Stop Squishing the Bug

[TDS]

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What are the differences between your ebook and what Hi teaches? Same stuff different teacher?

 

[CoogansBluff]

I am a firm believer that hitting uses both a linear and rotational motion. I coach girls who were either taught a PURELY rotation swing (squishing the bug, spinning) or they are spinning on their own. They are young players (9-12) but I want to get them swinging with correct mechanics from the start.

Does anyone have any drills to get players to stop the 'squishing the bug' and get them on their toe during contact?

No respectable coach is teaching 'squish the bug' and calling it rotational hitting. I hope no one thinks 'squish the bug' is what rotational hitting is about. ...

The walk-through drill is good for this because you can't perform this and squish the bug. Just make sure to keep the girls from letting their hips glide too far forward at contact. One of the most common side effects of getting girls on their back toe is lunging.

 

[Watchingball]

I find this thread confusing. Can the OP clarify EXACTLY what they mean when they say "squishing the bug"? Given what was said about a "combination" of linear and rotational hitting I'm trying to imagine what would be rotational about a swing with weight being transferred to the front foot and a hitter on their rear toe. I'm thinking that you will not have effective hip rotation (and thus any type of rotational hitting at all) if you are dragging your rear foot. Everybody has their way, but I'm confused about what you're trying to do. Are you suggesting that the batter's rear leg, and thus their hip, should not turn?

 

[CoogansBluff]

. I'm thinking that you will not have effective hip rotation (and thus any type of rotational hitting at all) if you are dragging your rear foot.

What this dude. You don't have to drag your toe. But you should not spin on the ball or your back foot (aka squish the bug).

 

[blazer60]

If you watch the video posted above, you will see a combination of linear and rotational hitting mechanics. His first movement (after his load) is directed toward the ball. Once the front heel plants, it is a rotational movement around the ball. Squishing the bug is the term used to get young kids to turn their back foot, trying to get hips involved. However, it leads to spinning which causes minimal power.

I’m not so sure about the whole ‘understand the process’ thing. But maybe I just don’t understand. However, the purpose of this forum is to try understanding people’s views and opinions and give ideas to help others in the softball world.

Personally, I’m a former college player and have learned all of this before. I understand the whole process and how it should be done. TEACHING IT is a whole new ball game, which is why I asked for advice on how to advise young players to hit.

 

[pstein]

The question was "Does anyone have any drills to get players to stop the 'squishing the bug' and get them on their toe during contact?"

Do you believe there should be a goal of getting on the rear toe during contact?

There shouldn't be a goal of getting on the rear toe. I was just watching some Yeager videos; they were posted at another website. Every hitter is shifting then swinging. But every hitter gets to his rear toe. Hitting is not a series of positions. Hitting is a series of actions that cause those positions.

 

[pstein]

Don't worry about the foot or anything like that. Just worry about resistance and getting the bat "behind" the body. The foot is going to do what it's going to do.

 

[Tewks]

What are the differences between your ebook and what Hi teaches? Same stuff different teacher?

Different stuff. I left that site because I felt the information was incomplete and the owner there disagreed.

 

[RichK]

Two weeks...... Two weeks Blazer.

can we hold you to that : >

there's pretty much the equivalent of an e-book at HI right now building over the past few weeks, great stuff, but always looking for some new stuff to chew on.

really looking forward to it

 

[CoogansBluff]

There shouldn't be a goal of getting on the rear toe. I was just watching some Yeager videos; they were posted at another website. Every hitter is shifting then swinging. But every hitter gets to his rear toe. Hitting is not a series of positions. Hitting is a series of actions that cause those positions.

I agree, having learned the hard way. When teaching my daughter to eliminate squish the bug, I focused on what the toe was supposed to look like. She eliminated the squish and produced the toe touch, but at the expense of letting her hips glide forward/lunging. She's now straightened that out (although sometimes reverts to lunging). If I had it to do again, I would focus more on actions and not positions. Question then becomes - What are the major actions that result in the rear-toe position?