- Oct 12, 2011
- 18
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Have a very strong hitter that started to lunge for the ball. Any tips or drills on correcting this? She is a very strong hitter and still hits it a long way but just cannot wait on the ball sometimes.
How to stop a hiiter from lunging at the ball?
- Thread starter lennyslosers
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- Jan 18, 2011
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I have the same problem with some of my 14u girls. I can get them to stop in practice at times but come game time, back to lunge.
I'm curious to see how this thread progresses. I can slowly work it out of some but others I'm going to need something to get them to go, "Oh, yeah! I get it now!" I get some girls that will give me the time to help, others need quicker results. Case in point . . . I have a 14U who wants to try out for high school next year. Has good arm and real gung ho player. Hits well even for lunging but I know she'll really start crushing the ball and burning outfields when she gets the concept right.
Looking forward to suggestions.
I'm curious to see how this thread progresses. I can slowly work it out of some but others I'm going to need something to get them to go, "Oh, yeah! I get it now!" I get some girls that will give me the time to help, others need quicker results. Case in point . . . I have a 14U who wants to try out for high school next year. Has good arm and real gung ho player. Hits well even for lunging but I know she'll really start crushing the ball and burning outfields when she gets the concept right.
Looking forward to suggestions.
http://www.discussfastpitch.com/softball-hitting-technical/2586-lunging-weight-balance-2.html
Lots of times batters slooooooooowly get into bad mechanics, and then all of the sudden BAM, it becomes very obvious there is a problem. My point is, telling them what they are doing wrong is only half of the process. Visual aids and visual explanations seem to sink in better. I'd recommend taking video of the next game or two, edit it with simple free software and make that part of your next practice. Bring your laptop and take 30 mins or so to show them the lunge or any mechanical flaws. Then immediately work on correcting the flaw. You may need to spend a good portion of the practice on these mechanics, and possibly multiple days if needed.
Lots of times batters slooooooooowly get into bad mechanics, and then all of the sudden BAM, it becomes very obvious there is a problem. My point is, telling them what they are doing wrong is only half of the process. Visual aids and visual explanations seem to sink in better. I'd recommend taking video of the next game or two, edit it with simple free software and make that part of your next practice. Bring your laptop and take 30 mins or so to show them the lunge or any mechanical flaws. Then immediately work on correcting the flaw. You may need to spend a good portion of the practice on these mechanics, and possibly multiple days if needed.
GOINGDEEP's video addresses one type of lunging where the batter is learning over at contact. The hips are back, but the torso keeps going forward. The batter is in kind of a K position.
Another type that I see (with my daughter, per example) is allowing the hips to continue to glide forward after toe touch and failing to achieve a firm front side at contact. I've not found a good solution and am ready to pay good money for one.
What I tell her is that the hips go forward in the stride, but once the front foot (toe) hits, that's the end of the stride, and the hips should then be in turn mode. (I'm sure I'm not using the best words to describe that.) My DD understands that, but can't execute it. Her 'lunge' is not obvious. You have to know what you're looking for to spot it, and it doesn't hurt her much vs. lesser pitching. But it's a flaw that needs fixing, IMO. It used to be worse than it is (change up = swing & a miss!)
Also, back to GD's video. I like the instruction on lunging, but the 'model' is a bug squisher and early extender starting at about 2:10. Since the video is not about that, maybe it's irrelevant. Just thought I'd point that out. Do not spin the foot and hips, and don't be extended at contact. I'm sure GD would agree.
Another type that I see (with my daughter, per example) is allowing the hips to continue to glide forward after toe touch and failing to achieve a firm front side at contact. I've not found a good solution and am ready to pay good money for one.
What I tell her is that the hips go forward in the stride, but once the front foot (toe) hits, that's the end of the stride, and the hips should then be in turn mode. (I'm sure I'm not using the best words to describe that.) My DD understands that, but can't execute it. Her 'lunge' is not obvious. You have to know what you're looking for to spot it, and it doesn't hurt her much vs. lesser pitching. But it's a flaw that needs fixing, IMO. It used to be worse than it is (change up = swing & a miss!)
Also, back to GD's video. I like the instruction on lunging, but the 'model' is a bug squisher and early extender starting at about 2:10. Since the video is not about that, maybe it's irrelevant. Just thought I'd point that out. Do not spin the foot and hips, and don't be extended at contact.
I'm sure GD would agree.- Jan 18, 2011
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The lunging that i see most is that the hips keep moving forward along with torso and the front leg/knee collapses. I can get them to understand that they are lunging and they even tell me "I'm still lunging." The 14u I spoke of earlier is getting better but I may not see much longer, wait I may be wrong. Now I have to check her birth date. Anyway, she hits well even with the lung which makes it a little bit more difficult because she is getting results. I keep telling her that her result are small in comparison to what she get and she if she'll just rotate and stop the lung. If I do indeed have her for another year, then I think I can get the lung out. But I'm still looking for some good drill or something that will turn on that light bulb for her.
I've heard about the step in drill, wonder how well that'll work. Step in as Ichiro does, planting the foot and rotating around. I may have heard or read that drill here.
I've heard about the step in drill, wonder how well that'll work. Step in as Ichiro does, planting the foot and rotating around. I may have heard or read that drill here.
Good catch, this guy usually has a verbal "disclaimer" at the beginning "we're not working on the fundamentals of the swing, we're working on a particular problem in the sequence of the swing". After review I see he doesn't in this one.
I have to respectfully agree to disagree with the "do not spin the front foot and hips". Some batters hit closed foot, some half open, some fully. My DD hits fully open to apply as much hip force to the ball as possible, which forces the foot open.
Closed
Half open
Fully
My DD in 7th grade, senior now.
Pujoles opening up. http://www.thepitchingacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Pujols-2.gif
I am in no way saying you are wrong, but there are different opinions and styles. Some even have to be adjusted for various pitches. ( inside/outside )
I don't think we disagree. When I said spinning the foot and hip, I was referring to bug-squish ''spinning,'' the kind that doesn't give you much hip force at all.
- Oct 25, 2009
- 3,334
- 48
The hips must lead the swing, not the hands. That sometimes causes a lunge. But what I have found to be the main culprit for not being able to let the ball get deep is hitting off of a tee that is set too far out towards the pitcher. This affects their point of contact when facing live pitching. They start reaching for the ball instead of letting it come in. Solution: set the tee almost midline of the body. Not as much fun for the batter because the batter won't have the same bat speed on the ball at point of contact. There's more to that issue but the main idea is to not create reaching for the ball.
As far as being aware of the lunge, the batters can be told, they can be shown, they can even feel it for themselves, but until they have many, many repetitions of waiting for the ball to get deep they will fall back to it during games. And it only takes one hard hit while lunging to wipe out all the practices. Or a really fast, down the middle pitcher, who is a lunger's best friend. Most lungers can't hit slower pitching.
The best drill for curing lunging is also the best drill for working on hitting outside pitches. Set a screen up about 20 feet in front of the batter, but about 5 feet off center of the path to the pitching plate, In other words, move the screen more towards 3rd.
Pitch the ball across the outside of the plate. They must hit the ball to right field, no exceptions, even on a pitch that doesn't get too far outside. In order to do this, they will have to wait for the ball to get deep. If they start stepping in towards the plate, throw the ball inside until they stride neutral.
Most will hate this drill. There will be lots of sliced hits, pop ups galore, ground balls to 2nd, until they make barrel adjustments. Then they'll be hitting hard right center gappers. But the best thing will be that they will develop a deeper point of contact.
This will take buckets of balls per player, per practice, but it works.
Another good idea is one-armed (top arm, right arm for a righty), short-bat practice hitting outside pitches. Either front tossed or regular pitch. Side toss isn't much good for anything other than warming up.
As far as being aware of the lunge, the batters can be told, they can be shown, they can even feel it for themselves, but until they have many, many repetitions of waiting for the ball to get deep they will fall back to it during games. And it only takes one hard hit while lunging to wipe out all the practices. Or a really fast, down the middle pitcher, who is a lunger's best friend. Most lungers can't hit slower pitching.
The best drill for curing lunging is also the best drill for working on hitting outside pitches. Set a screen up about 20 feet in front of the batter, but about 5 feet off center of the path to the pitching plate, In other words, move the screen more towards 3rd.
Pitch the ball across the outside of the plate. They must hit the ball to right field, no exceptions, even on a pitch that doesn't get too far outside. In order to do this, they will have to wait for the ball to get deep. If they start stepping in towards the plate, throw the ball inside until they stride neutral.
Most will hate this drill. There will be lots of sliced hits, pop ups galore, ground balls to 2nd, until they make barrel adjustments. Then they'll be hitting hard right center gappers. But the best thing will be that they will develop a deeper point of contact.
This will take buckets of balls per player, per practice, but it works.
Another good idea is one-armed (top arm, right arm for a righty), short-bat practice hitting outside pitches. Either front tossed or regular pitch. Side toss isn't much good for anything other than warming up.
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This describes my daughter exactly. And she's now 14U. Maybe this is the one you're trying to coach.
....She gets it mentally, but not physically. And she's getting results w/ what she's doing, just not what I think she'd get.
It's going to be our off-season project (I hope). She claims that it doesn't feel comfortable going to a firm front side, even hurts. Not sure what to do.
Greenmonsters
Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Solution for hips sliding forward - A while back someone (maybe JBooth?) posted a drill where the bat was held against the hips, knob at front hip and barrel pointing back toward catcher, and the hitter was hitting/knocking the ball off the tee using hip rotation. Do this drill w/ the tee set deep and inside/middle of the plate with the hitter taking their regular stride and the only way they can achieve the goal of hitting the ball back up the middle is if they keep their hips from sliding forward. Done properly, they will experience the desired feel and then let them take their regular swing and try to experience the same feeling. Keep alternating as needed between the bat against the front of the hips and regular swings until they get it down. The added power will convince them of why they want to work at making the change permanent.
