Hitting advice from a college camp

[riseball]

One way to improve softball IQ is to have a good understanding of the details.

This is true. But in the end when you walk into the box or toe the rubber all that matters is your ability to execute, not the ability to wax poetic like Cliff and Norm.

 

[FP26]

Sounds like you consider quite a few details. Perhaps you don't fully agree that "there is a fine line between effectively focusing on the details and full out mental masturbation."

All depends what those details are and how they are presented to the student. You and I have had enough conversations about that during my time here and at BBD. From a hitting side of things, my viewpoints are not all that different than yours and Howe's, other than the fact that I may use some different terminology. In either case there are things I choose to discuss with DD and there are things that I don't need to discuss with her.

 

[riseball]

So did you hear the one about the 3 guys captured by terrorists and sentenced to die? Early the next morning they were taken to the public square to be done in. The first knelt before the swordsman, made his peace, the executioner swung his blade and completely missed! Seeing this as a sign from god the man was immediately pardoned. The second man then knelt before the executioner, made his peace, and swordsman swung his blade and again completely missed! As is custom in that part of the world he too was immediately pardoned. The third man who just so happened to be a regular in the DFP Hitting Technical Forum walks up to the executioner, looks him in the eye and says - If you change your grip and adjust your stance......

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

This is true. But in the end when you walk into the box or toe the rubber all that matters is your ability to execute, not the ability to wax poetic like Cliff and Norm.

Fortunately I don't know these hitters that would rather "wax poetic like Cliff and Norm" when they "walk into the box".

Instead I promote using relaxation techniques. I also believe in building "short-term muscle memory" outside of the batter's box for the purpose of avoiding "over thinking while in the box".

 

[JJsqueeze]

psssst.....it was aimed at you not the hitter...you are Cliff...

 

[guero_gordo]

Whenever I helped girls with their swing I always kept a couple things in mind:

1. Exactly what am I hoping to accomplish by changing the swings of my 3,4,5 hitters who are all batting over .500...if it is not broke don't fix it
2. Unless the swing is absolutely and completely broken it is usually not helpful to focus on more than one thing at a time

Clearly, you're not involving your ego in enough decisions. You'll never make it to D1 coaching thinking like that. ;-)

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

psssst.....it was aimed at you not the hitter...you are Cliff...

psssst.....we are on a message board titled "Softball Hitting Technical"....folks shouldn't be shocked to read discussions on the details involved in hitting....

 

[CoogansBluff]

So, I didn't attend the camp today, but DD was there. She said she got video analysis of her swing, and coach told her that her back foot shouldn't be moving or gaining ground. So she goes to the next station, hitting off tee, where another coach says, "What did the coach doing the video analysis say you should be working on.'' DD said keeping back foot still. This coach says she likes foot to move and gain a little ground. Nothing wrong with that. So DD likes that coach!

And finally, the coach who advocates the door-knocker grip also says today don't cock your top-hand wrist. If you're using door-knocker-knuckle grip and not cocking your wrist, that definitely leaves your arms in a pretty tight /\ position.

 

[Lenski]

psssst.....it was aimed at you not the hitter...you are Cliff...

I have to admit, I spit crushed ice at my monitor when I read this.........

 

[Cannonball]

As I have related before, the first college camp that BB was "invited to" had a coach who watched her rake in a cage and clearly out hit all of the other girls there. He asked of her after this display if she studied Albert Pujols' swing. BB said yes that was who she modeled in her swing. Then, he announced to everyone there including the parents that she will never hit in college because she has a baseball swing. BB was 12 then and was invited because they thought she was 14 and noticed her because of her bat at a local tournament where she was playing "up." LOL!