Secret to Hitting Against Faster Pitching

[mann]

this week I will begin training for velocity.

It takes ALL of the great suggestions from all of your posts, both the mental and mechanical suggestions.

I first start with a good machine set for very fast. Its speed is relative. Every pitch is a strike your running start will have no pauses. You will start early, you must be early to the party, so you must start slow and early.

I can throw well but many cannot, but confidence is a very important tool for velocity, FEAR, (pain)can be a set back in confidence, so keep them safe.

I do not use my own pitchers much, mostly the time issue, I feel not many batters can get up, as I think a good 15 minutes is what is needed in the box against live pitch practice hitting.

So I front toss from about 30.

 

[RichK]

IMO the best thing you can do is to create a truly free-swinging team environment when they are young. Truly discourage walks. Don't criticize or punish strike-outs. Most importantly, the parents must understand this too. So much of young-level fastpitch is about girls not wanting to embarrass themselves and parents not wanting to be embarrassed by their kids (I know that sounds harsh but its true). Nothing more "embarrassing" then striking out -- except you end up with a team taking pitches and swinging reactively/weakly....which is worse. Girls need the freedom to be truly game-aggressive....without consequences, even if it takes a tournament, or two, or a whole season. It will pay off in the long run.

 

[NoVA Softball]

A drill that seemed to help our team (12U TB) was using a "quick bat" (I forget the brand name, but basically a broomstick kind of thing) and pitching small wiffle balls from directly behind the batter. To hit them well, the batter has to wait for the ball to get to the impact zone and then swing very rapidly to catch up to the ball that is now travelling away from them. We did this as one of several hitting stations all through winter practice. For many of our hitters, they couldn't do it at all in the beginning but all of them could hit well on this drill by the end. As they get up to speed, you can start throwing the balls faster so they really have to crank through to catch up to them. (Be careful not to let too many other bad mechanics develop -- this drill has their head position literally 180 from where it should be)

And of course, the basics -- back in the box a little, choke up on the bat, and make sure no one is swinging a bat too long/heavy for them.

 

[Mr T]

smddad has it right, IMO. yes, yes, yes is the mindset. I tell our girls we swing at every pitch then the only decision is to stop on bad pitches. Sue Enquist mentioned something very close to this in a speech she gave, you can find on the internet. don't know if she came up with it but it does work.
watch your hitter and if she has not moved through her progression on takes, she will never catch up to a fast pitcher.

A mindset may or may not be useful I like more what you said about takes. With regards to velocity, which pattern is the batter using?

Decide --> swing / take
Start swinging --> decide --> keep swinging/stop swinging

 

[damon s]

Decide --> swing / take
Start swinging --> decide --> keep swinging/stop swinging[/QUOTE]

the second if I had to pick from your 2 choices. start swinging is too vague for me. I want them to get through their entire progression up to the point where the bat crosses the plate. I am very ok with them occasionally getting called for swinging on a take while they are learning. if they don't have this happen to them while they are learning they are probably not as committed to the swing as I would like. let them know it is ok if this happens and they will not get yelled at or have to run rather it is a good thing and should be commended. JMO

 

[mann]

A drill that seemed to help our team (12U TB) was using a "quick bat" (I forget the brand name, but basically a broomstick kind of thing) and pitching small wiffle balls from directly behind the batter. To hit them well, the batter has to wait for the ball to get to the impact zone and then swing very rapidly to catch up to the ball that is now travelling away from them. We did this as one of several hitting stations all through winter practice. For many of our hitters, they couldn't do it at all in the beginning but all of them could hit well on this drill by the end. As they get up to speed, you can start throwing the balls faster so they really have to crank through to catch up to them. (Be careful not to let too many other bad mechanics develop -- this drill has their head position literally 180 from where it should be)

And of course, the basics -- back in the box a little, choke up on the bat, and make sure no one is swinging a bat too long/heavy for them.

Choke up? back in the box, then what? you see, the next pitch, and or, pitcher is faster.

what does choke up do? shorter bat? smaller arc?
A lot happens before the barrel is released, make sure it happens.

 

[Cannonball]

I think one key ingredient to hitting faster pitching is getting a running start. My dd combined "pulling the bow back" with "tipping and ripping." Others don't like that suggestion (pull the bow back) and that's fine. It worked for mine. This then also incorporates a saying that I use for my hitters, "Hands first, hands last." IOWs they begin an action by pulling the bow back/tip and rip first and then come into connection (the type of connection that involves a relationship with hands and shoulder complex) and then find the ball.

Now, someone please kick me for adding any input on hitting.

 

[chrispots]

Now, someone please kick me for adding any input on hitting.

 

[Cannonball]

Thanks!!! I needed that! LOL!

Edited to add:

I didn't want to give the impression that the hands were the only thing that helps with a running start. Certainly, the load (hips, lower/upper body etc.) when done right is a part of the running start.

 

[mann]

I think one key ingredient to hitting faster pitching is getting a running start. My dd combined "pulling the bow back" with "tipping and ripping." Others don't like that suggestion (pull the bow back) and that's fine. It worked for mine. This then also incorporates a saying that I use for my hitters, "Hands first, hands last." IOWs they begin an action by pulling the bow back/tip and rip first and then come into connection (the type of connection that involves a relationship with hands and shoulder complex) and then find the ball.

Now, someone please kick me for adding any input on hitting.

A very good straightforward post cannonball.

Your post is spot on, and the coaches that teach no running start, I see struggle against faster pitching.