What do you do when you meet 2 very effective coaches that teach you 2 very different swings and they both expect you to keep working on the swing they taught you?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
You go with what feels more comfortable, and what gives you the best results.
If you play on teams with both of them (hopefully not on the same team), try both styles. Use each coach's style in his practice, but use what you think is your best swing in games.
Many of baseball's great hitters always had coaches trying to change their swing style.
Many of baseball's great hitters always had coaches trying to change their swing style.
Understand why each coach is teaching their specific style. Is it really different or is the terminology different? Is it an ego thing? (It really shouldn't be too different once you get your front foot down.)
Over your career, you'll have coaches who become major influences and other coaches who you won't take much from. In most cases, success will keep 'em quiet. I don't agree with taking swings according to a certain style depending on which practice you are at. Your instruction shouldn't be the coaches preferred style. It should be the style that best suites your body and skills/tools.
If possible, set up video sessions with each coach and get into more detail - this will help you communicate your concerns about the different styles. Even if you are using video on a cell phone, it will help.
Over your career, you'll have coaches who become major influences and other coaches who you won't take much from. In most cases, success will keep 'em quiet. I don't agree with taking swings according to a certain style depending on which practice you are at. Your instruction shouldn't be the coaches preferred style. It should be the style that best suites your body and skills/tools.
If possible, set up video sessions with each coach and get into more detail - this will help you communicate your concerns about the different styles. Even if you are using video on a cell phone, it will help.
Recognize that everything before toe touch, and everything after ball contact, is personal style.
Everything in between is substance.
Only use a hitting technique that matches the top MLB hitters' actual swing substance.
Everything in between is substance.
Only use a hitting technique that matches the top MLB hitters' actual swing substance.
quote:Originally posted by BobbyTewks:
Over your career, you'll have coaches who become major influences and other coaches who you won't take much from. In most cases, success will keep 'em quiet. I don't agree with taking swings according to a certain style depending on which practice you are at. Your instruction shouldn't be the coaches preferred style. It should be the style that best suites your body and skills/tools.
That might be the best advice I've ever read in this hitting section. I agree 100%.
Most good hitters have a natural swing that will need refining and adjustments. Most importantly it needs to be repeated thousands of times.
As long as the results are good why change it to fit a particular coaches philosophies.
My answer to the original question is to stop going to one of the coaches. If they are team coaches I would bet that if you are hitting the ball well they won't care which way you hit.
Some coaches demand that every player do as they say if that player wants to get on the field. It may be well meaning, but I suspect it is more an ego thing.
Some coaches are disciples of one school of hitting while another may of another school.
This is a common problem in youth baseball right to the pros. I have often heard it said that the best advice any player got from a hitting coach was what restaurants to visit.
In order to keep the peace and get playing time, a youth player has to give to each coach what they want.
No matter what style a player uses and is successful will be claimed to be the result of each coach's teaching.
Some coaches are disciples of one school of hitting while another may of another school.
This is a common problem in youth baseball right to the pros. I have often heard it said that the best advice any player got from a hitting coach was what restaurants to visit.
In order to keep the peace and get playing time, a youth player has to give to each coach what they want.
No matter what style a player uses and is successful will be claimed to be the result of each coach's teaching.
Quincy,
HS coaches with an ego....nahhhh.LOL.
Used to have some guys that worked for me with the " If it is running good , fix it" habit. Named it the O'Shields Syndrome in honor of one of them. The man just had to tinker; drove us crazy at times. Have to have a mechanical attitude adjustment meeting with him; the mechanical part was putting my foot in his butt; it took care of the attitude adjustment.
Use rotational mechanics with the foot...lol.
HS coaches with an ego....nahhhh.LOL.
Used to have some guys that worked for me with the " If it is running good , fix it" habit. Named it the O'Shields Syndrome in honor of one of them. The man just had to tinker; drove us crazy at times. Have to have a mechanical attitude adjustment meeting with him; the mechanical part was putting my foot in his butt; it took care of the attitude adjustment.
Use rotational mechanics with the foot...lol.
quote:the mechanical part was putting my foot in his ####;....
I really don't understand why you are like you are....You mock God and the Bible and curse on this board.....You are quick to tell us how you spend time with MLB players and throw names around........You talk about people who worked FOR you, not with you....You can't discuss stuff with those who disagree with you.....You seem to want to run down others in an attempt to make you look better....
You never post clips to prove your point....When others do, who disagree with you, you ignore the evidence....
Why?
quote:Originally posted by a.axum581:
What do you do when you meet 2 very effective coaches that teach you 2 very different swings and they both expect you to keep working on the swing they taught you?
Have you ever thought of talking to each of them and be honest with them about what makes sense to you from what each says and what does not? I've coached a lot of young men who "get it" right away in terms that I use. I could say the same with the opposite result. However, when we've discussed terms, technique, ... we've always been able to come to some point where we help the young man out. Finally, any good coach or instructor SHOULD be asking you for feed back during and after instruction/practice. If not, give them feedback. My child and I are close and we do just that. However, even with my child, recently we discovered that she misunderstood one simple principal that I thought she knew for years. Simply put, you can not communicate enough with anyone who is trying to coach you if you want to be successful. JMHO!
Bluedog,
Really, I didn't know you were so sensitive. Rude but sensitive. Very touching post but the jealousy angle is somewhat un-becoming to you.
Ignore you and your evidence? How could you possibly be so offended being that you ignore questions? Please keep posting the videos... just analyze them properly in the future.
Still need that soft-ball sponsorship?
Really, I didn't know you were so sensitive. Rude but sensitive. Very touching post but the jealousy angle is somewhat un-becoming to you.
Ignore you and your evidence? How could you possibly be so offended being that you ignore questions? Please keep posting the videos... just analyze them properly in the future.
Still need that soft-ball sponsorship?
