What are some of the best indoor drills, o/t live BP, to promote the development of the "high level/major league swing"?
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For me and many other players we like front toss as opposed to soft toss (from the side) or tee work.
Normal front toss is done from about 15 feet away from the hitter. You can be sitting down or standing up as you toss.
This drill is a good way to get swing in seeing the ball come from the same direction as bp would while be able to control the location of the pitches better.
Ever time I hit I start or at least use this drill before I take my first swings on the field.
Now this drill doesn't put the hitter in a position to hit with a high level swing per se, because it is similar to bp. I'm just telling you a drill that the majority of high level hitters do.
It is a great drill to work with at any time during the development or maintenance of the high level swing.
I know for me it was essential in getting the feel for the "tip n' rip."
Normal front toss is done from about 15 feet away from the hitter. You can be sitting down or standing up as you toss.
This drill is a good way to get swing in seeing the ball come from the same direction as bp would while be able to control the location of the pitches better.
Ever time I hit I start or at least use this drill before I take my first swings on the field.
Now this drill doesn't put the hitter in a position to hit with a high level swing per se, because it is similar to bp. I'm just telling you a drill that the majority of high level hitters do.
It is a great drill to work with at any time during the development or maintenance of the high level swing.
I know for me it was essential in getting the feel for the "tip n' rip."
Thanks B-Max, I have been pouring over this and other sites and I am impressed with your knowledge and that of other hitting gurus on this site. I read somewhere of a drill where hitter sets up behind the tee and steps up to hit ball. Can someone explain this drill and its relevance?
I just took my post from a previous thread and pasted it on here
I see Pujols' back foot coming off the ground for a split second. The overwhelming majority of MLB hitters do this as they swing.
IMO this is not something that you should focus on in the box as you swing. Rather, it is a product of proper rotation and weight shift.
Maybe you could try a little more of a narrow stance to gain better rotation. IMO the wide stance is fine as long as it does not hinder your rotation, which I think is an issue with you. Don't get me wrong, you are rotating, I just think you can do it better.
A good drill for this was taught to me by Tony Tarasco, my hitting coach my first year in pro ball. First, he switched out my bat and gave me a fungo to swing with. He set up a tee and had me line it up with my stance at a location of a fastball down the middle.
Once I had my stance set, he had me step straight back (towards where the catcher would be) 1 1/2 steps. What you do is replace your front foot where your back foot was and then another half step. Once there, turn your front side out and face the tee at a 45 degree angle (I hope this is easy to follow).
To get set, put your feet together and rest the bat on your back shoulder, arms and hands loose to the point where you can almost tap your elbows together. Now step towards the tee with your back foot (trying to reach where your back foot originally was, even though you may not reach it). It is important when you step with that back foot that you are strong and loaded on it, with some knee flexion. Follow with your front foot stride and swing, nice and loose with your goal being a hard line drive up the middle.
This should most definitely bring your back foot WAY off the ground, to where you can get a feel for it and a proper, complete weight shift.
The reason for the fungo is to really get the feel of the head of the bat and throwing it out at the direction of the pitcher.
If this drill doesn't make sense to you, let me know, but if it does, try it out. I think it could help you really get a feel for using your body more effectively in your swing.
I see Pujols' back foot coming off the ground for a split second. The overwhelming majority of MLB hitters do this as they swing.
IMO this is not something that you should focus on in the box as you swing. Rather, it is a product of proper rotation and weight shift.
Maybe you could try a little more of a narrow stance to gain better rotation. IMO the wide stance is fine as long as it does not hinder your rotation, which I think is an issue with you. Don't get me wrong, you are rotating, I just think you can do it better.
A good drill for this was taught to me by Tony Tarasco, my hitting coach my first year in pro ball. First, he switched out my bat and gave me a fungo to swing with. He set up a tee and had me line it up with my stance at a location of a fastball down the middle.
Once I had my stance set, he had me step straight back (towards where the catcher would be) 1 1/2 steps. What you do is replace your front foot where your back foot was and then another half step. Once there, turn your front side out and face the tee at a 45 degree angle (I hope this is easy to follow).
To get set, put your feet together and rest the bat on your back shoulder, arms and hands loose to the point where you can almost tap your elbows together. Now step towards the tee with your back foot (trying to reach where your back foot originally was, even though you may not reach it). It is important when you step with that back foot that you are strong and loaded on it, with some knee flexion. Follow with your front foot stride and swing, nice and loose with your goal being a hard line drive up the middle.
This should most definitely bring your back foot WAY off the ground, to where you can get a feel for it and a proper, complete weight shift.
The reason for the fungo is to really get the feel of the head of the bat and throwing it out at the direction of the pitcher.
If this drill doesn't make sense to you, let me know, but if it does, try it out. I think it could help you really get a feel for using your body more effectively in your swing.
Does this reinforce loading and weight shift on swing?
Front toss, front toss, and more front toss.
We do no side "soft toss" at all.
Beemax, great advice.
Not only can you regulate location but speed, if you feel the need to.
Flintoide,
The walk up tee drill;
Personally I like it for a couple of reasons,
* Gets a kid "into his legs".
* I want them upper body loading as they move (take the step) into the swing.
* IMO, teaches them to stride correctly / better.
(Get off the backside)
Last thing about this, have the hitter looking out at an imaginary pitcher when doing this drill.
The reason I say that is because when they look down at the ball the entire time, they tend to get "too steep" with the shoulders.
So, I tell them,
Look out at the pitcher and imagine tracking the ball by moving the eyes rather than the head,,although it will move some.
If that makes sense.
We do no side "soft toss" at all.
Beemax, great advice.
Not only can you regulate location but speed, if you feel the need to.
Flintoide,
The walk up tee drill;
Personally I like it for a couple of reasons,
* Gets a kid "into his legs".
* I want them upper body loading as they move (take the step) into the swing.
* IMO, teaches them to stride correctly / better.
(Get off the backside)
Last thing about this, have the hitter looking out at an imaginary pitcher when doing this drill.
The reason I say that is because when they look down at the ball the entire time, they tend to get "too steep" with the shoulders.
So, I tell them,
Look out at the pitcher and imagine tracking the ball by moving the eyes rather than the head,,although it will move some.
If that makes sense.
Yes, and this drill is just one way to do it. It is not the only drill to work on loading your back leg and shifting it into a firm front side, but I have experience with it and I liked it.
Thanks fellas. What about some one handed/armed drills?
quote:Originally posted by Flintoide:
Does this reinforce loading and weight shift on swing?
Yes.
Sorry for the duplicate ideas, I was typing while beemax was already done.
Beemax;
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>>>Once I had my stance set, he had me step straight back (towards where the catcher would be) 1 1/2 steps. What you do is replace your front foot where your back foot was and then another half step. Once there, turn your front side out and face the tee at a 45 degree angle (I hope this is easy to follow).>>>
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Yes sir, great description.
My son is going to a new hitting coach who has him hit his first 20 balls or so off a high T. Since most T's don't go high enough he has them sit the T on a bucket and gets the ball up at the upper part of the letters. Forces kids to keep their hands up and promotes a flat swing. I am not a hitting expert but it seems to be working, and he has some kids that can really smack the ball.
