Best drills for getting more extension after point of contact?

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Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
Right-handed batter DD tends to "pull off the ball" instead of driving through the ball with a full extension and thereby robbing her of some power. What are some of the drills and/cues you use to get better extension after contact?
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,747
113
Pac NW
Just taking a stab, but I'd say extension is more of a downstream result of whipping/throwing the barrel at and through the ball. Try throwing a few bats to get an idea of what that feels like and video tape to see if the hands naturally extend better as a result. If you have an old-style tee around, throwing the end can give you a similar feel, but I prefer an old wood bat...

(Slowing backing out the door, down the hall and back into the Pitching Forum...)
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
A lot of the "fix" depends on what action is limiting extension. If it's the front elbow being pinned to the torso, then the focus should be on getting the elbow working up and away from the torso. I have also seen players that stop their rotation too soon, and it prevents their ability to get all the way through the ball.

Although some people disagree with the approach, in extreme cases, I have had some success in backward-chaining. Put them in the full-extension position you want, and work backwards through the swing from there. This can sometimes be helpful for a hitter to understand what full extension feels like in their own body.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
To get the feel of hitting 'out from' your body and not 'around' the body. I like practicing hitting an outside pitch.
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Jan 6, 2009
6,577
113
Chehalis, Wa
I like what has been mentioned so far, I like to do a short follow through and hold the extension. So instead of doing a complete follow through, have a point where you extend and stop.

In order to stop at a certain point, more thought has to go into achieving the stop position.
 
Last edited:
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
Like Ken B. I like the throwing the bottom half of the tee drill. I also like the two ball drill where you place two tees back to back about 9" apart with the first ball slightly lower than the one closest to the net. Another one I like is the two handed drill where you use a floppy Frisbee or balled up socks and the batter starts from the loaded position and has to "fire" or throw/spin them back up the middle towards the pitcher into the net.
 
Jan 6, 2009
6,577
113
Chehalis, Wa
Another cue is to pretend to hit another balll after contact. So after contact you pretend to hit another ball slightly out in front of the contact point.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
I wanna see that! Don't try that with a Tanner! ;)

Yeah....that would kind of suck and could really do some damage;) When I got my Tanners, I took my old rubber Rawlings apart and used the bottom half for them to throw around because it was heavier and made them pay attention to their mechanics as they did the drill.
 

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