How should a 15 year old learn how to hit?

[hannah40133]

Hi . I'm 15 years old and I'm getting into playing softball this year . No experience at all . I've been practicing hitting off a tee but I know I keep having a problem with my shoulder . Could anyone help me understand how I can approve ? I will attach a few photos. Trying to be play for a travel team as a catcher . I added a link of me batting today . Let me know what you think I should work on and how bad it is .

 

[_MIA_]

Hi . I'm 15 years old and I'm getting into playing softball this year . No experience at all . I've been practicing hitting off a tee but I know I keep having a problem with my shoulder . Could anyone help me understand how I can approve ? I will attach a few photos. Trying to be play for a travel team as a catcher . It won't let me attach a video but I can send one to a email or phone if someone is willing to help with advice. View attachment 16970View attachment 16971View attachment 16972

If you want to attach a video, easiest way is to create a youtube account and then post the link to the video you upload.

With regards to instruction, many find this a good video to start off with as it can help you get the basic movement sequencing down:



If you can, find someone to throw to you in addition to doing your tee work. Work hard and good luck!!

 

[rdbass]

Do you have a go-to video on the basics of batting?

If you had a 10U completely new to softball, what tutorial, video, etc. might you share with her re: batting?

www.discussfastpitch.com

 

[djcarter1966]

Hey Hannah...one thing I would suggest is find someone local that can help a little at least with the basics...I know right now that is probably kind of hard...but as soon as things get back to normal maybe a local batting cage has some people that can help. But definitely check out the thread rdbass recommended above some good videos in there.

 

[Eric F]

One of the best things you can do it look at video of the best players in the game (baseball and softball), and mimic what they are doing to the best of your ability. Watching in slow-mo and pay attention to the order in which their body parts move.

 

[BigSkyHi]

One of the best things you can do it look at video of the best players in the game (baseball and softball), and mimic what they are doing to the best of your ability. Watching in slow-mo and pay attention to the order in which their body parts move.

My personal favorite is Antonelli Softball on Youtube. Attached is a photo of a very good hotter's set up.

 

[Fluid Fastpitch]

My $.02 -- Best thing to start out is to make sure you have correct sequence, as:
Load, Stride, Slot, Extend, Follow Through. Sequence is hard to correct once baked. Other things can be tweaked.

Practice mindfully. What specific item do you want to improve on this session? Need help identifying it? upload your vids here. From what I can see in your stills, looks like you're overrotating at the finish. Take a session and just work on keeping your eyes on the point of contact through and after contact. I'll sometimes do a game where I put a large die in the tee under the ball and make them tell me what number is showing. Visualize doing that.

I'd also like to see less of a 'sway' load and more of a 'sit'. When you load, think of screwing that back leg into the ground. Do some mindful swings focusing on that.

Tee work is great, make sure you get some soft toss in also to bridge the gap between tee and live pitching. Soft toss gives you a little time to think mechanics and have to time the swing correctly. Live pitching at your age, you're going to load and go, so make sure you have the mechanics well practiced. They will become muscle memory.

As the others have said, watch video. I'll suggest maximum bat speed on YouTube, but he can get into the weeds sometimes.
Here's my cheat sheet. If this is the kind of thing you're looking for, PM me and I'll send you a link to the complete document with drills and pictures.
Enjoy the work, and know your hard work will pay off!

Technique Breakdown:
The approach:

• Set front foot about in line with the front of the plate
• Add back foot, assume athletic stance
• Tap the bat on the outside edge of the plate to check distance. Should not have to overreach.

The Chill

• RELAX. BREATHE. Look at the pitcher, if they’re picking their nose, just hang out with the bat on your shoulder.

The Stance: - you don’t hit from the stance, you wait in the stance

• Whatever keeps you relaxed and facilitates a good starting position.
• Feet placement - check distance, athletic stance (square or open. Not closed)
  • An open stance may let you see the ball better
• Knees flexed, not bent (bending introduces an up and down variable to the swing)
  • A slight feeling of turning inward at the knees
• Hand placement -
  • knocking knuckles aligned or up to halfway between knocking and punching knuckles (never punching knuckles aligned, will cause rolling over the ball)
  • At shoulder height (the top of the strike zone)
• Elbow placement -
  • forearms roughly 90degrees
  • Back elbow up-ish (certainly not pointing straight down)
• Bat placement - off shoulder, knob points to catcher’s feet.
• Upper body slightly bent, shoulders over knees
• Most important: Set your mind. You are swinging at everything
  • You only have one decision to make. Do you need to stop the swing.
  • The mind has a mantra, hit-hit-hit; yes-yes-yes; go-go-go; ball-ball-ball.
  • You’re swinging until you’re not.

Swing:

• Load (AKA gather or coil)
  1. Weight into back hip - like you’re screwing your back foot into the ground (knees inward)
  2. Knob to catcher’s feet (but make sure the bat head doesn’t “wrap” your head)
  3. Back elbow works back and up (as if you’re elbowing the guy behind you in the neck)
  4. Front heel comes up off the ground, maybe whole foot, maybe a small kick
  5. Load is mostly a timing event, not for power
  6. Timing - load when the pitcher loads
• Stride (toe touch to heel plant)
  1. If weight is correctly inside the back leg, picking up the front foot will require it to be put down very quickly or you’ll fall over.
  2. Walk away from your hands, but should be able to take top thumb and touch shoulder
  3. Timing - stride when the pitcher releases (vary based on speed)
• Slot/Connection/Pivot
  1. Back foot pivots (knee to pitcher) as hips fire (hips start to rotate before shoulders)
  2. Rotate the “forearm box” to slot position
     • Forearms rotate together, as if sides of a box that you’re rotating - Rear elbow slots (rear elbow proximal to hip) as the front elbow points to pitcher. (keep spacing between elbows, forearms about 90deg)
     • Knob to the pitcher // Shaft touching bicep (or nearly touching)
     • The amount of rotation of the ‘forearm box’ will vary depending on location of pitch.
     • The hands should barely move, (their apparent movement is mostly a result of the forearm rotation)
  3. The back knee, hip, elbow and shoulder should all be in a line straight up and down
• Contact
  1. happens between Slot and Extension.
  2. Snap the barrel to the ball.
  3. Ensure palm up/palm down position at contact (knuckles pointing at pitcher, not ground)
  4. Eyes remain on point of contact, even after hit
• Extension - drive through the ball
  1. arms finally straighten, bat points somewhere to the field (varies by pitch)
  2. Still palm up/palm down
  3. Eyes still on point of contact
  4. Some coaches say ‘throw your hands’
• Follow-through over the shoulder

Check at the end of swing: head, hip, back knee should be in line, shoulders not beyond square to pitcher

 

[julray]

Listen and learn from the best in the game. Pick up the bat try it yourself before teaching your DD anything. I would start with pattar's suggestion above, very good fundamental video.

Also this guy is easy to understand and his content is very good;

Casey Smith (@outfronthitting) • Instagram photos and videos

90K Followers, 682 Following, 756 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Casey Smith (@outfronthitting)

www.instagram.com

Edit: Sorry I first thought you were a parent posting for their DD. When my DD use to play, she followed the guy in the link I posted above and found him easy to understand and enjoyed his content.

 

[_MIA_]

Pick up the bat try it yourself before teaching your DD anything.

She is the DD...

 

[_MIA_]

Hannah, you have great advice here. I might suggest that if you are trying to figure out how to hit, go to a place that has a cage or a backstop and throw the ball up and hit into the backstop or cage. Put the bat on your shoulder, toss the ball up and then hit. I a lot of hitting is trying to figure out what your body does. A dynamic way of doing that is just what I mentioned here. Good luck!

This is great advice!! I spent many a summer day doing self toss when I couldn't find anybody to throw to me!! Personally as a right-handed hitter I toss with my left hand but I have seen others toss with the right hand.