It is really easy as a coach to turn our hitters into robots. We need to be careful about how we communicate things/how often we communicate things, so that we don't create a hitter that is over meticulous about what they are doing. This is especially important when our guys are competing against a pitcher in front of them. The tee and cage are where we can be a little more detailed when it comes to working on specific things. Here, we can be more conscious of how the body is moving to get us in the right spot to hit consistently. It is VERY important that our hitters understand how their bodies move, but let's form that understanding in the cage. Then in game, they will be better able to feel things and make adjustments themselves. But most importantly, when it comes time to compete with a pitcher, I want hitters that trust and turn it loose, attacking to their plan in the box.
One essential aspect to the swing for me is rhythm. Hitters need to understand how their bodies move to establish rhythm in the box. I say all the time to our hitters "if you can hit, you can dance." Our rhythm in the box is there for us to match the rhythm of the pitcher in front of us. We need to "dance with the pitcher," so that we can put ourselves in the best position to be on time for his best fastball. The truth is nobody likes a stiff dancer. How many of you have been at a wedding and seen that stiff dancer on the dance floor? It's not the easiest thing to watch. Kudos to that person for having the courage to get out there and move (that's typically the 1st step), but there is no looseness and explosion. Hitting is a fast twitch action, and that comes from loose/rhythmic pre-swing movements. Just like how nobody likes a stiff dancer, nobody likes a stiff hitter. I like to focus on rhythm early, so that hitters understand how it puts them in a position to not only be on time, but also explosive when it comes time to swing. There are a lot of great rhythm drills out there that force the hitters to "feel how their body is moving." I think that is incredibly important.
What is most important to me is how consistently we can get into a "strong athletic hitting position" at front heel strike. For me, there are certain factors I look for when getting into this position. Here are some pictures of some of the best hitters in the world at front heel strike:
You see a lot of similarities in these pictures. I call this the "strong athletic hitting position." Here are some specific things that I notice:
1) Their heads are roughly right in the middle of their feet. They are centered/balanced in a position to rotate around their axis. Hitting is an athletic move just like playing defense in basketball. When I ask a hitter to show me how they would guard me in basketball, they show me an action where their head is in the middle of their feet, with some bend in their knees, ready to fire any sort of direction.
2) They are able to maintain their center by landing in a firm front side position. Notice there is slight bend in the front knee; that is good as it allows for proper hip rotation/freedom. Even with that bend, they are in the ground with their whole front foot, strong, grounded, and ready to fire. Also notice how all their knees are inside their front foot. There is no "leaking" forward. They have energy stored, ready to explode on the baseball thanks to their firm front side. Typically, the front knee will straighten out as the barrel reaches the baseball. This is because the back hip fires to that firm front side.
3) Their hands are stretched back (roughly over their back foot). This is important when it comes to creating adjustability within the swing. We can better lag the barrel on off-speed pitches when we have our hands stretched back at front heel strike. There is more that goes into creating adjustability in the swing, but the hands back is a good first step.
4) You are starting to see the beginning of the ground, up swing process. What I look for with this is at front heel plant, the back knee creates distance away from the back foot, while the head stays centered, and our front side holds strong. The best swings are those that work from the ground up. The ground, up approach creates torque within the body to maximize our ability to create bat speed.
5) There is a clear picture with all these guys where their shoulders are separated from their hips. Many hitters have issues when their hips and shoulders fly open together. I like the cue of "land with your front shoulder inside your front hip." See if you can see that in these pictures. This coiling action is important when it comes to being able to generate bat speed, while also having plate coverage.
**It is important to note that HOW these hitters load during their pre-swing movements also helps in landing in this strong athletic hitting position. That can be a conversation for another time.
This is where I like to start with hitters. They need to have rhythm in their bodies with their pre-swing movements, but then land in an "strong athletic hitting position," so they have the best ability to be on time and do damage to the baseball. When a hitter understands what a strong athletic hitting position feels like, it then becomes easier to work on the other important aspects of the swing.
There is no doubt that there is a direct correlation to why these guys all look the same at front heel strike, and their success as hitters.
Thanks again for reading.
Yours in baseball,
Burm
One essential aspect to the swing for me is rhythm. Hitters need to understand how their bodies move to establish rhythm in the box. I say all the time to our hitters "if you can hit, you can dance." Our rhythm in the box is there for us to match the rhythm of the pitcher in front of us. We need to "dance with the pitcher," so that we can put ourselves in the best position to be on time for his best fastball. The truth is nobody likes a stiff dancer. How many of you have been at a wedding and seen that stiff dancer on the dance floor? It's not the easiest thing to watch. Kudos to that person for having the courage to get out there and move (that's typically the 1st step), but there is no looseness and explosion. Hitting is a fast twitch action, and that comes from loose/rhythmic pre-swing movements. Just like how nobody likes a stiff dancer, nobody likes a stiff hitter. I like to focus on rhythm early, so that hitters understand how it puts them in a position to not only be on time, but also explosive when it comes time to swing. There are a lot of great rhythm drills out there that force the hitters to "feel how their body is moving." I think that is incredibly important.
What is most important to me is how consistently we can get into a "strong athletic hitting position" at front heel strike. For me, there are certain factors I look for when getting into this position. Here are some pictures of some of the best hitters in the world at front heel strike:
You see a lot of similarities in these pictures. I call this the "strong athletic hitting position." Here are some specific things that I notice:
1) Their heads are roughly right in the middle of their feet. They are centered/balanced in a position to rotate around their axis. Hitting is an athletic move just like playing defense in basketball. When I ask a hitter to show me how they would guard me in basketball, they show me an action where their head is in the middle of their feet, with some bend in their knees, ready to fire any sort of direction.
2) They are able to maintain their center by landing in a firm front side position. Notice there is slight bend in the front knee; that is good as it allows for proper hip rotation/freedom. Even with that bend, they are in the ground with their whole front foot, strong, grounded, and ready to fire. Also notice how all their knees are inside their front foot. There is no "leaking" forward. They have energy stored, ready to explode on the baseball thanks to their firm front side. Typically, the front knee will straighten out as the barrel reaches the baseball. This is because the back hip fires to that firm front side.
3) Their hands are stretched back (roughly over their back foot). This is important when it comes to creating adjustability within the swing. We can better lag the barrel on off-speed pitches when we have our hands stretched back at front heel strike. There is more that goes into creating adjustability in the swing, but the hands back is a good first step.
4) You are starting to see the beginning of the ground, up swing process. What I look for with this is at front heel plant, the back knee creates distance away from the back foot, while the head stays centered, and our front side holds strong. The best swings are those that work from the ground up. The ground, up approach creates torque within the body to maximize our ability to create bat speed.
5) There is a clear picture with all these guys where their shoulders are separated from their hips. Many hitters have issues when their hips and shoulders fly open together. I like the cue of "land with your front shoulder inside your front hip." See if you can see that in these pictures. This coiling action is important when it comes to being able to generate bat speed, while also having plate coverage.
**It is important to note that HOW these hitters load during their pre-swing movements also helps in landing in this strong athletic hitting position. That can be a conversation for another time.
This is where I like to start with hitters. They need to have rhythm in their bodies with their pre-swing movements, but then land in an "strong athletic hitting position," so they have the best ability to be on time and do damage to the baseball. When a hitter understands what a strong athletic hitting position feels like, it then becomes easier to work on the other important aspects of the swing.
There is no doubt that there is a direct correlation to why these guys all look the same at front heel strike, and their success as hitters.
Thanks again for reading.
Yours in baseball,
Burm
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