Help with stepping out

[WinThemAll]

I have a player that is only backing out when in the cage and when a pitcher is throwing. She can bunt and is perfectly fine on a tee, softtoss and when a coach pitches.

We have tried spreading her feet as wide as possible in the box. It keeps her from stepping back. I plan to use it only to build up her "confidence" and only in the cage. However, her upper body is now "flinching" back as she swings.

I have also experimented with her by having her walk from the very back of the box with a cross over step. She must walk down the batter's box line. This seems to be working a lot better. I guess it will just take some time.

 

[DB1]

A lot of good posts already, but I want to ask some questions.

Does she step out when hitting off a tee?

If no, at what intensity does a moving ball does she start bailing? Is it a fear factor of the moving ball, related to the aggressiveness aspect JC discussed. The throwing example is great. Would she step away from her target when throwing? Logically, she won't be able to build an argument against it in her own head. I often demo throws with squishing the bug and leaning back to show how silly it looks for a throw, then ask why they would do the same when they hit.

Thanks for responding. And yes, she steps out on the tee also. She's not real thrilled about doing tee work, so we don't do tee work very often. We do more front toss and live BP. I throw BP and have pretty good control so I don't think that she's afraid of the ball. I think that for some reason it's now part of her swing. The other thing that's a little confusing is that she's swinging hard to make contact, but she ends up hitting it off the end of the bat due to stepping out. Last night there were times when it was better and she recognized it, so I hope we're on our way. But I'll also try the suggestion with the throwing example and the face the fire drill.

 

[Tewks]

Thanks for responding. And yes, she steps out on the tee also. She's not real thrilled about doing tee work, so we don't do tee work very often. We do more front toss and live BP. I throw BP and have pretty good control so I don't think that she's afraid of the ball. I think that for some reason it's now part of her swing. The other thing that's a little confusing is that she's swinging hard to make contact, but she ends up hitting it off the end of the bat due to stepping out. Last night there were times when it was better and she recognized it, so I hope we're on our way. But I'll also try the suggestion with the throwing example and the face the fire drill.

Make her do tee work without a ball!!! See how much she likes that! Tee work is one of the best things you can do. I watched video of Bustos hitting off a tee today. MLB players do it, the best softball players do it... she can do it. Does she also "step out" when she throws?

One other suggestion.... ask her to step out. Instigate failure to make her be more aware of the feeling. We used "forced failure" all the time to make kids feel something new. It is not to create muscle memory, but to feel it. It needs to be specific and by design, but can be used very effectively. It should take very few reps before she has one of those AHA moments.

 

[DB1]

I agree that tee work is important and we need to do more of it. Will definitely work on that more. It's hard for me to force her to do tee work when she is so much more excited to hit live BP.

When throwing, she steps towards the target, only when she hits, she steps out.

I really like your other suggestion. I will try that and also get some video of her also, hopefully she sees what she is doing and that will help her recognize and help fix it.

Thanks again!

ps. Thanks for the hitting videos. For me, it was a huge help in seeing what is so hard to communicate through these forums. I really appreciate the time you took to do that.

 

[Tewks]

I agree that tee work is important and we need to do more of it. Will definitely work on that more. It's hard for me to force her to do tee work when she is so much more excited to hit live BP.

When throwing, she steps towards the target, only when she hits, she steps out.

I really like your other suggestion. I will try that and also get some video of her also, hopefully she sees what she is doing and that will help her recognize and help fix it.

Thanks again!

ps. Thanks for the hitting videos. For me, it was a huge help in seeing what is so hard to communicate through these forums. I really appreciate the time you took to do that.

Glad they are helpful for you! I'll continue making them and please send me suggestions if you have something specific you need.

 

[OhioFPMom]

I have a player that is only backing out when in the cage and when a pitcher is throwing. She can bunt and is perfectly fine on a tee, softtoss and when a coach pitches.

We have tried spreading her feet as wide as possible in the box. It keeps her from stepping back. I plan to use it only to build up her "confidence" and only in the cage. However, her upper body is now "flinching" back as she swings.

I have also experimented with her by having her walk from the very back of the box with a cross over step. She must walk down the batter's box line. This seems to be working a lot better. I guess it will just take some time.

Been looking for tips/drills to fix my DD's stepping out problem and found this thread.

My 14 YO has almost perfect swings (at least that's what her hitting coach(es) have told us) when she is practicing off a tee and softtoss. When it comes to game-time, it's like she's a different kid. Can't stop stepping out! When she focuses solely on not stepping out, she doesn't make good contact with the ball and is getting extremely frustrated.

Keeping a wide stance and not taking a step at all may help. Any other drills that can help her?

She tried keeping a bucket behind her front foot in BP to see if that would help. Unfortunately, her leg travelled behind the bucket and landed safe, lol!

 

[1bucketmom]

OhioFPMom..... DD had this issue and occasionally reverts - she's 10.

We did drills with chalk/spray paint on the ground to mark where her foot should not cross. This was the first thing so she could see that she was stepping out - this along with video and explanation of the type of hits she gets when that happens.
Secondly, we started putting an object in the way to prevent it. We used a single section cinder block - she hated it. We used it during all drills and would remove it to test her improvement. Yes - her swing suffered a little when the block was in place but...... The desire to have the block removed was great enough to foster a change. You have to use something heavy or else the potential to kick it away or step on it can be an issue.

It takes plenty of reps .... This is not a quick fix. But....it worked. Occasionally, she will step out and she calls herself on it.

BTW - we used same block on back foot to stop the back heel from turning out "bug squish" and start the knee to pinch in with foot rolling over big toe. It works there too.
Unfortunately.....since I've batted too many years with the bug squish....I can't learn the correction myself. Something about an old dog.

Single cinder block was from Home Depot and really cheap......I beleive is 4x4x4 or something.

 

[OhioFPMom]

Thanks 1bucketmom, appreciate your help. We have tried that trick. However, since she doesn't step out during practice, it doesn't bother her. Again, most of the problem surfaces during game time, facing live pitching.

 

[1bucketmom]

Keep doing it anyways..... even if she doesn't do it at practice. Sounds crazy but it's a mental thing. The more she practices with the physical block.. It should eventually transfer to a mental "block" in games.

I also wonder if she is hugging the line of the batters box that she feels she's getting a lot of inside pitches? This may make her feel like she has to step out in order to make any contact. You could try live BP with her standing more towards the back line of the batters box and progressively come in over a couple pitches to see if the step out occurs based on position in the box.

 

[redhotcoach]

Thinking back to when my dd was 10 we spent the winter in the garage hitting. A couple things we really worked hard at were NOT getting the front foot down early…letting the swing plant the foot, and coiling forward. The actually wordage I used was "ball in the air, front foot in the air" or front foot unweighted or off the ground when the pitch was coming. Not striding out with the front foot, but moving out with an imaginary triangle connection from the rear thigh, to the belly button, to the front thigh.
Now with the connection from the rear thigh to belly button to front thigh we worked on coiling out as a unit. The wordage and direction….she always kind of pigeon toes the rear foot, so we worked on "taking the rear back pocket (she is a righty so the right butt pocket) to the pitcher when moving out" or sometimes I just said "moon the pitcher".

Doing this stops independently stepping out with the front leg and moves out as a unit….it helps create a pivot point at the rear hip, so then if she does swing open….the front leg outside of the rear…..it doesn't matter so much because she is swinging with a rear hip pivot point so her hands and barrel are staying in the zone.