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PROVIDING COACHING SUPPORTS TO YOUNG ATHLETES AND PARENTS
Explore concepts that support movement, cognitive development and hitting for young athletes and foster a love for the game
Hitting Ideas to Consider
"Control the Controllables"
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
"Control the Controllables"
Take control of things like your grip and posture. Having a control of this can unlock the dynamic power in your rear shoulder, elbow and wrist... a 'piston' of sorts. Your lead side can serve as an axis point to your swing providing direction. Imagine the lead arm and bat swinging from the ball n' socket joint of the front shoulder. Whil
Take control of things like your grip and posture. Having a control of this can unlock the dynamic power in your rear shoulder, elbow and wrist... a 'piston' of sorts. Your lead side can serve as an axis point to your swing providing direction. Imagine the lead arm and bat swinging from the ball n' socket joint of the front shoulder. While the rear wrist is a precise GPS and powerful piston of sorts. We’re trying to surrender the 'whack a mole / pillow fight' hitting concept.
Having a thought or image in your mind with one of these controlables can get you trending in the right direction. Or simply having a mantra like 'stance narrower before wider' to help prevent swaying. There is not a line in the sand where a wide stance ends and narrower begins, it's a feel/trust if you will. Trust the moves and stay committed to it. One ounce of an unfavorable move can quickly cancel out two ounces of good. Choose your difficult, accept your current skill set and use this to motivate yourself to get better.
The Feels
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
"Control the Controllables"
It may be clearer to communicate hitting moves into feels vs connect-the-dot cues or even a buzzword like deceleration. Having a feel that the bat handle is resting above your rear hand for as long as possible will help you keep your hands above the pitch and allow the rear forearm to pivot through the swing. Tap into your senses and rais
It may be clearer to communicate hitting moves into feels vs connect-the-dot cues or even a buzzword like deceleration. Having a feel that the bat handle is resting above your rear hand for as long as possible will help you keep your hands above the pitch and allow the rear forearm to pivot through the swing. Tap into your senses and raise your awareness of these feels. Have a move or two that you can repeat, lean on and blend with your athleticism. Learn to self-assess and surrender unfavorable moves like overrating your shoulders. Resist feels like 'helping, steering, covering or scooping', rather go for feels like 'sudden, deep, burst and releasing.'
Phrases like swing down will probably never be agreed upon in the hitting world on what it means. Deceleration is hard to teach but more of a byproduct of being very athletic and aware. However, we can probably agree on what it feels like to put an I-Phone to your ear or a waiter holding up a tray of food. Find the feel that works for you. Chase the feels vs sorting through hard to understand metrics.
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
Develop practice routines where you experiment and exaggerate with your swing to learn the moves and feels. 'Next 10 swings I am going to swing down / stay through the top of the baseball.' Learn to practice at home. Fifty touches a day where your hands are either touching a ball or bat handle. Hit off a tee, spin a ball in your fingert
Develop practice routines where you experiment and exaggerate with your swing to learn the moves and feels. 'Next 10 swings I am going to swing down / stay through the top of the baseball.' Learn to practice at home. Fifty touches a day where your hands are either touching a ball or bat handle. Hit off a tee, spin a ball in your fingertips. Or go to the field with a bucket of balls and self hit the balls to CF. Pick 'em up and hit the balls back to home plate. Doing this will help train your rear arm to be a piston of sorts.
Move fast/move slow, with force/with touch. Blend them together. Be deliberate when practicing vs 'just getting in your hacks'. An example for an experienced player could be, "for the next 9 swings I'm going to feel like my front shoulder is pointed at the 2nd baseman for as long as possible as my arms extend through the swing." New player, "I am going to feel like the bat handle is resting above my rear hand when the pitcher is in the windup."
Learn to find the barrel of the bat vs chasing exit velocity. Listen for the sound and feel of your contact vs sorting through tough to understand data. One of the most important metrics is the barrel winning the race. Leave 3 mph of bat speed in the bat bag to help create a dynamic swing with direction. For ideas on practice routines and how to move better click below.
Train The Counterintuitive Moves
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
Do You Have To Be Pushed On Or Pulled Off The Practice Field?
Train the counterintuitive moves to help create leverage, adjustability and better direction with your swing. Some ideas include...
-going forward but staying back vs all momentum forward.
-collecting/catching the ball vs swinging to a destination point.
-ejecting the barrel vs throwing the bat head.
-swinging into balance vs get the lead
Train the counterintuitive moves to help create leverage, adjustability and better direction with your swing. Some ideas include...
-going forward but staying back vs all momentum forward.
-collecting/catching the ball vs swinging to a destination point.
-ejecting the barrel vs throwing the bat head.
-swinging into balance vs get the lead foot down early
-the bat handle resting on the top palm/fingertips vs a tight grip
Learning these moves will help your swing look and feel effortless but remain sudden at the same moment. We're trying to rid abrupt, bit-by-bit movements that might feel safe or easier. To have that effortless look you have develop your ankle mobility and an athletic 'gait'. This will help your feet rocker and grab the ground. Ground up^.
LOOKING AT A YOUTH SWING TO EXPERIENCED MOVERS
Lift N' Chop vs Lower N' Sling
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Lift N' Chop vs Lower N' Sling
Take a look at two hitting styles and begin to build a discerning eye for hitting. Lift N Chop (or drop n scoop) tends to instictively happen with young players vs Lower N Sling, not happening enough. While ‘lowering’ not overrating, dropping or collapsing, we capture gravity and allow for adjustability to the height of the pitch. Look at
Take a look at two hitting styles and begin to build a discerning eye for hitting. Lift N Chop (or drop n scoop) tends to instictively happen with young players vs Lower N Sling, not happening enough. While ‘lowering’ not overrating, dropping or collapsing, we capture gravity and allow for adjustability to the height of the pitch. Look at Manny's rear shoulder above, in the next three frames where else can the shoulder go? Raising your rear shoulder will also prepare the muscles in that area to hit so the arms have something to swing from. Learn how to identify less favorable moves and get young hitters to move more dynamically and with less bit-by-bit movements. If we over-rotate the barrel will cross the line and get away from the hitter. If we lower/drive the rear shoulder, the barrel will have a better chance staying behind the rear wrist, closer to the rear shoulder. Having the feeling of the rear elbow staying inside the rear wrist line will allow for a powerful burst.
Move the Arms Freely
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Lift N' Chop vs Lower N' Sling
Learn to move the arms freely in a pendulum dynamic under your chin vs the shoulders over-rotating. Imagine the arms raising and lowering along the white line of the batter's box. While at the same time you feel your shoulders remaining pointed at home plate like the pictures included. The upper part of the arm swings from a ball n socket
Learn to move the arms freely in a pendulum dynamic under your chin vs the shoulders over-rotating. Imagine the arms raising and lowering along the white line of the batter's box. While at the same time you feel your shoulders remaining pointed at home plate like the pictures included. The upper part of the arm swings from a ball n socket joint.
The 'pendulum' dynamic of your arms will help you ride momentum and keep your core stable. Try to imagine that initial move/tilt with your lead shoulder/arm/foot being somewhat aggressive after that you should be riding momentum. Riding the momentum wave will allow your body to naturally slow down/brace and ultimately free your arms up to launch the swing at any moment. Less steering or carrying the weight of your arms. Feel the power of the arms turning your body... less the torso towing the arms and bat.
The Rear Forearm
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
No doubt the barrel has to go DOWN, however, the action of the rear forearm, having an over-the-top move (across the line) or an efficient restaurant waiter feel (inside the line) will have a significant impact on how the swing gets delivered. Train the rear forearm/wrist to hover to allow for that 'sudden' pivot.
The image of Soto a
No doubt the barrel has to go DOWN, however, the action of the rear forearm, having an over-the-top move (across the line) or an efficient restaurant waiter feel (inside the line) will have a significant impact on how the swing gets delivered. Train the rear forearm/wrist to hover to allow for that 'sudden' pivot.
The image of Soto above with his rear wrist will be difficult for most to find. However, having a thought like 'hands higher before lower' can help pivot the rear forearm through. Rear elbow more inside the wrist for dynamic speed. Terms like "hands to the ball", "flat or upper-cut swing", "barrel rearward" do not have lines in the sand where they are or defined metrics. A lot depends on the action of your rear forearm. Much of it is a feel, your goals as a hitter, or even the generation you grew up in.
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Movement, Athleticism & Appreciation For the Game
Develop running skills, hand-eye coordination and strength that support moves to be a dynamic hitter. Athleticism opens doors and bridges gaps. Athletes know how to push forward, pull back, do just enough or even a fudge a move in a pinch. Learn to move dynamically and have that effortless look.
Surrender moves that feel 'safe' like
Develop running skills, hand-eye coordination and strength that support moves to be a dynamic hitter. Athleticism opens doors and bridges gaps. Athletes know how to push forward, pull back, do just enough or even a fudge a move in a pinch. Learn to move dynamically and have that effortless look.
Surrender moves that feel 'safe' like a 'push'. Pushing feels precise like pushing a book across a counter to someone. Slinging it across the counter with your wrist will have much more speed but might feel slightly less precise at first. Push yourself to be a dynamic mover.
Are you able to sit and watch three innings of a random MLB or college softball game and appreciate the nuances of the game. This is important as it will help you think about and honestly self assess your own game.
MLB Swings Through the Years
A New Generation of MLB Hitters
Compare the swings of retired players like Albert Pujols (relaxed top hand grip that is more under the bat handle throughout the swing) to today’s stars like Bobby Witt, Jr. (strong top hand grip that is more over the bat handle).
HUMILITY
Why are the two best players in the game also the most humble? Perhaps they truly understand how difficult it is to achieve and maintain what they have accomplished.
Contact Brent verticalturn88@gmail.com
I am available for video swing analysis, virtual lessons or in person workshops. Click on my bio to learn more about my background. Thanks!