I worked off the tee very frequently, but i dont really have a certain routine that i use everytime.
Are there any certain routines that would help me.
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Our coach made us do alot of tee, and we'd do top hand, bottom hand, both, you put tee at the lowest setting, have your back leg on your knee and keep your front foot layed out pointing forward and swing with just your upper body. Hope that helps.
A tee routine should be done with a plate. Stand your normal distance from the plate and place the tee in the middle at the front of the plate. You should be able to drive the ball straight up the middle. If you cannot, you may have to change your mechanics or stand closer or away from the plate.
After you consistently drive the ball up the middle, put the tee deeper on the outside corner and drive the ball opposite field.
Then put the ball in front of the plate on the inside corner and go pull side. Make sure you keep your feet in the same place. Don't cheat.
Forget one-hand drills, they are a waste of time. Your hands should work as a unit pulling the knob down then as a unit whipping the barrel through. If you chop a tree down, you don't pull down bottom hand the have the top hand take over. Both hands do both functions.
After you consistently drive the ball up the middle, put the tee deeper on the outside corner and drive the ball opposite field.
Then put the ball in front of the plate on the inside corner and go pull side. Make sure you keep your feet in the same place. Don't cheat.
Forget one-hand drills, they are a waste of time. Your hands should work as a unit pulling the knob down then as a unit whipping the barrel through. If you chop a tree down, you don't pull down bottom hand the have the top hand take over. Both hands do both functions.
Baseballpapa,
Interesting you don't find any value in one-arm drills. I certainly don't focus all of my tee work around one-arm drills, but I certainly find value in some of them.
Here's why: I agree with you that both arms work together, along with the rest of the body, in an efficient swing.
IMO certain-one-hand drills (always done with a lighter bat) allows proper swing path for each hand. Then when both hands are used, the swing become more efficient than it previously was w/o the drills.
Especially with player's who have strength imbalances (large majority these days due to early sports specialization) that cause improper movement patterns.
In your opinion do you feel they are a waste of time or harmful?
Interesting you don't find any value in one-arm drills. I certainly don't focus all of my tee work around one-arm drills, but I certainly find value in some of them.
Here's why: I agree with you that both arms work together, along with the rest of the body, in an efficient swing.
IMO certain-one-hand drills (always done with a lighter bat) allows proper swing path for each hand. Then when both hands are used, the swing become more efficient than it previously was w/o the drills.
Especially with player's who have strength imbalances (large majority these days due to early sports specialization) that cause improper movement patterns.
In your opinion do you feel they are a waste of time or harmful?
Jon, I don't believe one arm drills allows for proper swing path for each hand. One arm swing drills tend to cause a hitter to have length with the arms.
Now if you stand over the player and want to isolate one arm and your going to make sure that his swing path is right everytime then I'll agree a little. Kids tend to hold the bat differently when doing one arm swing drills. They hold it lower and they drag the back arm down and around and create a sweeping action. They cast the front arm away from the body as well. One arm drills are not something that should be done alone.
In my opinion they are a waste of time and are very harmful!
Now if you stand over the player and want to isolate one arm and your going to make sure that his swing path is right everytime then I'll agree a little. Kids tend to hold the bat differently when doing one arm swing drills. They hold it lower and they drag the back arm down and around and create a sweeping action. They cast the front arm away from the body as well. One arm drills are not something that should be done alone.
In my opinion they are a waste of time and are very harmful!
Baseball is life
I would recommend putting the ball on the T in the proper location for contact in relation to the plate for an outside pitch. Then for a pitch down the middle and then for a pitch to the pull side. Now take a 2nd T and put it 10 feet away and put a ball on it. Put the 2nd T to the ooposite field side. NOW, hit the ball off the T and knock the ball off the 2nd T. 25 trys to do it. Now put the 2nd T right in line with the mound, 10 feet away, and 25 more try's to knock the ball off. Now do the same thing to the pull side. This will help you learn to center the ball more often.
Here is tha analogy. Lets say you and I go play golf and we get to a par 3 thats 140 yards long. I give you a club and I say hold your hands like this and your arms like this and stand like this and swing back like this and keep your head like this......but ME on the other side. Well I just grab the club and hit it. Who do you think has a better chance at hitting the ball on the green?
Make adjustments in your stance and your swing as you are hitting those 75 balls off the T with the goal in mind of knocking the ball off the 2nd T. When you can knock the ball off the T then repeat that same stance and swing and do it again. and again. and again. Now you are beginning to grove your best stroke to give you the best chance at centering the ball.
I would recommend putting the ball on the T in the proper location for contact in relation to the plate for an outside pitch. Then for a pitch down the middle and then for a pitch to the pull side. Now take a 2nd T and put it 10 feet away and put a ball on it. Put the 2nd T to the ooposite field side. NOW, hit the ball off the T and knock the ball off the 2nd T. 25 trys to do it. Now put the 2nd T right in line with the mound, 10 feet away, and 25 more try's to knock the ball off. Now do the same thing to the pull side. This will help you learn to center the ball more often.
Here is tha analogy. Lets say you and I go play golf and we get to a par 3 thats 140 yards long. I give you a club and I say hold your hands like this and your arms like this and stand like this and swing back like this and keep your head like this......but ME on the other side. Well I just grab the club and hit it. Who do you think has a better chance at hitting the ball on the green?
Make adjustments in your stance and your swing as you are hitting those 75 balls off the T with the goal in mind of knocking the ball off the 2nd T. When you can knock the ball off the T then repeat that same stance and swing and do it again. and again. and again. Now you are beginning to grove your best stroke to give you the best chance at centering the ball.
I guess my opinion on one-handed drills will vary from most on this board.
I have found them to be helpful and will continue to use them.
I typically use different variations of them and, of course, am always watching my hitters very closely so I can make sure everything is done properly.
But yes I agree most will use improper mechanics when doing them, this is one reason I always use a VERY light bat when doing so.
I have found them to be helpful and will continue to use them.
I typically use different variations of them and, of course, am always watching my hitters very closely so I can make sure everything is done properly.
But yes I agree most will use improper mechanics when doing them, this is one reason I always use a VERY light bat when doing so.
Mr. Doyle,
I should amend my response. I think one-hand drills are fine for very young players to teach the path. I do believe later they are counter-productive because the hands are a unit in the swing and not individual.
If I teach really young players I may work a some one-handed drills, but as you say with a lighter bat. If the young player uses the same bat as a game bat, it is just too heavy even if they choke up. Also, by moving up the bat they get a different feel and that doesn't help.
Jon, experiment with some of your students that are older telling them to use both hands to initiate and both hands to bring the barrel in at contact -- see if their bat speeds immediately change. (Do it yourself.)
By the way, you and Vance probably have forgotten more than I've ever known about hitting. However, I'm pretty convinced that the emphasis of the hands has not helped (except with the very young.)
To answer your question, I think it hurts with the older kids -- there is too much to do in a lesson to emphasize what does not take place in the swing. I think it helps with the little guys to show swing path.
I should amend my response. I think one-hand drills are fine for very young players to teach the path. I do believe later they are counter-productive because the hands are a unit in the swing and not individual.
If I teach really young players I may work a some one-handed drills, but as you say with a lighter bat. If the young player uses the same bat as a game bat, it is just too heavy even if they choke up. Also, by moving up the bat they get a different feel and that doesn't help.
Jon, experiment with some of your students that are older telling them to use both hands to initiate and both hands to bring the barrel in at contact -- see if their bat speeds immediately change. (Do it yourself.)
By the way, you and Vance probably have forgotten more than I've ever known about hitting. However, I'm pretty convinced that the emphasis of the hands has not helped (except with the very young.)
To answer your question, I think it hurts with the older kids -- there is too much to do in a lesson to emphasize what does not take place in the swing. I think it helps with the little guys to show swing path.
our coach has us do one arm drills and i hate it mainly because he doesnt even show us how to do it right i think he just heard about it somewhere and figured it would help but just causes many problems
Baseballpapa we agree but with the one hand drills. I think that they can be of great benefit. Of course they can also be of no value at all. Ironically, people tend to not want to discuss hands, as I often do, and yet, it seems as if every now and then, we comment on hands. I think that one handed T can be a great tool to teach NOT TO CAST AWAY FROM THE BODY. One coaching point, I don't think it is a good idea to finish with one hand drills. I do think it is a progression thing. I also don't believe in a bunch of one handed drill reps. Again, a progression to two hands.
Baseballpapa is right on the mark when he mentions that it isn't a good idea to do any T drills without a plate.
One other drill - We like to use Shutt T's and have target at the other end of a cage. By hitting a target areas, you can somewhat (limited) judge balls in flight which is really your goal out of that cage area. JMHO!
ps, T drills are a great way to teach spine angle. Again, JMHO!
Baseballpapa is right on the mark when he mentions that it isn't a good idea to do any T drills without a plate.
One other drill - We like to use Shutt T's and have target at the other end of a cage. By hitting a target areas, you can somewhat (limited) judge balls in flight which is really your goal out of that cage area. JMHO!
ps, T drills are a great way to teach spine angle. Again, JMHO!
quote:T drills are a great way to teach spine angle
Excellent point Coach
