I need work on my timing. What should I use?

[ifubuildit]

Based on some of these responses is the discussion about timing or about adjusting the swing plane to the plane of the ball?

Kind of hard to tell and there is a difference.

Dana.

 

[fortheloveofsoftball12]

the discussion was suppose to be about timing. If the ball was fouled back was there a problem with timing or the swing. That's what the discussion is about.

 

[jimginas]

generally if you are fouling STRAIGHT back, your TIMING is on; you are UNDER the ball. IF your SWING was on plane of the ball, you'd hit it squarely - line drive.

 

[fortheloveofsoftball12]

Thanx Jim! that's what commentators mean when someone fouls it back that they had just missed the ball. When I fouled it back it was not straight back but to the LEFT BACK. So if it was straight it would have been a fly ball into left field.

 

[Mark H]

generally if you are fouling STRAIGHT back, your TIMING is on; you are UNDER the ball. IF your SWING was on plane of the ball, you'd hit it squarely - line drive.

Exactly. .

 

[jimginas]

Thanx Jim! that's what commentators mean when someone fouls it back that they had just missed the ball. When I fouled it back it was not straight back but to the LEFT BACK. So if it was straight it would have been a fly ball into left field.

Hard to give you a fair analysis of why you are fouling to the left behind you as multiple variables must be taken into consideration.

we can talk in general as to why this could be happening.
Are you consistantly fouling off to the 3B side of the plate BEHIND you?
***Assuming you are a RHB.... If so, it very well may be you are making contact too close to the hands, not on the sweet spot of the barrel.
could be multiple reasons and I really hate speculating. Work on keeping your hands inside the ball (don't CAST). Another issue MAY be - you're contact with the ball could be too deep to the plate (contact out in front a little more so you are closer to extension and not getting "Handcuffed" to make solid contact with the barrel and drive the ball.)

If LHB AND OUTSIDE pitch - timing is probably fine, you are just under the ball as I assume you are waiting slightly to hit the ball deeper on the plate (off back part of your front foot instep.) This will result in a foul behind you to the left of the plate also.

 

[Coach Lia]

I believe as well that buying a pitching machine is not the solution to practice your timing. There maybe a lot of factors when you're hitting fouls, check your position in the batter's box or where you try to contact the ball.

Going to batting cages is ok but shouldn't be your main practice tool for hitting.

 

[SBdad]

Foul balls, pop flys, dribblers, usually means you're taking your eye off the ball the last split second. Same as in golf, if you top it or hit the ball fat, means you're taking your eye off the ball at contact.

It's probably not a timing issue, you just need to concentrate on keeping your eye on the ball longer.


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[Mark H]

Maybe. IME being consistently under bp pitches likely points to a swing plane problem. Some kind of pushing the hands/box down early or not getting the lead elbow sufficiently up into the swing plane. It's at best educated guessing without a video.

 

[ifubuildit]

Mark

I agree with that statement.