Hi all,
My son has been told that before he gets to the ball instead of being quick he brings his hands out.
Any tips/drills to keep his hands inside untill he extends for contact.
Thanks,
full_count
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In the above photo sequence, put your son in the position on the left, doing tee work 1st, then soft toss. In that position, he should punch back toward the Catcher and in one motion turn his belly button to the ball using his abs, glutes and legs until he reaches position three. The tee should be set in the middle of the plate approx. 6" in front of the front hip in position 1. The first movement with the hands from position 1 should be to point the knob at the ball and then swing as he would normally.
This is ONLY A DRILL to get the hitter to feel where the hands actually start to take the sweetspot to the ball. The reason a hitter gets outside the ball is because they start the top hand too soon to the ball and do not get the hips started soon enough.
Note the position of the bat shaft in photo 3. Your sons bathead at this point is more than likely almost even with his hands.
i have a very simple drill that i have found great success with players at every level....
get a piece of surgical tubing or an ace bandage. If your son is a right handed batter then wrap his left arm to his torso just above the elbow. Tie it off just tight enough so it will stay in place without hurting or cutting of circulation.
Once "tied up" send him to a tee and tell him to take about 50-100 swings a day. This drill forces him to "stay short" and keep his "hands inside the ball".
He will feel restricted at first, so be sure to remind him that explosive hip rotation leads the hands, shoulders and eventually the bat to the point of contact.
For each session have him take his final 10 swings without the tubing in place.
get a piece of surgical tubing or an ace bandage. If your son is a right handed batter then wrap his left arm to his torso just above the elbow. Tie it off just tight enough so it will stay in place without hurting or cutting of circulation.
Once "tied up" send him to a tee and tell him to take about 50-100 swings a day. This drill forces him to "stay short" and keep his "hands inside the ball".
He will feel restricted at first, so be sure to remind him that explosive hip rotation leads the hands, shoulders and eventually the bat to the point of contact.
For each session have him take his final 10 swings without the tubing in place.
That sounds like a good drill. I'll have to try that out.
You can also have him hit the center to the inside of the baseball when hitting off the tee and the pitch. If you hit this part of the ball your hands physically have no other choice but to be inside the ball and even with the ball at worst.
Very little emphasis is placed on what part of the baseball to hit and tracking the ball.
Very little emphasis is placed on what part of the baseball to hit and tracking the ball.
