Building a hitter from scratch

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Sep 17, 2009
1,637
83
I agree that this is a good place to start, especially when working with someone with limited experience. That said, I also agree with chrisspots concerning the use of "cookie cutters". It can be too easy to focus on drills and such, and take athleticism away from a developing hitter. I think it is important for a hitting coach to understand the difference between style and sequence. Know what adjustments are needed, and what adjustments could be detrimental. My personal preference is to work with hitters individually. If I spend even 15 minutes with an engaged hitter, I believe we can make some progress. That said, this isn't always possible in a team setting. At a recent V/JV practice, I was asked to work with 16 hitters and I only had 1 hour to do it. This required the use of several stations with tee drills, and myself in a cage throwing front toss. Generally speaking, I am not even a fan of tee drills other than as a warm up, but having 15 hitters standing around while one was in the cage seemed unthinkable to me. Maybe some other coaches are better in that type of team setting, but in my opinion, it limits the overall effectiveness of the instruction. JMO.

I've instructed hitting in a team/group setting and IMO you have to have at least one and maybe 1.5 walk/talk sessions where you really explain drills, what you're trying to accomplish and how to execute drills. Not every hitter may buy into it or even be listening, truthfully, but it sets up some reference points and common language ALL your coaches can use with hitters and some hitters may really buy in from the start and benefit from the details.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
I have to say that I have never picked linear or rotational and believe both terms to be marketing terms and have very little to do with exclusive action in the swing. In fact, if you intend to coach a high level swing, you coach elements of both since video of the best hitters (Hanson Principle) demonstrate that the best do both. I have an idea of what a high level swing looks like with regards to sequence etc. So, I look at a hitter and then determine which drills to use to mold that hitter into the hitter I believe that the can be.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
I wasn't saying I don't like it... trying to convey that I opted not to buy it... so can't speak to it. I like any video instruction... right or wrong... I don't care :cool:

I got the impression that the OP was in hurry, without time to take a class. Says he's working with them now... I'm in same crunch... Schoolball hasn't started for DD until mid-Feb... we started a month early this year. Just found out it will be starting next week .... I'm panicked too... :confused:

A little more on the situation: I was working with junior high players, but I only have once a week at most to work with them (dependent on gym availability). So it's not so much time as opportunity. I could see only having another half dozen days where I can get them resembling a real hitter before the spring.

So I do have the time to do the research to learn what I need to, though taking a class (unless it's online) could be tough.

For everybody else, tons of great info here.

What does everybody think about showing these videos to the players before implementing the drills? Many of these videos are directed at coaches, but I don't see much harm in telling them to watch the video because that's what we'll work on next time. They're kids so who knows if they'll spend 8 minutes watching a hitting drill video, but they might!
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Here is my understanding of rotational/linear... FeetFirst....pick one best suited for the individual hitter.

K_L-R_L_.gif

Can you clarify...Are you saying that one of these is "rotational" and the other is "linear"?

My challenge with a "feet first" approach is that - once the feet are set in the initial stance - what happens with the feet is reactionary to what's happening above. The feet should not be where the focus of the action is. That said, I'm probably way off in my interpretation of what you mean by "FeetFirst".
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
If you look at both hips, both have linear movement.

I will try to get these to work. If so, I'll show you a little of what I look for.

I don't know why I can never get my GIFs to work on this site. The first one is a full swing and the second GIF is a breakdown of the swing where one could break down the hitter's posture, connection and rotation. That is how I coach the swing and how I would work on the swing with a hitter. You will see linear action in the hips of this hitter if it worked. Sorry.

121.jpg122.jpg
 
Last edited:

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
What I've done so far is I show them the very basics (where/how to stand, how to hold the bat,
OK, I'm new.
How did you determine where they should stand. How did you show them where they should stand is reference to the plate.
How should they stand.
How should they hold the bat.
Just trying to see where you're at as far as coaching and getting back to the basics because you said...
I've been working with a few girls (12-13 years old) who are new to the sport, and some of them have never even swung a bat before.
Also thinking back to when I first started with my DD on the basics/base of learning to hit.
I also would search Hitter and straightleg's older threads. I feel they did a great job on teaching a good starting base for newer/younger hitters/hitting.
 
Last edited:

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
OK, I'm new.
How did you determine where they should stand. How did you show them where they should stand is reference to the plate.
How should they stand.
How should they hold the bat.
Just trying to see where you're at as far as coaching and getting back to the basics because you said...

Also thinking back to when I first started with my DD on the basics/base of learning to hit.

Welcome Newbie! LOL
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
Cannonball: You are uploading your pictures to the discussfastpich.com. The pictures are converted to JPGs.

You have to upload your pictures to something like tinypic.com, get the link from tinypic.com, and then put that in the message.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Here is my understanding of rotational/linear... FeetFirst....pick one best suited for the individual hitter.

K_L-R_L_.gif


Not seeing both in either of these...perfect examples. (JMHO) Thinking I'm seeing the problem.... besides it taking me 2 days to just simply post a comparison side by side of the two. The basic terms rotational/linear are conflicted... Sorry gentleman, but that's how I learned to identify the mechanics. I'm not disagreeing that they can be combined, just not from scratch... guessing???

Simple explanation - what the rest of DFP and the hitting world would call Stride v No Stride somehow is perceived in PC world as linear v rotational, respectively. The 2 swings essentially are identical mechanically although they do differ in style (I.e., stride/no stride).

CB is right, anybody trying to sell either a pure rotational or pure linear swing is either selling snake oil or hasn't evolved past a 1980s understanding of swing mechanics
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top