Daily Hitting Exercises

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Jan 14, 2009
1,591
0
Atlanta, Georgia
I’m looking for opinions here. My question is: Are there any drills or exercises that a girl could do daily and independently that would promote better swing mechanics. For example, back when I played music, I had practice to various scales and other fingering task that made my playing better. If we treat learning how to hit, like learning a musical instrument, the only way to get better is daily practice without an instructor. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

I like Epstein's Torque drill to teach a proper hand path and shoulder action. The instructor has to be careful with this drill as it can cause a reverse weight shift if the instructor doesn't make sure the player gets off the backside as the front leg locks out.

Back arm drill where the student holds their back arm (top hand) level to the ground, they pinch their forearm to their bicep a little bit, they make a fist with their hand, the hand in the setup is cose to the rear shoulder. From this setup they do a combination move where the arm simultaneously externally rotates and adducts. When done correctly the elbow will tuck down to the side and the hand will remain close to the rear shoulder. Repeat. Teaches what I believe to be the correct way to get the hands flat. Eventually the player can progress to a setup where the drill is performed while holding a bat with two hands. When using two hands the front forearm needs to get up off the letters and be level to the ground as the back arm does it's thing. The back arm lifts the front forearm. The front elbow does not move forward towards the pitcher in this drill. It lifts out and away from the chest finishing at roughly letter height.

Baseball wind-up drill where the player mimics a baseball pitcher throwing from the wind-up. Player winds-up with two hands on the bat at all times. Player freezes at what Slaught describes as the "ready to hit position". Teaches proper sequence and hitting from a balanced position. Teaches how to get into the "ready to hit position".

All these drills can be done nightly indoors in a confined area. The backarm drill is best done in front of a mirror.

Does anyone have any drills on how to get the girls to do the drills on a nightly bases???? I haven't figured that one out yet.
 
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Aug 4, 2008
2,364
0
Lexington,Ohio
I have used about ever device posted on here. The only advantage I see is you can use this without a partner, but don't stand on a bucket, or a ladder. Here is a drill we do that is like this but we don't use a machine . It is called the drop drill.

Simply flex your wrist down and that is their cue to start their load and you the person dropping the ball release it and continue upwards with your hand.
Do not drop from a height more than eye level as that is the normal vision process we would see in a game, I have seen some people do this by standing on 5 gallon buckets and ladders. I have never seen a hitter look up to the sky when tracking the ball from the pitchers point of release.

Start from up the middle and then do it from the outside and then work inside. Now work inside and then just the outside to make them adjust to the extremeness that a pitcher would in a game. I have learned to show inside and as I move my wrist down I rock back on my heels and pull away a little to get them thinking in, in, in and adjusting away by moving away.
 
Mar 12, 2009
556
0
The drop drill that Chris is talking about is a very good drill. You do need a concrete area to do this drill. I built a portable one for Howard and we tested that you can use on a gym floor. Buy a concrete slab at a Lowes or a Home Depot. I drilled holes on the side to put a rope thur it so it was easy to carry. What I like about this drill is those hitters that are aggresive and have issues with a change up , it teaches them to stay back. I used this drill last night for one of my students that has issues with the change up. It teaches her timing and to wait on the change up. Great drill you can do into a net in your drive way. Each ball bounces different depending on how it hits on the concrete. On the seam puts a little spin on it. Older balls don't bounce as high. You can vary this drill by having them hit the ball on the way down instead of the bounce. This is an excellant way of mixing it up.

Do you bounce the ball from the side (90 deg.) or more like (45 deg.) or from more overhead standing on a bucket?
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
A lot of responses here, but I'm not seeing a lot that a player can do by herself.

Is the bounce drill when the player holds the bat in one hand and ball in the other, bounce the ball off the ground and hit it on the bounce?

I'm also thinking that the dreaded 'fence drill' might be good for players who cast - true?

is the price for the Total Control Sports Balls per ball (pricey) or per box?

For one handed drills I've been using old T-ball bats.
 
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Aug 4, 2008
2,364
0
Lexington,Ohio
obbay. Yes she can drop the ball herself. TCB balls do not cost that much and in my opinion one of the best new tools to come on the market after the Whip hit. We do not use T ball bats, but Use PVC pipe weighted cut in the length of the bat you would be using. The weight is inside the PVC . We make them ourself. Not a fan of the fence drill. We like the Whip hit better. We have our kids work in front of mirrors so they can see themself swing. Most girls have full length mirros in the house. You can stand behind them and act like the pitcher and they can go thru the Mattrix drill. I try to have my dd do this 15 times a day, but as mentioned above. Getting kids to do this is an art, with homework, boys and other school stuff going on. Howard/hitter has one of the best devices to use, but he built it. Have to ask Tewks how good it is. He got to use it. We do not believe any drill should have you standing on a bucket or on a ladder. How would a kid track a ball with the eyes coming from that height. We want them to look toward the pitcher and track the ball as it comes into view. I see many that soft toss from the side, that don't correct the hitter from looking at them as they toss.
 
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May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
I ordered 2 dozen TCB balls and have 11, that I have not opened - if anyone wants to buy a few. PM me.

I love them. I just got too many.
 
Jul 26, 2010
3,567
0
My daughter is a pitcher. She practices with rolled up socks or these soft "MLB" softball sized foam balls from toys'r'us against a full length mirror at the end of the hallway.

When she's done pitching, she does hitting drills with the same rolled up socks or foam balls into the mirror. She has a sticker/dot on the mirror. She'll hold the ball in first her front hand, then her back hand, and make her "swing" releasing the ball at the contact point aiming for the "dot".

All of her other solo practice drills are T drills where she'll work on her "homework" from her hitting instructor which usually includes whatever the focus is for that week, lots of slow-motion mirror work in between each bucket of wiffles, and one handed work. Her actual lessons are a mix of t work and front toss, the only time she hits off a machine is for team practice (I hate machines).

-W
 

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