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

How To Get Out Of A Hitting Slump | Heads Up Baseball 2.0 Mental Toughness Psychology Training | Dr. Tom Hanson Coaching Program

Discover how to get out of a hitting slump! Learn how Dr. Tom Hanson’s Heads Up Baseball 2.0 is second to none mental toughness training and coaching program for the psychology of baseball and softball hitters.

How To Give 100% Of What You Have Right Now To The Next Pitch

 

Click Here to Listen or Download to the podcast episode.

Tony Robbins has said that success is 80% psychology, 20% mechanics.  Certified Hypnotist and creator of the cartoon comic strip Dilbert, Scott Adams, has said humans are irrational 80% of the time, in his recent book: Win Bigly: Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don’t Matter.  We’re only rational when deciding on things like which soap to buy!  He adds that we make decisions based on emotion, THEN we rationalize.  Not the other way around.

The best athletes in the world are better at controlling the mental part of the game, and their emotions.  They focus on controlling only what they can control.  Which leads me to this interview with Dr. Tom Hanson…

I stumbled onto a first edition of Heads-Up Baseball back in 1995 when I was in High School.  It helped clear my mind of all the hitting mechanical books I was reading at the time that left me more confused than when I started.  I owe a lot to Drs. Hanson and Ravizza for helping me play 4-years of Division-1 baseball at Fresno State, tuition free.

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

Without further adieu, here are some time-stamps to help you navigate the interview:

  • About 2:30 minute mark, Dr. Hanson talks about his experience coaching baseball at UVA and D3 Skidmore College. It’s a challenge to find someone who has a PhD in psychology and experience coaching the game at the college level.
  • About 4:30 minute mark, I talk about how I stumbled upon the first version of Heads-Up Baseball, and how the information helped me cut through the white noise at a time when I felt overwhelmed with hitting mechanics, reading every book I could get my hands on.
  • About 6:00 minute mark, what were the top two or three things you and Dr. Ken Ravizza changed in the 2.0 version of Heads-Up Baseball?  One was this idea of changing “Trust” to “Compete”. The purpose of a routine is to compete.  Give 100% of what you have right now to the next pitch.  Problem right now is players are coming to college with a “showcase” mentality.  The importance of hitters being patient AND being aggressive.  Thoughts on including quotes and anecdotes from fresh coach and player faces in the book.
  • About 11:30 minute mark, if you could direct coaches to two concepts in the book, what would they be and why?  I liked the “Heads Up Practice” Chapter, but Dr. Hanson suggested “Chapter 2: The 3 Levels of Learning to Compete”, Know it, Do it, Own it. He also recommends reading Mike Scioscia’s Introduction of the book.  The Goldilocks Golden Rule, what’s right for the hitter right now (or today – know yourself).
  • About 18:00 minute mark, Dr. Hanson talks about the importance of having a model to explain the questions that come in about the mental game.  He goes into the RAMP-C model: Responsibility – the ability to respond, choose what you focus on, great question to ask: “How did you choose to respond?”  Awareness – being conscious of and how you typically respond under pressure or when you’re hitting well, extrovert/introvert, how are you feeling right now.  Dealing with “yellow” or “red” lights.  Mission – what would you like to have happen, purpose or swing intention.  Preparation – what can I do to get myself to feel a “green” light, training in the off-season, what am I going to prepare for the next pitch or season.  Compete (changed from “Trust”) – give 100% of what you have right now to get to win the next pitch.  Nobody on the Cubs felt like they had a “green” light for Game 7 of the World Series when they win it.  Control, Plan, Trust changed to Control, Commit, Compete
  • About 30-minute mark, what have you found most valuable utilizing information in this book with your own kids while navigating the craziness of travel baseball, son C.J. is 14yo and daughter Angelina is 11yo.  First edition of Heads Up Baseball was before kids, now 20-year reflection period to version 2.0.  Before 13/14yo Dr. Hanson wanted to create an environment of fun for his son.  Helping kid fall in love with sport.  Not constantly picking the kid apart.  It’s all about Relationship building.  No matter the message, if the relationship isn’t there, then the message doesn’t have its optimal effect.  Joe Maddon talked about building relationships as his priority in first 3 weeks of Spring Training with Cubs that first year, was building relationships with players.
  • About 39:00 minute mark, can you be a coach that can stretch out of being the best at conceptualizing and doing, and get more into understanding relationship.  Knowing your players, where they are in life, and how to relate is huge with players.

Unfortunately, the phone recording app I was using cut off another 20 minutes of the interview.  Here are some nuggets that were inconveniently left out:

How to change an athlete that has an emotional “red” or “yellow” light from his book Play Big: Mental Toughness Secrets That Take Baseball Players to the Next Level. Using the ABC model:

  • Act Big,
  • Breath deep, and
  • Compete.

Dr. Hanson shared a conversation he had with Reggie Jackson, where he asked Reggie if he was confident all the time.  Reggie responded with, “Heck no!”  Reggie said he faked it a lot of the time.  Act Big.

Dr. Hanson shared a conversation between Mike Trout and Dr. Ken Ravizza.  Mike Trout likes to finish his exhale before getting in the box.  If he gets in the box without doing that, he steps out and finishes it.  That’s Breathing deep.  Mike Trout also said he likes to stride slow to the plate in order to slow down the moment.

We also talked about where you can find Dr. Hanson online and the socials:

 

Book Resources Mentioned in the Interview…

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

Do Push Barrel Path Hitting Drills Fix Steep Swinging Under Ball Swing For Baseball & Softball Players?

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Discover if push barrel path hitting drills fix a steep swinging under the ball swing for baseball and softball players…

The Sooner You Know ‘Swinging Down’ Can Be A Disaster The Better

The funny thing is…

That was actually ME in the above video!  This was a two tee drill video I did a long time ago for my old site SwingSmarter.com (not around anymore), between 2008 and 2010.  Like many at the time, I was taught to swing down and through the baseball my whole career.  This is where I agree AND disagree with Sean T. Plouffe’s comment to my video….

I agree, swinging down MUST not be a blanket teach, like many were taught in my era.  However, I DISAGREE with him because ‘swinging down’ is VERY helpful to pitches middle in and middle up in the zone.  And THIS is what guys like Sean DO NOT understand.  They’re just as bad as the blanket ‘swing down’ coaches, but they use the opposite blanket teach, ‘swing up’!  Click Here for a post I explain in depth why BOTH of these blanket teaches are WRONG.

Jake C.: Swinging Down

One of my HS Frosh hitters swinging down at the beginning of one of our first lessons together. We’re using the RopeBat to fix this. Photo courtesy: ME

We’ll discuss:

  • ‘That’s what he was taught’,
  • The journey that led me away from conventional wisdom, and
  • The bottom line… (how to fix)

‘That’s What he was Taught’…

Take this email I recently received from one of my readers, Bryan Nugent:

“Good morning,

My predicament is that over the last year or so I have been working with my son using your style  (catapult loading) from your book. My son is like a night and day difference when he doesn’t load like you point out. Some of my cue words I tell him are tuck, hide, see and drive.

  • Tuck – for his shoulder
  • Hide – his hands
  • See – keep his eye on the ball
  • Drive – hit through the baseball

Ok, now to the issue his baseball coach is trying to get him to have a different approach, stance and pretty much a different swing all together. From what we have been working on. How would I or what is the best way to approach the Coach and tell him to leave his swing alone in your opinion?”

And here was Bryan’s response after I emailed him a couple questions…

“Thank you for responding to my email. My son is 10. This past Saturday morning before our first pool play game we went back to the cage and got back to doing what we have learned from you. His results were outstanding including a solo shot that the opposing coach told him he hasn’t ever seen a 10 yr old hit the ball that far before.

The coach is young(23) just graduated from a local college where he played baseball. Not knocking him in any way but when talking to him he states ‘that’s what he was taught’ quite a bit. So maybe since this is his first time to coach young boys he is trying too hard, if that makes sense.

I did talk to him a little bit and told him I would bring him your book so he can see where we are coming from. Hopefully he will see there are 2 ways to skin a cat to get the same result. Which is to be able to get the kids to reach there full potential. Thanks again”

Thank you Bryan for sharing and for your continued support.  And yes, I asked his permission before sharing with you coaches.

 

The Journey that Lead Me Away from Conventional Wisdom

I can honestly say that I was where this young coach is when I first started teaching hitters.  And I know many of you coaches out there, if you’re being honest with yourself, can relate.

I had stopped seeking knowledge about the swing…stopped reading…stopped asking questions.  My mindset was VERY fixed.

Needless to say, I came to the realization that my hitters weren’t getting better.  At the time, my local lessons weren’t growing.  I was teaching what everyone in my area was teaching.  There was zero differentiation.  And you know what Mark Twain once said,

“When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect”.

It wasn’t till about 2011 that I started asking questions, and bought Jaime Cevallos’s book Positional Hitting (who’s a good friend of mine).

Then met Chas Pippitt of Baseball Rebellion, and helped him develop an online presence in 2012.

This was a good start, but there were still A LOT of unanswered questions that I had.

You see, I found a passionate curiosity for corrective human movement science back in 2005.  I got educated by gathering a large wicker basket full of alphabet soup certifications.  In a short time, I was training athletes and non-athletes by helping them troubleshoot their mobility and stability issues to improve performance or quality of life.

This led me down a rabbit hole that went pretty deep.

When my son was born at the end of 2012, I had an epiphany after reading a couple highly influential resources.  I digested the following books over and over, using them to reverse engineer the swing from a human movement principles validated by science perspective:

 

The Bottom Line…

If you’re a young coach – or more seasoned – who still teaches swinging down on the ball, squishing the bug, and that the hips are where the power is at…I know how you can feel married to these because you’ve put a lot of time, effort, and emotion into them while coaching and/or playing.

Believe me, I felt the same way.  Looking back now, it was a form of collective wisdom brainwashing that runs rampant in baseball and softball circles.

Here’s what I found teaching young hitters to apply human movement principles that are validated by science to hitting a ball:

  • My hitters see and feel productive outcomes within a reasonably short amount of time (huge for getting them to ‘buy into’ the system),
  • The online and local lesson part of my business has increased 5-fold (the word is getting out!),
  • The coaches that learn this from me are getting the same productive results with their hitters – if not better (and their hitters are raising the eyebrows of other coaches), and
  • The best news is, the knuckleheads on social media have a VERY difficult time arguing the true science of the swing!

My recommendation is this:

  • Educate yourself like I did with previously mentioned books,
  • Question very things you teach by asking, “What don’t I know?”
  • Do swing experiments like I do to see if a hitting mechanic is inferior or superior to its counterpart (CLICK HERE for a post on how to do this), And…
  • Above-all, be big enough to swallow your pride, regardless of how many years coaching or playing, or if you had the privilege to coach or play at the highest level, and admit you may be wrong.  Because let me tell you, many are, so you’re not alone.

Rest assured, if I can change, then so can you.

Believe me, your hitters will THANK YOU.  Learning can start when ignorance admits its ignorant. You don’t know what you don’t know, right?  Well, now you do 😉

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Swing PreLoad And Coil Hitting Drills For Power To Increase Bat Speed At Home For Beginners

Swing PreLoad And Coil Hitting Drills For Power To Increase Bat Speed At Home For Baseball & Softball Beginners

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Discover swing preload and coil hitting drills for power learning how to increase bat speed at home for baseball and softball beginners.

What Everybody Ought to Know About Softball Batting Drills for Power…

 

 

This softball batting drills for power “Hit-Bit”, or hitting tid-bit, is an answer to questions from my readers when I asked them, “If you could have a private conversation with me, what two questions would you ask?”  The answers are meant to be short, actionable, and tips you can use today.

Today’s Hit-Bit answers the reader questions:

“How much can your shoulders turn on the load? Do you transfer all your weight to the front leg at sometime during the forward swing?”

We’ll talk about:

  1. The shoulder load & the “back eye” test,
  2. Weight transfer & the ‘Float’, and
  3. Weight transfer & the ‘Free-Fall’…

 

The Shoulder Load & “Back Eye” Test

I often relate the Goldilocks Golden Rule with my hitters.  Some movements we can do too much.  Some not at all.  We want to practice softball batting drills for power, such as loading the torso, “just right”.  And to make sure our hitters do this, in the video, I demonstrate the “back eye” test.

 

Weight Transfer & The ‘Float’

The “Float”, or as some call it a “negative move”, is a movement back towards the catcher before shifting the hitter’s body weight forward during the stride.  It’s a timing mechanism.  Hitter’s use different kinds of Floats: High, Medium, and Low Leg Kicks & Toe Taps.  See link below for different examples of this…

 

Weight Transfer & the ‘Free-Fall’

For the definitive guide to the Free-Fall, or Forward Momentum, Click the following HPL post link: “Baseball Batting Techniques: Simple Way To Use Forward Momentum That Works For Elite Hitters“.

Please comment below with any questions or comments about this video post…

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

Hitting Drills To Use Legs, Footwork, & Ground Forces In Baseball And Softball Swing According To Matt Nokes

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Matt Nokes REVEALS hitting drills to use the legs, proper footwork, and ground forces in baseball and softball swing…

(UPDATE: this webinar is no longer available, but there’s great information shared here)

Learn 3 Things Hitters Can Do To Make Them Irresistibly Attractive To Recruiters

 

In this post, I have the privilege of sharing with you a FREE webinar opportunity that Matt Nokes is putting on and you’re getting first crack at it…

But before I get to that, I wanted to let you know this guy is the real deal.

I’ve had numerous hitting conversations with him in underground (and above ground) parking garages, libraries, conferences, and over dinner.

If you remember, I did three past blog posts showcasing a bit of his hitting knowledge:

And let me tell you,

He’s an former Big Leaguer who knows what he’s talking about.  And that means a lot coming from me because I listen to current and past Big Leaguers talk hitting with a VERY skeptical ear as most of you do.

Oftentimes, what gets lost in translation with Big Leaguers is what’s real and what’s feel.  Matt tows this line very well.  He understands the difference.

The reason I’m sharing his information with you is because he has quite a different approach than me, but yet it’s very similar when we have our talks.  His system is very complimentary to mine.

What I have for you in this post is:

  • Matt Nokes introducing himself and building a case for why coaches and parents managing High School hitters on up MUST register and attend this free webinar,
  • The Tyler Moore Nokes student case study, and
  • The Matt Forgatch Nokes student case study.

Without further adieu,

Enter Matt Nokes…

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’m a 10 year MLB Veteran, Silver Slugger Award Winner, MLB American League All Star Catcher, and I have the most successful hitting advisory program in baseball.

I’m sure you’ve had some good coaches that you’ve really liked over the years!

Yet year after year the pitching gets better, and it’s easy to get caught over thinking, with your timing getting all messed up more often than not.

I remember when I was I senior in high school and I told my dad I wanted to quit baseball all together… I was going through a tough time and there wasn’t anyone around me who I felt understood what I was going through, and could get me back on track.

I don’t know about you?  But it’s easy to fall into a trap of over processing, looking for an adjustment that’ll give you that “In The Zone Feel Again”…the feel you have hitting soft toss from 12 feet, and yet in the game you’re looking at it from 60 feet…that’s what I call a cross your fingers approach.

In life, if you want to accomplish great things, you seek out someone who’s the best in the world at what they do! (Hall of Fame) Frank Robinson gave me the MLB plan and 2 years later I was in the big leagues at 21 years old! No I wasn’t just a freak hitter, before I got perspective from Frank Robinson, I was having trouble even making contact.

Are you ready to put that kind of frustration behind you?

Do you look at other players around the league or on your team for that matter, and you know you have equal ability, but you’re not producing or getting the recognition from the recruiters and scouts that you’ve set your sights on?

The frustration is exhausting and affects your home life, your social life, your school work, every part of your life and on top of that, you feel like crap as person if you’re not hitting!

Whatever your biggest challenges are, I’ve seen them, and I know how to help you overcome them.

I know you gotta be sick of the roller coaster ride of emotions, the pain and uncertainty about your future.  Inside this FREE Master Class Webinar (Sorry, this webinar is no longer offered)…There are 5 Simple Shifts you need to make to put all the talent you know you have inside you, and get it working for you again, and not against you.

It’s time for the scouts and recruiters to start pursuing you, but you gotta make a shift where you’re not hitting like you’re defending yourself with your back up against a wall, but instead you’re ready like a SNIPER, ready and you never miss your pitch when it’s in your zone.

Learning the 12 Touchstones, Simple Natural Hitting Moves that deal with the plan, your timing, mechanics and solves 99 out of 100 problems that will ever come up.

Tyler Moore Case Study

Matt Nokes: Tyler Moore Case Study

Tyler Moore, a kid I coached in the minor leagues with the Nationals, was all but buried with nearly 300 AB’s in July with 6 weeks left and only hitting .195, a hand full of home runs and 20 something RBI’s.

It’s very difficult for a player to dig himself out of a hole like that after so much of the season has passed. But like most hitters, I was sure he’d been burned by coaching in the past and felt like he was better off making adjustments on his own.

One of the many MYTHS in the main stream hitting community is that “you gotta go back before you go forward”.  Going back first is great for practice when you’re hitting off a tee or when you’re hitting soft toss, but in games if you’re going back at the wrong time, you’ll get beat every time…and that’s what was happening.  We reviewed the 12 Touchstones, the one big one was “you gotta already be back and be going forward at release”…

So we finally sat down and talked…I said, “what’s there left to lose at this point, you’re hitting .195, let’s get something positive out the rest of this season and see what happens in the last 6 weeks.

Now with Tyler I was dealing with a young professional player, very in tune with the way his body feels when he moves, he can feel what his body is doing, and because of his advanced awareness of his body, we ripped through the 12 touchstones in less than an hour.

THAT VERY NIGHT HE HIT 4 SCREAMING LINE DRIVES shot out of a cannon like the pitcher was throwing front soft toss to him.

By the end of the season he was hitting:

.269   |   31 HR’s    |   111 RBI’s    |    43 Doubles

That Season – We WON the Carolina League Championship.

Tyler won player of the week 4 out of the last 6 weeks of the season, and was named Carolina League Player of the Year!

Inside this Master Class Training Webinar (Sorry, webinar is no longer available)…There are 5 Simple Shifts you need to make to put all the talent you know to get it working for you and not against you.

You’ll learn 3 things you can do to make you irresistibly attractive to RECRUITERS, even if you don’t get a hit while they’re WATCHING YOU!

 

Matt Forgatch Case Study

Matt Nokes: Matt Forgatch Case Study Webinar

Matt Forgatch came to me from a small D3 College (Denison University) and was playing football and baseball. He was very athletic but did NOT know how to use his tools and translate it into the powerful hitter he would become.

I took him through the 5 Shifts and he transformed immediately.

His first season back from training, he hit .444 and led the league in 12 of 15 offensive categories.

Matt, made the decision that baseball was important enough to fully commit to this process!

He knew he wanted a program that was organized so he didn’t have to think about his workouts day to day…he just had to follow the workout each day before he went to the ball park and it took 5-10 minutes a day to do his rehearsals and focus work…it’s simply what successful people do.

Today the modules are on your phone or computer and even easier to work with.

Since he was playing D3 baseball, he was already on a team, playing games, working out, taking BP, doing drills, all the physical “bat to ball” training…

He liked and respected the coaches, so he obviously wanted to be cool and not disrespect them in any way so he was discrete about what he was doing. It wasn’t very far into the season when he was dominating the league in hitting, that he revealed to his coaches that he’d been working with me on the side in a way that didn’t interfere with the team program.

The last thing you want to do is be the guy who’s the “know it all” and bucks the team system and workouts, doing odd drills and things that stand out in an almost distracting way.

I explained it to him like this…

Be a good soldier and follow your coaches drills and workouts, because he’s put his own time and energy into it his program and you owe it to him to follow his lead, if for no other reasons than he’s in authority and you can always learn everyone.

Because you’re going through my program, it’s an at home Tai Chi type program where you learn all the natural mechanical and timing moves, along with the plan that came from Frank Robinson himself (hall of fame).

I said…

“If I were your age and on your team, with all that I knew after 30 years of professional experience and the research I’ve done, with a 10 year MLB career, Silver Slugger Award, All-Star Catcher.”

If I could go back in time, yet retain all my memories in tact so I had all the skills of the big leaguer I was, how hard would it be to get along with a coach who see’s you’re a talented hitter, with all the high level moves and YOU DON’T MISS YOUR PITCH! He’s going to love you, especially if you respect him and thank him for the feedback he gives you every day.

You guys would just relate on a different level than the other players because he’d have more respect for your abilities…you’d have a more collaborative relationship with him…But he’s your coach and having your name written in the lineup card every day, partly depends on how you relate to your coaches, no matter how good you play.

So he learned how to apply the 5 Shifts to his Mindset quickly each day, by following simple videos in the modules every week.

You learn the 12 Touchstones (The natural timing and mechanical hitting movements with the correct technique)

You learn 6X Rules for the INSIDE PITCH (The moves you rehearse on deck to make sure you’re never get sucked into a MYTH idea every again).

The system is designed so you don’t have to think…you just REHEARSE!

Everything becomes automated and you become a hitter with natural timing and natural mechanics…AND THOSE AMAZING RESULTS ARE YOUR NEW NORMAL!

—

Who is this webinar for?

Mostly for those coaches and parents managing High School and College level players.

Will younger hitters get something out of Matt’s information? 

Yes.  But the information in the webinar is geared more towards those hitters getting ready for college or pro ball.

Is Matt Nokes’s information good for fast-pitch softball?

YES!!! It’s outstanding information for ALL humans.

Please let me know what you think of the webinar y’all 😀

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How Edwin Encarnacion Used Ground Reaction Forces to Smash Home Runs!

Private Youth Hitting Lessons Fresno, CA: How To Use Lower Half Ground Reaction Forces, Baseball, & Softball Drills For Beginners

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Discover private youth hitting lessons in Fresno, CA.  Learn how to use lower half ground reaction forces, baseball, and softball drills for beginners…

How To Use Your Legs Like Edwin Encarnacion

 

 

I recently worked with Christopher Solis one-on-one, from Pasadena, CA.  He just signed with the University of Sioux Falls, South Dakota this Fall to play for the Cougars division-two baseball team.  He’s in his third year of eligibility, and found me after watching a video I did analyzing Lou Gehrig’s swing.

We talked about a lot of current hitters, but one in particular was Edwin Encarnacion.  In this video, we’ll be discussing:

  • What “Blocking” is (according to German Champion discus thrower Robert Harting),
  • How Edwin Encarnacion “Blocks”, and
  • Building Chris Solis 2.0.

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

What “Blocking” Is (According to German Champion Discus Thrower Robert Harding)

From what I’m told, the current German discus throwers “block” very well.  Other throwers end up spinning around and hopping after they throw.  What’s the significance of Blocking?

My friend Rob Suelflohn (top-5 national Shot Putter in mid-80’s) sent an email about a Facebook comment from former Shot Put world record holder Brian Oldfield, about Blocking:

“I have been looking back one of my experiences with Gideon Ariel at Casa de Cota and remembered throwing from a force plate that measured the P.S.I.’s [pounds per square inch] in my foot work/technique. I don’t know the exact pressure I put on each step of the transition but I think it went something like this. The first left foot pivot out of the back of the circle beginning the drive was 500 PSI’s then lunging down to the middle of the circle to the next right foot  pivot created a 750 PSI pressure . Finally, a shorter deeper step at the toe board registered 1000 PSI’s. I used my speed and torque down through the “J” phase pushing on the earth until the earth pushed back.” 

 

How Edwin Encarnacion “Blocks”

This home-run was Edwin Encarnacion’s 26th of the 2014 season, and a walk-off.  Interesting to note, he was out in front of this 85-mph hanging breaker.  And this is where “Blocking” becomes really important.  Two things:

  1. The swing is a snapping towel – move forward to landing (Fight Position), then snap back (Blocking) through the turn, and
  2. Blocking is a combination of falling and pushing into the ground (Gravity), and the ground pushing back (Gravitational Reaction Forces).

“Sit back” hitters will have a difficult time with Blocking because they’re moving forward during the Final Turn.  A hitter would have to be at least 6’3″ and 230-40 lbs to get away with sitting back.

 

Building Chris Solis 2.0

In our time together, we focused primarily on footwork.  Getting to the proper Fight Position, then Blocking, or pushing into the ground as hard as we could to initiate the Final Turn.  In the after video, we were able to:

  • Get him “shorter” with his back leg through the turn (90 degrees versus a 104 degree angle),
  • Detach, or un-weight, his back foot during his turn, and
  • Shift his head/spine angle back (Blocking helps with this).

Blocking is how to fix the “racing back elbow” or “bat drag” so rampant in Little League.  If you watch a racing back elbow hitter – not necessarily arm barring – you’ll see a bent front knee throughout the swing.  Blocking with the front side is virtually non-existent, and their swing is inefficiently being driven by the backside.  The racing back elbow is the back shoulder joint fighting to get into a stable position during the Final Turn.

We have to re-condition the front side to Block like Robert Harting and Edwin Encarnacion.

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Turning Vs Pushing The Barrel: Modern MLB Bat Path Swing Drills To Fix Misguided Advice

Turning Vs Pushing The Barrel: Modern MLB Bat Path Swing Drills To Fix Misguided Baseball Or Softball Hitting

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Discover turning vs pushing the barrel by looking at the modern MLB bat path from Andrew McCutchen.  Learn drills to fix misguided baseball or softball hitting advice.  Turning the barrel is fantastic for middle away and middle down pitches, while pushing the barrel is great for middle in versus middle up pitches, Click Here for a post I did on that.

Modern MLB Bat Path Swing Like Andrew McCutchen

 

 

In this video post, we’re going to talk about:

  • Discuss when barring the front arm is okay,
  • Explore the science of spinning fast vs slow,
  • See how effective The Cutch is at turning, and
  • Look at how to work on this at home.

CLICK HERE to watch the – 2 min, 5 second – PBS Circus Physics video about the Conservation of Angular Momentum, or turning faster.

 

Straightening the Front Arm Out…Good or Bad?

I’ve shifted my thoughts on this since doing this video back in 2014.  I’d rather have my hitters bar their front arm out (or slight bend in front elbow) to and through contact.  Click Here to watch an interview I did with Perry Husband of EffectiveVelocity.com about arm barring.  This will answer all your questions on the topic.

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

The Science of Spinning Fast vs “Slow”

There are two Physics principles working with the Conservation of Angular Momentum:

  1. When an ice skater moves her arms in towards her center-line while spinning, then her turning speed goes UP, but inertial mass goes DOWN.
  2. And when an ice skater moves her arms away from her center-line while spinning, then her turning speed goes DOWN, but inertial mass goes UP.

What does this mean for hitters?  Two additional things:

  • Firstly, swing tempo means something.  If you accelerate a small part without the big part, then the spinning top becomes wobbly.
  • Secondly, you can’t “spin” faster and maximize force at contact, when inertial mass goes down.
  • And thirdly, the longer front arm accomplishes the best of three worlds: it promotes healthy swing tempo, increases inertial mass (balancing turning speed), AND encourages predictability in barrel path because it keeps the front arm shape at a constant versus the inconsistent “bending” of the front elbow taught by a few.

 

Did Cutch Pass the Turning Speed Test?

In the above Andrew McCutchen baseball hitting video, science clearly says that ‘Cutch’ can in fact turn faster during his Final Turn.

However in this Andrew McCutchen baseball hitting video, he can get away with it because of his shorter arm span in comparison to a hitter with a longer one, like Miguel Cabrera.  Cabrera would have to stand farther off the plate to make an early arm bar work.  Similar to what Ken Griffey Jr. did.

And as we’ll discover what force bleeding compensation he makes – possibly – because of his early arm barring in Part-3 of the Andrew Mccutchen baseball hitting video: Do This For Longer Drives video series.

UPDATED NOTES: Cutch is doing just fine in this swing analysis.  Just how it’s suppose to be 😉

 

How Do We Practice a Faster Turn at Home?

  1. Break the swing into two-steps: 1) To the Fight Position (Landing), and 2) the Final Turn
  2. Use a mirror or batting tee
  3. Video analysis feedback – either Coach’s Eye app (free for android) or Ubersense app (free for iphone)
  4. Hitter “hides their hands from the pitcher”, while keeping front arm straight or with a slight bend
  5. Going into the Final Turn, the hitter will try and “crush the proper catcher’s glove”

CLICK HERE for Part-3: Do This For Longer Drives: Andrew McCutchen baseball hitting video series, where we look to see if Cutch breaks the One-Joint Rule…If you missed Part-1, then CLICK HERE.

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Youth Baseball Coaching 101 For Dummies: Mistakes To Avoid For 10u, Middle, & High School

Youth Baseball Coaching 101 For Dummies: Mistakes To Avoid For 10u, Middle, & High School

Discover youth baseball and softball coaching 101 for dummies.  Learn what coaching mistakes to avoid for the 10u, middle school, and high school levels…

Coaching Baseball: Why We’re Failing

 

 

This article will highlight one of the scientific principles of successful learning, according to Peter C. Brown’s book Make It Stick.  FYI, this will work for coaching softball as well.

In my research, I’ve uncovered THREE ingredients to coaching baseball:

  1. Study and apply scientifically proven human movement rules,
  2. Use sticky coaching strategies proven through empirical research, and
  3. Provide necessary feedback mechanisms to stay on track.

We’ll be attacking one of today’s major dilemmas in youth hitting – how do I take my players’ refined “batting practice” swings into the game?  The problem is in how we train young hitters.  We’ll talk about:

  • The myth of “massed practice” to long-term learning,
  • The fine art of variance as a teaching tool, and
  • How-to INFUSE variance into hitting practices.

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

The Myth of “Massed Practice” to Long-Term Learning

What is “massed practice”?  It’s when we work on one thing, say hitting to the opposite field – for an entire practice.  For example, in Peter C. Brown’s book Make It Stick, he talks about an experiment the Cal Poly University baseball team ran.  They split the hitters up into two practice groups.  Group One did massed practice by hitting 15 fastballs, then 15 curve-balls, then 15 change-ups.  Group Two practiced hitting each pitch at random.  At the end of the experiment, Group One did better in the short run, while Group Two did better in the long run.

Why?

Because Group Two practiced how they’d play, and played how they’d practiced.  We may gain immediate gratification from coaching baseball using massed practice, but we fall short in the long run, because hitting pitches in a game is so varied.  We need to practice, what Peter C. Brown calls, variance when coaching baseball.  It’s more frustrating this way, but the results are worth it.

 

The Fine Art of Variance

I know this might sound like a no-brainer.  But it’s NOT.  I’ve fallen victim to massed practice too!  We’re taught to strengthen weaknesses.  If a hitter has a hard time hitting to the opposite field, then dedicate a whole practice to opposite field hitting.  The outcomes in batting practice are immediate, but as the empirical research says, the results are fleeting.

Another study mentioned in the book, split up a class of grade-schoolers into two groups.  Group A practiced throwing beanbags into a bucket three feet away.  Group B practiced throwing beanbags into two buckets, one 2-feet and another 4-feet away, and with NO 3-foot bucket.  At the end, they were all tested throwing beanbags into a 3-foot bucket.  Any guess who did better?  Group B.

Why?

Their brain had more points of reference to pull from.  “Throw a little farther than two, but less than four.”  Whereas Group A had only one option.

 

How-To INFUSE Variance Into Hitting Practice

There are so many ways to do this, so I’ll only mention the few that have worked for my hitters.  Here’s what coaching baseball using the variance hitting strategy looks like:

  1. Un-Weighting Part-1 – fix stride foot at Fight Position (watch video above for demonstration)
  2. Un-Weighting Part-2 – un-anchor back foot during Final Turn (watch video above for demonstration)
  3. Varied Pitches Off Batting Tee – after every swing move the tee either up or down, and/or pull side or opposite side setup (watch video above for demonstration).  Rarely place ball over middle of the plate.  As beanbag study suggests, if hitter can hit inside and outside pitch correctly, then they’ll be prepared to hit the pitch down the middle.
  4. Timing The Pitch – Every five swings or so move the L-Screen forward or backward to simulate a change in fast-to-slow pitching and vice-versa.  I find that after footwork, timing is the next most difficult concept to master.

We’re failing as coaches because we aren’t mixing it up enough.  Practice how you play, and you’ll play like you practice.  Myself and the Hitting Performance Lab community would love to hear your thoughts on coaching baseball or softball using variance.  Any other ideas?  Please post below…

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Stop Late Swings! Simple Baseball & Softball Batting Drills to Dramatically Improve Hitting Timing

Improve Hitting Timing Problems: Drills To Fix Late Swings In Baseball Or Softball Game

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Learn how to improve hitting timing problems using simple drills to fix late swings in a baseball or softball game.

Hitting Timing Drills: Get Rid Of Hitters Feeling Dominated By Upper Level Pitchers Once And For All

 

 

In this timing hitting drills post, I’ll be addressing the following reader question…

“How to teach fearlessness when facing upper level pitchers and timing the hard throwers?”

We’ll be addressing the following in the above video:

  • Barry Bonds one step towards machine after every swing,
  • Two or three-plate drill, and
  • Develop hunting approach at the plate…

 

Barry Bonds One Step Toward Machine After Every Swing

  • CLICK HERE for a link to get more information on the golf whiffle ball MaxBP pitching machine at The Starting Lineup Store.  Get 15% OFF by using the: GET15OFF coupon code at checkout.

 

Two or Three Plate Drill 

 

Develop Hunting Approach at the Plate

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Online Hitting Lesson Swing Analysis Program To Increase Bat Speed And Power For Baseball Softball

Online Hitting Lessons Swing Analysis Increase Bat Speed And Power Program For Baseball & Softball

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Discover this online hitting lessons swing analysis program to increase bat speed and power for the baseball and softball swing.

The Sooner You Use These Baseball Exercises the Better

 

 

I was working on a feedback session with one of my online lessons Austin, from SoCal, the other day…

And I realized that yes, most of the time, fixes are swing specific, but other times…

It can be suggesting a corrective exercise to help stabilize the core better during the swing.  In this post, I’m going to walk you through:

  • The late torso “tip”, and then
  • How to correct it with two simple baseball exercises…

 

The Late Torso “Tip”

Watch the quick analysis video above…

Basically it’s a late tipping of the torso towards the plate, at the waist.  This can cause the head to lay parallel to the ground obstructing vision.  Sometimes, the back shoulder and ear get closer to together (like Derek Jeter), which breaks, what Dr. Kelly Starrett calls, spinal integrity, and will bleed force at impact.

This can be caused by a dysfunctional Quadratus Lumborum (or QL).  And, according to Thomas Myers of Anatomy Trains, an imbalanced Lateral Fascial Line.

 

How To Correct it with Two Simple Baseball Exercises

Here are the two exercises to help with lateral core stabilization during the Final Turn:

  1. Side Plank (specific) – or CLICK HERE to view a side plank laying on the forearm (if you have wrist issues).
  2. One-Sided Farmer’s Walk (integrated).

Here’s what the acute variables look like (for both baseball exercises)…

  • Week-ONE: 2 sets X 45 secs ea. side,
  • Week-TWO: 2 sets X 60 secs each side,
  • Week-THREE: 3 sets X 45 secs ea. side, and
  • Week-FOUR: 3 sets X 60 secs ea side.

Do these baseball exercises horizontally.  In other words, do a set of side planks (both sides), followed by a set of one-sided farmer’s walks (both sides).  Rest 60-seconds, then move onto set #2.

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Baseball Vs Softball Swing Beginner Hitting Drills & Mechanics To Hit Bombs Further

Baseball Vs Softball Swing: Beginner Hitting Drills & Mechanics To Hit Bombs Further

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Discover the baseball vs softball swing and learn beginner hitting drills and mechanics to hit bombs further in this swing comparison between Aaron Judge and Sierra Romero.

Aaron Judge Home Run: Same As Sierra Romero?

 

 

Let me be up front with you in this Aaron Judge home run post.  Some hitting coaches still think the baseball and softball swing are drastically different.  I disagree…Bigly.  Human movement is human movement.  Sure there are undeniable anatomical differences in body type between males and females, and differences in reaction time from sport to sport…

But there’s virtually zero difference in explosive human movement when the swing objective is hit the ball as hard as you can, as far as you can…consistently.  In this video analysis, I wanted to compare the swings of Sierra Romero and Aaron Judge.  Don’t worry if you don’t know one or the other…you will by the end of this post.

Actually, you know what, if you don’t know either of these hitters, then SHAME ON YOU!!! 😛 lol

Kidding aside, and in my opinion, more baseball players can learn A LOT by watching Sierra Romero swing the bat than any Big Leaguer.  It’s a bold thing to say, but it’s true.

In comparing Sierra Romero to Aaron Judge, we’ll compare the following components of an effective swing:

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

Who is Sierra Romero?

Besides being my favorite swing model for Fast-Pitch Softball hitters, and according to the USSSA Pride website:

  • 5-foot, 5-inches in height.
  • Sierra finished her rookie professional Fast-Pitch Softball season batting .339 in 109 at-bats with 18 runs scored, 37 hits, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 5 HR, 21 RBI and a .397 OBP.
  • First player in NCAA softball history (at Uni of Michigan) to record 300 runs, 300 hits and 300 RBI in her career.
  • Owns NCAA record in career runs (300) and grand slams (11). Ranks fourth all-time in career RBI (305) and slugging percentage (.882) and eighth in home runs (82) and walks (225).
  • Joined the USA Junior Women’s National Team (2012), ISF Junior Women’s World Championship Silver Medalist (2012).

 

Who is Aaron Judge?

Besides this guy being a friggin’ BEAST of a human being!?  Here are some major talking points, according to Wikipedia.org and FanGraphs.com:

  • 6-foot, 7-inches tall, and 282-pounds (imagine the parents that had to feed this guy!!) lol
  • Was a three sport athlete in High School (Football, Basketball, and Baseball).
  • Played at my Alma-mater, Fresno State, from 2010 and got drafted by the Yankees 32nd overall by the Yankees in 2013.
  • As of April 2017 Exit Velocity metrics, Judge clocked game batted balls of at least 115-mph SIX TIMES!!  Joey Gallo was second with two.
  • Did I mention this guy is a BEAST?!

 

The Bottom Line…?

In comparing the swings of Sierra Romero and Aaron Judge, there are many BIG WIN mechanical similarities.  They both hit for power and precision.  The softball swing isn’t any different than its baseball counterpart.  Power and precision don’t have to be mutually exclusive.  Size doesn’t matter, however if you’re a beast like Aaron Judge the capability of hitting the ball farther with consistently higher Ball Exit Speeds is greater.  What is clear however, is if you move better, then you perform better.

In the day and age of advanced technology and access to specific experts on human movement and Physics, there’s no room for coaches who resist getting educated.  If you aren’t growing, then you’re dying.

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