as I trust they learn from me.

 

What are the biggest mistakes and myths you see in hitting? What are the biggest wastes of time?

By in large baseball players are the most passionate about understanding the visual needs of their sport and are the most open to emerging technologies to maximize their visual potential.

The biggest misconception is that eye dominance plays an important role in visual performance in baseball. A study was done several years ago that showed equal hitting performance for same sided and cross dominant athletes.  

It is far more important to have equal visual ability and a coordinated eye muscle system to ensure proper eye tracking and depth perception judgements.

Dr. Keith Smithson can be found at: www.novaeyedocs.com

Also, as per Dr. Smithson’s recommendation, sports vision doctors can be found using the doctor locator on aoa.org.

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Hitting Training For Baseball & Softball Swing Trainers | Hitting Performance Lab

Do ONLY Strong Baseball & Softball Players Hit Farther Homeruns? How Far? Can Average Person Do It? Sadaharu Oh Lessons On How To Get First One!

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Do ONLY strong baseball, fast-pitch, and slow-pitch softball players hit farther home runs?  And how far?  Can an “average” person hit home runs?  See how 14u small slugger Hudson White beat BIG slugger Blaze Jordan in the Power Showcase home run derby.  Learn Sadaharu Oh lessons on how to hit the first homer.

Sadaharu Oh: 5’10” 173-lbs, 868 Dingers Over 22-Years – How?

 

 

Sadaharu Oh: 5'10" 173-lbs, 868 Dingers Over 22-Years - How?

Sadaharu Oh photo courtesy: rnishi.wordpress.com

According to Baseball-Reference.com, the “Barry Bonds” of Japanese baseball, Sadaharu Oh:

  • Is 5-foot, 173-pounds, and
  • Hit 868 homers in 22 years (that’s almost 40/season!!)…

How did he do this?

Sadaharu Oh Analysis: Your Mission, if you Choose to Accept it…

Watch the above hitting footage, and identify – what you think – are the two most critical things contributing to his consistent power at the plate over a 22-year span.

Of course, Sadaharu Oh probably wouldn’t have put up those kind of numbers against today’s Major League pitchers.  BUT still…his body type…that many homers…for that long???!

Also, did you know he has a hitting book out?  It’s called “A Zen Way Of Baseball”.

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

I had an interesting conversation about Oh with one of my colleagues about if he were playing today, and was recruited over to the MLB, that coaches/instructors would probably make him a slap happy version of Ichiro Suzuki.

This actually makes A LOT of sense when you look at conventional American baseball/softball wisdom to make a “small left handed hitter” into a situational ground-ball inducing machine.  There NEVER would have been a “Sadaharu Oh”!

I agree there are roles to play in a lineup, and of course there’s a time and place for situational hitting, but if we taught ALL our hitters effective hitting mechanics, then what kind of metrics could a small slugger put up in-between?

Could we have a Dustin Pedroia-type who hits a 162-game average 15 dingers and 44 doubles?!  In addition, to be a bunting, hit-and-run, move ’em over extraordinaire!  Why can’t EVERY hitter experience repeatable power…?

A couple things to keep in mind when analyzing and commenting:

  • Use human movement science as a rule of thumb (un-weighting, spinal engine mechanics, springy fascia, etc.),
  • Be open minded and positive in the comments (no “spitting” on someone’s shoes PLEASE),
  • Clarify by giving a “time stamp” in the video to see what you may be talking about…

You can post your thoughts in the “Leave a Reply” section below…

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Learn How To Hit Faster Pitching See Fastball Better Fix Late Swing For Baseball And Softball

Learn How To Hit Faster Pitching, See Fastball Better, & Fix Late Swing For Baseball And Softball | Drills To Simulate Hitting 80, 85, 90 mph LIVE Off Machine

Learn how to hit faster pitching, see the fastball better (pitch recognition), and fix late swing (2-plate drill) for baseball and softball players.  Discover practical drills to simulate hitting 80, 85, and 90-mph LIVE off pitching machine.

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Tips: Confidently Dominate Pitchers That Throw Heat

 

 

This is Part-1 of a 3-part fastpitch softball hitting tips (works well for baseball too) video series coming straight out of the Reaction Time Mastery online video course…

Hitting Training - Reaction Time Mastery

Sick of struggling to get your hitters on-time, balanced, and keeping high Ball Exit Speeds, especially while hitting off-speed and breaking pitches?  This online video course (7-modules total) reveals cutting edge science on the topics of: Vision, Tracking, Timing, and Forward Momentum.

Finally, you’ll be able to track pitches crystal clear, accelerate reaction time decision-making, & get ON-TIME without losing swing effectiveness with this “secret” online video course you can’t live without.

If you haven’t already, then CLICK the Link below to…

Get Access to The Reaction Time Mastery Online Video Course

In this fastpitch softball hitting tips video, we answer the following reader question:

“How to handle fear of pitcher throwing heat?”

We’ll discuss the following fastpitch softball hitting tips:

  • Goal is to keep swing tempo the same,
  • Adjust timing, DO NOT speed up swing tempo, and
  • Perry Husband’s Effective Velocity & Frank Robinson.

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.

Right Course For You? Take Quiz Now

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Tips #1: Goal is to Keep Swing Tempo the Same

All human actions require tempo or cadence…

The magic for a long distance runner happens when they count their right hand swinging forward 85-90 times per minute. Whether running, up/downhill, or on flat ground.

Have you ever ran downhill sprints, gotten really fatigued, and took a spill?  This was because the body’s slower tired tempo couldn’t keep up with the speed required to stay on your feet.

Furthermore…

The magic for a cyclist happens when they count their right foot/pedal reaching its apex 85-90 times per minute, regardless of moving up/downhill, or on flat ground.

Do you know what they do to stay within that range when going uphill or downhill?

Correct,

They change gears.

And most of you know…

In swinging a bat, the hitter is LIMITED on the amount of time they have to decide and swing.  The hitter must process the following information, as quickly as possible, pitch:

  1. Type,
  2. Speed, and
  3. Location…

This can be real challenging for the brain.  If the hitter’s timing is behind, such as is the case with a pitcher that throws heat, the hitter’s brain will begin “cutting out” excessive movements to get the barrel to the ball.

Essential hitting mechanics I often see getting “cut out” when a hitter’s tempo is behind:

  • NOT landing short, resulting in poor use of Ground Reaction Forces,
  • Front shoulder flying open too early, resulting in NOT effectively pre-loading the springy fascia in the torso,
  • NOT striding, resulting in the absence of getting a ‘head start’ and swinging from a dead stop,
  • NOT staying short, resulting in a ‘taller’ swinger, positive launch angles (not good for driving the ball), and will consistently drive the ball into the ground (VERY unproductive to run production, evidenced in my ‘Ground-ball Rant’), and/or
  • Won’t allow for the natural NIKE-swoosh barrel path to unravel, resulting in using an ineffective hand path to the ball, shortening the time the barrel spends on the plane of the pitch.

And from there, compensations occur, and the hitter loses the ability to optimally transfer energy from body to barrel to ball.

So, even with pitchers that throw heat,

We have to keep a consistent swing tempo…

So, in knowing that, what do we have to clean up?

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Tips #2: Adjust Timing, DO NOT Speed Up Swing Tempo 

My biggest fastpitch softball hitting tips advice when it comes to dominating a faster pitcher is to:

Brandon Moss homers off R.A. Dickey knuckle-ball

Brandon Moss homers on R.A. Dickey 76-mph knuckleball. Do you think he had to change his timing to do that? Photo courtesy: MLB.com

  • Start the swing sooner,
  • ‘Float’ less, or
  • A little of both.

And in the case of a slower pitcher, you’d reverse these elements:

  • Start swing later,
  • ‘Float longer, or
  • A combination of both.

You see, we want our hitter’s natural swing tempo, regardless of whether they’re facing a fast or slow pitcher.

What do I mean by when the swing starts?

I tell my hitters, their swing starts, as soon as they make the decision to pick up their front foot.

What about the ‘Float’?  What is it?

CLICK HERE for this other RANT post I did on that.  Scroll down to the section I sub-titled, “Baseball Hitting Drills for Youth #1: Using the ‘Float’”.

Also, CLICK HERE for this post showing a video of Jose Bautista, revealing what critical, but simple, change he made to his timing from the 2009 and 2010 seasons that has transformed him into the Joey Bats of today.

My favorite drill for speeding up the eyes on a machine, to help with hitting 80-90 mph (whatever is considered “fast”), is to set up the machine to throw about the fast velocity you want your hitters to adapt to.  Then have your hitters take a big step towards the machine after every swing.  After about 4-6 BIG steps forward, then have them return to the beginning.  What you’ll find is that they will be out front, whereas they were behind on the first swings.

If you want to condition hitters to hit 80 mph, then they MUST see 90.  If you want them hitting 90, then they MUST see 100.  100?  They MUST see 110.

 

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Tips #3: Perry Husband’s Effective Velocity & Frank Robinson

Fastpitch Softball Hitting Tips: Effective Velocity

Perry Husband diagram demonstrating Effective Velocity and the hitter’s differences in ‘perceived’ velocity. Photo courtesy: HittingIsAGuess.com

When it comes to plate approach, fastpitch softball hitting tips that hitters at all levels MUST put into practice comes from Perry Husband’s Effective Velocity program.

He’s one of the experts I called on to contribute a couple videos to the Reaction Time Mastery online video course.

CLICK HERE for the interview I did with him on the blog.

Basically, Effective Velocity is about a hitter’s perceived pitch velocity.  For example, the radar gun registers a pitcher’s fastball velocity at 90-mph, down the middle of the plate…

However, if the same pitch is located inside or high in the strike zone, the hitter actually sees that ball faster, between THREE to SIX-mph faster.

And the reverse is true of the pitch locating outside or down in the zone.

My friend Taylor Gardner shared a conversation with me that his hitting mentor Matt Nokes had with Hall Of Famer Frank Robinson on his plate approach when facing pitchers that throw heat…

Frank Robinson said he was looking for the pitcher’s fastest pitch up and in, and adjusting to everything else.  Not saying this plan will work for everyone, but if you don’t have a plan, it’s a great place to start.

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