Very Basic Hitting Technique

Squish the bug with your back foot

I do not like this cue at all. Bad baseball cue that has been passed on from generation to generation. Show the pitcher your laces is much better IMO. Some kids even get their foot off the ground.

I don't like "squish the bug", either. If the weight transfer is correct and the hands take the right path, the rest of the body has no choice but to follow. The rotation of the back foot is a consequence of the rest of the body doing the right thing.

I am use to the girls not turning their back foot, so we always said "squish the bug". But I guess if they would have rotated their hips better that would have also helped fix that problem. So that would be one thing to change is to make sure that the hips rotate, thus making your back foot to turn.

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Originally posted by Coach Yosten:
I am use to the girls not turning their back foot, so we always said "squish the bug". But I guess if they would have rotated their hips better that would have also helped fix that problem. So that would be one thing to change is to make sure that the hips rotate, thus making your back foot to turn.

There is no way someone could teach you how to Coach hitting a baseball on a website. There is too many factors involved. You should find a good hitting instructor in your area and take several lessons. Make sure you let the instructor know why you are taking the lessons and who you will be teaching. If you are planning on starting this Fall, put an ad on here, your local paper, on eteamz, or some other medium and get a true "baseball" hitting Coach, at least until you learn some real basics. Hitting a baseball and hitting a softball are truly two different skill sets. Softball is a sport where people that can no longer, or never could hit a baseball go to keep playing ball. IMO

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Softball is a sport where people that can no longer, or never could hit a baseball go to keep playing ball. IMO

Quick, get on the flame-proof suits.

What's wrong with young girls playing softball?
The guy used to coach softball, he wants to work in the baseball arena now... big deal. No, you can't learn hitting from a website, but you can gain information that will factor into how you want to teach hitting.
Coach Yosten; welcome to the baseball crowd and good luck.
(count me in the non-squish the bug camp too)

I obviously know that you can not learn hitting from a message board. I was just asking to see if the techniques that we used to teach the girls hitting were anywhere similar to the ways of teaching boys hitting. I know the pitchers delivery is different and that is a factor, but as far as the basic FORM of hitting goes, if it is the same or different. I have been already watching hitting videos and talking to hitting instructors about the approach and stance.

Coach Y, I have Mike Epstein's DVD "Do We Really Teach What We See" and believe that you will find it immensely useful. In the first half of it Mike talks about many aspects of hitting, and the things that nearly all good hitters do. One of the many things he discusses is the 'squishing the bug' thing, and as has already been mentioned it's not the foot rotation that drives the hips, but rather the hips that drive the foot rotation.

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Originally posted by Coach Yosten:
I obviously know that you can not learn hitting from a message board. I was just asking to see if the techniques that we used to teach the girls hitting were anywhere similar to the ways of teaching boys hitting. I know the pitchers delivery is different and that is a factor, but as far as the basic FORM of hitting goes, if it is the same or different. I have been already watching hitting videos and talking to hitting instructors about the approach and stance.

I appologize for jumping to conclusions. I didn't realize you were Coaching fast pitch Softball before. In todays fast-pitch game, many of the girls are using the same basic mechanics as baseball hitters. They are no longer running and hitting at the same time. You are on the right track by doing the things you are doing as far as learning goes. I too have the Epstein video as Stylemismatch mentions in his response and found it very helpful. I also have John Cohen's dvd on hitting that you can get on U of K's website and have found that it has some of the best hitting drills I have ever seen. As far as squish the bug is concerned, it will work in place of the kids not using their hips or core at all and may even be the easiest way to get the kids not to use all arms and to be in the correct position at contact. Having said that though, it is not the "best" way to teach hitting, but depending on the age, starting ability, and time you have to spend with each hitter may be your best option. I would say that if time is a problem, encourage the better players to go to a trained hitting instructor when possible, at least until you are comfortable with the teaching yourself and let the kids and Parents know that you are in a learning process. Also, at this point, if a kid is having success at what he is doing, but it doesn't fit with what you are learning, leave them alone! As always, this is JMO! Good luck to you!

micmesier you have a PM.

How do you like John Cohen's DVD? I saw some clips on FOX sports from his hitting DVD.

Since we have supporters of different hitting philosophies on this site, I'd like to say that my girl plays fastpitch. I coach my girl with exactly the say technique as I coached the baseball team. In doing so, I've found Steve Englishbey's DVDs very useful. Also, his website both public and private are very useful and contain a "library" of videos and demonstrations. Some even of my kid.

Buying DVDs, having the desire to learn, being open to looking at hitting from different perspectives is all necessary for a coach to first research and then finally, discover a methodology that will enable them to have success. Coach Y, if you're looking for a very simple hitting philosophy and someone tells you that they have the solution, be careful. You've probably purchased a cat in a sack. What you now have to do is determine just what kind of coach you want to be. If you want to get after it and really learn your subject matter, you have the resorces available. However, if you want to give lip service to working hard, you'll find all too many people that will take your money and run. JMHO!

If you have any questions you'd like to discuss on the private message portion of this site, I've sent you a pm. Just reply to it.

Darrell

Coach B25,

That is very useful info. I have been down that road before in buying DVD's and buying into different hitting and throwing programs. I have found success thus far for my son and we are keeping at it. You can learn from everyone in my opinion and keeping an open mind is key. You can learn alot from all the guru's and don't fall into the trap of buying into one program.

Good luck!

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You can learn from everyone in my opinion and keeping an open mind is key. You can learn alot from all the guru's and don't fall into the trap of buying into one program.

Ditto! Open mind, listen, emulate the great MLB hitters and continue to be a student of the game as there is so much to learn.

All excellent advise in this thread.

If MLB hitters dont' do it, then, don't do it......They are the best hitters in the world.....

Hitting a moving ball with a bat is the same no matter who is pitching the ball....

Hitting a grapefruit with a tree branch would be the same, also....

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Originally posted by BlueDog:
If MLB hitters dont' do it, then, don't do it......They are the best hitters in the world.....

Hitting a moving ball with a bat is the same no matter who is pitching the ball....

Hitting a grapefruit with a tree branch would be the same, also....

So...clone hitters, huh? Which MLB hitters should he watch and teach from??? Today's hitters? Which ones? Ichiro??? Bonds??? Guerrero??? Counsel??? Hitters from the early 1900s??? Which ones? Ty Cobb??? Rogers Hornsby??? Mel Ott???

What you dont know about class or baseball could fill a book.... A really long book.

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Originally posted by deemax:
What you dont know about class or baseball could fill a book.... A really long book.

Coming from the one who started with the personal attacks in this conversation, that is a really funny comment. As far as what I know about baseball, I'm quite cetain I've forgotten more about baseball than you've ever known, ever will know, or have the mental capacity to learn. You need to go to a website where bashing each other is the goal and get off of one where people are trying to help each other learn.

Micmiester

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Hank Aaron had over 12,000 at bats and that is the only reason he is the all time home run leader. I think if he played today he would be at best a .200 hitter unless he changed his style.

Micshiester

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As far as what I know about baseball, I'm quite cetain I've forgotten more about baseball than you've ever known, ever will know, or have the mental capacity to learn.

Im quite certain you have forgotten alot of baseball to Mic, I just disagree with what its in relation to.

micliceter

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I think he was a great player and I have NEVER said he wasn't!

micliceter

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I think if he (HANK AARON) played today he would be at best a .200 hitter unless he changed his style.

Great players hit better then 200.

YOU "Might want to check Hank's stats." I know what his stats are and what he did against the best pitchers in the game, including some of the best pitchers of all time.

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Dude! Get a dictionary or spell checker!

I dont need a spell checker when I got you, and thats the extent of your value. Thanks for the lesson in typo's.